Atop the Hokage Tower, Yuma stood among a gathering of Chunins and Jonins.
The Third Hokage, flanked by his advisors, stood before the assembled Chunins and Jonins.
Koharu, standing behind Hiruzen, spotted Yuma and studied her intently. Her eyes gleamed with approval as she thought to herself, 'Not bad. Her chakra reserve is at a high-Chunin level, and from what I can sense, she has an excellent control over it.'
Yuma wore the traditional Chunin attire of Konoha, with a red katana strapped to her waist and a metal bo staff secured on her back.
The Hokage looked gravely at the Chunins and Jonins gathered before him. "Most of you know about our skirmishes with Iwa and Kumo.in our borders If those clashes continue, there's a high probability the Fourth Ninja War will break out. We are still recovering from the Kyubi attack — we recently lost the Uchiha clan and the Fourth Hokage. If we enter another war now, we would suffer grave losses. We must end our skirmishes with Iwa and Kumo as soon as possible and force them to retreat from our borders."
As the Chunins and Jonins straightened with dignified composure at the Third Hokage's words, Yuma listened intently, her interest clearly piqued by Hiruzen's speech.
The Third Hokage continued, "Kakashi, you'll lead the backup squad to the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Grass. Assist Jonin Commander Shikaku Nara with whatever he requires."
Upon hearing this, Kakashi gave a respectful nod to the Third Hokage and replied, "As you command, Hokage-sama."
The Third Hokage inclined his head in satisfaction. Turning to the Hyūga clan head, and said, "Hiashi, you will lead a backup squad to the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Water. Jiraiya will lead our operations against Kumo there — provide him with every assistance required."
With a calm, deliberate motion, Hiashi Hyuga bowed his head. "As you wish, Hokage-sama," he said with quiet resolve.
With a single wave of his hand, Hiruzen dismissed them, and the Chunins and Jonins disappeared from their places in a blur of Shunshin.
____
With Kakashi's backup squad
Kakashi and his backup squad raced toward the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Grass.
Excitement surged through Yuma's veins. In her previous life as a gang leader in New York, her heart would race with excitement every time she went to war against another gang this time was no different.
"Heh, I guess that makes me a bloodthirsty battle freak," Yuma mused with a smirk.
Kakashi suddenly stopped, sniffing the air before lifting his hand in silent warning.
As soon as Kakashi raised his hand, every shinobi in the backup squad stopped in their tracks.
Kakashi turned to a member of the Hyuga clan and asked, "Ryu, how many of them are there?"
Ryu is a Chunin from the Hyuga clan. Like all members of his clan, he has their distinctive white eyes and long, dark hair.
Ryu activated his Hyuga clan bloodline, the Byakugan, and veins appeared around his eyes. In a serious tone, he said to Kakashi, "There are forty Waterfall shinobi surrounding us, Captain Kakashi."
Kakashi, Might Guy, and the backup team narrowed their eyes, tense and alert, as Yuma drew her crimson katana from her side, a small, radiant smile playing on her lips when she heard what Ryu just said.
Might Gai and Kakashi sweated nervously when they saw Yuma's smile, and then Kakashi thought to himself, "I have never seen any shinobi enjoy being in this kind of situation. She is so hot but way too insane."
"SWISH, SWISH, SWISH, SWISH, SWISH."
Suddenly, a storm of kunai and shuriken rained down on the Konoha backup squad from all directions.
Kakashi revealed his Sharingan eye and yelled as kunais and shurikens rained down on him and his backup squad. "Everyone, disperse! Assume ambush-defensive formation!'"
The backup squad dispersed, desperately dodging the rain of kunais and shurikens, and quickly regrouped into separate three-man teams, just as Kakashi had planned in case of an ambush.
Yuma, Kakashi, and Might Gai formed a three-man squad as five Waterfall shinobi suddenly appeared before them.
Kakashi looked coldly at the Waterfall shinobi in front of him and asked, "Why are you attacking us? Our villages have no grievances—we are supposed to be allies."
A low chuckle escaped one of the Waterfall shinobi. "Fine. I'll answer — it won't matter. You're all going to die."
Kakashi and Might Gai narrowed their eyes, and Yuma listened intently, intrigued by what the waterfall shinobi would say next.
The waterfall shinobi smirked at Kakashi, Yuma, and Might Gai and said, "The answer to your question is simple. Konoha has dominated the shinobi world since its founding. Now, it is time for Konoha to fall—and for a new village to rise. The Hidden Waterfall Village has allied with Iwa to make this happen."
Kakashi, Yuma, and Might Gai froze in shock at the words, while the five Waterfall shinobi swiftly began weaving hand seals.
Seeing the five Waterfall shinobi spring into action, Kakashi swiftly wove his own hand seals and barked to Yuma and Might Gai, "Yuma, Gai—formation B!"
"Water style: Water Shuriken Jutsu."
"Earth style: Mud wall jutsu."
Massive water shurikens materialized atop the palms of the five Waterfall shinobi, who hurled them with deadly precision toward Kakashi, Might Gai, and Yuma.
