Where's my knife? Where's my knife?

Five kilometers outside the town.

After barely driving back the Sand Ninja led by Pakura, the six Hidden Mist Ninja led by Suikazan Fuguki returned to the area where they had originally set their ambush.

"Captain, there are no signs of a fight at the scene. They were all killed in a single strike. Judging from the wounds on their necks, it was most likely an expert proficient in Wind Release nature transformation."

A Hidden Mist Ninja skilled in investigating crime scenes reported his findings to Suikazan Fuguki.

"Which direction did the enemy leave in?"

"The traces from our earlier battle are too chaotic. I... I can't determine it."

"No other clues?"

"...N-No, sir."

The icy killing intent gradually enveloping his body made the Hidden Mist Ninja break out in a cold sweat.

Seeing his subordinate's cowering appearance, Suikazan Fuguki gave a dissatisfied snort through his nose.

He turned and took the summoning scroll for the Great Sword Samehada from his robes, running his fingertip across the still-bleeding wound on his forearm.

After forming hand seals, he pressed his palm onto the Summoning Contract at the center of the scroll.

A massive cloud of Chakra smoke rose up.

Yet the Great Sword Samehada, which should have appeared in the center of the scroll, showed no response whatsoever to the Summoning Contract.

Suikazan Fuguki's heart lurched, and a bad premonition surged through him. Refusing to believe it, he performed the Summoning Technique once more.

The summoning scroll beneath his feet still did not react in the slightest.

Bang—

Suikazan Fuguki grabbed the head of the subordinate beside him and viciously smashed it into the ground.

The fury rising in his chest nearly drove him to punch the man's head apart.

His repeated setbacks in battle against Pakura had already caused the village's higher-ups to grow deeply dissatisfied with him.

If the Great Sword Samehada, one of the village's symbols, had been lost—

He would inevitably face the village's condemnation!

"I'll give you one last chance. Find the little thief who stole Samehada, or I'll crush every inch of your bones!"

"Y-Yes, sir!"

The Hidden Mist Ninja, his nose caved in and face covered in blood, had already been scared out of his wits. He could only hurriedly agree again and again.

The remaining Hidden Mist Ninja quickly sprang into action as well, searching inch by inch for traces left behind on the battlefield.

While distancing themselves from the enraged Suikazan Fuguki, they also hoped they could truly find some clue left by the enemy.

Otherwise, that fury would likely fall upon them in the end.

Inside the town, within an inconspicuous residence.

The oil lamp on the square table flickered with a soybean-sized flame, casting dim light around the room.

A Sand Ninja disguised as a civilian concealed his presence well, pretending to be an ordinary man busy preparing dinner.

In the basement of the residence.

Pakura and her six subordinates, having shaken off the Hidden Mist Ninja pursuing them, were receiving treatment for their injuries with the help of a Medical Ninja.

Although Pakura's act of charging alone into the encirclement had successfully disrupted the Hidden Mist's plan and drawn most of their firepower, allowing her companions to counter-surround them—

After a brutal battle, five people on their side had still died.

With nearly everyone wounded, they were clearly unable to make a long-distance retreat.

Under such circumstances, compared to the open wilderness, a town with a more complex mix of people was undoubtedly more favorable for them to hide in.

Knock, knock—knock knock knock knock—knock.

A rhythmic knocking sounded from the basement door.

Hearing the correct signal, the Sand Ninja guarding the basement entrance let out a slight breath of relief and opened the door.

"Lady Pakura, something isn't right."

The Sand Ninja who entered the basement swiftly reported the results of his investigation.

After both they and the Hidden Mist Ninja had disengaged.

Being the least injured, he had returned to the Hidden Mist Ninja's original ambush site under Pakura's instructions.

Yet not only had he failed to find any sign of their companions.

The four headless Hidden Mist corpses had also struck him as exceptionally strange!

There were no traces of any high-powered Ninjutsu at the scene, nor were there any chaotic footprints or destruction from close-quarters combat.

Everyone had been killed in a single strike!

He knew this very well.

Akasaburo, who had remained behind due to his injuries, did not possess that kind of strength even at his peak.

"A third party?"

Pakura narrowed her eyes slightly.

The keen senses she had honed over years spent on the edge of life and death set alarm bells ringing in her mind.

She almost instantly sat up from the ground and spoke to the others.

"This place isn't safe anymore. Withdraw!"

"Yes!"

Everyone answered in unison.

They hurriedly gathered their weapons and supplies, used the Transformation Technique to assume the appearance of ordinary civilians, and swiftly left the basement.

Just as they were about to blend into the street—

An extremely strange yet very familiar sound of rushing water reached their ears.

Pakura raised her eyes toward its source.

Small sharks, each wrapped in flowing water, swam directly toward them!

Damn it!

Who hadn't dealt with the scent on their body properly?!

Pakura cursed inwardly, knowing there was no point blaming her subordinates now.

She raised a hand and signaled for everyone behind her to stay alert.

Although she had no idea why the Mist Village ninjas had come after them now when they had clearly fought only that afternoon—

After fighting for so long, both sides had tacitly avoided clashing within the town.

After all, once large-scale destruction was caused in town—

No matter how cowardly Tea Country's Feudal Lord was, he would still protest to Wind Country's Feudal Lord and the Water Country's Feudal Lord.

Given the complicated familial ties among the Feudal Lords, that would inevitably lead to the Feudal Lords holding their respective ninja villages accountable.

Under normal circumstances—

Once the Mist Village ninjas had been exposed, they would have lost their chance to assassinate them using poison smoke, mist, Genjutsu, and similar methods.

At most, they would leave behind a few threats before withdrawing helplessly.

However—

Suikazan Fuguki, who now led the Mist Side, clearly could no longer be judged by common sense.

The instant he saw the Sand Village Group—

The fury in his heart completely erupted!

"Water Release: Water Fang Bullet!"

Spinning water gathered before him, and water spears shot through the air, flying straight at Pakura and her group!

Although the other Hidden Mist Ninja still had their reservations—

As people born in the Bloody Mist Village, they understood that if they did not help Suikazan Fuguki reclaim the Great Sword Samehada—

The village would not even need to punish them.

As captain and the strongest among them, Suikazan Fuguki would kill them himself!

That man had never shown mercy to his own comrades.

Kunai and Shuriken tore through the air with piercing whistles, shooting toward the Sand Village Group standing at the mouth of the alley.

Wave after wave of Water Release Ninjutsu followed, unleashed from the hands of the Hidden Mist Ninja!

Pakura's pupils contracted sharply.

Having misjudged the Mist Side's intentions, they hastily dodged while each casting Defensive Ninjutsu!

Boom! Boom—boom!

The collision of ninjutsu erupted through the town in deafening roars.

Screams mixed with cries, shattering the peace and tranquility of the newly lit evening streets.

Yamanaka Kei and Namikaze Minato, who had just finished dinner, both frowned as they watched the horrific scene of ninjutsu colliding several hundred meters away.

In the blink of an eye, they understood that they had underestimated the importance of the Great Sword Samehada.

If that sword had not suddenly vanished—

The two sides, who had been fighting for so long while maintaining a degree of restraint, would never have attacked each other in town regardless of the consequences.

"How about we give the sword back to them?"

"How about we just kill them?"

Namikaze Minato and Yamanaka Kei spoke at the same time.

Afterward, one looked helpless, while the other looked disgusted.

After exchanging a glance, the Little Sun finally conceded and chose his best friend's plan.