The earth-shaking boom and a cloud of dust rolled over where Kakashi had stood.
Yuto watched calmly.
Ameyuri and Haku moved to his sides.
"Yuto-sama, forgive me. I failed to keep an eye on their genin," Haku said softly, guilt in his voice. Ameyuri ducked her head as well.
"Don't mind it. We weren't planning to kill those two brats anyway," Yuto said with a light smile, unconcerned.
He formed a quick seal and fanned his hand forward.
A small Fūton gust swept out, blowing the dust away.
Where Kakashi's team had been, there was nothing but shattered stone—no one in sight.
None of the three showed any surprise; they'd expected this outcome.
"Suigetsu."
Ameyuri's eyes narrowed toward a watery glimmer ahead, her tone sour.
Ripples trembled across a small puddle. Suigetsu rose from it a heartbeat later.
He shrank his neck at Ameyuri's look.
Yuto found the sight amusing—and Suigetsu's timing convenient.
"Bring Kinoshita Jiro's body back. After that, there's no need for you to show your face," Yuto said, glancing toward the corpse.
"Yes, Yuto-sama!" Suigetsu answered quickly.
He couldn't wait to get away from Ameyuri; the wielder of Kiba (Thunder Swords) countered him in temper, element—and strength.
"Yuto-sama, what's our next move?" Ameyuri asked, eyes bright with respect.
"We give chase. A Mist shinobi was killed—we're not letting that pass so easily."
A sunny smile spread across Yuto's face as he looked in the direction Kakashi had fled.
—
In a forest not far from the Wave border—
Four battered figures paused atop a thick branch, catching their breath.
"Kakashi-sensei, are you okay?" Sakura asked, supporting him, worry creasing her face.
Kakashi glanced at the blood on his chest and shook his head faintly. He'd blocked Yuto's ninjutsu, but the aftershock had rattled his organs.
He ran through the notables of the Mist in his mind and found no match for that young man.
A frown tightened. Since when did the Mist have someone that strong?
Then again, the Mist was the most secretive of the Five. Hidden monsters weren't exactly a surprise.
"Kakashi-sensei, why are we running? Jiro-san's body is still back there," Naruto said, fists clenched, unwillingness written across his face.
"Damn it—how could that woman be so strong?" Sasuke growled, stung by Ameyuri's disdain.
At the Academy he was called a prodigy; as an heir of the Uchiha, his pride ran deep.
This mission had cracked that pride wide open.
First Zabuza's power showed him the gulf between genin and jōnin.
Then Kakashi's chakra training and Jiro's combat pointers had begun to click.
If he kept going like this, he had no chance against the man he had to kill.
"Tazuna's job is done. My mission now is to keep you three safe," Kakashi said evenly, reading their faces.
"We can't stay here. We reach the Fire border as fast as possible—only then are we safe."
He straightened with Sakura's help, eyes scanning the woods.
"But, Kakashi-sensei—Jiro-san's body…" Naruto's voice wavered. In just a few days, Jiro had left a mark he couldn't scrub out. Thinking of those two Root shinobi, heat churned in his chest.
"Now's not the time to worry about that," Kakashi cut in—then, hearing his own harshness, softened his tone. "Jiro was Mist. They'll take his body home themselves. You don't need to carry that, Naruto."
He turned to Sasuke, who seemed sunk by the blow. "We don't have time to brood. They'll catch us soon. With my injuries, I may not be able to protect you in a fight."
The three looked down, a shared gloom on their faces. Their weakness had forced Kakashi-sensei to take the hit.
After a brief pause they moved again, angling toward the Land of Fire.
They hadn't gone far—
Kakashi's ear twitched. His voice went tight. "They're here."
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three sharp breaks of air from behind.
Yuto eyed them and smiled. "A little too hasty, aren't we?"
Ameyuri and Haku stood to either side, unreadable as they faced the four.
"It seems we can't end this peacefully. Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura—move!" Kakashi exhaled, stopped running, and snapped the order.
At his word the kids wheeled and met the threat head-on.
"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)!"
Sasuke flashed through seals and spat a rolling fireball forward.
"Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Multiple Shadow Clone Technique)!!"
White smoke billowed. Not dozens this time—thousands of Narutos filled the forest floor.
Even Ameyuri and Haku blinked. Sasuke, on the same side, stared too.
The weakest of the three, Sakura, refused to lag. Startled for a beat by Naruto's ridiculous numbers, she drew kunai laced with explosive tags and hurled them at Ameyuri.
The clash was about to erupt when Kakashi slapped the ground.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique)!"
Massive ninken burst forth. They seized Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura onto their backs in one smooth motion and sprinted away.
//Check out my P@tre0n for 20 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810