Under cover of night, three masked Ninja raced through the forest, their course set—straight for Ishikawa Village.
"Lord Kaze," one of them panted, voice muffled by his mask, "by my count, Tanuki should have the kid by now. A Jonin leading four Chunin against a fresh graduate —genius or not, he should already be in custody."
"Exactly," another agreed. "From the moment we drew that Wood Release Ninja away to their signal and our retreat, they've had more than half an hour of clear field time —plenty to finish the grab."
Fu Yamanaka's gaze stayed fixed ahead, his tone flat.
"Don't underestimate the target. Intel says his Chakra reserves are abnormal… but as you say, half an hour of overwhelming numbers is enough. Tanuki knows the drill."
Fu's math was cold and precise.
His squad had successfully lured away the biggest threat —Jonin Instructor Yamato.
Even if Yamato realized the ruse and rushed back, it would take time.
That window was more than enough for Tanuki's team to complete the capture and begin exfiltration.
And if anything else went sideways, they were now perfectly positioned to provide backup and guarantee success.
"Pick up the pace!" Fu ordered. "Link up with Tanuki—now!"
The trio accelerated, blurring through the trees.
Yet when they burst from the last of the trees into the planned rally point on Ishikawa's outskirts, they skidded to a halt, eyes widening behind their masks, stunned by the scene ahead.
The quiet, mission-complete withdrawal they'd pictured was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, a disaster zone lay before them —ruin that looked wrought by a natural catastrophe.
Once-dense woodland lay flattened and snapped; trunks had been torn apart by titanic force.
Craters pocked the earth, one vast depression brimming with murky water—residue of a colossal Water Release.
Chunks of rock and soil were scattered everywhere, and several cracked, half-shattered Earth Flow Walls stood solitary on the scorched ground, pitted by heavy Ninjutsu impacts.
The mud was streaked with dark red blood, and the air reeked of damp earth, water vapor, and a faint metallic tang.
"W-what… happened here?" a Root Ninja croaked, disbelief thick in his voice. "Did a war break out?"
Such widespread destruction left him momentarily lost.
The other Ninja's sharp eyes caught a scrap of cloth half-buried in the muck—its dark pattern unmistakable.
"Lord Kaze—look!"
He darted forward, fished the sodden fabric out, and thrust it toward Fu.
Fu took the shred, fingers brushing the familiar weave and the subtle Root-issue threading; behind his mask, his pupils contracted, gaze turning steely.
It was a fragment of their own uniform.
And the tear marks were far too violent for any gentle apprehension.
"Damn it," Fu muttered, voice low. "Something's gone wrong—Tanuki's team might be—"
He never finished.
BOOM!!
Another explosion of Explosive Tags thundered in the distance.
Immediately after came the clash of Jutsu—Chakra howling as shockwaves rippled outward.
That sound…
Fu snapped his gaze toward its source.
"Move! Follow the trail—full speed!"
Without another word he sprinted off, the other two Root Ninja hard on his heels, a heavy dread settling over them.
The situation had spiraled completely out of control.
Either another force had entered the fray…
…or their target —Tejima Shinichi —was far more dangerous than any report had suggested.
Up ahead, in the running battle:
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"Earth Release: Earth Spike Technique!"
Jutsu poured out as if Chakra were limitless, stalling the pursuit.
Shinichi's enormous reserves let him wage this lavish barrage without pause.
Jonin Tanuki slashed the water dragon's after-image apart, face darkening.
Another sudden Earth Flow Wall blocked his lunge, forcing him to watch the boy widen the gap again.
'At this rate we're finished!' Alarm bells rang in his skull. 'We've already blown past the timetable!'
By plan they should be exfiltrating with the captive right now.
Instead, two of his men were down and this brat was bogging them down with a cowardly artillery routine.
'Once Yamato circles back, the mission collapses!'
The thought chilled him.
Yet he couldn't see a way to break the stalemate.
The kid was too slippery —every close-quarters attempt met with a fresh bombardment. That bottomless Chakra even made a Jonin sweat.
'Damn it!' he cursed, frustration boiling. 'He's the perfect counter-type!'
Tanuki specialized in close-up blitzes; Kenjutsu was his forte.
Against an opponent who refused melee and simply rained ranged fire, his skills were caged.
'If only Fu were here…' he yearned, thinking of the comrade who could end this with a single Mind Transfer Jutsu. 'We wouldn't be stuck like this!'
The plan had veered wildly off course.
Or rather, fortune had smiled on Shinichi.
Between Ishikawa and Kasahara Villages, the boy had chosen Ishikawa… "Tch, if only we'd—"
The Jonin's regret was cut short by a sudden, icy jolt to his heart.
Ahead, Shinichi snapped a look back.
'Enjoying the chase?'
A cold grin split Shinichi's face.
"Take this, you Root dog!!"
Muscles cording along his right arm, Shinichi hurled something forward with a fierce throw.
"Water Release: Water Blade!"