The Sand reinforcements appeared like a shadowed tide, three to four hundred shinobi trudging into the valley. They marched in weary silence; the discipline of their formation fraying after too many days of travel. I watched from our hiding spot as their steps faltered slightly, as their heads dipped lower. They were tired, vulnerable, and they had no idea what they were walking into.
Beside me, my team stayed utterly still, each one waiting for my signal. Kurenai's hawk circled far overhead, unseen against the brightening sky. The air held a brittle tension as every second seemed to stretch out, feeling like minutes, even hours.
"Not yet," I whispered, barely audible.
I forced myself, and them, to wait. They needed to funnel in deeper, to let the bulk of their force fill the valley floor. Too early and the damage would be lessened; too late and they might notice that something was wrong. Patience was the difference between a successful ambush and a wasted gamble.
At last, they were exactly where I wanted them with the front ranks halfway through, and the rear still pressing forward. The column was trapped between sand and stone, pinned in a narrow throat making it perfect for the landslide to take out their supplies.
"Now!" I whispered.
In unison, all five of us made the proper hand signs, and the valley erupted.
A deafening roar split the morning as the first wave of tags ignited, causing the ground to shudder beneath us. Fire blossomed across the sands, racing outward in a chain of explosions that lit the sky like a sunrise made of flame. The valley floor buckled and tore apart, shockwaves rippling through the ranks of shinobi caught in the blast.
Then the cliffs gave way. Our carefully laid seals along the ridgeline detonated, ripping into the stone, and an avalanche of sand and rock thundered down into the valley. The air filled with dust and fire as the cries of the Sand swallowed in the cacophony.
Even from our vantage point, the force of it rattled through my bones. My ears rang, making the world muffled and distant for a few heartbeats. The same dazed look flickered across my team's faces, so I knew that they felt it too, but it did not matter. We did not have time to see the aftermath.
"Move," I ordered, pushing myself to my feet.
Already I could feel the weight of the blast rolling across the desert. The northern camp wasn't far, so they would have heard the explosion. I knew that scouts would be racing this way, and possibly the main force within the camp.
We slipped from the ridge, vanishing along the route we had planned, leaving behind the valley as it burned and crumbled. I pushed Asuma and Kurenai to their limits while Duy and Guy managed without any real trouble. For thirty solid minutes, none of us stopped, but most ninjas were not built for endurance, so we had to take a break.
We crouched in the shadow of a stony outcrop, gasping for breath. Sweat slicked my back despite the cool of the morning, and I could see the strain etched Asuma's, Kurenai's, and even Guy's faces. Duy simply breathed a little heavy; I had seen more from his daily workouts. Above us, Kurenai's hawk circled once, then swooped down toward the ridge and landed lightly on small branch above us, feathers ruffling as it let out a soft cry.
"Do you have the chakra to check the valley with your hawk?" I asked quietly. "We need to know what we accomplished and if anyone's on our trail."
"I've got the chakra," Kurenai replied with a nod.
She sat down in the shade, and she formed a few hand signs to cast her genjutsu. Her chakra rippled outward as she linked her senses to the hawk's, and it took off with a flap of its wings. It did not take long before it climbed out of the gully and disappeared from sight.
"There are well over a hundred wounded," Kurenai murmured, her voice distant as her gaze tracked through the hawk. "Maybe more under the rockfall. Their supplies are gone—completely destroyed. The ones still standing look shaken… unsteady."
Relief flickered through me as I knew we had been successful with our strike, but I said anyways, "Show me."
She did not reply but weaved a few seals instead to pull me into her genjutsu. Through her connection, I caught glimpses of what she, or rather the hawk, saw. Fire-blackened sand, the shattered remains of supply carts, and bodies scattered across the valley floor like broken dolls. Entire ranks had been crushed beneath the landslide, and though survivors stumbled in the chaos, their numbers were badly thinned.
There were well over a hundred wounded, maybe more under the rockfall. The ones still standing looked shaken and bloodied as leaders tried to direct the chaos and save those they could. Their supplies are buried or destroyed.
It was a successful strike, but I soon noticed Sand ninjas where we had been hiding before the blast. Unfortunately, one of them looked up then spotted the hawk and pointed it out to his companions. I swore under my breath. I should have known better. No hawk would fly over an explosion site soon, and the Sand were not complete fools.
