Mai sped through the dark forest, once again alone with only the wind in her face and the sound of her own heartbeat.
'The plan isn't going smoothly after all.' Mai thought as she leaped from one thick branch to another, occasionally glancing back at Konoha, which had long disappeared from view.
Sakura had actually been secretly watching her. Fortunately, she had outsmarted her and taken her down.
If they had fought head-on, she would have been held up for a long time, forced to return dejectedly to her lonely little tent.
'I hope Sakura-nee won't be too angry.' Mai comforted herself, though she knew it was unlikely. She could already imagine her senior sister's fierce expression, but there was no time to worry about that now.
Sakura had also mentioned that she had reported the situation to Shizune.
Mai looked ahead into the darkness, her eyes resolute. She didn't want to miss the meeting with Yu Bai, so even if she had to resort to tricks, she would continue her escape. She was mentally prepared for what was to come.
…
Tonight was unlikely to be peaceful.
Whoosh...
Stepping on the hard wooden surface, she focused her chakra with just the right amount of force. As ripples formed under her feet, Mai leaped dozens of meters into the air. Even without using her sensory abilities, she could feel the chaotic disturbances in the rapidly chilling air.
Sure enough, pursuers arrived just half an hour later.
Several black figures flickered behind her, equally adept at using branches and vines to close in quickly. Soon, they were beside her, no longer needing the cover of night.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
The sound of the wind gained an oppressive layer. Mai glanced sideways and saw three people, initially using the most basic encirclement tactic to subtly hem her in in a fan shape.
Mai controlled her speed. She had no intention of racing these unfamiliar Konoha's Ninjas, as it was pointless and would only make her seem more suspicious. Instead of being trailed, it was better to be straightforward.
For the first time, she was 'temporarily' on the opposite side of her own village.
Mai's thoughts were still jumbled, 'Who were these people? How should I fight? Should I start with some soft, pleading words?'
"Um..." After a few seconds of hesitation, as the distance between them narrowed, Mai still couldn't bring herself to be harsh. She spoke up, hoping to start a dialogue to show she meant no harm.
However, the other side suddenly moved. One of the team members instantly accelerated, flashing past the formation to appear right in front of her.
"Hey, wait, we can talk this out..." A certain infuriating style reminiscent of Logan flashed through her mind. People often imitate those they admire. As she spoke, Mai drew a weapon from behind her waist.
Ding!
Kunai met kunai, the sharp sound breaking the deep silence of the forest and snapping Mai to attention. The next moment, she unintentionally caught sight of her opponent's face and widened her eyes.
"You?"
"Me? What about me?" The two landed on a branch in a standoff. Her familiar teammate, Arata, was now fully visible, his face wearing an innocently puzzled expression.
The other two figures quickly jumped to higher points nearby, unmistakably Yuta and Gensaku.
"Why are you guys here?" Mai felt inexplicably relieved. Fighting unfamiliar Konoha's Ninjas would have brought intense pressure amid her wavering resolve.
"Haha... it's us." Yuta squatted down, greeting her with an awkward laugh.
"Sigh, actually..."
"Who else would it be? Who else would have nothing better to do in the middle of the night?" Arata, right in front of her, rubbed his face and scratched the corner of his eye, looking like he had just been woken up.
Then he paused, realizing the situation wasn't right, and painstakingly put on a well-rehearsed, earnest expression. "...Right, we really should talk this out. Don't do anything rash."
"..."
Being suddenly assigned this task felt awkward for everyone, not just Mai. Her teammates seemed to feel the same way. They were put in a difficult position.
And as he said this, their kunai were still locked together, metal grinding against metal.
"Since it's you, there's nothing to talk about." Mai said, looking at the detestable face of the teenager. Without another word, she increased the pressure and kicked him flying.
Thud!
He rolled away, clearly in pain. Arata clutched the spot where he was hit, scrambling to his feet awkwardly. He looked at Mai, who seemed unfazed, and wanted to protest the unfairness.
The air fell silent for a moment.
This late-night chase, under the dim moonlight, should have been filled with unease and determination.
But now, with Team Gensaku reunited under special circumstances, the atmosphere was... unexpectedly alright.
Yuta, crouching down, glanced at his partner, exchanging a silent look. He scratched his head and said, "Why did you break the rules without a word? If we didn't see you now and you didn't look like it, we would have thought..."
"We received news that you were suspected of defecting. The village is short-handed, so we were sent to intercept you."
Gensaku, who had been silent until now, spoke up. He directly addressed his students' hesitation, his expression unreadable. The dark night seemed to add shadows to his scarred face.
Mai instinctively shrank her neck.
Gensaku was usually very serious, but now he looked even more stern.
