Loyalty!

'If only I had been a little faster just now.'

Under the moonlight, the dark streets were shrouded in shadows.

A golden figure, like a streak of light, swept across the rooftops with extreme speed, solitary and alone.

Remembering the scene from moments ago, Namikaze Minato was filled with regret.

Whether it was his age, the physical difference, or his application of Ninjutsu and tactics during the fight, the timing of his surprise attack... there were so many things he hadn't done well, things he hadn't even noticed before.

'I was aiming to become Hokage.'

'But I became complacent because of some small achievements compared to my peers?'

'How shameful.'

Things shouldn't have been like this.

The figure wrapped in a black combat uniform rolled onto the ground in the night, pressing a single finger onto the cold surface. His Perception Chakra spread continuously into the distance.

Although the Earth Dragon Concealment Technique of those few suicidal ninja was quite skilled, the traces of Chakra they left behind wouldn't disappear in such a short time.

As a high-level Space/Chakra Perception ninja, Namikaze Minato only needed very small details to keenly detect the abnormal residue they left in the soil.

Chakra continued to bloom beneath his feet, and with a Body Flicker Technique that surpassed the ordinary level, he sped off in the direction the enemy had fled.

As one of the people with the highest level of Body Flicker in the area, and also to make up for his previous failure to stop the enemy, Namikaze Minato didn't even care about the Chakra consumption.

"Boom—"

Suddenly, a deafening explosion came from the distance.

Columns of soil and rock surged upwards like a逆流的瀑布, shooting straight into the sky.

Under the moonlight, a thick mist rose and spread.

Namikaze Minato's expression instantly changed.

"Over there!"

Without time to think, he immediately raised the flare gun at his waist and fired a shot into the air.

The sudden bright light ignited the night, guiding the subsequent troops.

Namikaze Minato didn't dare to wait. He knew very well how strong the enemy was. Even if ordinary Anbu members only tried to put up a show of resistance, it would inevitably be at the cost of their lives.

"Whoosh!"

His figure vanished from the spot.

At the same time, he wasn't the only one in action.

Looking down from the Hokage Rock.

Scattered figures, like fireflies, converged towards the direction of the commotion. Strong ninja from various Ninja Clans ventured forward, and the Anbu and Uchiha Police Force members, spread out like a net across various locations, became increasingly dense.

Further behind, there was a group led by Uchiha Yayoi, guided by Hyuga members.

Konoha's thorns wove into a net, trapping any troublemakers within, constantly tightening.

Rewinding the minute hand slightly.

Under the moonlight.

Sahara Mizu stood at the end of the street, quietly looking at the three people in front of him. He hooked a Kunai with his fingertip, his expression calm.

Almost the instant they saw his face, the gray-robed ninja's expression suddenly turned serious.

His already impressive memory immediately recalled the crucial information the young man in front of him had casually revealed during the day.

Because of Sahara Mizu's age and experience, the gray-robed ninja had initially thought this was merely important information inadvertently revealed by an immature young man in a key position.

However, when he appeared here, the nature of everything changed.

The gray-robed ninja stared directly into the young man's clear blue eyes, his stance guarded:

"Who exactly are you?"

Sahara Mizu's smile faded, his expression solemn.

"Does that even need to be asked?"

He slowly walked forward, turning the Kunai hooked between his fingers into a reverse grip. The blade reflected a glittering light under the moonlight, his tone chilling:

"Of course, I am the most loyal... who would give everything for the village."

"Konoha ninja."

The moment the words fell.

A tangible glow of Chakra suddenly burst forth beneath the young man's feet.

His figure transitioned from still to moving, sweeping past in an instant.

In a flash, he covered the short distance of a dozen meters between them, and the figure reflected in the eyes of the three Stone Village Ninja was somewhat blurred by speed.

As the blade swung, it let out an ear-piercing sound of cutting through the air.

"Clang!"

That incredibly intimidating Chakra reaction and hyper-speed instinctively made Hairyou cross his fingerless gloves to block.

