"Is the eastern route going smoothly?"
"I heard that Supply Point No. 2 was harassed by a small Kumogakure unit the day before yesterday. How is the situation?"
This was a half-truth; the details were known only to a few in the Command Center.
The smile on the opposing captain's face remained unchanged.
"Yes, but they were already repelled by the reinforcement unit sent by Lord Minato. It's no big deal."
The answer was airtight, yet perfectly vague.
This caused the sliver of doubt in Asuma Sarutobi's heart to not only persist but grow even stronger.
The other party didn't seem to notice his abnormality and instead asked back with concern.
"Is your team only four people, Captain Asuma?"
This question was like a needle, lightly pricking Asuma Sarutobi's tense nerves.
They were confirming the numbers.
Meanwhile, the five others began to walk forward while saying, "That's great, meeting our own people. We can look out for each other on the way back."
Their steps seemed casual, but they were closing in at a steady pace in a loose encirclement formation.
They had sealed off all routes for retreat and evasion.
Anko Mitarashi also sensed something was wrong. Her movement of chewing on a toothpick stopped, and her hand quietly reached toward her wide sleeve.
Killing Intent.
An undisguised, cold Killing Intent emanated from the five people opposite them.
When the distance between the two sides was less than ten meters.
Asuma Sarutobi's pupils shrank suddenly, and he shouted sternly.
"Halt!"
"Don't come any closer!"
Following his loud shout, the smile on the face of the leading Ninja opposite them vanished instantly.
It was replaced by an undisguised ferocity.
"Your reaction isn't slow."
Instead of stopping, his pace suddenly accelerated.
"Too bad... since there are only you few brats, then die here quietly!"
Before the words finished, five figures simultaneously turned into afterimages and launched an attack!
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Anko Mitarashi reacted the fastest, several venomous snakes hissing as they lunged out from her sleeve.
However, what met them was a violent cluster of wind blades.
"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"
The violent wind spat out by a short enemy instantly tore the snakes apart, forcing Anko to roll back in a disheveled state.
On the other side.
The Senbon held in Shiranui Genma's mouth shot out at a tricky angle.
Clang! Clang!
Amidst the crisp sound of metal clashing, a fat man used only a Kunai to easily and casually block all the attacks.
Another person bypassed Genma at an even faster speed, appearing like a ghost in front of Ebisu.
Bang!
A ruthless heavy punch smashed hard into Ebisu's abdomen.
Ebisu's body arched like a cooked shrimp, acid water spraying from his mouth as he was sent flying, losing his ability to fight on the spot.
"Bastard!"
Asuma Sarutobi let out a roar, Chakra frantically pouring into his "Flying Swallow" trench knives.
The sharp blade light brought with it the sound of wind.
He slashed his strongest Move with all his might at the enemy captain.
However, that captain didn't dodge or evade, a hint of contempt even appearing on his face.
Crack!
A thick layer of rock armor instantly covered his entire body.
"Earth Release: Earth Shore Return!"
Asuma's strike, infused with all his Chakra, hit the rock armor, only producing a few sparks and leaving a white mark.
"Just this much?"
The enemy captain gave a sinister laugh and threw a backhand punch.
That fist, encased in rock, carried an unrivaled giant force and smashed heavily against the blade of Asuma's knife.
Crack!
A crisp sound of breaking rang out.
Asuma Sarutobi was sent flying as if hit by a heavy blow, along with his broken blade, crashing heavily into a large tree and coughing up a mouthful of blood.
In just a few breaths.
The battle was already over.
The four members of the Asuma Squad, covered in wounds and dust, gathered back together in a disheveled state.
They stood back-to-back, their faces filled with shock, indignation, and an undisguised trace of fear.
The difference in strength was overwhelming.
This wasn't a battle at all, but a playful slaughter.
The enemy captain paced slowly, walking up to Asuma Sarutobi, who was clutching his chest with blood constantly oozing from the corner of his mouth.
He looked down at the so-called "Son of the Hokage," his gaze like that of someone looking at a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.
"Brat, hand over the maps you've drawn and all the intelligence you know."
His voice was hoarse and cold.
"Otherwise..."
His voice came to an abrupt halt.
A gentle breeze brushed through the forest without warning.
The leaves on the surrounding trees, dyed gold by the setting sun, suddenly seemed to be controlled by an invisible giant hand.
One after another, they detached from the branches, gathering into a small whirlwind.
The whirlwind quietly dispersed between the enemy captain and Asuma Sarutobi.
Amidst the falling leaves dancing in the sky.
A figure stood there silently.
The ferocity on the enemy captain's face froze for a moment.
He couldn't see the newcomer's face clearly; he only felt that the other's presence itself was the greatest form of contempt toward him.
"Another one coming to die!"
The Chakra within him erupted without reservation, and the thick rock armor on his body glowed with an even denser light.
He concentrated all his strength into his right fist.
The air was compressed, letting out a piercing whistle.
Under Asuma Sarutobi's horrified gaze, that fist, capable of splitting mountains and cracking rocks, smashed straight toward Aokawa's head.
However.
Facing this earth-shattering blow, Aokawa didn't even look up.
He simply raised his right hand casually.
Within his palm, a nearly invisible blue halo seemed to flash for an instant.
The next moment.
The palm and the giant rock fist collided.
There was no earth-shaking roar as expected.
There was only a slight, yet scalp-numbing "crack" sound.
Under the enemy captain's unbelievable gaze.
His pride and joy, the Earth Release: Hardening Technique—that indestructible rock armor—was like low-quality pottery struck by a hammer.
A crack suddenly appeared at the point where the fist and palm met.
Immediately after.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Dense cracks, like a spider web, instantly spread across his entire arm and even his whole body!
With a boom.
The rock armor completely shattered.
Amidst the flying debris.
Aokawa's seemingly slender hand closed its fingers.
Precisely, he gripped the enemy captain's bare wrist.
His movement was so gentle, it was as if he were picking a flower.
A series of crisp bone-cracking sounds rang out in quick succession.
"Ah..."
The ferocity and disbelief on the enemy captain's face completely froze into an extreme fear.
He wanted to scream, but his throat could only squeeze out a leaking, wheezing sound.
His face, distorted by intense pain, stared fixedly at the young man before him.
The youth finally raised his eyes.
Those pure white eyes held no emotion.
They just looked at him, as if looking at a stone.
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