Then she heard the implication in his words and hurriedly explained, "No, it has nothing to do with defecting. I just... ran out without notifying anyone."
Hearing Mai's clear attitude, her longtime teammates were undoubtedly relieved, "See? I said it was a misunderstanding." Arata clapped his hands. "Shizune-sama must have made it sound more serious than it is."
Yuta nodded with relief.
"Why didn't you notify anyone?" Gensaku, the calmest among them, frowned and asked.
"Because..." There was no way around it. Most people wouldn't understand. She didn't want to worry those who cared about her. Under everyone's gaze, Mai's voice softened but remained clear, "I need to meet someone, but there are... various inconvenient reasons."
"Who?" Arata asked bluntly.
"Hattori-nii…" Mai said the name.
"Holy crap." Arata's reaction was unexpectedly strong. "Him again?"
"Huh? You know about him?" Mai was surprised. On the other hand, Yuta seemed to share the sentiment, "Yeah, you applied to join Team 7 in September, which we'd never heard of. Since we're not in the same year, we were curious and asked around."
"After all, we've been on so many missions together. A sudden switch... we..." Yuta said, slightly embarrassed.
"Sorry about that time, but... you managed to find out?" Mai looked skeptical. The Uchiha mission's clearance level wasn't low.
"Well..." Yuta hesitated, glancing at their stern-faced sensei.
"..."
Their stern but caring sensei might not say it out loud, but he had also been quietly concerned about her situation, and so had her teammates... Mai didn't know what to say for a moment.
"Anyway, it's so annoying." Arata stomped his foot, looking at Yuta for some agreement, "It's always that guy, what's-his-name Hattori. Yuta, I feel like we're being shown up."
Yuta chuckled awkwardly, "Is... is that so?"
Arata glared, and the fragile boat of friendship nearly capsized. Yuta quickly changed his tune, "Yeah, it is!"
"Mai, just come back with us honestly. We'll help you call that Hattori guy over next time." Arata said, full of masculine bravado.
"No."
Pursing her lips, Mai looked at each of them in turn and shook her head. She didn't need to be polite with the two teenagers. After all, that's how they had always interacted since the day they met, from ancient times to the present, from the Big Bang to the cosmic singularity. But when her gaze settled on Gensaku, she still said firmly, "I have to go."
That initial, naive conviction had only grown stronger with age, giving her a persuasive power and drive that was different from others. Mai was a gentle, sensible girl who sometimes seemed soft to outsiders. But a girl who had struggled through a difficult life in a dilapidated fishing village, often going hungry, was inevitably strong and stubborn.
Moreover, she had an unusual persistence. It was this deep-seated persistence that allowed an ordinary person to become an outstanding Ninja and an outsider to become a white-clad angel devoted to protecting the villagers.
"You two, don't try to stop me." Mai found her momentum, chest out, addressing Arata and Yuta, "Consider this a warning."
Teenagers were most susceptible to provocation, even these two boys who usually chose to be oppressed. Arata touched the spot where he had been kicked earlier, old and new grievances boiling over. He pointed angrily, "Hasegawa Mai, I warn you, quit while you're ahead!"
He struck a pose befitting a teenager standing tall, shedding his burdens, "Actually, I've put up with you for a long time. Perfect timing. If we go back looking too clean, it'll make Shizune-sama suspicious. Let's use this chance to teach you a lesson!"
Mai raised an eyebrow, "You?"
"Us." Arata pulled Yuta over. The latter shuddered but ultimately, spurred by wounded male pride, stood his ground indignantly.
'Not being able to go back looking clean... was actually a very good point.' Mai's eyes turned dangerous, "Bring it on."
Then, the restrained situation descended into chaos.
They really started fighting. Even though one of them had already been kicked once, Arata focused his energy and charged at the girl standing beautifully and tall in the dim light.
He swung his kunai, only to have it blocked steadily again. But the attack wasn't that simple. They exchanged kicks, as she actually tried to kick him away again!
Cursing inwardly, Arata threw his kunai while retreating and formed hand signs.
"Who will end up looking miserable remains to be seen." Mai dodged the hidden weapon and snorted. A massive fireball rushed toward her. She took a deep breath, her right fist suddenly covered in condensed Chakra, and smashed it downward!
A deafening roar followed as the thick branch shattered instantly. Flying debris and a fierce wind formed a natural barrier. The shaking tremor made it impossible for Arata to stabilize his fireball, and he lost his footing, falling weightlessly.
"Watch out for her strength!" They all knew each other's abilities well. This was also why the two teammates had never dared to be too loud... but times had changed.
Arata shouted a warning to Yuta, who was elsewhere. Since the fight had started, they had to see it through.
