After the Sand ninja were eliminated.
Hatake Sakumo appeared beside Uchiha Kin.
"You're that fast?"
Kin stared at Hatake Sakumo in surprise, referring both to his speed in clearing out the Sand ninja and his use of the Shave technique.
Clearing the Sand ninja had been as easy as slicing melons—effortless. His speed with Shave was also astonishing; even at its most basic level, it was so fast that Kin couldn't keep up. Perhaps only by activating the Sharingan could he match it.
But he never expected Hatake Sakumo to give him a deep, meaningful look.
"A man should never be called fast!"
"You damn perverted jonin, be serious for once!"
Kin had never imagined Hatake Sakumo could be such a joker.
Insects gathered to form Aburame Mushihi, her face slightly red as she lowered her head.
Kin: ( _ ).
As a serious person, he really couldn't vibe with these two troublemakers.
"Let's move."
Hatake Sakumo sheathed his sword and began swiftly advancing through the forest again.
Kin and Aburame Mushihi followed behind.
Leaping from branch to branch, the three moved at incredible speed. Kin could even feel the fierce wind rushing past.
While it seemed like Hatake Sakumo was leading the way, it was actually Aburame Mushihi controlling her insects to scout the path ahead.
Kin, in comparison, felt like a useless tagalong.
Suddenly, the sound of insect chirping in his ears made Kin's pupils contract. His previously lazy expression quickly turned serious. He glanced at Aburame Mushihi beside him but soon returned to his usual demeanor.
The three halted their movement and quickly hid.
This was a warning of enemy ninja nearby.
But...
When had she placed insects in his ears?
If she could do that, could she also kill him just as easily?
Still, she was a teammate, so he suppressed his unease for now.
Hatake Sakumo gave Kin a sidelong glance, as if noticing nothing, and peered through the dense foliage.
A small team of three Sand ninja was moving through the trees.
The insects in his ears vibrated, transmitting a message.
"This is bait. There are five squads hidden behind them."
This confused Kin. Hadn't Hatake Sakumo wiped out the outpost without leaving a single survivor? What were they probing for?
But now wasn't the time to ask.
The three Sand ninja leaped away along the branches.
Hatake Sakumo and the others waited patiently.
Nearly an hour passed.
The Sand ninja who had left earlier returned, this time running along the ground.
The next moment, a group of Sand ninja emerged from hiding—about fifteen in total.
They didn't speak but communicated through rapid hand signals, a unique method of coordination.
"Truly cautious."
Too bad.
The White Fang silently drew his sword.
Since the numbers were confirmed...
The next instant, Hatake Sakumo appeared among the fifteen.
"Who's there!?"
"A Konoha ninja!?"
"Was it you who took out the outpost!?"
The Sand ninja shouted angrily, but their voices soon turned to panic as Hatake Sakumo's blade glowed with a faint white light.
In the next moment, his figure transformed into a white crescent, slicing through them.
Hatake Sakumo flicked the blood off his blade and sheathed it.
Five Sand ninja fell, heads separated from their bodies—utterly defenseless.
Kin and Aburame Mushihi, the two "accessories," finally emerged.
"Are the Sand ninja's communications that fast?"
"Don't underestimate the Five Great Shinobi Villages," Hatake Sakumo reminded Kin.
"Konoha also has ways to detect outpost failures immediately. The Sand is no different."
Kin awkwardly rubbed his nose. He hadn't known Konoha had such methods.
The three continued deeper.
But the frequency of Sand ninja encounters increased.
If the numbers were small, Hatake Sakumo would eliminate them all. If they were large, the trio would hide.
Disguised with transformation techniques, the three hid in a cave.
"Should we keep going deeper?"
Kin felt like Sand ninja were everywhere now, with a squad appearing every few steps.
If they continued, they might run into the main Sand forces in the Land of Rivers.
Hatake Sakumo leaned against the stone wall and closed his eyes.
"We'll rest here for today."
"The next leg will be even more dangerous."
He didn't answer directly, but his words made it clear—he had no intention of turning back.
This confirmed Kin's suspicion: Hatake Sakumo was heading straight for the Sand's main forces.
Meanwhile...
Tsunade awoke from unconsciousness.
As soon as she sat up, she saw her reflection in a nearby mirror—her face was disfigured, covered in dark purple marks.
Immediately, she crossed her legs and began reforming the seal in her hands.
After extensive use, she had gained a deep understanding of the Thousand Spiders and Ten Thousand Poisons Hand Technique. Soon, the black marks on her face began to recede, as if being absorbed, until they vanished completely.
Her youthful beauty returned.
"This is truly an incredible technique."
Tsunade knew she owed Uchiha Kin a huge debt.
In the Warring States era, a technique like this could have founded an entire secretive clan.
This wasn't something a single glance at the Scroll of Seals could repay.
Tsunade sighed, but now wasn't the time for that.
She pulled out a scroll, bit her thumb, and pressed it down. With a puff of smoke, a large array of medical tools appeared before her.
She needed to develop a new antidote.
Once finished, Tsunade immediately sought out Hatake Sakumo—only to receive news that made her frown.
"Hatake Sakumo took Kin and Aburame Mushihi deep into the Land of Rivers?"
"Yes, Lady Tsunade," a bespectacled kunoichi replied expressionlessly.
"Lord Hatake Sakumo has entrusted me with command of the camp."
The kunoichi's words stopped Tsunade from mobilizing troops for a rescue.
Narrowing her eyes, Tsunade studied the woman.
"Are you certain?"
The kunoichi didn't hesitate.
"Yes, I am."
The next moment, Tsunade suddenly lunged, grabbing the woman by the throat and lifting her off the ground.
"L-Lady Tsunade!"
The kunoichi struggled, but she was no match for Tsunade's monstrous strength.
Then, a purple liquid seeped from Tsunade's arm, corroding the kunoichi until she nearly lost consciousness, her mouth falling open involuntarily.
Tsunade tossed her to the ground.
"As I thought—the Tongue Eradication Seal."
She had wanted to see the mark on the kunoichi's tongue.
The symbol of Root.
The woman coughed violently on the ground.
"Tell Danzo that the front lines are off-limits to him."
"Yes."
The kunoichi gritted her teeth. She hadn't expected the plan to fail so easily, but she dared not retaliate against Tsunade.
"And one more thing."
Tsunade began donning her armor again.
"Tell everyone in the camp who can still fight."
"We're taking the fight back to them!!"
...
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(End of Chapter)