Chapter 114 — A Close Call
Starting from the previous afternoon, Hyūga Hizashi's mental condition had visibly declined. His head felt heavy, his focus wavered, and even the effective range of his Byakugan had noticeably shrunk.
After noticing this, Hatake Sakumo decisively called off further reconnaissance. The team found a concealed location and rested through the night. Only then did Hizashi's condition improve somewhat.
"Activating a dōjutsu doesn't just consume chakra—it also requires mental focus and stamina," Taichi explained calmly.
"My soldier pills are effective, but they only replenish physical energy. Any mental recovery comes indirectly, through the body feeding back into the mind. Ultimately, proper rest is still necessary.
During this period, Senior Hizashi has been keeping the Byakugan activated for long stretches at high intensity. His mental energy has been drained without sufficient recovery—that's the real reason his condition worsened."
As the team's medical ninja, Taichi offered his professional assessment and recommended that Hizashi rest a while longer.
Unfortunately, Sakumo rejected the suggestion outright.
The mission was urgent. The team had to finish scouting the remaining two outposts before noon, then rendezvous with ANBU in the afternoon. There simply wasn't any extra time.
The final outpost was still fifteen kilometers away. The team advanced cautiously. Because Hizashi's condition hadn't fully recovered, the Byakugan could no longer remain constantly active. It would have to be used only when they were closer, for final confirmation and alert.
After moving another five kilometers, Hizashi finally activated the Byakugan again. The moment he did, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Taichi immediately stepped forward to support him, preparing to check his condition.
But Hizashi gently pushed him away.
"This is the last one," he said through gritted teeth. "I can hold on."
Seeing his resolve, no one tried to persuade him further. Finishing the mission quickly was the only way to earn proper rest.
The team continued forward under concealment.
"Three kilometers ahead, at two o'clock—Sand ninja patrol."
"Four kilometers ahead, at eleven o'clock—a hidden Sand outpost."
Guided by the Byakugan, the team successfully reached an observation point three kilometers from the outpost. The four of them hid behind a large rock, quietly waiting for Hizashi's final confirmation.
Five minutes later, Hizashi completed the reconnaissance. Exhausted, he deactivated the Byakugan.
"We can withdraw."
Following the route Hizashi had observed earlier, the team quickly moved away from the outpost. Everyone felt noticeably lighter—especially Hizashi, who even managed a faint smile despite his fatigue.
But before the relief could settle—
"Stop!"
Taichi's low shout cut through the air.
The team halted instantly, all eyes turning toward him in confusion.
"I can use a sensory technique," Taichi said rapidly.
"Five hundred meters ahead—there's a four-man Sand ninja squad. They've probably noticed something unusual, but they haven't identified us yet. They're moving in our direction."
He relayed the enemy's movements with precision.
"That's impossible," Hizashi blurted out. "I clearly checked that direction—there was no one—"
Halfway through the sentence, realization struck him.
Earlier, because his condition was so poor, he had focused all his attention on the outpost's direction. He'd only given this area a cursory glance. Once reconnaissance ended, he shut down the Byakugan entirely.
That direction had become a blind spot.
Those Sand ninja must have slipped through during that gap.
Guilt surged in his chest. He was about to apologize—
—but Sakumo raised a hand, cutting him off.
"Unexpected situations are part of any mission," Sakumo said firmly.
"Right now, we solve the problem."
He turned to Hizashi.
"Can you activate the Byakugan again?"
Hizashi shook his head, ashamed.
"I tried. The strain is too great—I can't open it again."
Sakumo immediately turned to Taichi.
"What's the enemy's current status?"
Taichi answered without hesitation.
"Distance: four hundred and fifty meters. They're advancing slowly, formation spread out. They haven't confirmed us as enemies yet."
The precision of the information surprised Sakumo slightly, but there was no time to dwell on it. He made a swift decision.
"Then we'll disguise ourselves as Sand ninja and approach at a steady pace. Once we're within visual range, we strike and eliminate them immediately. They must not fire a signal flare."
His gaze shifted to Minato.
"This ambush depends on you. Flying Thunder God will be the key—it's the most effective way to catch them off guard."
With the plan finalized, the team advanced toward the Sand squad as if nothing were amiss. Under Taichi's subtle guidance, they consistently chose paths that blocked sightlines.
The goal was simple: delay detection and close the distance.
Three hundred meters.
Two hundred meters.
One hundred meters.
"Attention," Taichi warned quietly.
"Once we cross the hill ahead, we'll be face-to-face with them. Straight-line distance—no more than thirty meters."
Everyone prepared instantly.
Sakumo drew his short blade.
Minato took out his Flying Thunder God kunai.
Hizashi began gathering chakra.
The moment they crested the hill, the four Sand ninja were standing at its base.
Both sides entered each other's line of sight—
—but only one side was ready.
Dodging several kunai hurled his way, the Sand ninja had already pulled out a signal flare from his waist. Just as he was about to pull the ring—
A kunai sliced across his throat from behind.
At the same time, the hand gripping the flare was seized tightly, stopping it cold.
Until the very moment his consciousness faded, he could not understand how the enemy had appeared behind him, nor how his throat had been cut without warning.
In the end, all his thoughts condensed into a single, bitter realization:
So unwilling…
With the most dangerous enemy eliminated, Minato finally let out a breath. As he lunged toward the next target, he saw that on the other side, Sakumo and Taichi had already dealt with their respective opponents.
When the last Sand ninja fell, the entire clash—from beginning to end—had lasted no more than a few seconds.
A complete suppression: jōnin versus chūnin, combined with a perfectly timed ambush. Once the one capable of firing the signal flare was taken out by Minato, the outcome had been sealed.
At that moment, Hyūga Hizashi stepped forward, his gaze lingering on Taichi with complicated emotions.
