Chapter 33
Iruka, having learned that the three students might have gone to the back mountain, rushed over at full speed the entire way, terrified they might run into danger.
When he finally found them, he also noticed the triggered explosive tag trap at the same moment.
There was no time left for anything else. In that split-second, Iruka made an instinctive choice.
The Body Flicker Technique—which he had taught countless times and used countless times—was released in an instant.
The green-vested figure trailed afterimages as he shot forward, arriving in front of the three petrified students.
He threw himself over them, arms spread wide, and wrapped them tightly in his embrace.
Thankfully the three of them were standing close together…
Holding that thought, Iruka used the momentum of his charge to forcefully shove them as far away as possible.
BOOM——!!!
Even at close range, the explosion hit his back like a giant hammer.
The back of his vest was blasted into tatters.
The powerful shockwave transmitted into his body, making him feel as though his internal organs had shifted.
Pfft.
A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed from Iruka's mouth.
Dust and smoke filled the air; the smell of scorched flesh stung the nose.
His ears rang with a constant "bzzz bzzz." His mind felt like it had been stuffed with mush—dazed and heavy.
"Cough cough… cough cough…"
Hibachi and the other two staggered to their feet, shaking their heads in a daze.
When they came to their senses, they were shocked to discover they had miraculously survived.
"Ir… Iruka-sensei?"
Hibachi instinctively looked ahead.
The dust gradually cleared.
Iruka slowly rose, now half-kneeling on the ground.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth; his back burned with searing pain.
But he did not check his wounds first.
"Cough cough… Are… are you all okay?"
With difficulty he lifted his head. His eyes quickly scanned the students' bodies.
After confirming they were only frightened and not seriously injured, the tension in Iruka's nerves finally eased.
He forced a wide, relieved smile.
"Thank goodness…"
"I made it… in time!"
"Waaah… Sensei, you're bleeding so much…"
The chubby boy stared at Iruka's mangled back and burst into uncontrollable tears.
Hibachi and Glasses panicked too. No matter how mischievous they usually were, they had never experienced anything like this. They huddled around Iruka in helpless confusion.
"Don't… don't cry."
Iruka clenched his teeth against the excruciating pain.
He squeezed out a smile to comfort them: "Don't worry, Sensei's fine. Just stay put for now—don't run around. If there are more traps nearby it'll be bad."
"Wait until I recover a little stamina, then we'll leave this place immediately."
The three students looked at their heavily injured teacher who had shielded them.
Even the most rebellious Hibachi had red-rimmed eyes now. He obediently nodded and stayed close to Iruka.
But the heavens gave them no time to breathe.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three breaking-air sounds rang out.
Suddenly three figures appeared on nearby branches.
They wore black ninja outfits, faces masked, only cold eyes visible.
The symbol on their forehead protectors—that was the mark of Takigakure (Hidden Waterfall Village).
"Hand over what you just found."
The ninja in the center looked down from above. His/her voice was neutral and hoarse—impossible to tell gender.
Iruka's heart sank.
He struggled to his feet, swaying unsteadily, and placed himself protectively in front of the three children.
"Outsiders…" Iruka shouted sharply: "This is Konoha's territory! What are you sneaky foreigners doing here?!"
"Heh, a Konoha ninja?"
The Takigakure ninja on the left sneered, clearly not taking the heavily injured Iruka seriously.
The leader's gaze was dark. Instead of answering Iruka's question, they countered: "What's your relationship with those brats? Hand them over and maybe we'll let you live."
"I am their teacher!"
Iruka straightened his back. The motion tore his back wound open again.
But his tone was resolute: "You want me to abandon my students and run? Dream on!"
"Teacher?"
The Takigakure ninja on the right laughed as though hearing a joke: "So you ended up like this because of these dead weights."
"Still trying to play hero? You'll probably lose your life for it."
Behind his back, Iruka gave the students a hand signal—one taught in class for tactical communication.
At the same time he roared: "I won't go down that easily!"
Bang!
He swiftly pulled a smoke bomb from his pouch and smashed it at his feet.
Thick purple smoke exploded instantly, blinding everyone's vision.
"Run! Get out of here!"
Iruka grabbed the still-dazed Glasses and Chubby by their collars.
Enduring the searing pain, he dragged the students and charged into the forest.
"Want to run? After them!"
The three Takigakure ninja sneered, flashed forward, bypassed the smoke, and chased after the trail.
In the forest, an unequal pursuit began.
Though Iruka was a chūnin, the severe wound on his back drastically slowed him down.
