Renga began actively manipulating the battlefield rather than simply waiting for the team to move. The threads snapped and shifted, redirecting thrown weapons, pulling branches down like pre-set traps, and creating obstacles that appeared from nowhere. Kōichi's voice was sharp, his command immediate.
"Stay together! Protect Uchiyama!"
Renga attacked from multiple directions using his thread network. Thrown kunai were redirected in midair, their trajectories changing unpredictably, forcing the squad to react to attacks that seemed to come from nowhere. Tetsuya attempted to close the distance, his movements swift, his intent clear. But he was yanked off balance mid-strike, a thread wrapping around his ankle and pulling him sideways. Ayame attempted to manoeuvre around Renga's apparent position, but a thread sliced across her shoulder, drawing blood, punishing her for her initiative.
Shōta remained focused on protecting Uchiyama, his body positioned between the informant and the chaos. The squad quickly understood that Renga was deliberately testing them rather than trying to kill them immediately. He was playing with them, probing their defences, measuring their responses.
Kōichi decided that retreat was impossible while Renga controlled the surrounding forest. He launched a direct attack using Fire Release, his flames roaring toward the treeline where Renga's voice had originated. Renga countered intelligently, redirecting the trajectory of the technique with anchored threads, using his network to disrupt the surrounding airflow, and manipulating threads to interfere with the flames. The Fire Release sputtered and diverted, its path altered, its impact diminished.
Kōichi realized Renga's technique allowed him to manipulate the environment around an attack rather than simply blocking it. The exchange established that Kōichi was powerful but could not overcome Renga through straightforward offence.
The squad needed a different approach.
Satoru stopped moving and deliberately became still. Rather than trying to fight Renga directly, he focused entirely on interpreting the thread network through his Sharingan. He recognised that this was exactly the kind of battlefield where his perception provided an advantage. He activated Echo and established a mental communication link with the entire team, his voice a whisper in their minds.
His first communication was concise and tactical. "Threads descending on Ayame. Low threads targeting Tetsuya's ankles. Renga's primary anchor is around the large oak to the north." The information was immediate, precise, and actionable.
Ayame and Tetsuya reacted almost instinctively to his warnings, their movements adjusting, their positions shifting. Kōichi trusted Satoru's information and attacked the identified anchor, his Fire Release slamming into the oak. For the first time, Renga's control over the battlefield was disrupted. The Sarutobi squad began moving in ways that Renga did not anticipate.
Satoru continued feeding information through Echo, his words rapid, his instructions precise. The squad began functioning as though everyone possessed Sharingan-level thread perception. Tetsuya used Wind Release to disrupt clusters of weaker threads, his techniques slicing through the network. Renga was forced to reinforce damaged sections of his network, each reinforcement requiring additional chakra and concentration. Kōichi began deliberately targeting anchor points instead of Renga himself, and Ayame started exploiting openings created by Satoru's warnings.
While the others fought, Shōta remained near Uchiyama, his medical supplies ready, his attention divided between the battle and his patient. He warned Uchiyama to remain low and follow his movements, his voice calm, his instructions precise. His role became increasingly important because Uchiyama was physically incapable of surviving a prolonged battle. The mission's original objective; recovering the informant alive; remained the priority.
Renga noticed that the squad's movements had suddenly become coordinated. His grin briefly faded, replaced by a flicker of genuine interest. He realised someone was detecting his threads, and his attention shifted toward Satoru. He identified him as the unusual variable in the battle, his voice mocking, his words carrying a hint of respect.
"You are not bad, little sensor." He paused, his grin returning. "I have not had this much fun since the war."
Satoru realised that Renga was now treating him as the primary threat. The shift in attention was immediate, the threads beginning to converge on his position. He prepared himself, his Sharingan tracking the movements, his body tensing for the attack.
Without warning, Renga stopped attacking. The threads retracted throughout the forest, pulling back into the shadows, disappearing into the darkness. The sudden silence created a brief and deeply unsettling pause. Everyone instinctively prepared for another attack, their weapons raised, their attention absolute. Satoru kept his Sharingan active and searched for the missing threads.
For one heartbeat, nothing happened.
Then dozens of threads erupted from different directions, converging on Satoru simultaneously. He attempted to react, but the attack was deliberately timed to overwhelm his perception. Threads seized his arms and legs, ripping him off the ground and suspending him in the air. His body was held completely immobile, effectively turning him into a puppet. Renga deliberately targeted the sensory specialist because he understood the squad depended on Satoru's battlefield awareness.
Renga approached, his voice quieter, more sinister. "Let us see how well they do without their eyes."
Satoru recognised the tactical implication immediately. Renga was not simply removing him from the fight; he was testing whether the squad could function without his sensory coordination. The Echo link became critical because Satoru could still communicate while restrained.
While Satoru was restrained, Kōichi did not panic. He watched the battlefield instead of immediately attempting to rescue Satoru. He noticed that Renga's threads did not originate from nowhere; every thread ultimately connected to a physical anchor. He began identifying recurring anchor points: trees, boulders, buried objects, and discarded weapons. He realised that the web was enormous but its roots were finite; destroying enough anchors could collapse the network.
