Chapter 21: Border Conflict with the Hidden Mist
By the time Haruko rushed back to the camp, the leisurely atmosphere had completely vanished.
Not long after, Uchiha Shisui returned with the ambushed scout team.
Everyone was injured, and two people were carried directly into the medical room, the pungent smell of blood filling the air.
"It's the Hidden Mist," Shisui said with a grim expression as he entered the command room. "Even for a surprise attack, to heavily damage a patrol team in such a short time, it must have been an elite squad. They retreated immediately as soon as they saw reinforcements arrive."
Iwasho stood before the command desk and slammed his fist onto the table, making the map jump.
"They've gone too far! Do they really think this camp is just for show?!"
The tough commander-in-chief was clearly enraged.
"The enemy likely knows our patrol routes and reinforcement speeds. Should we recall the patrol teams to consolidate our defenses?"
"No, their goal is to force us to shrink our defenses so they can sneak into Konoha."
Iwasho made a decision after a brief moment of thought.
"We need to take the initiative and catch the Hidden Mist by surprise. Form squads with each Jonin as a captain."
"Shisui! Your squad goes to the northeast side. If the Hidden Mist dares to show up, hit them hard!"
"Hayama, take your squad to provide flank support." Iwasho's gaze swept across everyone present before landing on Haruko. "...And take Haruko with you as well."
"Yes, sir!"
Haruko sighed and silently followed behind Shirakumo Hayama.
'Flank support, huh? At least it's not the main assault. Hopefully, I can just coast through this."
...
An hour later, in the dense jungle.
Shirakumo Hayama's team was moving rapidly through the area.
The team's composition was quite luxurious: the captain was the elite Jonin Shirakumo Hayama, an expert in Wind Release swordsmanship; the scout was Inuzuka Hana with her three Ninja Hounds; and the teammates were the perfectly synchronized "Gatekeeper Duo," Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane.
As for Haruko...
He very consciously stayed at the very back of the team, ostensibly "guarding the rear," but in reality, he was minimizing his presence as much as possible.
"Watch out!"
Inuzuka Hana in the front suddenly stopped, and the three Gaimaru beside her let out low growls.
"Five hundred meters ahead, six people!"
"Scatter, prepare for battle!"
Shirakumo Hayama gave a low shout and drew the long sword from his back.
Battle broke out instantly as several Kunai wrapped with exploding tags shot out from deep within the dense forest.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The explosions kicked up a cloud of smoke and dust.
Six figures wearing Hidden Mist headbands instantly burst through the dust, radiating murderous intent.
"Water Release: Wild Water Wave!"
"Wind Release: Vacuum Sword!"
The battle erupted in an instant.
Hayama led the charge, his long sword unleashing sharp wind blades that sliced right through the enemy's Ninjutsu, forcing back two Hidden Mist Ninjas.
Izumo and Kotetsu coordinated perfectly; one released Mizuame-no-Hara to instantly restrict the movements of two others, while the other swung a giant club, preparing to finish off the opponents.
One tried to come to the rescue but was surrounded by Inuzuka Hana's Ninja Hounds and couldn't break free, while another—
"Mmph?!"
...had his face covered by starch syrup bubbles that drifted down silently from above.
Swish, swish—
Haruko immediately followed up with several shuriken, but the opponent was experienced and began retreating to evade the moment he was hit; the shuriken only caused minor grazes.
As the opponent formed hand seals, a Water Release technique washed the slime off his face.
'Tch, as expected, this move has limited effect on veterans. And there probably won't be another chance for a sneak attack to land."
It was an expected outcome, so Haruko didn't hesitate and immediately prepared his next Ninjutsu.
On the other side, the two people temporarily restricted by Izumo's starch syrup also quickly broke free.
One of them took a direct hit from Kotetsu's giant club but was only lightly injured and did not lose his fighting capability.
Meanwhile, Hayama was trading blows with two Hidden Mist Ninjas, neither side gaining the upper hand.
On the contrary, on Inuzuka Hana's side, one of the Ninja Hounds had its abdomen slashed and was forced out of the fight.
"Devious brat, you only know how to play petty tricks."
The Hidden Mist Ninja who had just been blinded by the syrup used the Body Flicker Technique to appear behind Haruko's flank, his long sword sweeping toward the back of Haruko's neck with a chilling cold light.