The three students were dead weight—stumbling and barely able to keep up.
"Damn it… at this rate they'll catch us!"
Iruka felt the enemies drawing closer and closer. His heart burned with anxiety.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several shuriken flew from behind.
"Watch out!" Iruka pulled the students aside to dodge.
Thud thud!
The shuriken embedded into the tree trunk they had just passed.
Though the dense forest trees blocked some attacks, this cat-and-mouse game clearly couldn't last long.
While running, Iruka asked urgently: "Why are they attacking us? Did you pick something up?"
Chubby sobbed while running: "We… we only found a weird kunai… It looks cool but we didn't think it was anything special!"
"Kunai?"
A flash of realization crossed Iruka's mind. Everything clicked.
The spy killed last night had likely hidden important stolen intelligence inside that special kunai before dying—leaving it for their accomplices to retrieve.
But these three truant kids had accidentally picked it up first!
"Give it to me! Quick!" Iruka stretched out his hand.
Hibachi hurriedly pulled the Y-shaped kunai from his belt and handed it over.
Iruka took one look at the cloth-wrapped handle and was certain: this was the intelligence they wanted.
"Listen carefully."
Iruka spoke extremely fast: "They're after this. In a moment I'll draw them away. You three use the 'Concealment Technique' to hide!"
"Just like in practice class—find some bushes or tall grass, hide, hold your breath, and do NOT make a sound!"
"But Sensei—" Hibachi looked at Iruka, voice choking.
"This is a teacher's order!"
Iruka growled low, then decisively turned and leaped onto a high branch.
He raised the Y-shaped kunai high and shouted toward the pursuing Takigakure ninja:
"Hey! This is what you're after, right?"
"Now it's in my hands! If you've got the guts—come and take it!!"
Without hesitation, Iruka sprinted full speed in the opposite direction.
Tears in their eyes, Hibachi and the others followed Iruka's instructions and hid, clamping their mouths shut.
Sure enough, the three Takigakure ninja heard the shout and saw the kunai in Iruka's hand. They completely ignored the vanished children.
"After him! Don't let him bring that intel back to Konoha!"
Three black shadows instantly changed direction, locking onto Iruka's position.
Iruka leaped between branches. The wound dragged at him, sending waves of dizziness. His vision began to blur.
He had to draw them farther away…
"Hmph. Pathetic last struggle."
The pursuers wasted no more time.
All three formed seals simultaneously.
Ninjutsu: Phantom Multi-Shuriken
Several shuriken were thrown. In mid-air they split—two became four, four became eight—turning into a sky full of black rain.
Most were illusory clones with no power, but they perfectly masked the real attacks—impossible to distinguish truth from illusion.
"Damn it…"
Relying on his chūnin instincts, Iruka desperately dodged—but his body could no longer keep up with his mind.
Pfft! Pfft!
Shuriken he couldn't avoid sliced deeply into his thigh and left shoulder.
Iruka grunted in pain. His footing faltered; movement became even harder.
Three icy killing intents closed in.
The three Takigakure ninja drew long swords from their backs.
They formed a triangle around Iruka.
No escape… But… Hibachi and the others should be safe now…
Once they secure the intel, they'll leave immediately for safety. They won't waste time searching…
In that moment, time seemed to slow.
Iruka gazed at the dappled tree shadows overhead. His short teaching career flashed through his mind.
Though other teachers always said he was just lucky… Though he often felt he still wasn't good enough… Though there were still regrets he hadn't resolved…
Though he never became a powerful ninja.
But as a teacher… he had protected his students.
I suppose… I can be considered a qualified teacher, right?
"Die."
The three Takigakure ninja wasted no more words. Their long swords thrust forward simultaneously.
Pfft!
Three glinting blades.
From chest, right abdomen, and center—three different angles—they pierced Iruka's body.
Blood sprayed. His body was pinned firmly to the tree trunk!
...
Inside the seal space, Xuanming sat cross-legged atop his own head, eyes gently closed in silent meditation.
Suddenly, his eyelids twitched violently.
He opened his eyes. A blurry yet horrific scene appeared in his vision:
Three malicious black shadows crossed paths. Each blade in their hands pierced through a figure representing Iruka, staining the image blood-red.
This was Xuanming's composite perception producing a precognitive vision—capable of sensing vague but imminent future events.
At this moment in reality, Iruka had only just rushed out of the classroom. Not much time had passed yet.
--------------------------
Support us on patreon (+Gain access to 100 chapters in advance)
patreon.com/inkshield