The forest outside Konoha was a dark, tangled maze. Mist clung to the twisted trees, and the scent of damp earth masked all other odors. Kiyoshi led the way, bloodied but alert, his crimson eyes scanning every shadow.
Behind him, Rei's senses stretched, weaving through the forest like threads of silk. "There are at least three chakra signatures ahead," she whispered. "Two moving together, one lagging."
Daiki rolled his shoulders, cracking a grin despite the tension. "Lagging or not, they won't know what hit them."
Kiyoshi didn't reply. His focus was sharp, measured. No mistakes. Not with Hideo's life on the line.
They moved silently, shadows among shadows, until Rei froze.
"Ambush. Three more Root operatives—traps set along the eastern ridge."
Before they could react, kunai whistled past, embedding in the trunks around them. Daiki lunged forward, fists flaring in a taijutsu burst, knocking two attackers off balance. Rei's hands glowed as chakra threads snaked from her fingers, ensnaring the third in a sensory net.
Kiyoshi leaped, blood tendrils lashing from his palms to disarm the last operative. His Ketsuryugan flared, illuminating the forest in a harsh red light. The Root operative stumbled back, sensing the power he faced, then vanished into the fog.
"Dammit," Kiyoshi muttered. "They're splitting up."
Rei's eyes were wide, scanning the area. "If we follow the main group, the one lagging might double back."
Daiki smirked. "Sounds like a hunt. My favorite kind."
The team pressed forward, deeper into the ashen woods. The mist thickened, dampening sound, bending light, making the forest seem alive. Every snap of a twig or rustle of leaves could be an enemy.
Suddenly, a piercing scream cut through the fog. Rei's face went pale.
"Not human," she whispered.
From the underbrush, a creature emerged. Its body was twisted, chakra oozing like molten lava under pale skin. Red veins pulsed in rhythm with its frenzied heartbeat. One glance at its eyes—and Kiyoshi froze.
The same mutation… the experiments from the Valley.
The beast lunged before anyone could react. Daiki intercepted with a punch that shattered the ground beneath it, but the creature barely flinched, claws tearing into the soil. Rei unleashed her genjutsu, attempting to restrain it, but the creature's chakra surged violently, snapping her control.
Kiyoshi's blood surged too, a crimson storm forming around him. Tendrils lashed out, weaving through trees and roots to restrain the beast. It roared, a sound that shook the very forest, and slashed toward him.
He met it head-on, feeling the familiar pull of his lineage—the same dangerous power that had haunted Hideo and his clan.
"Team, stay close!" he shouted. "We can't let it split us!"
Daiki and Rei repositioned instantly, circling the creature, while Kiyoshi kept its focus on him. Every strike, every surge of blood, was measured—he couldn't lose control here, not yet.
The first real battle in the Ashen Woods had begun. And Team 16 was learning the cost of survival—and the strength of their bond—under fire.