The Cloud ninja squad felt the rumbling and shaking too—the squad that had intercepted Kimimaro, or rather, the squad Kimimaro had intercepted!
"Hey, what's going on over there?!"
Omoi's face darkened.
He'd thought this squad-versus-squad test was just a contest between Ninja Academy students who hadn't even reached Genin level. Even those so-called prodigies Konoha praised to the skies could only be Genin or, at best, Chunin.
But the commotion in the distance didn't sound like anything a Genin or Chunin could cause.
Especially the shaking beneath their feet. There was no faking that.
Darui's usual lazy expression vanished, replaced by a grave look. "Who's fighting over there?"
Kimimaro glanced over his shoulder, then looked away again, his expression calm.
There was nothing strange about a battle between the Academy's top monsters making this much noise. His job was to carry out Lord Orochimaru's orders and stop anyone trying to spy on Kurama Yakumo. Yakumo belonged to Lord Orochimaru!
His gaze swept over the three Cloud ninja. "This is as far as you go!"
Omoi clicked his tongue. "Tch, those Iwa bastards said they'd deal with this guy. Where'd they run off to? Figures. They're a bunch of deadbeats."
Whoosh!
Before Omoi could finish complaining, Kimimaro vanished from where he stood.
Omoi's pupils contracted. His body instinctively sprang backward, and his heart hammered in his chest!
Darui reacted the same way. He leaped onto a high branch in a nearby tree before he could steady himself.
Then they both froze.
In front of them, Kimimaro was gripping their teammate by the throat with one hand, his expression indifferent as he looked at them.
Their companion was clearly unconscious.
"S-so fast!?"
"How is that possible!?"
Omoi and Darui were both stunned.
Their teammate was weaker than they were, but he was