Kakashi slammed both hands onto the ground, and the earth before him, Yuma, and Might Gai surged upward, forming a sturdy defensive wall.
"CANK, CANK, CANK, CANK, CANK."
The water shurikens stabbed into the mud wall Kakashi had created with his Earth Style jutsu, and Yuma immediately began forming her own hand seals.
With the final hand seal done, she brought her palms down onto the ground.
"Earth style: Hiding Like A Mole Jutsu."
Yuma sank into the ground, disappearing underground as a hole opened beneath her.
Kakashi turned to Gai, and with a shared nod, they charged together at the five Waterfall shinobi.
The five Waterfall shinobi swiftly wove another set of hand seals.
"Water Style: Water Whip Jutsu."
Water erupted from the palms of the five Waterfall shinobi, twisting and coiling into a lethal whips of surging liquid.
Once the five Waterfall Shinobi formed their water whips, they lashed out at Kakashi and Might Gai, striking with swift, fluid attacks.
"SWISH, SWISH, SWISH, SWISH, SWISH."
Thanks to Kakashi's Sharingan eye and Gai's mastery of taijutsu, they effortlessly dodged every strike of the water whips while simultaneously closing the distance on the five Waterfall shinobi.
Suddenly, Yuma emerged silently from beneath the ground, appearing behind one of the Waterfall shinobi, and swung her katana with lethal precision to behead him.
"SQUASH."
"THUD, THUD."
The head of the Waterfall ninja slid backward and crashed to the ground after Yuma swung her katana, beheading him with precision as blood spurted from his neck like a fountain.
All the remaining Waterfall shinobi froze in place, their eyes widening as their comrade's head slid to the ground.
One of the Waterfall shinobi yelled in anger and lashed out with his water whip, aiming to strike Yuma down.
Yuma effortlessly dodged the water whip strikes, with her incredible speed and reflexes. She then sheathed her katana and held it in her left hand.
Yuma squatted down, gripping the katana's handle tightly with her right hand while clutching its sheath firmly in her left.
Another water whip shot toward her head, but Yuma read its trajectory and tilted her head just enough to dodge it perfectly.
In the next moment, Yuma vanished from her spot with incredible speed, leaving the waterfall ninja who was attacking her alarmed at what he had just witnessed.
Suddenly, Yuma appeared behind the waterfall ninja her voice barely a whisper.
"Wallow Leaf Style: Golden Leaf Strike."
"CLICK."
Blood gushed from the waterfall shinobi's chest like a fountain, and he collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
"How dare you, slut!" The Waterfall shinobi who was battling Kakashi yelled, fury in his voice, after witnessing Yuma kill another of his comrades..
Yuma ignored the Waterfall shinobi's outburst, her smile widening. She swiftly performed a series of hand seals and then slammed her hands into the ground.
"Earth style: Hiding Like A Mole Jutsu."
Quickly, Yuma hid herself deep into the ground, and the remaining three Waterfall shinobi gritted their teeth in anger at the sight."
"I CAN'T LOSE TO ONE OF MY ENTERNAL RIVALS." Might Gai yelled enthusiastically when he saw Yuma taking down two waterfall shinobi. Pulling his fist back, he drove a powerful punch into the chest of another Waterfall ninja.
"BAMB."
"SPAT."
"CRACK."
"SWISH."
When the Waterfall ninja was punched hard in the chest by Gai, he spewed a large amount of blood from his mouth, and a loud crack echoed as his bones gave way before he was sent flying.
"BAAM."
"SPAT."
The Waterfall shinobi crashed hard against a tree trunk after Gai's powerful punch sent him flying, blood spurting from his mouth again.
"HA HA HA, KAKASHI, YOU ARE WAY BEHIND ME AND YUMA CHAN." Might Gai exclaimed to Kakashi, but in the next instant, Kakashi drew two kunai and swiftly slit the throats of the two remaining Waterfall shinobi.
Kakashi gave Gai a bored look before asking, "Sorry, Gai—did you say something?"
"Damn you, Kakashi, and damn your hip and cool attitude." Gai yelled at Kakashi while pointing his finger at him.
Suddenly, Yuma emerged from beneath the ground beside the Waterfall shinobi whom Gai had sent flying.
Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the Waterfall shinobi's shallow breathing—he was faking his death. In one swift motion, she drew her katana and sliced his throat cleanly.
Yuma shot Gai a teasing smile. "Looks like you lost this round, Gai. He was only pretending to be dead."
Gai's eyes widened, his jaw dropping in disbelief. "This is utterly unyouthful!" he declared.
Kakashi shot a serious look at Gai and Yuma. "Enough fooling around. We need to backup our comrade and report the alliance between Iwa and the Hidden Waterfall Village to Lord Hokage."
Both Gai and Yuma nodded seriously at Kakashi's words. Without hesitation, the trio vanished from their spot, using Shunshin jutsu to rush and reinforce the rest of the backup squad.