"Send it south," I ordered quickly. "Farther and faster than they'll follow. We'll cut west toward River. Once we're clear, I'll help you recover it."
Kurenai hesitated for a fraction of a second, then exhaled and gave a small nod. She released her chakra in a pulse of command, and the hawk turned sharply and sped south as our connection to it, and each other, faded.
"Time to move," I said. "The trap worked, but it won't matter if they catch us. We head west. Don't stop unless I say."
The others did not argue. They pulled themselves upright, weary but resolute, and together we plunged back into the desert, leaving behind the burning valley and the hawk streaking away on its own desperate flight.
By the time the sun bled into the horizon, our bodies had been pushed to the edge. We had run hard all day, cutting west across the dunes, and the fatigue that weighed on every step. When the shadows grew long and the air began to chill, I finally signaled a halt.
We stopped at the base of a high dune, where the sand banked into a shallow hollow. It was not much, but it gave us at least some cover and block the wind. None of us bothered with tents; even laying out bedrolls felt like a wasted effort. No fire either as the flames would only mark us in the night. Dinner was nothing more than ration bars passed around in silence.
Asuma chewed grimly, eyes half-lidded with exhaustion. Guy leaned against his father's shoulder, shivering in the cold despite his stubborn grin. Kurenai finished the last few pieces of her rations before curling into her cloak, quiet and withdrawn.
"Rest," I told them firmly, my tone leaving no room for argument. "You'll need it. Duy and I will keep watch."
The boys nodded quickly, too tired to argue, and even Kurenai just gave me a long look before settling down. Only when they closed their eyes did I let out a quiet breath and sat down on the sand. My chakra pulsed, and two figures shimmered into being before me, my Space-Time and Yin Clones.
"Surveillance," I ordered simply. Space-Time gave a curt nod and vanished in a ripple, while Yin lingered at my side, her eyes narrowing at the circles of strain under mine.
"You're pushing too hard," Yin murmured.
I ignored her, folding my legs beneath me and sinking into meditation. My reserves had been bled thin by the ambush. I needed to recover, and quickly, just like the rest of my team.
Minutes ticked by while the desert around us remained eerily quiet. The wind hissed over the dunes, carrying fine grains that clung to my lashes and lips. Then, about an hour later, without warning, the connection snapped. My Space-Time Clone's memories slammed into me like a blade.
I stiffened, eyes snapping open. Images flooded through me... fifteen Sand shinobi trailing our path with three of them jonin, and the rest a mix of chunin and genin. My clone had stayed hidden, tracking them from the ridges, until one of the jonin had turned sharply, hand rising. A flare hissed into the sky, bursting into crimson light against the stars.
It was not an attack, but rather a signal. They were not alone and more would be coming. My clone had dispelled herself before they could close in, but I knew they were close... too close. I pushed to my feet, waking my team.
"We have to move," I said, my voice hard. "They've found our trail. Fifteen now, and more on the way. Get up. We need to run."
We abandoned the hollow at the base of the dune without a second glance, leaving behind our bedrolls and scattered footprints left behind in the sand. There was no time to cover our tracks. Not with a flare hanging red in the sky like a warning bell.
We ran west, feet pounding into the dunes, as the cold desert wind whipped at our cloaks. The air felt thinner somehow, charged with the knowledge that enemies were close behind.
"Listen carefully," I called over the rush of our steps. My voice was steady, but there was no mistaking the edge beneath it. "There are fifteen Sand shinobi on our trail. Three of them are jonin. I'll hold off two myself, but that leaves one more for you to deal with."
Asuma shot me a sharp look. "One jonin? With just us?"
"Exactly," I replied, glancing at Kurenai. "It's time you tasted real combat. This isn't training. Follow Kurenai's commands; she's in charge once the fighting starts."
Kurenai blinked at me, the faintest flicker of surprise crossing her features before it hardened into determination. She nodded once, her crimson eyes flashing in the moonlight. "Understood."
As if sensing her cue, the Sand squad appeared on the ridge behind us, shadows spreading into formation as they closed the gap. Fifteen figures, moving fast. I could already feel their chakra signatures pressing against my senses, sharp and hostile.
I slowed slightly, signaling my intent. "I'll split the two stronger ones away. The rest are yours."
