Chūkichi believed that this was currently the best possible solution. The companions who had been sacrificed would not have died without value; with his own sensory abilities, he felt there was still a chance to find a way out.
Konohagakure did not know what method they had used to set a trap for them, but amid the present chaotic melee, chakra fluctuations were intense, interfering with the sensory abilities of both sides. It was precisely the moment to pull a sleight of hand and deceive everyone.
What he did not know was that a group of seasoned operators with invisibility techniques activated was following closely behind him.
Still less did he know that the dense search teams he had been sensing were, from beginning to end, nothing more than a single Konoha brat putting on a performance for him.
So when the few of them turned back and tried to charge into the forest, only to see a whole group of Konoha ninja rush out from within, their bewilderment was beyond words.
Who are you people?
Where did you come from?
Why is it that I can clearly see you right in front of me, yet my senses register nothing at all?
Could it be that we've run into ghosts?
Sarutobi Asuma didn't care about any of that. The moment he saw the enemy appear, it was as if he saw merit beckoning to him, as if he saw the Hokage's seat waiting for his arrival, as if he saw that detestable old man at home having no choice but to sigh in admiration and say: Asuma really has grown up!
Then he discovered that he was getting farther and farther away from all of that—so much so that even the Yūhi Kurenai he admired was standing in front of him, blocking his path.
How could the Sarutobi jōnin leading the team possibly let him act recklessly? A bit of rebellion in ordinary times was one thing, but now they were about to fight elite enemies—this was a moment where lives were on the line.
So from the very start, he had been keeping his eyes on Asuma. The instant Asuma rushed forward, he decisively stepped in, grabbed him by the back of the neck and with one motion flung him back behind the line.
The jōnin reacted extremely quickly. Just as that Sarutobi jōnin charged to the very front, two three-tomoe Uchiha—Yashiro and Inabi—also made their move.
The Uchiha's and Sarutobi's signature ninjutsu opened the exchange—two fireballs and a sheet of blazing fire blasted out.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough x2
Makoto and Kumomi split to either side, fanning the flames.
For a moment, the wind fed the fire, its might surging, and it swept straight toward Chūkichi and the others.
Chūkichi, highly capable, and another Kirigakure ninja reacted swiftly—raising a hand, they used a Water Release: Wild Water Wave with a simple set of hand seals to block it.
But the two Kirigakure ninja in front, whose reactions weren't fast enough, were in deep trouble. They were burned by the fire first; when they instinctively tried to dodge back, they were then washed by their teammates' Water Release straight into the sea of flames.
Water and fire combined—an "invigorating" sensation. After receiving an on-the-spot "ice-and-fire ninth-heaven" service, they died on the spot—dead beyond dead—disfigured beyond recognition.
After the exchange of ninjutsu, the Konoha group quickly drew their weapons and rushed out, pursuing Chūkichi and the other man as they turned and ran back again.
Makoto pointed at Chūkichi and shouted, "Watch that Kirigakure ninja wearing red glasses—he's this squad's leader and sensory ninja."
That was a big catch.
Yashiro's squad immediately charged forward. Both sides rapidly closed the distance with the chaotic battlefield to the east, allowing Konoha to form a two-pronged pincer and grind down the Kirigakure forces.
Makoto did not rush forward blindly. Instead, together with Hayate and Yūgao, he advanced in formation under the leadership of Kumomi, cutting their way forward in a steady line.
In this operation, his squad had already earned enough merit. At this point, the safety of his companions took priority.
In this kind of chaotic melee, Hayate was one thing—but with Yūgao's level of strength, it would be very easy for her to be taken out in a few strikes if an enemy expert suddenly rushed up to her side.
The Sarutobi clan's jōnin adopted the same formation, positioning themselves at the front to protect their own squad.
After assessing the situation, Nara Suzaku's Ino–Shika–Chō trio decisively rushed toward the distant battlefield to provide support.
Asuma: "…"
If only I weren't the Hokage's son.
Chūkichi and his remaining companion swung their blades, struggling to hold back the Uchiha four-man group's assault. Wearing his red glasses, Chūkichi kept his head lowered as much as possible. However, during a clash of ninja blades with Yashiro, his teammate inadvertently caught sight of those crimson eyes.
