Even though the Second Shinobi World War is nearing its end, it's still wartime, Yubi thought.
The pressure ninja felt during war was completely different.
Patrol missions like this usually lasted for months. Even though this wasn't the front line and was technically a low-risk C-rank mission, during such a turbulent era it was still extremely dangerous for fresh Academy graduates like them.
Chunin Endo stood at the cave entrance, keeping watch with great caution.
The two genin beside Yubi grew increasingly nervous. Time seemed to crawl by.
After a while, Endo frowned, picked up a stone, and left a special mark on the cave wall.
"Pack up. We're relocating."
Yubi moved immediately, helping the injured chunin to his feet.
"Hurry!"
Seeing the other two still frozen in place, Endo barked sharply.
Too much time had passed. The chunin who went to search for Shimada should have returned long ago.
Something had likely happened.
Even if they weren't sure, they had to prepare for the worst.
The two genin quickly gathered their gear. Endo erased all traces of the cave base before leading them out.
Fortunately, the injured chunin could still move, though weak.
"To survive on the battlefield, you must remain alert."
The five of them sped through the canyon.
If the chunin who went searching ran into enemies, he might have exposed our base… we could have been wiped out in one sweep.
But that's not the real problem. If enemies infiltrated this far, the front-line patrol was breached. No intel means their numbers are small… but their strength is high.
And if Nomura ran into them too, then none of the second-line squads know the enemy is here yet.
That was the truly frightening part.
Night had fallen completely, and the canyon grew even darker beneath swirling sand.
Yet Endo's familiarity with the terrain kept their speed steady.
Whoosh—
Yubi's ears twitched. A faint sound sliced through the air.
"Watch out!"
A kunai flew from an unknown direction toward the two slower genin lagging behind. A burning explosive tag was attached to it.
BOOM!
Yubi warned them in time—but their stiff reactions betrayed their inexperience.
After the explosion, Yubi landed on a boulder, covering his nose as smoke billowed.
Then he heard the screams.
Someone was injured.
Yubi quickly pulled a weapon from his pouch.
A scalpel—not a kunai.
One hand covering his nose, the other raised in a fighting stance, he scanned the surroundings with icy eyes.
"Aaaah…!"
The injured boy lay screaming fifteen meters away.
Still conscious. Not fatal.
Yubi's medical instincts assessed the situation instantly—but his gaze never left the surroundings.
"Well, well… quick reaction."
The enemy had already caught up.
A voice sounded above him.
A shinobi in a tight white outfit—like a rubber raincoat, stood on the canyon wall at a ninety-degree angle. His forehead protector bore the four vertical lines of Amegakure.
He crouched like a leopard, staring down at Yubi with amusement.
Worst case scenario.
This outfit was unmistakable.
An elite from Amegakure trained personally by Hanzo of the Salamander, the "Demigod of the Shinobi World."
The Rain ninja lunged.
Clang!
Kunai and scalpel sparked as they clashed midair.
"Hmm?"
The Rain ninja looked surprised his strike failed.
"This kid's got skills… but still too green."
He appeared to charge from the front—yet in the next instant, his true body appeared behind Yubi.
A classic Clone Jutsu feint.
His kunai thrust toward Yubi's neck.
Got him.
But the scene that followed shocked him.
Yubi had anticipated it.
The moment the real body appeared, Yubi spun and slashed.
The Rain ninja instantly retreated—barely avoiding a fatal cut.
He touched the blood on his cheek, shaken.
Yubi had also destroyed the clone in the same instant.
Elsewhere in the canyon, fighting erupted among the others.
There are only three or four of them… we can stall for now, Yubi analyzed.
"Impressive. For your age, you've got experience and strong taijutsu," the Rain ninja sneered, clapping slowly. Killing intent radiated from his eyes.
Water Clone… Water Release user.
"Water Style: Iron Water Bullets!"
He formed hand seals and fired rapid, fist-sized water shots like machine-gun fire.
The technique resembled the Hōzuki Clan's Water Gun Jutsu—but weaker.
Yubi dodged swiftly, stones exploding beneath his feet.
Just as he thought he'd avoided the attack, several hidden senbon needles shot toward him.
Thunk!
They struck him directly—
And his body burst into white smoke.
"A clone?!"
The Rain ninja spun around.
A small figure appeared beside him, mimicking his own attack perfectly.
"A clone? When—?!"
The Rain ninja's heart trembled.
Yubi spoke softly, expressionless:
"Data captured."