The black shadows closed in rapidly, the Hidden Cloud emblems glinting in the pale moonlight.
Retreat was no longer an option; only a desperate stand might buy a few precious seconds for reinforcements to arrive. The captain hissed a command, "Prepare for engagement! Maintain formation!"
Instantly, the squad members locked into a practiced rhythm, each taking up a strategic position.
The Hyuga's Byakugan tracked the enemy's trajectory, while the sensor transmitted pinpoint intel to the rest of the team.
An intense night raid was about to erupt on the outskirts of the Konoha camp. The shadows surged forward like a tide, wreathed in the suffocating killing intent of the Cloud. The captain gripped his katana, his eyes burning with resolve.
The team held their breath, mentally rehearsing their tactical maneuvers.
The Hyuga's eyes flared, and the sensor's fingers twitched, tracing every microscopic movement of the approaching horde. But in the face of such overwhelming power, their efforts were utterly futile.
Meanwhile, on Saiki's side of the perimeter, Tsume Inuzuka made a quick gesture. To avoid waking the exhausted Genhai and Kurenai, she began communicating with Saiki using silent hand signs.
"Are you tired? Do you want to rest for a while?"
A ninja's primary bread and butter was assassination; silence was mandatory. Every shinobi, no matter how dull, had to master basic sign language. For elites like Tsume and Saiki, they could carry out a full conversation without a single sound.
Seeing Tsume's signs, Saiki's hands blurred as he replied.
"I'm not sleepy. I slept until noon today and rested all afternoon. You've been on the move since dawn, Sensei. You should be the one taking a nap."
Tsume shook her head with a faint smile. Even though Saiki was a monster in combat, she still viewed him as a child. Seeing his mind was sharp and his eyes lacked any trace of fatigue, she accepted his response.
"I'll pass," she signed. "We'll rest a few more minutes, then perform one more circuit."
"Sensei, we really don't need to push ourselves that hard. The entire patrol zone is within my sensory range," Saiki signaled back.
"Mm. Your perception is impressive, but a physical sweep is still better. The Cloud could strike at any moment; we can't afford to relax."
Saiki returned a "Fine" sign, and the forest fell back into silence.
Bored, Saiki partially drew his chakra blade. Under the moonlight, the steel reflected a cold, clinical light against his face. Noticing the microscopic cracks along the edge, Saiki sighed internally. He needed to find time to repair it; this blade wouldn't survive many more high-intensity battles.
Watching Saiki study his blade and then glancing at the sleeping children, Tsume felt a mix of pride and worry. With the war escalating, she hadn't found a single moment to pull Saiki aside and guide him through his psychological detachment. He acted normal enough around her, but after what Shinku had told her, she was deeply concerned about his mental stability.
Suddenly, a bright crimson flare tore through the sky in the distance, blooming into a violent, beautiful flower of sparks.
They bolted upright. A second later, Tsume's radio crackled with static.
Usually, the squads reported to HQ. When HQ initiated the broadcast, it was never good news—especially following a flare.
Tsume keyed the receiver, and a voice distorted by interference filled the air.
"All units, be advised: several hundred Cloud ninja are initiating a breakthrough in the East Sector of the Back Mountain. All perimeter squads, begin scouting operations immediately. All reserve personnel, mobilize for reinforcement at the Back Mountain!"
Back at the first line of defense, even though the patrol squad was prepared to die, the disparity in raw power was simply too vast.
BOOM!
The traps they had laid were triggered, and they rained down their remaining explosive tags on the approaching black tide like they were free.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A series of violent detonations rocked the forest floor.
Having exhausted their projectiles, the scouts didn't stop their resistance.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
"Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
Wind fueled the flames. A wall of infernal heat ignited the trees, creating a massive firestorm that momentarily halted the advance of the black shadows.
"Move! Now!" the Chunin captain barked.
They hadn't stood their ground to win; they had stood to buy time. If they had fled immediately, the enemy would have run them down in seconds. By setting the forest on fire, they had secured a narrow window for extraction.
But then... Crash!
The Cloud didn't lack manpower, and they certainly didn't lack chakra. A few coordinated Water Style jutsu extinguished the inferno instantly.
The Leaf scouts hadn't covered much ground when a high-pitched whistle cut through the air behind them.
"LOOK OUT!"
The captain tried to scream a warning, but it was too late. The incoming kunai was moving at a velocity that defied logic, looking like a streak of jagged lightning.
Squelch!
A scout ninja couldn't even attempt a dodge before his torso was pulverized by a kunai wreathed in high-penetration Lightning Style chakra.
Thud!
Having taken a lethal hit to his vitals, the Leaf ninja collapsed into the dirt, dead before he hit the ground.
The rest of the team skidded to a halt, drawing their blades for a final, suicidal stand.
Two ghostly silhouettes blurred through the trees like black lightning, leaving only the smell of ozone and the crackle of electricity in their wake.
In a heartbeat, the two towering figures closed the gap, passing through the Leaf formation at a speed the scouts couldn't even track with their eyes.
Squelch! Squelch!
Just like that, the Chunin captain, the Hyuga scout, and the sensor were executed. They hadn't even been able to raise a defense.
"Damn it! Bakayaro! Konoyaro! Fool, ya fool!"
Looking down at the corpses, one of the giants began to rap and curse, his body moving in a rhythmic, taunting dance.
The other man walked over to the bodies, flipping them over to search for intel. He paused over the Hyuga branch member, his interest piqued.
But when he yanked the forehead protector away, he saw the unmistakable "Caged Bird" seal etched into the pale forehead.
A wasted effort. The giant's already dark face grew even gloomier.
"Enough, Bee. Our position is compromised. We need to strike the camp before Konoha can organize a proper response."
The man's gaze was cold and predatory as he looked past the corpses.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
One by one, more Cloud ninja materialized out of the shadows behind him. He spoke in a low, resonant voice: "Proceed with the primary objective! GO!"
"Yes, Sir!"
A wave of black silhouettes flooded through the trees, hurtling toward the Back Mountain of the Konoha camp.
Back Mountain, Leaf Camp.
"What's happening, Sensei?"
Jolted awake by the commotion, Genhai and Kurenai rubbed their eyes, looking groggy and confused. Tsume felt a pang of pity, but her voice was like steel. "Get your gear on. Combat positions. The enemy is moving toward our sector."
"What?!"
The sleep vanished from their eyes instantly. Saiki, meanwhile, was already holding the Tiger seal. He expanded his perception to the maximum, and what he sensed made his heart plummet.