The Suna puppeteer elite immediately activated Ranpūsha (Chaotic Windmill), attempting to disperse the cascading water jutsu with an offensive counter—only to find his puppets glued in place by the viscous syrup-water technique.
Yet the Satetsu Quartet reacted swiftly. In a blur of Shunshin, they dodged the sticky deluge.
Whoosh—whoosh—
Umino Yoru led the pursuit with his elite—Fūjin and Raijin, Shirakumo Yozora, and Namikaze Raidō close behind.
Trapped between ambushes and chasers, the four Suna ninja had no choice but to flee with desperate caution.
"Go ahead, we'll hold them off!"
Two Suna jōnin volunteered as rearguard, letting Satetsu Ran and his wife escape first. Without hesitation, the couple abandoned their subordinates and vanished into the trees.
Hidden shadow clones lunged to intercept—but failed.
Even missing an arm, Satetsu Ran's combat prowess remained formidable. Combined with Ruri's skills, the clones stood no chance. The mist-laden forest offered little advantage against elite reflexes; every ambush was anticipated.
Eventually, the clones ceased their futile assaults.
Then—
BOOM!
An explosion rocked the woods.
Satetsu Ran had left a parting gift: hundreds of explosive tags detonated simultaneously, flattening a 300-meter radius.
Miraculously, the couple emerged unscathed—their defensive puppets absorbed the blast, though one was reduced to splinters.
"Damn it."
Yoru abandoned the chase, turning his attention to the two rearguard jōnin.
The wind-style specialist fought valiantly, but Raijin's sonic pulses disrupted his hand seals, forcing him into close combat against the monstrous twins.
It ended predictably—a single hammerblow from Fūjin pancaked the man into the earth.
The puppeteer fared no better. Pressed by Yozora's Vacuum Blade and Raidō's lightning-enhanced strikes, he barely held on—until a shadow clone's Water Syrup Trap immobilized his last puppet.
Yozora's sword flashed.
One less enemy.
---
"Kreeee—!"
The desert hawk, despite its mangled wing, somehow survived the unit's assault. Now it hobbled away like a drunken turkey, half-flying, half-leaping toward Suna lines.
No longer the apex predator that once toyed with the Yoru unit, the beast radiated panic.
"Big bird! Eat big bird!"
Fūjin and Raijin abandoned their candy rations, hefting iron clubs as they charged.
A wing swipe sent Fūjin flying—but Raijin's counterblow smashed into the injured wing.
"SCREEE—!"
The hawk's beak struck Raijin's club, sparks flying. The weapon held.
Then—
A sealing scroll unfurled above, releasing four spiked iron balls. Chains wove a net mid-air, ensnaring the beast.
Yoru didn't bother wasting chakra on more syrup. This prey was already caged.
Fūjin and Raijin's (carnival) of bludgeoning commenced. Only when the hawk stopped twitching did Yoru intervene.
"Enough. Preserve the materials."
High-level summoning beasts were treasure troves. With 100+ subordinates now, Yoru delegated the butchering to specialists—Konoha's ranks included even expert butchers.
One soldier soon approached, holding Satetsu Ran's severed arm.
As the son of Elder Chiyo and a Kazekage candidate, this limb was invaluable—both for intel and as bargaining leverage. Yoru stored it in a nutrient-filled vial, preserving cellular activity.
---
The unit moved south, leaving the forest's mist behind.
The Suna battalion, realizing pursuit was futile, detoured west instead—their elite forces would close the gap within a day.
By dusk, the Yoru unit's lower-ranked members were exhausted. Yoru called a halt.
It was time to reorganize.
### New Unit Structure:
1. Taijutsu Battalion (28 members)
- Captain: Shirakumo Yozora
- Lieutenants: Might Dai, Shiranui Genma, Namikaze Raidō
- 9 squads (3 members each)
2. Ninjutsu Battalion (27 members)
- Captain: Uchiha Shun
- Lieutenants: Kamizuki Hayate, Ebisu, Tatami Iwazō
- 9 squads
3. Tool & Mechanism Battalion (27 members)
- Captain: Umino Yoru (direct command)
- Lieutenants: Kōganishi, Yamigumo, Shukidō
- 9 squads
4. Support Battalion (Largest unit)
- Captain: Umino Yoru (dual role)
- Vice-captain: Anma Karin
- Lieutenants: Kosugi, Inuzuka Rō, Yamashiro Midori
- Subunits: Medical, Genjutsu, Sensory, Logistics
Personal Guard: Fūjin, Raijin, and Shiro.
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