Three Trapped in Desperation

Sunlight filtered through gaps in the branches, creating mesmerizing shafts of light.

Suddenly, a green figure darted swiftly through the light.

Two more figures followed close behind.

"Guy, we've gone in too deep!"

"This is too dangerous..."

The young Genma Shiranui could not help but warn him again.

Although they had received word that Kirigakure's forces were withdrawing from the Land of Fire battlefield across the board.

That was precisely why they could not afford to let their guard down.

This was experience bought with the blood and tears of countless Konoha predecessors.

Enemies were always cunning. They had to remain alert to every possibility.

"The battlefield is where a man unleashes his hot blood and youth! Our comrades are fighting the enemy bravely, so at a time like this, we must show our manly spirit too!"

Might Guy, who was also only in his teens, looked excited—one could even say a little overexcited.

But his voice abruptly cut off at that moment.

Beside him, Genma Shiranui and Ebisu stopped as well.

All three raised their heads warily and looked ahead.

Not far in front of them, seven oddly dressed men stood crookedly on the trees, each wearing an amused expression.

Their forehead protectors alone revealed their identities.

"Kirigakure ninja..."

Might Guy's gaze sharpened slightly.

No matter how impulsive he was, he could easily tell that these seven were anything but ordinary.

"Every one of them is a Jonin... Guy, I told you we were taking too much of a risk. What do we do now?"

Ebisu could not help but worry.

There were only three of them, and none of them was a Jonin.

Yet there were seven people on the other side.

Not only did the enemy outnumber them by more than two to one, but every one of them possessed Jonin-level combat strength or higher.

They looked like vicious people, not to be trifled with.

"We're done for."

Genma Shiranui muttered softly.

As soon as he finished speaking, one of the seven enemies spoke.

"Heh heh..."

"Three little Konoha brats? We're pretty lucky!"

As he spoke, he revealed a mouthful of sharp teeth in a savage grin, making him look utterly terrifying.

There was also a blood-red pattern painted on his chin, resembling the mouth of a demon.

It made him seem even more vicious and evil. Any child who heard him speak at night would probably be scared into tears.

"I'll take that green watermelon head. You guys don't have any objections, right?"

Suikazan Fuguki, a fat man with long orange hair nearly dragging across the ground, stared fiercely at Might Guy as he addressed his companions.

"In that case, the other two are mine."

Juzo Biwa, who had spoken earlier, immediately grinned cruelly.

Perhaps they had already slaughtered too many Konoha genin on their way here.

So at this moment, the other members had no objections.

"Then let's go!"

"Finish this quickly, then find new targets!"

Suikazan Fuguki swung Samehada and leaped toward Might Guy.

He was incredibly fast.

Samehada was already sweeping horizontally toward Guy's waist.

The attack was immensely powerful. The consequences of being struck were easy to imagine.

Fortunately, Might Guy reacted quickly enough.

At the critical moment, he leaped backward and barely dodged the attack.

Boom—

A tremendous crash rang out.

Samehada smashed into the spot where Might Guy had been standing, shattering the ground and leaving a huge crater.

Amid the flying rubble, Suikazan Fuguki charged forward again.

At that moment, Genma Shiranui and Ebisu leaped forward from the left and right, crossing the kunai in their hands to block Suikazan Fuguki.

The two of them strained with all their might against Samehada, barely managing to stop the follow-up attack.

"Guy, we can't beat them! Retreat now!"

Seeing that Might Guy still wanted to launch a Taijutsu attack against Suikazan Fuguki, Genma Shiranui hurriedly warned him.

"Retreat? Hee hee... Do you think you can run?"

Juzo Biwa, carrying Kubikiribōchō, had already appeared silently behind Might Guy like a ghost.

Without another word, he swung Kubikiribōchō at Might Guy's back.

Judging by the force behind it, he clearly had no intention of showing even a trace of mercy.

"Since you stepped onto the battlefield to fight us, you'd better be mentally prepared to die. Don't think we're bullying children!"

Juzo Biwa gave a savage grin, as though victory were already his.

But at that very moment, Might Guy leaped into the air, narrowly evading the deadly strike once more.

Genma Shiranui and Ebisu also jumped away to either side, opening up distance from Suikazan Fuguki.

Seeing that these Konoha brats were so troublesome that they could not take them down in one move, Juzo Biwa and Suikazan Fuguki became somewhat annoyed.

They pressed the pursuit.

However, the three, clearly unable to defeat these enemies, chose to turn and flee.

"Running? Can you get away? Chase them!"

Suikazan Fuguki took the lead and pursued Might Guy and the other two.

The remaining Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist immediately followed.

But they were not moving particularly fast.

To them, this was a hunt already won. There was no harm in playing a little game of cat and mouse for amusement.

Although they had not gotten serious yet.

The seven of them soon caught up with Might Guy's group.

Rather than attacking from behind, they circled around and waited ahead of them.

Might Guy, Genma Shiranui, and Ebisu ran through the forest. When they did not see their pursuers behind them, they thought they had finally escaped.

But before they could breathe a sigh of relief, they saw several figures standing or sitting atop a pile of rocks in the clearing ahead, watching them with half-smiles.

Might Guy and the other two immediately went pale, despair filling their hearts.

"Looks like we can't escape..."

Ebisu said gravely.

At that moment, his gaze gradually became resolute.

If they could not escape, then they would fight to the death.

Might Guy and Genma Shiranui beside him felt the same way.

The three assumed defensive stances, prepared to die together with the enemy.

"Oh? You still want to resist?"

"In that case, let me have some fun with you."

Jinin Akebino spoke as he slowly stepped forward.

At that moment, a figure suddenly caught up to Might Guy and the others from their rear flank.

At the same time, in a place beyond everyone's notice, another figure appeared soundlessly, like a ghostly phantom.

And at that moment, the owner of that figure watched the entire battlefield with an amused expression, completely at ease.