Haru and Rinkaku exchanged a glance.
"What do we do? Fight or retreat?"
"Retreating without even a fight? Doesn't feel right."
The two chuckled lightly, then stopped and stood on a tree trunk.
"Number Six, can you set traps?"
Gekko Chizan nodded. As Number Six, of course he knew how to set traps.
And he was really good at it!
"That's good then. Haru, let's begin?"
"Mm!"
Immediately, the three of them began setting traps.
They worked together seamlessly, laying steel wire traps, each one tied with an explosive tag.
It wasn't that they didn't want to make them more complex, but the enemy was advancing fast, and if they didn't hurry, it would be too late.
Once the traps were ready, the three of them each found a hiding spot.
"Chōmei, can you sense their strength?"
"You'll have to go ask the Nine-Tails about that. I'm already doing great just sensing emotions. If it were another Tailed Beast, I'd sense nothing at all."
Chōmei casually tossed a chubby bug into his mouth, crunching noisily — he looked like he was really enjoying it.
"Alright then, prep some scale powder for me, just in case."
"Sure! What kind do you want? Sleeping? Paralysis? Or straight-up fatal?"
Chōmei perked up the moment scale powder was mentioned.
"Chizan, let me tell you, I've developed a new scale powder recently. It can blind people — works just like your flash bombs, only way more powerful!"
Gekko Chizan's heart stirred at that — blinding scale powder?
Wasn't that the same technique used by Fu, the former Jinchūriki of the Seven-Tails — scale powder stealth?
Too bad it wasn't suitable for him. He still preferred the kind that caused unconsciousness or paralysis — better for looting.
"They're coming... pretty fast too..."
Using his insect eyes, Gekko Chizan had already spotted the enemy.
Rasa was in the lead, stepping right into the trap zone.
But he stopped quickly, eyes narrowing slightly with a hint of disdain on his face.
"Stop."
At his command, the other five immediately halted. None of them questioned it — if Rasa stopped, something must be wrong ahead.
"Come out. Since you're already here, why keep hiding?"
"These traps — are you underestimating us?"
"Or is this really the best Konoha's shinobi can do?"
Rasa stood with arms crossed, not moving at all.
But beneath the ground, gold had already started to flow.
"Tch, pretty sharp."
"Takes some guts to come into the Land of Fire."
Haru said coldly, then glanced at Gekko Chizan, giving him a meaningful look.
Gekko Chizan was slightly startled. He'd seen that look before.
Whether in the Land of Hot Water or the Land of Wind — he recognized it.
It was the look of someone ready to fight to the death. And it was clear they were telling him to leave — to return to the village and report.
Since the trap had failed, it was time to attack directly.
Haru formed hand seals quickly, and then a searing flame shot out like a beam, racing toward Rasa and the others.
Seeing the jutsu, Gekko Chizan sighed inwardly: The Sarutobi Clan, huh...
The Flame Technique was a signature jutsu of the Sarutobi clan — a secret fire style technique passed down through generations. It expelled a ferocious flame from the user's mouth — intense enough to incinerate someone instantly.
But Haru's version was even more potent. He had infused it with his own elemental transformation, focusing the surging flames into a single, piercing beam.
This both increased the heat and added a layer of penetration.
"Now that's more like it!"
"Gold Dust Imperial Funeral."
Suddenly, a massive flow of gold dust surged up from the ground. Under Rasa's control, it formed a wall that blocked the powerful Great Flame Technique.
A golden light instantly illuminated the depths of the forest — even the trees under the night sky were bathed in gold.
Gekko Chizan was awestruck. He had only one thought in his mind.
Steal it! Steal all that gold dust! That's money! Piles and piles of money!
But before he could act, Haru and Rinkaku were already a step ahead.
Two figures, two long swords — they descended from above, aiming straight for Rasa's head.
But the Sunagakure jonin weren't just for show — they moved in to counterattack.
"Take them out. Keep it quiet!"
The Great Flame Technique had been swallowed entirely by the gold dust. Despite its intensity, it hadn't caused much actual damage.
Rasa still wanted to focus on completing the mission, so he aimed to end things swiftly and decisively.
"Magnet Release? Damn!"
"Konoha Style Swordsmanship!"
Rinkaku's sword danced like falling leaves, its trajectory graceful yet tricky as it slashed toward the enemy.
The Sunagakure shinobi were startled at first and quickly retreated — all except one: Magen, who charged into the sword's path.
The rest headed straight for Haru.
Magen raised his right hand, and invisible wind gathered in his palm.
"Blade of Wind!"
A blade formed from a whirlwind surged toward Rinkaku, carrying a killing intent.
Clang!
The wind blade clashed with the longsword, sending out a sharp metallic ring.
Rinkaku's sword shattered instantly — but he reacted fast, using the Substitution Technique to deflect the blow.
"They're all jonin level!"
"Damn it!"
Rinkaku's heart sank as he retreated. Just one exchange had told him — these enemies were definitely all jonin-level.
Especially the one with Magnet Release. In Sunagakure, anyone with Magnet Release held significant status. The current Kazekage himself was a Magnet Release user.
"Retreat!"
With no better option, he issued the command to fall back.
But the enemy wasn't about to let them go.
"Don't let them escape!"
"Gold Dust Imperial Funeral — Bind!"
A huge wave of gold dust rose around them, trapping Haru and Rinkaku inside.
In an instant, their expressions turned grim.
They were now birds in a cage — no escape.
Yet neither of them panicked, because even if they were trapped, Number Six — Gekko Chizan — was still outside the gold dust perimeter.
As long as he got back to request reinforcements, these Sunagakure shinobi wouldn't escape.
But what they didn't know was that at that very moment, Gekko Chizan was staring at the gold dust before him, itching to act.
"Chōmei, can your chakra isolate this gold dust?"
"Hm? What do you mean? You want to trap the gold dust?"
"Ugh, you really don't study enough. This gold dust is being controlled with Magnet Release. What I want is for you to use your chakra to sever the connection between the gold dust and its caster. Can you do that?"
"I probably can. My chakra is ferocious — definitely not something a human can resist. But once I sever the link, won't they just reconnect it easily with their chakra?"
"Tch. You just focus on severing the link. Leave the rest to me."
Gekko Chizan grinned again. He looked at the gold dust in front of him — like a giant pile of cash.
Today, he was going to be a gold digger. Only a fool would pass up free money!
Especially when the enemy had delivered the gold right to his doorstep!
No reason not to take it!
...
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