"Die!"
Haruko just slightly turned his head while simultaneously unleashing the Ninjutsu he had prepared.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
"It's useless, you won't hit— what?!"
Over a dozen flames curved through the air, heading straight for the Hidden Mist Ninja who should have been in a blind spot.
He scrambled and barely managed to dodge this point-blank fire blast. Before he could even steady himself, Haruko's next Ninjutsu was already being cast.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wave!"
The ground surged as if a wild beast had opened its massive maw to bite into the opponent.
Seeing that he was about to be caught, the Hidden Mist Ninja decisively abandoned his long sword, using it as a pivot to jump away.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Sword!"
Haruko grabbed the long sword stuck in the ground and unleashed the same wind blade that Hayama had used earlier.
Unable to evade in time, the Hidden Mist Ninja raised his arms, taking the hit directly with his gauntlets.
Clang—
The underpowered wind blade only left a dent on the gauntlets, causing him to tumble to the ground.
Haruko had already pulled out a Kunai with an exploding tag attached and was injecting Chakra to activate it—
"Gaimaru!" Inuzuka Hana screamed.
The last Ninja Hound was sent flying, and in her distraction, the Hidden Mist Ninja she was fighting was about to bring his blade down on her.
'Tch. Whatever, it wasn't supposed to be a battle of annihilation anyway."
Haruko helplessly abandoned his lethal follow-up and threw the exploding Kunai toward Inuzuka Hana: "Get out of the way, Hana!"
The two in combat saw the exploding tag flying toward them and both retreated at the same time.
Boom—
As the dust cleared, Haruko stood in front of Inuzuka Hana, facing off against the two Hidden Mist Ninjas who had regrouped.
"Sorry..." Inuzuka Hana was a bit frustrated at having been pushed into a corner.
"Don't worry about it," Haruko said without looking back, his eyes fixed on every move of the Hidden Mist Ninjas. "Get yourself together, it's not over yet."
On the other side, the Hidden Mist Ninja who had been fighting Hana mocked his disheveled teammate: "You actually got messed up like this by a kid."
"That kid with the goggles isn't simple, don't underestimate him."
"Heh, in the end, he's just a..."
Whistle—
A whistle sounded from the distance. All the Hidden Mist Ninjas froze for a moment before throwing down smoke bombs and vanishing into the jungle.
"Don't pursue!" Hayama shouted sternly, looking toward the sound of the whistle. "It seems Shisui's side has succeeded."
Haruko breathed a sigh of relief, leaned against a tree trunk, and wiped away the non-existent sweat on his forehead.
'Finally off the clock."
"Gaimaru, hang in there." Inuzuka Hana struggled to stop the bleeding of the Ninja Hound whose abdomen had been slashed, blood staining her clothes—it seemed she had no Chakra left to use Medical Ninjutsu.
"This doesn't look good..."
"Stop it, Kotetsu."
Izumo and Kotetsu looked at the blood on the ground with grim expressions.
After rummaging through his tool pouch, Haruko pulled out two bottles of medicine—Special Hemostatic Powder and Blood Increasing Pills—
...and handed them to Inuzuka Hana.
"This is?! Thank you, Haruko. I owe you one."
...
It took some time to stabilize the Ninja Hound's injuries.
By the time the group returned to the camp, Shisui had already returned with his team, unscathed.
The genius known as "Shisui of the Body Flicker" had taken down two Ninjas from a great distance using genjutsu.
The Hidden Mist elite leading the team, Ao, had ordered a full retreat on the spot after seeing Shisui and those Sharingan eyes with his Byakugan.
Iwasho let out a long breath as he listened to the battle report, his tense nerves finally relaxing.
The crisis was averted.
The camp returned to its usual... uh, aroma of food.
'Damn, I still have to work overtime..."
Haruko had originally thought that since he went out for a fight today, dinner could be left to the personnel who stayed behind—
"Hmm? Just right. I heard you performed excellently this time, so from now on you'll be assigned to the patrol..."
"I'm going to cook right now!"
—As a result, Iwasho's single sentence sent him scurrying back to the kitchen.
'That guy Ao, now that he's seen Shisui, should keep quiet for a few days..."
He sprinkled a handful of spices, watching the dancing flames.
'Whatever, when the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. As long as it doesn't stop me from lying flat, I don't care."
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