Kurenai's voice rang out clear and calm, cutting through the desert wind. "Duy, you'll take the oldest target in the group. Don't hesitate, open the Third Gate directly and don't give him the chance to react. Guy, you can use the Second Gate. Cut through the younger ones, the genin, first. Break their line before they can organize. Asuma, you're on support; keep us covered and shield Duy and Guy when they overextend."
The boys answered without hesitation; Duy with a sharp nod, Guy with a blazing "Yosh!" and Asuma with a grin that carried more nerves than bravado.
I summoned a Yang Clone beside me, its chakra blazing hot, and together we surged forward to meet the enemy. My team veered slightly aside, adjusting into the pattern Kurenai had set for them.
The Sand shinobi saw us coming and roared their challenge, their formation bristling as they prepared to clash. For a heartbeat, everything was still; the dunes stretching wide and empty beneath the cold stars. Then the distance closed, and the desert erupted into battle as the Sand shinobi closed in, a ring of fifteen against the five of us. For an instant, everything was still. Then Duy moved.
"Third Gate… OPEN!"
Emerald light burst from his body, his chakra flooding the desert like a storm breaking its banks. He vanished into a blur of speed and struck the oldest looking jonin with a thunderous kick that sent the man skyward. The sickening crack of bone echoed even over the roar of impact, and when the jonin slammed back into the sand, he did not rise.
The Sand's line faltered, shock rippling through their ranks. I was only a step behind with my Yang Clone at my side. Together we rushed the remaining two jonin, driving them back and severing their connection with the rest of their squad. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Duy pivoting, emerald light still thrumming in his veins.
"You're too fast," I called sharply. "Take the one against my clone, but hold back. Use the fight to refine your taijutsu."
His eyes lit with enthusiasm, and he dipped his head once. "Yes, Akari-sama!"
He darted past me, intercepting the jonin my clone had engaged. His blows were still brutal but controlled; not the overwhelming power that had crushed the first opponent instantly. He let the Sand shinobi block, counter, and press back, each exchange echoing across the dunes like hammer on steel. I could see the joy in his eyes as he pushed himself, testing his body against a worthy foe without burning him down in a single strike.
Around us, the rest of the battlefield erupted.
Guy shouted his mantra of youth and opened his own gate, his body glowing faintly as the Second Gate flared to life. He blurred into motion, streaking through the Sand's formation. One genin went down in an instant, his body folding under a devastating punch to the gut. Another tried to block, only to be swept from his feet by a spinning kick that sent him crashing into his comrades. Guy roared, fists and feet a whirlwind, cutting a path through the younger shinobi as though they were paper targets.
The chunin tried to rally, weaving seals, and streams of fire and wind filled the air. Asuma stepped in, hands flashing through his own sequences. His fireballs crashed into theirs in detonations of heat and light, while scything blades of wind split through their incoming gales. He moved with an edge of confidence, blocking one ninjutsu with a counter-flame before slipping inside the caster's guard to drive a fist into his jaw. Another tried to flank, and Asuma caught him with a sweeping kick, his knuckles already sparking with wind chakra as he followed through.
Kurenai's genjutsu wove beneath the chaos as her chakra threads slipped into the Sand's senses. One chunin's strike went wide as an illusion tugged his aim just enough, his fist cutting through empty air where Asuma had been a moment before. A fireball flared too high, missing Guy entirely as he slipped under it with a grin and shattered another genin's guard. Her genjutsu did not need to overwhelm... just to twist, delay, and distort to buy her teammates the precious seconds they needed to land decisive blows.
The desert became a blur of overlapping motion. Duy's emerald glow flashing as he traded thunderous kicks with his jonin opponent. Guy striking down genin in quick, merciless bursts. Asuma's fire clashing against fire, wind howling against wind. Kurenai's illusions bending reality just enough to turn deadly strikes into near-misses.
Twelve enemies pressed in around them, but piece by piece, they fell. One genin dropped to the sand, clutching his broken ribs. Another fell screaming as Asuma's fire scorched across his arm and face. The chunin staggered under the twin assault of Guy's fists and Kurenai's phantom doubles; their formation breaking apart into chaos.
