"Kid, stop running! Just surrender, and we'll leave your corpse intact!"
"Kid, we've got four squads. Surrender now, and I'll make sure you suffer less before you die!"
Through the dense forest, Zhou Duan fled at full speed with Nawaki and the others. Behind them came a barrage of kunai and shuriken, along with threats meant to get under their skin. It wasn't that the pursuing ninja were being especially brazen; in a chase like this, words really could be a weapon!
"Zhou Duan!"
Nawaki was the first to lose patience and speak up.
"Are you still not going to fight? Your potion isn't working. Could it have worn off?"
"Captain!"
Hyuga Hyakusho was getting anxious too.
"This can't go on! I'm the least talented of the four of us. Let me stay behind and cover your escape!"
"It's not the worst-case scenario yet. I won't abandon my teammates unless we absolutely have to! Besides..."
Unlike the anxious Nawaki and Hyakusho, Zhou Duan had been smiling from the start.
"My potion has already taken effect. Look! Our reinforcements are here!"
"What reinforcements?"
Water Gate asked instinctively. It wasn't fair to blame him for asking such a clueless question. This was his first mission, and he was facing what was practically a death sentence. Anyone would be panicking. But before Zhou Duan could answer, Water Gate saw the things rushing toward them from all around and froze in place. He muttered:
"Holy shit!"
Whatever could make Water Gate—usually so composed that nothing fazed him—blurt out "Holy shit" was certainly no ordinary sight. In the blink of an eye, animals of every kind swarmed toward the Sand ninja behind them.
They came in all shapes and sizes, from tigers that hunted meat to little birds that caught insects. Almost every creature in the forest that had a name was charging in. They differed in species and habits, but all had one thing in common: a rod-shaped appendage standing erect between their hind legs!m.
Their eyes were bloodshot, their breathing heavy. Water Gate had never experienced it himself, but he knew very well what it meant: this was a primal urge, buried deep in every animal's bones and passed down from the dawn of time—a burning desire for one side to unleash itself on the other!
Ming Tian Guangzhong had never been this furious. Four squads of ninja were hunting down a squad of genin, which also included four chūnin. He had expected the chase to be easy, but the kid on the other side was slippery as an eel. He had even used Wind Release Ninjutsu to speed up his squad, yet they were still just a little too slow!
That alone wouldn't have been a problem. Given the situation, it wouldn't be long before the kids ran out of strength and he killed them. But everything changed after the youngest kid on the other side released a cloud of smoke!
A huge number of animals had gone berserk and were charging at his squad, blocking their way so densely that there was nowhere to step!
Ming Tian Guangzhong had tried using wide-area ninjutsu, but after he did, something seemed to happen to his body. Those damn animals weren't afraid of him at all—instead, they went even crazier!
The other three squads had already withdrawn as soon as they ran into this situation. Their mission had been to destroy supplies; hunting down Konoha ninja was only a secondary objective. Wasting so much time chasing one squad simply wasn't worth it!
Ming Tian Guangzhong had planned to withdraw just like the other three squads and let the enemy live. But because he'd let his guard down and a damn squirrel had unleashed itself all over his face, he couldn't take it anymore!
Who knew how a squirrel had managed to climb onto his face? And who the hell knew a squirrel could unleash itself so fast? By the time Ming Tian Guangzhong had reacted, the damn squirrel had already hopped off his face with a look of complete satisfaction!
With all those animals packed together, he had no hope of finding and killing one fist-sized squirrel to vent his anger. All he could do was wipe his face, grit his teeth, and give his subordinates a ruthless order:
"Kill the enemy at all costs!"
"Oh my god! Have these guys gone crazy?"
As they fled, Nawaki watched the Sand ninja charge after them with bloodshot eyes, even as they were swallowed up by the countless animals. For a moment, he was awestruck by their determination and couldn't help speaking up.
"They don't have to be this obsessed with killing us, do they? The other three Sand squads have already withdrawn. What kind of grudge do they have against us?"
"What kind of grudge? Heh, a pretty serious one!"
Unlike Nawaki, who had no idea what was going on, Hyuga Hyakusho had kept his Byakugan activated and was watching the pursuing Sand ninja. Seeing how utterly berserk they were, Hyakusho's mouth had been twitching nonstop. They might have been the ones under pursuit, but he couldn't help feeling a little sorry for their pursuers.
"Being mauled all over by more than a hundred animals of different species can't feel good. And that guy even got ridden on the face by a squirrel. Not everyone can handle that kind of forbidden love!"
The moment he finished speaking, Nawaki and Water Gate understood what he meant. They looked at Zhou Duan differently now. Water Gate even turned to Nawaki and said earnestly:
"Nawaki, be careful about clowning around in front of Zhou Duan from now on. Otherwise, you might not even understand why you died!"
Nawaki nodded in agreement, but before he could say anything, Zhou Duan cut him off.
Watching the Sand ninja who had let anger cloud their judgment and kept chasing them, Zhou Duan silently signaled to Water Gate and the others. His voice reached every one of them:
"Their vision and movement are restricted, and they're getting frustrated. There's only one squad left, yet they're still this arrogant. Looks like it's time to teach them a lesson. Nawaki, Water Gate, Hyakusho, each of you take on a genin. Once you've finished the fight, help me deal with the chūnin!"
"Understood!"
It was a battle order, and everyone's expression turned serious. Hyuga Hyakusho, who had been relentlessly beating up Nawaki these past few days and was now brimming with fighting spirit, charged out first. Taking advantage of his Byakugan, he shot senbon through gaps between the animals, aiming for his opponent's vital spots without holding back. Surrounded by such a huge number of animals, the enemy was nothing but a living target, and Hyakusho shot him dead on the spot!
But they were Sand ninja who had been raiding supplies and hunting down their squad. Even the genin had a few tricks up their sleeves. After taking two senbon to the back and left shoulder, the Sand ninja finally unleashed a C-rank ninjutsu:
"Earth Release: Murder in the Sealed Room!"
A square earthen chamber quickly took shape, and in an instant, it enclosed both him and Hyuga Hyakusho. The Sand ninja wore a vicious expression, a kunai clutched in each hand. As the chamber shut out most of the animals, he and Hyakusho were plunged into darkness together.
"You brat who can only throw weapons from the back—feel despair in this lightless chamber!"
"Maybe I'm not very talented..."
Hyuga Hyakusho remained unfazed as the darkness rapidly closed in around him.
"But with these Byakugan, nothing you do can escape my sight!"
Before you continue