Successfully Held Off the Enemy

"You're still standing around? Move!"

Karot's voice came from up ahead.

"Oh."

The group immediately plunged into the darkness without looking back.

After fleeing for nearly three hours, they finally shook off their pursuers and found a relatively secluded cave where they could rest for a while.

"That was a close call tonight. We almost got wiped out."

Akimichi Tezuka said as he ate. No one knew where he'd gotten all that food, but he was stuffing it into his mouth by the handful. The Akimichi clan certainly lived up to its reputation.

"Yeah. Thank goodness we have Captain Karot. Otherwise, we wouldn't even have made it past the border."

Nara Juubei chimed in. After seeing Karot's abilities, the team members had gained a lot more confidence in the mission.

"Captain, once we've finished the mission, we have to share a drink. I can't match your strength, but when it comes to drinking, I'm happy to go all night."

Yamanaka Nanjiro took the opportunity to get closer to Karot as well. In their eyes, Karot's rise was inevitable, and building a relationship with him would benefit both Nanjiro and his clan.

"Sure. When the mission's over, I'll treat everyone to a meal to celebrate our success."

Karot then assigned the night watch. Everyone had worked hard all day and was completely exhausted. They needed a good rest to recover their strength.

Before long, only faint breathing could be heard in the cave.

Karot slept until dawn. When he woke, he stretched and felt refreshed.

"Captain Karot, you're awake?"

"Yeah. What's going on outside?"

"Cloud Ninjas pass by from time to time. I think they're searching for us," said Hyuga Koji, who was on watch.

Karot rubbed his chin and thought for a moment.

"This cave isn't somewhere we can stay for long. They'll find us sooner or later. Let's rest a little, then move out."

"Okay."

Now that Karot was awake, he took over the watch, and Hyuga Koji could finally rest. Using the Byakugan too much made his eyes ache, after all.

"There's one squad to the front left and another to the front right. The Cloud Ninjas really don't know when to quit, do they? They just keep searching over and over."

"Since you've come right to our doorstep, it'd be rude not to take you out."

Karot had decided he wouldn't let them get away.

Once everyone had rested, Karot explained the situation between them and the enemy.

"We're inside the enemy's encirclement. There's one squad to the front left, another to the front right, and even more behind us. Our job now is to figure out how to quietly take out those two squads."

"If they manage to call for reinforcements, our situation will become even more difficult."

Karot used a branch to draw a simple map in the dirt and mark the Cloud Ninja squads' positions.

"So we'll split up. I'll take on one squad, and you handle the other. Any objections?"

All four were wielders of Kekkei Genkai. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio were more than the sum of their parts—their combined fighting strength increased exponentially. That was why Karot had chosen them for the team. Add the Hyuga's Byakugan, and it would be hard to lose.

"We're fine with it."

They trusted Karot's strength. Taking on a Cloud Ninja squad by themselves wouldn't be difficult.

"Good. Let's move."

Karot gave the order.

The four disappeared right in front of him.

"Now I can have some fun with the Cloud Ninjas."

From that moment on, the hunters and their prey began to switch places.

Karot used Instantaneous Movement and quickly reached the Cloud Ninjas' position without anyone noticing.

The Cloud Ninja squad members were grumbling.

"Why do we have to go on a search mission? We should be earning our merits by killing enemies on the battlefield."

A Cloud Ninja Genin complained. Perhaps this was his first time taking part in a war; all he could think about was earning merit and getting promoted.

"What do you know? The battlefield is brutal. Life is fragile, and death can come in an instant. We're lucky to have been given a mission like this."

The older Cloud Ninja Jonin reprimanded him. Judging by his age, he had probably experienced the Second Ninja World War. Unlike this young ninja, he wasn't thinking about earning glory. He was thinking about how to survive the war.

"Tch. You make it sound so noble, but you're just afraid to die."

The Genin scoffed.

The Jonin paid him no further attention. You couldn't talk sense into someone determined to die. He felt he had done his duty as a senior and left it at that.

He took a photograph from his pocket. It showed a family of three: his kind wife and adorable daughter. Whenever he looked at it, a happy smile appeared on his face.

He'd made a fatal mistake, the kind that always got people killed in TV dramas: looking at a photo on the battlefield, or saying he'd come back after the war.

"Sorry to interrupt your happy moment."

Karot's voice sounded beside the Cloud Ninja's ear. His arm tightened around the man's neck as the Cloud Ninja struggled desperately, trying to make a sound to warn his companions. His hands clawed wildly at the air. As time passed, his struggles weakened until he could no longer hold on to the photograph. It slipped to the ground, and he died, eyes rolling back.

Karot released him, and the Cloud Ninja fell to the ground.

"Take it with you."

Karot put the photograph back into the Cloud Ninja's pocket, then vanished from the spot.

The Cloud Ninjas walking ahead hadn't noticed a thing. They continued searching on their own. After a brief flash of blades, one Chunin and two Genin lay dead on the ground. The brutality of war was plain to see.

Karot felt no pity for them. Their hands were stained with the blood of Konoha ninjas, and besides, the Cloud Ninjas had been the ones to start the war.

When Karot returned to the group's resting place, Hyuga Koji and the others still hadn't come back. But he wasn't too worried. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio were strong enough to handle themselves. All he had to do was wait.

Waiting was difficult, but in the end, the result was good. The three returned with minor injuries that wouldn't affect their progress.

After resting for half an hour, the team set out again.

By then, Orochimaru had received word that Karot and the others had successfully passed through the Cloud Ninja defenses.

"As expected of Lord White Fang's son. It only took him a day to break through the Cloud Ninjas' defenses and enter their rear. The younger generation is truly impressive."

A Konoha Jonin praised him, his voice full of admiration for Karot.

"If they succeed in their mission, things will be much easier for us on the front lines."

At the thought of it, the ninjas in the command center smiled. There would be far fewer casualties on the front lines.

Orochimaru paid them no attention. He studied the map on the table, trying to work out where Karot and the others were now.

"Once Karot and his team blow up the Cloud Ninjas' supply line, we'll launch our attack."

"I'm ordering you to stay alert at all times and be ready for battle."

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru!"

Firm replies filled the command center.