Outside the Kumogakure camp.
Yugito had quietly led over a thousand shinobi around to Hiashi's rear. Their movement had been silent, flawless.
But while the mantis stalked the cicada—
The oriole waited behind.
As Kumo maneuvered into position, Yusuke led his forces in a reverse encirclement.
Yugito aimed to crush Hiashi's unit in a pincer.
Yusuke targeted the true prize—
The main Kumo force under Yugito's command.
Contact
Just as the Kumo troops prepared to strike—
Six or seven shuriken burst from the grass ahead.
Two shadowy figures shot out like startled hares, fleeing instantly.
"Jōnin?"
"So they planted sentries behind us."
"Konoha really is cautious."
Yugito frowned slightly.
They had moved carefully—yet they were still exposed.
But the enemy was within five hundred meters.
Even if surprise was lost—
Retreat was not an option.
They still held positional advantage.
"On my command!"
"Full assault!"
Five hundred meters was nothing to shinobi.
A handful of body flickers—and they were there.
Hiashi Responds
Receiving word instantly, Hiashi shifted formations.
The Hyuga who had been attacking repositioned to the rear.
Moments later—
Kumo crashed into them.
A storm of shuriken erupted from all directions.
But the Hyuga were ready.
Dozens formed a defensive line.
"Eight Trigrams Formation—Rotation!"
A metallic cascade of clanging rang out.
Kumo's barrage was completely deflected.
Rotation's defense was absolute against standard projectiles.
Yugito's eyes hardened.
So they were prepared.
Fine.
Then brute force it would be.
"Kumo never fears head-on battle."
"Charge! Break them!"
Close Combat
Weapons flew like snow.
Ninjutsu burst in dazzling color.
The battlefield fractured into squad-level chaos.
Kumo excelled in kenjutsu and taijutsu.
But against Hyuga's Gentle Fist—
That strength became a liability.
Within minutes—
Kumo's vanguard was suffering.
Gentle Fist bypassed brute force.
Chakra points struck. Organs disrupted.
Rigid power met flowing precision—
And lost.
"Damn the Hyuga!"
Yugito's killing intent surged.
But stamina was finite.
Kumo had numerical superiority.
And they still pressed from two sides.
It was only a matter of time.
Yet Yugito sensed something off.
The numbers didn't add up.
Konoha was holding something back.
If reinforcements arrived—
The trap would reverse.
Her jaw tightened.
"Exhaust them!"
"Overwhelm them at any cost!"
Reinforcements Arrive
Hiashi understood the stakes.
His back was fully exposed to Yusuke.
If support didn't come—
They would be annihilated.
But Yusuke had no intention of sacrificing allies.
The moment Yugito committed—
He deployed.
Shisui led Inabi, Tekka, Yashiro, and others in a rear assault.
"Uchiha Shuriken Technique!"
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
"Body Flicker Technique!"
Kumo's rear ranks erupted in flame and steel.
"Uchiha!"
"Be on guard!"
The name alone caused tension.
The Uchiha were the core of Konoha's force.
Their reputation preceded them.
Even Kumo respected it.
Yugito's eyes flashed coldly.
So they'd shown themselves at last.
Good.
Before she could counter—
Another report arrived.
"Lady Yugito!"
"Ino–Shika–Cho have engaged our flank!"
"We're surrounded!"
For a moment—
Yugito felt the reversal sting.
She had tried to hunt—
And become the prey.
"Well played, 'Flame Demon' Yusuke."
"You've trapped me."
But she did not panic.
Numbers were still roughly equal.
Even surrounded—
Victory wasn't impossible.
The terrain was tight.
If she transformed fully—
She risked killing her own troops.
Her decision came instantly.
"All units!"
"Break left with me!"
She surged forward.
Once in open ground—
She alone would be enough.
The Struggle to Break Free
With Uchiha and Ino–Shika–Cho pressing in—
The pressure on Hiashi eased dramatically.
Hiashi commanded calmly.
"Reinforcements have arrived!"
"Hold them! Buy time!"
Charging in had been easy.
Escaping—
Was not.
Hyuga stuck to Kumo like glue.
"Damn it!"
"Gentle Fist again!"
A sealed chakra point meant death.
Meanwhile—
Ino–Shika–Cho moved in.
Shadow Possession.
Mind Body Switch.
Sudden Expansion Fists.
Human Boulder crashing from above.
Kumo's formation descended into chaos.
Yugito clenched her teeth.
She wanted to transform.
But allies surrounded her.
Now was not the moment.
Stalemate favored no one.
She chose retreat.
With her at the front—
Breaking through should be possible.
The Real Target Appears
And then—
He stepped forward.
Calm.
Sword in hand.
Yusuke.
"Yo."
"Little Two-Tails."
"How about…"
"I play with you myself?"
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