Besieging Yugito

The black figures leaped like fleas, reaching Aozora in just a few bounds.

Aozora looked over and saw four people in total, all dressed as ANBU.

They wore Konoha Forehead Protectors on their heads and various animal masks over their faces.

The leader was not very large and had a head of white hair. Though he wore a mask, Aozora still recognized him.

That messy silver hair, comical fox mask, and lifeless left eye gave him away completely.

Of course, Kakashi had no intention of concealing his identity either. He swept his gaze over the scorched ground, glanced at Aozora's forehead protector, and said, "ANBU, Hatake Kakashi. I received the distress signal and came to provide support!"

Aozora introduced himself. "Konoha Genin, Uchiha Aozora. I also came after seeing the signal."

Kakashi asked in surprise, "A Genin?"

Though he did not know the strength of Aozora's opponent, judging from the ashes at the scene, Kakashi estimated that it would take at least B-Rank Fire Release to cause such devastation.

"Yes, I only graduated this year," Aozora said.

"The rescue target is still trapped on Mount Lianyun. My captain, Aburame Shibi, is currently fighting the enemy."

Though somewhat surprised by Aozora's rank, Kakashi shifted his attention back to the rescue mission.

"Do you know anything about the enemy?"

Aozora thought back, then pointed toward Mount Lianyun. "The enemy on the mountainside is unknown. At the foot of the mountain, my captain is fighting a female ninja with tea-colored long hair. Earlier, I saw a towering pillar of ghostly blue fire from afar."

Following Aozora's gesture, Kakashi saw rippling waves and ghostly blue fireballs continuously spilling across Mount Lianyun.

Kakashi pondered for a moment and said, "The enemy is very likely a Cloud Jinchūriki. Everyone, be careful."

With that, he led the ANBU squad up to provide support.

After giving it some thought, Aozora followed them as well.

Kakashi and the other ANBU communicated briefly through hand signals and lip movements. Then he turned back to glance at Aozora and asked, "Do you still have the strength to fight?"

Aozora said casually, "I can still throw a few shuriken from afar."

Hearing that, Kakashi said no more and focused on traveling.

The five of them swiftly moved through the forest. Before long, they neared the battlefield where Aburame Shibi and Yugito were fighting.

The entire foot of the mountain now resembled Hellish Purgatory. Every tree had been reduced to ash, ghostly blue fireballs littered the ground, and layer upon layer of black insect shells carpeted the earth, releasing the savory scent of cooked protein.

Without the cover of trees, more than half the insects had been killed or wounded in the Sea of Fire. Aburame Shibi was completely at a disadvantage, retreating again and again.

Yugito was cloaked in a Tailed Beast Cloak condensed from Two-Tails Chakra. Her defense was unparalleled, her speed ghostlike, and spewing fireballs seemed as instinctive as breathing. She launched an unceasing assault against Aburame Shibi.

He dodged another of Yugito's claw strikes, but Aburame Shibi lacked the strength to escape the range covered by the massive fireball.

Boom!

The fireball slammed heavily into Aburame Shibi and engulfed him, leaving only a black silhouette within the flames.

"Teacher Shibi!"

The moment Aozora cried out, the black silhouette burst from the fireball and shook off his outer clothes as though shedding a skin.

Though Aburame Shibi had escaped the Sea of Fire and still wore his sunglasses, his trench coat had burned away. Only tattered inner clothing remained over his upper body, the insect jar on his back had long since shattered, and his entire back was covered in wounds.

Their depth was impossible to determine, because the wounds were now plugged by densely packed insects.

The tiny insects gave off a faint green glow, preventing his wounds from worsening despite the intense movement and even slowly healing them.

As Aburame Shibi walked toward the Konoha group, Yugito fixed Aozora with a deadly stare and asked, "What happened to Ishida?"

Aozora replied, "If you mean that bespectacled Cloud Shinobi, he's already dead."

Though she had anticipated it, Yugito could not help but flare with rage. She shouted harshly, "You deserve to die!"

Kakashi stepped to the front of the group. His tightly shut left eye finally opened, and the three Tomoe in his Blood Eyes spun without end.

He said coldly, "Yugito Nii, it is time for you to consider whether you can leave the Land of Fire alive."

"Ahahaha—" Yugito let out an odd laugh. "Are all Konoha people this confident? You say that, but Aburame Shibi asked me the same thing earlier."

Her voice suddenly turned icy. "But if you had not arrived in time, Aburame Shibi would already be a corpse."

Kakashi was not intimidated. He said evenly, "Is that so? Then let me see what you are capable of, Yugito!"

With that, Kakashi waved his hand. The other three ANBU instantly scattered in three directions around Yugito, their hand seals changing rapidly.

Yugito's eyes moved as she took in the hand seal movements of the three ANBU. She discovered that these were not the twelve standard hand seals used by shinobi.

A flicker of wariness flashed through her eyes. Boundless Two-Tails Chakra surged through Yugito's throat as she prepared to strike first.

The three ANBU's hand seals reminded her of the strange and unpredictable Sealing Jutsu.

Sealing Jutsu had a long history. They could seal not only mountains, stones, and lightning, but even Chakra and souls.

Even Tailed Beasts were helpless before sealing.

Mouse Tail Fireball!

Ghostly blue fireballs shot toward the group like a rapid barrage.

Behind every fireball trailed invisible Chakra threads. As everyone scattered, Yugito manipulated the fireballs through Chakra, making them abruptly change direction and instantly concentrate their fire on the three ANBU.

Unfortunately, Kakashi's left eye was no ordinary eye. Under the Three Tomoe Sharingan, every detail was crystal clear.

Water Release—Water Wall!

Three pillars of water appeared in time, instantly enveloping the three ANBU.

Sizzle—

The water walls were scorched by the blazing flames and rapidly turned to steam.

Though wrapped in fireballs and vapor, the flames did not go out. Yet the spinning water currents still deflected them off course.

Watching the diverted ghostly blue fireballs continue burning atop smooth rocks, Aozora's eyes lit up as inspiration flashed through his mind.

Before he could think it through, Yugito attacked again.

Great Fireball!

Fire Rat Balls!

Cat Claw!

In her Tailed Beast Transformation, Yugito possessed inexhaustible Chakra. Ghostly blue fireballs poured forth in a relentless torrent, while she weaved through the flames, occasionally striking like a ghost with a lethal claw.

Under such an assault, Aozora could no longer afford to conceal his strength. His Two-Tomoe Sharingan opened as he struggled to dodge every fireball.

He deliberately kept away from the three ANBU, tossing kunai and shuriken from the side and chipping away at the edges.

Unfortunately, standard-issue kunai and shuriken might work against ordinary shinobi, but against a Jinchūriki clad in a Tailed Beast Cloak, they could not even be considered a scratch.

Aozora did not mind. He continued earnestly throwing concealed weapons at Yugito.

He had no desire to provoke Yugito now.

Yugito was far too fast in her Tailed Beast Transformation. Though Aozora could see her movements clearly with the Sharingan, his body could not keep up with her speed. If Yugito made him her primary target, his chances of survival would be almost nonexistent.

Unable to break through after so long, Yugito still held the advantage, but the thought of retreat had already begun to form in her mind.