The sun had barely crested over the rooftops when a hawk swooped low across the training field, a dark streak against the pale morning light.
Enji paused mid-swing, his weighted staff whistling to a halt as the bird circled once and dropped a scroll tied to its leg.
A seal of the ANBU.
He caught it before it hit the ground, his expression hardening.
Without another thought, he vanished in a blur of movement.
When Enji arrived at the Hokage's office Itachi and Kakashi were already inside along with other Anbu personnel.
Hiruzen stood before a large map of the Land of Hot Springs, the thin buffer between Fire and Lightning.
"Kumo's troops have been gathering," the Hokage said gravely. "No open conflict yet, but tension is rising. You will deploy to the border camp and assist our command unit there. Observe. Patrol. Report."
Kakashi tilted his head slightly. "Engagement protocol?"
"Only if necessary," Hiruzen replied. "Avoid escalation. Your presence is deterrence enough."
He looked between the two youngest ANBU — Itachi and Enji. His voice softened, though the weariness never left his eyes.
" Stay sharp."
They nodded in unison
....
At the Border Camp
The Land of Hot Springs was now a peaceful country only in paper.
The fog that once rose from its rivers and mineral pools was now filled with the scent of steel and gunpowder.
The camp stretched across the valley — tents, supply wagons, patrol towers.
Enji's boots sank into damp earth as he entered the camp when a kunai came whistling,right at his face which he deflected with the back of his hand.
"Hmm."
Enji turned to face the attacker, a smile forming under his mask.
"Yasu-sensei."
The broad-shouldered man crossed his arms, smirking. "Didn't think they'd send you to the border, kid."
" Maybe, it's because I am capable enough, sensei."
Yasu snorted. "Don't get arrogant, kid. You're with me on night patrol. We'll be keeping an eye on the ridge. Kumo's been sitting across it all week — watching us, waiting."
He handed over a report scroll. "No engagement unless they cross the line. You know the drill."
Enji nodded. "Understood, sensei."
---
Days blurred into one another.
Dawn patrols. Midnight shifts.
Tension was the only constant.
They spotted Kumo scouts twice — masked figures vanishing into mist before a single word was spoken.
No battles, just an invisible war of patience.
One evening, Yasu called Enji aside as the campfire sputtered.
"Word from the capital — both daimyos are meeting tomorrow. If things go right, this ends without bloodshed."
Enji frowned. "And if they don't?"
"Then brace yourself. Because when politicians fail,it's the soldiers who pay. Now let's move."
...
The patrol had become a routine for them, but today something felt different. The forest was unnervingly calm. The cicadas had gone silent.
Enji, Itachi, Kakashi, and Yasu moved through the trees, in formation, perfect and soundless.
Enji stopped suddenly, signalling with his fingers towards a direction.
"Eight signatures. 2 jounins, rest chunins, in tight formations, approaching fast."
Yasu's jaw clenched. "Kumo bastards, making ruckus just before the Daimyo orders them to withdraw. Get ready to engage. We'll finish it quickly, erase any evidence and leave."
The forest exploded in motion.
Eight figures burst from the mist , lightning flashing across their blades.
---
Kakashi and Yasu met the jounins ,blocking and countering with brutal precision.
Itachi's movements were silent, his shuriken slicing the air ,the clang of metal followed by silence as one enemy fell.
Enji pivoted as a blade slashed past his cheek. He slammed his weighted staff against the ground, sending debris into the air. The momentary cover was enough , his follow-up strike shattered an enemy's neck.
The fight blurred into chaos — fire jutsu lighting up the night, smoke and lightning colliding.
The ground split under chakra-enhanced blows.
Kakashi's blade crackled with lightning as he kept his opponent engaged.
One rogue rushed Enji, sword raised.
Enji ducked low, sweeping the staff in a tight arc ,a crack of impact echoed, followed by a grunt as the attacker was launched into a tree.
He pivoted, using the momentum to block another strike, the his staff ringing from the impact.
"Three on the left," Itachi called.
" On it " Enji's hands blurred as he gathered chakra -' Earth release : Earth flow spear '
Massive earthern spikes rose from the ground forcing the three enemies to step back and split up.