Kōichi used Echo to communicate directly with Satoru, his voice a whisper in the younger shinobi's mind. "I have a plan. Give me a rapid tactical assessment." Satoru relayed the information, his observations precise. The objective changed: do not attack Renga directly, destroy the anchor network, force Renga to divide his attention, and free Satoru. Satoru recognised that Kōichi had successfully turned Renga's greatest advantage into a potential weakness.
Tetsuya deliberately moved into a cluster of threads. Rather than avoiding them, he allowed himself to become entangled. Renga immediately reacted, believing he had captured another target. His attention shifted toward controlling Tetsuya. Tetsuya endured the restraint long enough to create the opening Kōichi needed, his body straining against the threads, his determination absolute. Satoru communicated the timing through Echo, his voice a quiet countdown.
Kōichi attacked the primary anchors with Fire Release. Three major nodes were burned through, their threads snapping and recoiling. The thread network immediately began destabilising, its structure weakening. Ayame moved through the opening and used precise shuriken throws to sever two secondary anchors. Renga was forced to compensate for the sudden loss of multiple connections, his control becoming less precise. The threads holding Satoru loosened.
Satoru fell from the air as the network collapsed around him, using chakra enhancement to control his landing. He rolled across the ground rather than attempting to stand immediately. His wrists and ankles were injured from the restraint, but despite the pain, he immediately reactivated his battlefield awareness. His first concern was whether the others were still alive and whether Uchiyama was safe.
Renga attempted to reassert control over the remaining threads. Tetsuya took advantage of the weakened network, using a point-blank Gale Palm to tear apart the threads holding him. The Wind Release roared through the forest, its force shattering the remaining threads. Tetsuya freed himself and immediately rejoined the battle. The balance of the fight finally began shifting toward the Konoha team.
Kōichi closed the distance before Renga could rebuild his network. The battle became direct taijutsu. Renga demonstrated why he earned his reputation; extreme speed, unpredictable movement, razor-like wire concealed around his fingers, and unorthodox close-range attacks. Kōichi responded with disciplined Sarutobi taijutsu, his movements precise, his counters effective. Their exchange was fast and brutal, a clash of skill and will. Renga was gradually forced onto the defensive as Kōichi refused to give him space to rebuild his thread network.
Ayame noticed Renga's attention was completely focused on Kōichi. She moved around the battlefield using the remaining gaps in the thread network, her steps silent, her presence hidden. She approached Renga from his blind spot, her kunai ready. Satoru noticed what she was attempting and communicated the opening through Echo. Ayame struck decisively, driving a kunai through Renga's anchor hand, pinning it against a tree.
Renga screamed as the connection to his thread network broke. The remaining threads lost coordination and fell slack, their tension gone. The forest suddenly became ordinary again, its dangers neutralised. Kōichi recognised the opening immediately. Renga attempted one final desperate movement, but Kōichi was faster. He delivered the finishing blow, his technique precise, his intent final. Renga's body collapsed.
Silence settled over the clearing. The squad briefly believed the battle was over. Kōichi checked the surroundings, his gaze scanning the darkness. Shōta began moving toward the injured members, his medical supplies ready. Satoru remained alert, still uncomfortable with the sudden quiet. The immediate threat appeared neutralised. There was a brief moment where everyone could breathe.
Then Tetsuya suddenly coughed. A thin red line appeared across his throat, and he reached toward it in confusion. His legs gave way, and he collapsed. The squad was stunned. Satoru's Sharingan searched desperately for the source, his gaze scanning the forest. He realised that Renga had prepared one final attack before his death. A single monofilament thread had remained concealed, positioned to activate at the right moment.
Shōta rushed toward Tetsuya, his hands already glowing with medical chakra, his movements desperate. He attempted emergency treatment, his voice sharp with urgency. "Stay with me, Tetsuya! Stay with me!" But the injury was too severe. Tetsuya died before Shōta could stabilise him.
The sudden death changed the emotional atmosphere completely. Kōichi was forced to absorb the loss of one of his squad members almost immediately after defeating Renga. Satoru was shaken by the realisation that even his Sharingan had failed to detect the final thread.
Before the team could properly process Tetsuya's death, a new sound entered the clearing. Slow, deliberate clapping echoed through the darkness. Everyone froze. Satoru immediately activated his Sharingan again, his gaze searching the shadows.
A second figure emerged from the treeline. His appearance contrasted sharply with Renga; calm, expressionless, controlled. His painted face revealed nothing, and he showed no visible excitement about the battle. He looked at Renga's corpse without obvious emotion. His presence immediately communicated a completely different kind of danger.
Sasori casually acknowledged what had happened, telling them they had defeated Renga. After a brief pause, he added that he was grateful because Renga was apparently annoying. The casual statement demonstrated that he had no emotional investment in Renga's death. More importantly, he had apparently been present long enough to witness the battle without intervening.
Satoru's thoughts raced. He recognised the Akatsuki cloak and remembered the fundamental rule he should have considered immediately: Akatsuki members operate in pairs. His earlier focus on Renga had caused him to overlook the possibility of a second S-rank shinobi. He realized that every calculation the team had made against Renga was made under the assumption that he was the only enemy. That assumption was catastrophically wrong.
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