Only now did he truly understand the weight behind Sakumo's words before the mission:
"Don't underestimate him."
Taichi wasn't just formidable in medical ninjutsu—purely in terms of combat strength, he had clearly reached jōnin level as well.
While the other three members swiftly disposed of the bodies and erased traces—tasks that had to be completed as quickly as possible to delay Sand Village detection—Hizashi stood there, momentarily lost in thought, staring at Taichi far too conspicuously.
Sakumo noticed at once.
He walked over and patted Hizashi on the shoulder.
"Surprised?"
Hizashi nodded, then shook his head.
"I understand. There are always people who stand apart. Still… this time, it was my inadequacy that increased the risk of exposure."
"You did very well," Sakumo said calmly.
"We finished reconnaissance this quickly because of you. Missions are always full of variables—that's why we operate in four-man squads, to cover each other's weaknesses."
He clapped Hizashi lightly on the shoulder again.
"Now hurry up. Clean the site. We need to leave immediately."
---
At the border, inside a concealed mountain cave—the team's prearranged hideout—the four of them regrouped, waiting to rendezvous with ANBU.
Inside the cave, Taichi's hands glowed with dense Yang-nature chakra as he massaged several acupuncture points atop Hizashi's head. As his fingers moved, the tight furrow between Hizashi's brows gradually smoothed out.
Taichi had noticed earlier—during the ambush—that Hizashi's delayed reactions weren't just fatigue. His mental exhaustion was already severely affecting his combat performance.
To ensure the next day's mission could proceed smoothly, Taichi had proposed a therapeutic treatment. With one night of deep, uninterrupted sleep, Hizashi's mental recovery would be significantly accelerated.
After half an hour, the rich green light faded from Taichi's palms. He slowly stood up.
Hizashi had already fallen into a deep sleep.
Taichi gestured quietly to Sakumo and Minato, and the three of them moved toward the cave entrance.
"He's okay?" Sakumo asked, still concerned. "We can't afford to lose a teammate to overexertion."
"No problem," Taichi replied.
"I used a special technique to induce deep sleep. As long as he rests through the night, he'll be fine by morning."
Sakumo let out a breath.
"This mission really benefited from having you."
Then he turned to both Minato and Taichi.
"You two should rest as well. I'll take watch. I'll wake you when ANBU arrives."
Minato and Taichi nodded without hesitation—especially Taichi, whose prolonged chakra usage had taken a noticeable toll.
The cave soon fell silent, broken only by the howling winter wind outside.
---
Around six o'clock, darkness had fully settled. Winter nights came early.
A rhythmic birdcall echoed outside.
Sakumo instantly rose, tilting his head to listen.
After the sound repeated three times, confirming the signal, Sakumo responded with a birdcall of a different rhythm.
Moments later, footsteps approached the cave.
A ninja wearing a dog-faced mask entered.
By then, Minato and Taichi had already risen and stood behind Sakumo.
Without a word, the ANBU operative pulled out a scroll and tossed it to Sakumo—then turned and vanished into the night with a few swift movements.
Taichi stared, stunned.
"Are all ANBU… this decisive?"
Sakumo smiled faintly.
"Depends on the person—but yes, in general, they're very efficient."
The three returned deeper into the cave, careful not to wake the sleeping Hizashi. Minato even set up a sound-insulating barrier around him.
Once seated, Sakumo unrolled the scroll.
The three read together.
---
The Sand Village envoy was revealed to be Rōsa, a high-ranking member of the militant faction.
Ironically, his aggressive stance wasn't directed at Iwagakure—but Konoha.
During the Second Shinobi World War, Rōsa had participated in multiple battles against Konoha.
Now fifty-two years old, his current strength as a former elite jōnin was uncertain—but one detail stood out:
Rōsa was a puppet master, second only to Chiyo in Sand Village.
As for the escort detail, it consisted of an elite jōnin named Kazekiri, leading a squad that included:
one jōnin skilled in Wind Release,
one special jōnin proficient in swordsmanship,
and two chūnin.
Reading through the personnel data and the projected route for the following day, the three finally had a clear picture.
On paper, Konoha fielded four jōnin-level combatants.
Sand Village had three.
Konoha held the advantage.
What remained was tactical execution—how to eliminate the enemy completely, and how to withdraw safely.
They spent a full hour marking routes and discussing contingencies before finalizing a preliminary plan.
Before resting, Taichi added one final reminder:
"Rōsa is a puppet master—poison is almost guaranteed. Before we attack tomorrow, everyone takes an antidote first. Don't wait until you're poisoned."
With everything settled, watches were assigned, and the team rested.
---
Meanwhile, dozens of kilometers away, a Sand Village outpost received its guests—the very envoy group Konoha intended to eliminate.
The outpost commander personally came out to greet them. After all, Rōsa was a senior figure.
Rōsa understood the gesture, though he didn't dwell on it. His goal was clear: finalize the alliance with Iwagakure. Once that happened, border troops could be redeployed en masse—to face Konoha.
And when the time was ripe…
The vast, fertile lands of the Land of Fire—Sand Village had coveted them for a long time.
"How's the border situation lately?" Rōsa asked as they walked. "Any abnormalities at the outposts?"
"Nothing major," the commander replied.
"Iwa hasn't sent scouts recently. Though… earlier today, the Eighth Outpost reported a patrol squad missing."
"Missing?" Rōsa stopped, his gaze sharp.
"Any further details?"
"No… just missing. No bodies. No traces."
The implication made the commander's palms sweat.
Rōsa, too, felt a shadow settle in his mind—unlikely, but not impossible.
Inside the assigned tent, Rōsa summoned his guards and handed each of them an antidote pill.
"You heard the report. Just in case—take this immediately if combat breaks out tomorrow."