Enji immediately followed up with his next jutsu.
'Water release: Water bullet jutsu'
The water bullet hit the poor guy, shredding his face off.
Itachi was not too behind either.
' Demonic illusion: Tree binding death'
The enemy froze for a heartbeat too long; in that space, Enji was upon them.
He struck — one blow to disarm, one to shatter a knee, one to silence the scream.
Now all that left was the two jounins. This fight was a done deal.
When the last of the attackers stumbled, bleeding, he bit down on something hidden in his mouth.
A seal flared and his head exploded into unrecognisable mess.
" Well done, everyone.Gather the bodies, erase the evidence and let's leave before anyone else arrives." Yasu gave his orders.
Enji nodded, signaling to Yasu. "We should send word to command. This—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
The hairs on his neck rose.
The air changed. Heavy. Pressurized.
A storm of chakra flooded the forest — wild, electric, suffocating.
"Move!" Enji shouted instinctively.
A thunderous boom shattered the ground as lightning ripped through the trees. Dirt and splinters exploded into the air.
Through the smoke, a single shadow emerged — massive, pulsing with light.
The Fourth Raikage, Ay, landed in the center of the clearing, the shockwave flattening everything around him.
The air hummed with raw power.
Yasu's face hardened. "Retreat !!!"
But Ay's gaze locked on Enji - the one who sensed his attack, likely the only sensory among the group.
"Let's see if you can dodge me twice."
Before anyone could move, he vanished.
Lightning cracked — and suddenly, Ay was right in front of Enji.
For an instant, everything slowed.
Enji's body reacted on instinct. His mind went blank.
He brought his staff up in defense, chakra flaring desperately.
The world exploded in sound.
Ay's arm shot forward, glowing with lightning.
The staff split clean in two with a deafening snap.
A blinding pain followed.
Ay's hand punched through Enji's shoulder like paper, the heat of the lightning cauterizing the wound as it went through.
The force sent Enji flying ,his body crashing into a tree with a dull thud.
He coughed blood, vision flickering. His right arm hung useless.
Yasu was already moving. "Enji!"
He intercepted Ay's next step with a chakra-empowered strike but Ay barely slowed.
The Raikage's elbow came down like a hammer, shattering Yasu's guard and sending him sprawling.
Kakashi lunged in, lightning chakra bursting from his hand but Ay's reflexes were monstrous. He sidestepped, grabbed Kakashi's wrist, and flung him like a ragdoll.
Itachi was next. Ay appeared before Itachi in an instant. Itachi aimed a kunai at his blind spot but the Raikage's body shimmered, lightning armor sparking violently, the kunai shattering against it.
"Too weak." Ay growled.
The sheer pressure of his chakra forced Itachi back.
And then, for the first time, Itachi's eyes changed the tomoe of the Sharingan spinning to life, a reflection of shock and desperation in his crimson gaze. But it didn't matter. Ay dealt with everything Itachi threw at him,with surprising ease, finally sending the boy flying with a simple kick, that was so fast that the boy could barely see it, even with his sharingan.
Enji blinked through the haze of pain, his vision swimming. He could barely make out the scene - Yasu staggering forward again, arm bleeding, still shouting orders through the chaos.
"Fall back, take Enji and leave!!"
Ay's figure was a blur, each step shaking the ground.
Seeing everyone out of commission, left with no choice, Yasu met him again, trying to parry with his kunai. The clash was blinding - sparks, blood, and the smell of burning metal.
And then it happened.
Ay's palm crashed down. A flash,a scream and Yasu's left arm hit the ground, smoking.
"Sensei—!" Enji tried to shout, but blood filled his mouth.
He couldn't move. His body refused to respond. His shoulder was burnt through, nerves seared. His breathing grew shallow. He was weak, too weak.
Through the dim blur of his vision, he saw Yasu kneeling ,one arm gone, still defiant, staring up at the Raikage towering above him.
Ay raised his hand again — lightning gathering, the air screaming.
Time seemed to freeze.
Through his failing vision he saw his teacher, unyielding, kneeling in defiance beneath the lightning