The last of the chunin crumpled into the sand under Guy's fist, his body limp and broken. Silence fell for half a heartbeat before the remaining jonin, the one I had been holding at bay, surged forward, kunai flashing for my throat.
I moved first. My full strength punch slammed into his wrist, chakra flooding throughout my arm. Bone cracked with a sickening pop, and his weapon fell uselessly to the ground. He staggered back, clutching his ruined hand, fury twisting his face.
"You three," I said, stepping aside. "He's yours. Show me what you've learned."
Asuma's eyes widened. "Alone?"
"Together," I corrected, my gaze steady. "This is your fight."
The jonin did not wait for debate. He lunged, his remaining hand flicking out with the precision of a veteran. A glint of steel caught the moonlight; poisoned needles, too small to see until they were already cutting through the air.
Kurenai's chakra flared, her genjutsu wrapping the man's senses in illusion. His second aiming faltered a fraction, just enough for the needles to scatter wide. Asuma hurled a blade of wind in response, knocking the first needles away and forcing the jonin back a step. Guy was already there, charging with raw power, and his fist connected with the man's ribs hard enough to make him grunt in pain.
The jonin did not buckle though. His kunai flashed, carving a shallow line across Guy's side as he twisted away. Guy hissed through clenched teeth but stayed on his feet, pressing in again.
Asuma slipped behind, weaving seals, and a burst of flame erupted to block the jonin's retreat. The man darted sideways, only for Guy to meet him with another punishing strike. The blow staggered him, but his counter came fast as his kunai sliced a shallow cut across Asuma's forearm before he could pull back.
Kurenai's genjutsu slipped into the jonin's mind, layering illusions tighter and tighter. Shadows seemed to dance across his vision, phantom movements pulling his strikes a hair's breadth wide. Twice he lashed out at images that were not there which left him open for Guy's sweeping kick, which sent him skidding through the sand.
Still, the Sand jonin fought on, stubborn and dangerous. His kunai lashed again, grazing Guy's shoulder. Asuma blocked the next strike with his arm, grunting as the blade cut shallow but true.
But together, they adapted. Guy pressed forward with relentless speed, keeping the jonin on the defensive. Asuma circled, his ninjutsu hemming the enemy in, blades of wind and bursts of fire forcing him to shift constantly. And Kurenai's illusions bent the battlefield itself, turning the desert into a hall of mirrors that disoriented even a seasoned fighter.
At last, Kurenai's genjutsu wrapped around his mind fully. The jonin froze for an instant, eyes darting to phantoms only he could see. That was the opening.
"Now!" she snapped.
Guy's fist slammed into the man's ribs, the crack of bone echoing across the dune. Asuma followed, his blade of wind cutting a deep line across the jonin's chest. And Kurenai stepped forward herself, throwing her kunai directly into his throat. The jonin staggered, choking on blood, then collapsed into the sand, still at last.
For a long moment, the desert was silent except for the ragged breaths of my team. Guy clutched his bleeding side, Asuma's arm hung stiff and cut, and Kurenai swayed slightly from chakra exhaustion, her face pale. But they were standing, and the jonin was not.
I let out a slow breath, pride warming my chest even as the night wind cut cold across us. "You did it," I said quietly, more to myself than to them. "You truly did it."
I tossed my Yang Clone some bandages from my pouch and pointed to Guy. She nodded and walked over to him as I headed to Asuma. Both of us used the Mystic Palm technique to treat their bleeding wounds then wrapped them up with the clean cloth.
When they were finished, I scanned the horizon. The flare from earlier was still burned into my mind, a red smear against the stars, but it had long since faded. I knew more Sand ninjas were on the way, drawn by the signal. This victory was nothing more than a pause.
"We can't linger," I said firmly, my gaze sweeping over them. "This was one squad. There will be others. If we stay, we'll be buried in numbers we can't handle."
Duy nodded, still flushed with energy release from using the Gates. Guy winced as he stood, but his grin returned, softer this time, tempered by exhaustion. Asuma flexed his bandaged arm, testing it with a grimace. Kurenai said nothing, but the determination in her eyes told me she understood.
I pulled my cloak tighter, the desert night biting cold around us. "You've proven yourselves tonight," I said quietly, though my voice carried. "But survival is the real victory and we still have plenty of ground to cover before we are safe."
They all nodded their heads, and the five of us took off running once again.