The Attack

Inside an abandoned mine.

Crackle.

The orange-red campfire gave off little popping sounds, which seemed all the more jarring in the empty, quiet mine.

Sakura came over to Sasuke with a medical kit. "Sasuke, it's time to change your bandages!"

Sasuke nodded without looking up from the wanted list he was studying.

As Sakura changed his bandages, she said quietly, "I'm sorry. I'm so useless!"

Naruto, sitting nearby, looked a little down as well.

Being held back by Yakumo, who had mastered Wood Release, was one thing, but today he'd also been tied up by Shion, the dead-last. He'd been brooding over it ever since.

"Stop talking about useless things!" Sasuke's expression darkened, and his tone turned displeased. "We've already lost Ganjuro. There are only a few Jonin-level rogue ninja left on the wanted list, and some of them have already been confirmed to have fled the Land of Hot Water. We have to find the rest as soon as possible!"

Sakura exclaimed, "Sasuke, your injuries are serious. Even with me using Medical Ninjutsu to help your wounds heal, you'll need at least two or three days to recover!"

"Two or three days? Tch. By then, the other teams will probably have claimed all the targets on the list!"

This time, Sakura didn't give in to Sasuke. She shook her head again and again. "No! Absolutely not! Sasuke, you're being far too reckless. If your wounds split open again, you could die!"

"I know my own body. One of the targets is nearby. We'll go check it out in a bit!"

As soon as Sasuke finished speaking, he seemed to strain his wounds and immediately started coughing.

Naruto stood up. "Sakura, stay here and look after Sasuke. I'll go find the target!"

Sasuke glanced at Naruto, his face showing some