Face-to-Face!

"Enemy position!"

Under the night sky, deep within the dark forest, four young Iwagakure Ninja darted swiftly through the trees, racing toward a clearing somewhere in the woods. In mere seconds, they had covered more than ten meters. Then, amid an unquestionable command, the sturdy, muscular Iwagakure Ninja among them spoke.

"Thirty meters!"

The only female ninja among the four immediately answered. There was a hint of urgency in her voice, but no panic. Instead, within those brief three words, the shift in her tone revealed that she was gradually calming herself and settling her frantic emotions.

"Magane, Nonō, prepare the appropriate ninjutsu for when we make contact. They're Kumogakure. There's a strong chance they have Lightning Release users. Magane, you're one of our village's rare Wind Release users. Prepare your strongest Wind Release Jutsu!"

After receiving the response, the sturdy Iwagakure Ninja spoke again.

"Yes, Captain!"

Hearing the sturdy Iwagakure Ninja's words, the stout Iwagakure Ninja named Magane's blank eyes suddenly cleared, and a focused expression immediately appeared on his face. As he leaped through the trees, his hands were already forming seals.

"Nonō, prepare a defensive Earth Style Jutsu. You're the only one here who knows Medical Ninjutsu and can restore us during battle. Normally, I shouldn't have you preparing ninjutsu, but Michiko is a sensory ninja, and her combat ability is even more limited, comparatively..."

After the stout Iwagakure Ninja named Magane finished speaking, the sturdy Iwagakure Ninja spoke again. He even slightly turned his head toward the bespectacled white-haired ninja diagonally behind him on the left.

"Y-Yes!"

Hearing her captain's words, the bespectacled white-haired ninja seemed startled. Before the sturdy Iwagakure Ninja could finish, she answered and interrupted him. At the same time, her trembling hands had already begun forming seals.

"Mm. I'm counting on you!"