When Veigar saw who had arrived, a breath of relief escaped him from his perch in the shadows. Moments later, three more figures emerged into view.
Hizashi Hyuga had arrived, flanked by three Konoha shinobi.
"Hizashi-jisan."
Nanaki Hyuga greeted him with deep respect.
At the same time, Veigar leapt down from the tree and addressed Hizashi Hyuga.
"Hizashi-san."
Hizashi gave Nanaki a curt nod, then turned to Veigar.
"Veigar, you've done well. The command center received your intel and ordered me to bring the prisoner back."
After confirming identities and mission credentials, Veigar handed over the sand shinobi, unconscious once again, into Hizashi's custody.
Poor bastard, Veigar thought.
As Hizashi departed in haste with his escort and prisoner, Veigar pulled his thoughts back to the present and turned to his three companions.
"We continue the mission."
Barring exceptional circumstances, they weren't authorized to leave. And the mission wasn't over.
For three straight days, Veigar's team remained on the border. Aside from that first night's encounter with Ishigami, they saw no further sign of the Sand.
Night fell once again. In the stillness of the forest, the cold moon hung like a scythe, and the air was chilled to the bone.
The tension from earlier days still lingered. Even without further enemy contact, no one dared to drop their guard.
"Achoo!"
Jun, on night watch, sneezed loudly and sniffled.
Cold wind?
Veigar glanced over, eyes signaling, "You alright, Jun?"
Jun shook his head, nothing serious.
But then, in the same direction, something on the trees caught Veigar's eye. A barely visible shimmer.
His expression sharpened instantly as he activated Chakra Sensory Technique.
In the dense foliage, Veigar detected nearly invisible threads of chakra, like spider silk, quivering among the leaves.
Sand ninja. Puppet users.
"Enemy attack!"
The moment he confirmed it, Veigar shouted with force, his voice echoing through the camp.
In the hollowed tree where Shikatsu and Nanaki were resting, the call snapped them awake. The mission hadn't been strenuous, but constant vigilance had worn them thin. Still, the alarm sent a jolt of adrenaline through them as they sprinted out onto the clearing.
The Sand heard Veigar's shout, and knowing their cover was blown, launched their assault.
They didn't bother hiding anymore, dozens of them charged.
Before Veigar's team could even see their attackers, a collaborative jutsu came roaring toward them.
Wind Release: Super Great Breakthrough!
Multiple Sand shinobi combined forces, unleashing a massive gale that tore through the forest with violent force.
The blast was so intense that Veigar, Shikatsu, Jun, and Nanaki couldn't even keep their eyes open.
Wind Release: Wind Cutter.
Wind Release: Thousand-Faced Wind.
Wind Release: Gale Palm.
The storm wasn't just wind, it carried the edge of death, like a hundred invisible scythes slashing through the night.
Clearly, this ambush had been meticulously planned.
Without a shred of hesitation, Veigar backflipped away, barely escaping the range of the combined wind assault.
As the storm died down, Veigar regrouped with Shikatsu, Jun, and Nanaki. Around them, the forest lay in ruin.
"We're surrounded. Over thirty enemies."
Nanaki's Byakugan flared, sweat beading on his brow.
Veigar felt the weight of those words. So did Shikatsu and Jun.
"Are we going to die here?"
The same hopeless thought crossed all their minds.
Shffft—shffft—shffft.
Dozens of Sand shinobi, over thirty, emerged, encircling them fully, their forehead protectors glinting in the moonlight.
This was serious.
Veigar's gaze swept over the enemy. He couldn't say with certainty that they'd make it out alive.
Whether this squad was targeting them specifically or not didn't matter now.
"We're betting everything on one shot."
Narrowing his eyes, Veigar rapidly analyzed the situation and all available options.
"What do we do?"
"Fight to the death… or surrender?"
"You're our captain, Veigar. Call it."
Jun, Shikatsu, and Nanaki whispered in hushed urgency.
"I'll carve a path. You three, take the chance and run."
"Get ready."
As he spoke, Veigar bit into his thumb and began forming hand seals at lightning speed.
Summoning Jutsu.
Gamajay, come forth!
A puff of smoke erupted. Gamajay had barely materialized before Veigar shouted:
"Gamajay, jump!"
Still dazed, the giant toad obeyed instinctively, trusting Veigar without hesitation. He bent his muscular hind legs and launched upward.
On his back were Shikatsu, Jun, and Nanaki, stunned but focused, trusting Veigar's judgment even if their minds struggled to keep up.
"This… this is Veigar's summon…"
But just as Gamajay rose into the air, the Sand ninja launched their own coordinated assault.
They'd been ready the moment Veigar started hand signs. As Gamajay leapt, attacks rained upward.
Fire Release: Flame Bullet.
Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough.
Wind Release: Wind Cutter.
Dazzling jutsu, kunai, and shuriken filled the sky.
Gamajay was in danger.
But Veigar had predicted this.
"Gamajay, I'm counting on you."
As the trio and the toad soared, Veigar sprang up from below, charging straight into the hail of incoming jutsu.
"Veigar!"
"Captain!"
"Don't—"
"Veigar-sama!"
All three shouted in panic. Even Gamajay croaked in alarm.
"Ultra Rasengan: Revolving Heaven!"
Below the airborne group, Veigar roared as an enormous Rasengan expanded around him, its blue chakra spiraling like a cyclone.
The colossal sphere, larger than five meters in diameter, collided with every incoming technique.
He shielded them all.
From the ground, the Sand shinobi looked up in terror at the massive orb of glowing energy.
A moment ago, they had been ruthless and unrelenting.
Now, fear gleamed in their wide eyes.
"Run—"
"Get out of here!"
Facing that monstrous chakra sphere, panic overtook their ranks.
But Veigar had no intention of letting them escape.
He had already dismissed every other option. Survival meant one thing:
Break through.
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