"Hand over your prisoner, or face the Taketori clan's wrath. Resistance is futile," a pale-skinned man with a cruel glint in his eyes and tw
"Hand over your prisoner, or face the Taketori clan's wrath.
Resistance is futile," a pale-skinned man with a cruel glint in his eyes and two crimson markings on his brow declared, stepping forward from the crowd.
The Taketori clan, Kirigakure's most powerful mercenary group, were seasoned veterans of countless battles, steeped in blood and fire.
Their unique kekkei genkai, the Corpse Bone Pulse, allowed them to manipulate bone growth, density, and calcium levels from birth, fueling their ambition and driving them to madness.
Even Kirigakure found them difficult to control; outside the village, they were unrestrained, even more ferocious.
Within the clan, only strength and killing mattered; there was no room for sentiment or familial bonds.
Seeing the increasingly crazed faces emerging from the shadows, Yahiko and his companions felt their hearts constrict.
Seven against forty or fifty, and against a clan notorious throughout the shinobi world for their ruthlessness… it was a death sentence.
"Yahiko, didn't you say the enemy's attention would be focused on the base, that two Rain Village shinobi could draw their attention, giving us a chance to slip away?"
Kumayama asked, his face grim. "We've walked into a trap. No one else in the organization knew about this plan; there's no backup. What do we do?"
Yahiko and Nagato stiffened. Their plan had seemed foolproof, especially with the added deception of Uchiha Kai and Pakura's presence.
This was why Yahiko had allowed them to stay at the base during this crucial moment. If the enemy attacked, Kai and Pakura could hold them off while they executed their secret plan.
However, reality had shattered their calculations. Yahiko suspected an inside informant, but not within Akatsuki.
Only someone who knew Kai and Pakura weren't genuine Rain Village reinforcements could have anticipated their strategy.
Yahiko took a deep breath, a chilling realization dawning on him. He needed to act.
Fixing his gaze on Taketori Kazuki, the Taketori clan's new leader, Yahiko's expression hardened.
He barked orders, "Kumayama, you and Konan escort the guest. Nagato and I will hold them off."
"Attack!"
With those words, Yahiko pulled out several kunai, throwing them at the enemy. The kunai reached their target in an instant. Yahiko formed hand seals.
"Explode!"
Boom! The explosive tags within the kunai detonated, a wave of intense heat sweeping outwards, engulfing Kazuki. Nearby trees were instantly consumed by flames.
Konan's nerves tightened. "Yahiko, watch out!"
"Too late!"
A maniacal laugh erupted from the flames.
Kazuki, clad in bone armor, burst forth, the distance between them shrinking with each stride.
A bone spur materialized in his hand, transforming into a massive spear aimed at Yahiko's chest.
At such close range, against a taijutsu expert like Kazuki, Yahiko had no time to react, especially since he hadn't expected Kazuki to survive the explosion unscathed.
"Earth Release: Earth Splitting Palm!" Nagato roared, slamming his hand into the ground. The ground beneath them collapsed.
Kazuki's expression turned cold. He unleashed a flurry of white bone spears.
"Cone Spears!"
As Yahiko's pupils constricted, Nagato collided with him, pushing him out of the way.
Seeing Nagato now in danger, Yahiko's anxiety spiked.
"Die, brat!" Kazuki laughed, believing he could kill either Yahiko or Nagato with one blow. But his expression shifted abruptly.
The bone spears, mere inches from Nagato's face, struck an invisible barrier.
Clang! A sharp metallic sound echoed. The bone spears were deflected, embedding themselves in a nearby tree trunk.
Yahiko, Kazuki, and even Nagato were stunned by this unexpected development.
"Kumayama-san, look out!" Konan's sharp cry broke the silence.
Snapping back to reality, Nagato and Yahiko created distance, turning to see a dozen Taketori clan members charging at Kumayama and the others, their bone-bladed weapons raised.
Akatsuki's members, mostly shinobi from smaller, weaker nations, were outmatched in taijutsu by the Taketori clan.
They wouldn't have a chance to use ninjutsu.
"Don't worry about us! Get the guest to safety! If this mission fails, years of Akatsuki's efforts will be wasted!"
Kumayama roared, deflecting an incoming bone spear with a kunai, his attempt at hand seals failing.
Before his words faded, a small, dark figure darted through the chaos, appearing before Kumayama. A gleaming bone dagger sliced towards his throat.
The sudden attack shocked everyone. No one expected a five or six-year-old child, hidden amongst the fighters, to launch such a swift, deadly attack. This child was clearly no ordinary shinobi.
"Got him!" the child said coldly, but their dagger suddenly changed course, deflecting an incoming attack.
Clang! A metallic clang echoed, followed by an amused voice that sent a chill down everyone's spine.
"My, my, what a terrifying little tyke!"
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