However, it wasn't until the Kunai truly struck his fist, the Lightning Release-infused blade tearing through the gloves and embedding itself deeply into the thick surface of his hand, drawing blood, that he reacted.

His feet, used for support, sank deep into the concrete road under the terrifying pressure, cracking the solid surface like a plow and sliding back half a meter.

Only then did Hairyou truly realize the strength of the young man before him.

'Huh?!'

'How can his strength be...?'

He didn't even have time to sigh.

"Clang—"

The Lightning Release Kunai followed the torn opening, carving a deep wound across Hairyou's fist, blood splattering.

In that instant of pause, the slender young man, leveraging the immense force generated by their collision, floated slightly in the air. His free left hand lightly pressed against his extended, thick forearm, and his entire body, like a nimble swift, arced through the air in a semi-circle.

The delayed attack from the shorter Stone Hidden Chunin beside him missed its mark.

On the other side, the taller Stone Hidden Ninja had already completed his Hand Seals.

"Earth Release: Earth Rising Spears!"

Rising and extending spear-like earth and stone, carrying heavy force, emerged from behind Hairyou, aimed directly at the young man still in the air.

The coordination between the three Stone Hidden Ninja seemed simple, but the timing was incredibly precise.

However, Hairyou immediately realized the problem.

"Dodge!"

The taller Stone Hidden Ninja hadn't yet sensed where the danger was coming from, but his extensive experience and the strict battlefield discipline of Stone Village Ninja made him instinctively curl up and roll the moment he heard Lord Hairyou's command.

"Tch!"

The Lightning Release Kunai, shot out like a bullet, embedded itself deeply into the ground where the taller Stone Hidden Ninja had just been standing. As he rolled, it merely tore a bloody gash extending from his left shoulder to his back.

Had he not been warned, this attack would have pierced his heart.

However, it didn't change much.

Sahara Mizu's hovering figure suddenly spun, his feet abruptly stepping onto a rising, slanted earth pillar.

The immense recoil sent him shooting out like an arrow from a bowstring, abruptly heading towards the roaring Hairyou.

"Earth Release: Earth Golem Technique!"

A massive fist, completely encased in solid earth and stone, cut through the air, carrying immense force that ordinary ninja would find unbearable, and swung menacingly towards Sahara Mizu.

At the same time, in the other hand he was secretly clenching at his waist, the next transformation was already prepared.

However...

"Boom!"

The earth fist swept through, but the powerful force completely missed.

The blurred afterimage in the night passed straight through the center of the fist, without any sense of hitting a solid object.

A Clone?!

The thought instinctively rose in Hairyou's mind.

But immediately after, as if realizing something, he sharply turned his head to look behind him.

Sahara Mizu stood there quietly.

Another Kunai, taken out at some point, had silently pierced the neck of the shorter Stone Hidden Ninja who was behind Hairyou, concealed by his body, and preparing to attack.

Until the second before his death, the other party hadn't even realized what had happened.

In the depths of his pupils, looking towards Hairyou, there was only confusion.

"Plop."

The Kunai was pulled out of the wound, accompanied by a soft uncorking sound, and blood sprayed out like a fountain.

The unknown Stone Hidden Ninja's body was released from his hand and flopped limply to the ground.

"One."

Sahara Mizu turned his head, looked at Hairyou, and slightly raised his chin, provoking, "If this is all the performance you've got, it's far from enough."

"Please entertain me more."

"You..."

"Bastard!!"

At that moment, Hairyou fully realized.

If he couldn't quickly eliminate this guy who had intercepted them, both he and his last subordinate would definitely die surrounded by Konoha forces.

So, Hairyou no longer cared about the Ninjutsu range or the remaining Chakra in his body, and made Hand Seals with both hands.

"Earth Release: Earth Pillar Explosion!"

With a roar, continuous explosions, like a swimming dragon, rapidly spread from beneath the ground in front of Hairyou towards Sahara Mizu.

The violent detonations echoed throughout the entire street.

Dust flew up.