Back Then, I Stood with My Hands in My Pockets

"Are there anyone else?"

Natsume looked at the distant valley and said, "Something feels off. It looks too much like a trap."

"No."

Kabuto Yakushi shook his head. "Maybe it's beyond the range of my ninjutsu."

"I'll take a look."

Tsunade used a sensory ninjutsu, but she still detected no one else. "Stay alert. Prepare for battle."

She knew there were plenty of things that could block sensory abilities, so she did not let down her guard.

"Yes."

Natsume and the others answered in unison.

Tsunade took the lead and headed toward the northern side of the valley.

Her entire body was an armory, so she did not need to prepare anything.

Shizune, meanwhile, secretly activated the poisoned needle mechanism on her right arm.

Kabuto Yakushi reached for his shoulder bag and gripped several kunai.

Natsume specialized in Water Style, making him more or less a long-range mage. All he needed were his hands.

"There are signs of battle."

Kabuto Yakushi's gaze sharpened as he gave a warning.

In truth, he did not need to say it. Anyone could see it.

The traces were far too obvious.

"This is the Akimichi Clan's Expansion Jutsu."

Tsunade looked at the several-meter-deep footprint before her. "Since there was a battle, leaving a survivor behind is suspicious. But we came here to rescue them. We can't turn back just because it seems suspicious."

She raised her head and saw corpses not far away.

Most were dressed as Cloud shinobi, though there were Konoha shinobi among them as well.

At the bottom of the deepest crater lay the ninja Kabuto Yakushi had detected earlier.

It was Shidō Akimichi.

He was covered in wounds. When he saw Tsunade, terror filled his eyes, and he frantically shook his head.

"The area is filled with traps."

Kabuto Yakushi merely glanced around before catching the scent of danger.

That was precisely why Shidō Akimichi had signaled for them to leave.

"I'm afraid it's more than just traps."

Shizune looked around and said, "There should be people lying in ambush too."

It was an utterly blatant scheme to lure the enemy in.

If they turned around and left, there would naturally be no danger.

But Natsume knew Tsunade would not abandon someone to die.

More importantly, she had the strength to save him. Giving up because of danger was not in her nature.

"I'll save him. Keep an eye on the enemy."

Tsunade slowly stepped forward.

Setting traps and dismantling them were required subjects for ninjas.

She might have been a Medical Ninja, but that did not mean all she could do was save people.

The combined experience of Natsume and the other three was not even one-tenth of hers.

On the slope south of the valley, twelve ninjas lay in ambush.

A barrier seemed to surround them, concealing their presence.

"One woman and three little brats—why would Konoha send a ninja squad like this on a rescue mission?"

A ninja wearing a jōnin flak jacket spoke regretfully. "Lord Toroi, it seems our strategy did not work."

"Ryosuke, we've caught a big fish this time!"

Toroi's face lit up with delight. "You're young, so it's normal that you haven't seen her before. Do you know who this woman is?"

"Who?"

Ryosuke immediately perked up. "Could she be some important figure from Konoha?"

The other ninjas also looked on expectantly.

Shidō Akimichi was extremely powerful. Seriously injuring him had cost them dearly.

After recognizing him as one of the Akimichi Clan's foremost experts, Toroi had decided to lure the snake from its hole.

Konoha would definitely send reinforcements.

"Tsunade."

The moment Toroi spoke those two words, Ryosuke and the others immediately showed shocked expressions.

Naturally, they had heard of one of the legendary Sannin.

"Can we beat her?"

Amid his delight, Ryosuke was also worried.

"It won't be a problem."

Toroi said confidently, "Looking at Tsunade's record, she became famous for her Medical Ninjutsu. Her personal strength is indeed greater than that of an ordinary jonin, but we have four jonin here, as well as me, a Magnet Release ninja. Do you think she can escape alive on her own?"

"Your insight is admirable, sir!"

Ryosuke flattered him. "With your Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai, you're the equivalent of several jonin. And Tsunade has never been known to possess any Kekkei Genkai."

"As expected of one of the Sannin, the trap had no effect at all."

Toroi climbed to his feet and picked up two enormous cube-shaped shuriken. "In that case, it's our turn. We can let everyone else go, but Tsunade must be captured alive. If we bring her back, Lord Raikage will surely reward us handsomely."

Ryosuke and the others revealed excited expressions.

That was Tsunade!

Besides the rewards, they would become famous throughout the ninja world because of this. Maybe they would even earn some kind of title.

Like Sannin Slayers.

Just thinking about it made them a little excited.

A massive gust howled through the air.

Natsume looked up and saw a cube-shaped shuriken almost as large as he was.

Something that big would kill him, right?

Without hesitation, he threw six kunai with both hands.

The moment they struck the cube-shaped shuriken, they seemed to lose control and immediately rebounded.

"Watch out! Something's wrong!"

After shouting this, Kabuto Yakushi threw the shuriken he had prepared beforehand.

They filled the air like a flock of sparrows, knocking down the rebounding kunai before continuing toward the cube-shaped shuriken without losing momentum.

But the instant they collided, they too trembled and flew back in the opposite direction.

"That's Magnet Release!"

Tsunade was treating Shidō Akimichi.

His injuries were far too severe. If they delayed any longer, he would definitely suffer irreparable aftereffects.

It would be far too regrettable for a jonin to fall because of that.

Noticing the strange cube-shaped shuriken, she immediately recalled the information she had read earlier. "He's Toroi, Kumogakure's Magnet Release ninja."

Water Style: Water Wall!

A wall of water rose before Natsume.

The reflected shuriken were all blocked.

But the enormous cube-shaped shuriken easily sliced through it.

Natsume had been prepared.

Behind the water wall was an earth wall.

Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!

Although Natsume primarily practiced Wood Style and Water Style, he had learned several Earth Style techniques as well.

After all, the elements restrained one another.

The cube-shaped shuriken immediately became lodged in the thick earth.

"A Sannin's disciple isn't bad either."

As the voice fell, twelve figures surrounded the four of them.

With a casual gesture from Toroi, the cube-shaped shuriken returned to his hand.

That was the effect of Magnet Release.

"You're already surrounded. Surrender, and you can spare yourselves excessive pain."

Toroi lifted his chin and said arrogantly, "Even if you're one of the Sannin, you won't be able to escape."

Seeing his expression, Natsume suddenly thought of a line.

That year, I stood with my hands in my pockets, not knowing what an opponent was.

But Kabuto was on their side.

Natsume glanced at Tsunade, whose treatment had yet to finish, bit his thumb, and pressed it to the ground.

Summoning: Slug!

In an instant, the earth cracked apart inch by inch. Amid dust and smoke, a colossal creature appeared.

The Cloud ninja all revealed horrified expressions.

Except for Toroi.

Naturally, he knew Tsunade's summoned beast.

But the slug could not compare to toads or snakes; its offensive methods were extremely limited.

Toroi's Magnet Release, meanwhile, was one of the rarer Kekkei Genkai capable of dealing with massive creatures.

"I'll handle it. Hurry up and deal with Tsunade."

Toroi clenched a scroll between his teeth. Then countless shuriken surged toward the slug like a swarm of locusts.

What he needed to do was restrain its movements for a short time.

Ryosuke and the others charged at Tsunade without hesitation.