In that instant, the Kirigakure ninja, as if possessed, suddenly turned and slashed at Chūkichi.
"Damn it!" Chūkichi cursed inwardly. How could he not know that this was the effect of Uchiha genjutsu? That was precisely why shinobi across the world so despised this heaven-favored clan—because when fighting them one on one, you might not even know how you died in the end.
Damn Konoha—why can't they learn from Kirigakure and wipe out these red-eyed bloodline ninja completely? We were even ruthless enough to slaughter that pretty red-eyed boyish clan—so are the Uchiha supposed to be more handsome than those boys?
Chūkichi only wanted to survive at this point. After parrying a slash from his companion, he kicked him straight toward the enemy, then used the momentum to accelerate and dash back into his own group.
That area wasn't safe either, but at least there were still people there who could help share the pressure.
This is how we Kirigakure ninja are—companions? What companions? Anyone who can block a blade is a good companion!
The Uchiha four-man group was eager to press their advantage and couldn't be bothered to deal with the pitiful Kirigakure ninja caught in genjutsu, so they simply left him to the teammates behind them. Kumomi casually finished him off with a single strike, ending his suffering.
Large-scale ninja melees usually only allow both sides to exchange one or two waves of ninjutsu before contact. Once the forces are tangled together, it becomes a brutal contest of weapons and taijutsu.
White blades went in, red blades came out. Kunai and ninja swords either hacked at necks or stabbed into hearts—severed limbs flew, blood sprayed everywhere.
There was simply no time to form hand seals and cast ninjutsu; even if you did, you might end up killing your own allies. Reality isn't a game—there is no friendly-fire immunity.
Although the Kirigakure ninja were all elite, they were at an absolute numerical disadvantage. Their effective fighting strength kept falling, but both sides, eyes red with bloodlust, couldn't spare any attention for that.
When Chūkichi charged into the battlefield, he used a large-area Hiding in Mist Technique to temporarily obscure the situation. He shouted at his remaining companions, "Don't get bogged down—split up and break out to both sides!"
The scattered remnants had already lost all initiative. Upon hearing his voice, they mechanically fled toward both ends.
Chūkichi led several people north, while the rest routed south—but it was useless. This was an encirclement, with Konoha reinforcements on both the north and south sides.
From the moment they were discovered by Konoha, their deaths had already been sealed.
The Hiding in Mist Technique spread over too wide an area and simply couldn't block much of the line of sight. The two Konoha forces converged, then split their troops to pursue toward both ends.
Makoto's squad and Shisui's squad chose to head north, while Asuma's squad followed the Ino–Shika–Chō trio in a push to the south.
Before long, both sides linked up with the reinforcements closing in from the north and south. The large encirclement became two smaller ones, but the effect was the same.
Chūkichi finally admitted that the overall situation was lost. This mission had failed completely—they were all going to die here.
If that was the case, then he would at least drag a few more Konoha bastards down with him.
Eyes bloodshot, he abandoned defense and switched to a life-for-life fighting style. The other Kirigakure ninja did the same. After all, this was the final outcome for ninja—no one could escape dying in battle.
But with the advantage firmly in hand, Konoha wasn't foolish enough to increase casualties for no reason.
They began to segment the battlefield, adopting hit-and-run harassment tactics, constantly bleeding the desperate opponents dry.
In the end, Chūkichi realized there were no comrades left at his side—only himself remained.
He mustered his strength to knock aside the senbon aimed at his vital points, letting the rest of his body be pierced until it looked like a hedgehog. He swung his blade at that brat with the senbon in his mouth, trying to take one more with him before dying.
But a flash of green light crossed his vision. He was kicked square in the face by a Konoha Great Whirlwind, sent flying backward.
That familiar outfit—could it be the opponent the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had encountered, according to the intelligence?
Why did Konoha have monsters like this as well?
He could no longer think. The pain in his heart told him that his life as a ninja had come to an end.
Turning his head mechanically, he saw a brat. It seemed to be the same one who had earlier exposed his identity as a sensory ninja.
He used perception one last time in his life. The person was clearly standing right there, yet he didn't know what technique had pierced his heart—because within his senses, there was only emptiness.
"So it was you!"
At the moment of death, he finally understood everything.
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