A figure shot out of the dust, grabbing his collar. Arata's pupils constricted. He was still preparing to land! He hurriedly raised his hands, activating a technique, "Body Repla..."
"Too late." Mai exerted force, pulling him toward her, her left elbow striking out fiercely.
Thump!
Arata saw stars. Fortunately, such a reckless attack that disregarded her own stance had obvious drawbacks. Relying on his relentless training reflexes, he desperately grabbed Mai's arm, and the two fell to the ground together.
Several silver threads suddenly shot out from the depths of the forest.
Yuta, waiting for an opportunity, seized the chance. The tough thin wires whirred as they spun, the fierce wind echoing as they accurately and ruthlessly entangled the two figures on the ground.
"Haha, now you're caught. Worth it." Arata said, his face already bruised and swollen. His risky move had paid off. Tied up, he turned his head happily, only for his expression to freeze.
Accompanying him was only a wooden log.
"Yuta's wire retrieval speed is still so slow, and... don't forget, my hand seal speed is much faster than yours." Her mastery of basic techniques, the skill that had allowed her to create an opening and counterattack even against the masked man of Akatsuki, gave Mai the confidence to say this.
"You idiot Yuta, untie me now!"
"W-Wait... I'm a bit busy here." Yuta said, sweat dripping down his cheek as he fought the girl who had flickered to his side. He had no time to deal with his hardworking teammate.
Finally recovering, Yuta released the wires. The two returned to their pre-fight state, having gained no advantage.
They coughed awkwardly, adjusted their clothes, and then regrouped to continue fighting together.
The fight, more driven by impulse than anything else, continued. As the saying goes, laning against the same champion on the same path is the most frustrating experience.
The three Genin of Team Gensaku knew each other's strengths, even some detailed habits. Arata and Yuta weren't fresh graduates.
With excellent skills and Ninjutsu, after their initial strategy failed, they fought Mai to a standstill.
On the surface, Mai had the upper hand in momentum, but the actual fight was far from easy. However, their movements were something she could anticipate, defend against, and even exploit.
Hidden weapons flew through the forest. Occasionally, bursts of Chakra tore up the earth and rocks.
Familiar opponents could fight for a long time, but a single mistake could lead to a swift defeat. In just seven or eight minutes, Mai, still the better player, emerged victorious.
"Whew..."
Arata and Yuta were tied up in a bundle, trapped by their own trap. Mai caught her breath, looked at her two constantly moaning teammates, smiled silently, and threw away her kunai.
The fight had been a cathartic release of the day's anxiety and psychological burden. From another perspective, it had also completed her daily escape from the village routine.
Wiping her sweat, it didn't mean things were over. There was still a thorny, or rather, the most difficult problem. Mai looked up at Gensaku, who stood quietly on a branch.
The moon flickered behind drifting clouds.
"Gensaku-sensei..." Mai took a deep breath and jumped to a position level with him.
Gensaku's expression remained as calm as ever. He looked down at his students, tangled together and struggling to undo the knots, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly, seeming slightly embarrassed, "It seems they still have a long way to go."
Hearing this, Mai felt somewhat constrained, her face flushing, whether from exertion or shyness, "It was just luck, I also..."
"You are indeed the most outstanding student I have taught." Gensaku interrupted bluntly.
Biting her lip, Mai found it difficult, 'Was sensei going to play the emotional card?'
Noting his stern expression, she awkwardly dismissed the thought and could only wait for what came next. No matter what Gensaku chose, in the end, Mai wasn't very confident she could defeat him...
Arata and Yuta were manageable, but adding an experienced Jonin to the mix would mean she wouldn't be standing here anymore. Mai clenched her fist.
"On the way here, we met Haruno Sakura. After ensuring she was safe, we also learned some details..." After half a minute of silence, Gensaku said, "Are you really just going to meet him?"
"Yes." Mai nodded seriously. The fact that Gensaku hadn't made a move from the beginning had given her a sliver of hope.
A glimmer of hope flashed in her eyes, "It's not what you're worried about."
"Is it absolutely necessary?"
"Yes."
"Since you say so, I understand." Gensaku looked at the girl's eyes, shining for something, something even the night couldn't hide. Gradually, a faint smile appeared on his face.
"So, Sensei, you..."
"But…" Gensaku thought for a moment, sighing as if troubled, and spread his hands, "Doing nothing will incur the wrath of Shizune-sama, the head of the medical department."
"Then I..." Mai was about to say she would take full responsibility, to promise.
"However, I was unfortunately repelled by my outstanding student." Gensaku stated flatly, as if talking about having eaten and drunk water today. He took out a kunai and casually slashed his clothes, "Arata was right. We can't look too clean."
"Go on." He said, stepping aside.