Front line, hold! Carry, deal damage! Healer, heal!

Deep within the Forest of Death, a vast expanse of deep green trees stretches out, with dappled sunlight filtering through the dense canopy and bringing in a few rays of light.

Two squads from Konoha, one squad from Kirigakure, and one squad from Sunagakure, totaling twelve people, were dispersed.

They hid in the west, north, and south to guard this Forest.

"Kai, is the information you received accurate? Why hasn't the Kumogakure team shown up yet?"

The two Elite Squad from Konoha were guarding the western side.

The Kumogakure team entered from the east side of the Forest of Death, fought a fierce battle with Team Kakashi, and then headed towards the central Tower. They must have gone in this direction.

Unless... they take a longer route!

"The intelligence was personally delivered to Asuma by the Root Squad; I was standing right next to Asuma at the time," Kai stated confidently, confirming the intelligence's source was absolutely reliable.

"That's true. As the strongest team in this Chunin Ninja Exams, Kumogakure has no reason to take a detour," Shisui calmly analyzed.

Shh... someone's coming!

Suddenly, Tōka's voice rang out.

The woods suddenly became quiet.

Shisui and Kai immediately became extremely alert, their four eyes warily fixed on the entrance to the encirclement.

Rustling...

The leaves rustled, the Tree Shadow swayed, and with the sound of light footsteps, three dark figures gradually appeared within the encirclement.

"Wait, they're not from Kumogakure!"

"Those three guys look like the Bee Squad from Iwagakure!!"

Countless thoughts flashed through everyone's minds; the Iwagakure Bee Squad was about to enter the trap zone!

Tōka glanced at Kai and Shisui, giving them a look that signaled that they were ready to take action.

Suddenly, the Bee Squad stopped at the edge of the trap.

"Come out! My Bee have found you!" the Black Bee shouted in a deep, booming voice.

After a moment of silence, Tōka nodded slightly.

Whoosh whoosh!!

From the shadows of the Forest, nine figures suddenly darted out and quickly surrounded the Bee Squad.

"Should we take care of those people from Iwagakure first?" Zabuza grinned menacingly, his eyes revealing a vicious glint.

His murderous aura was palpable, almost tangible; he... wasn't joking!

Tōka curled his lip and thought to himself, "What a muscle-bound idiot! He's all brawn and no brains! He's ready to fight anyone he meets."

The Bee Squad from Iwagakure is behaving strangely.

However, judging from their shouts just now, it can be pretty much confirmed that this group of people are not enemies, but have come to help deal with the Kumogakure!

"Don't misunderstand!" Upon hearing Zabuza's words, Yellow Bee immediately waved his hand, while also becoming wary, fearing that these guys might start fighting at the slightest provocation.

Relying on the Secret Technique of the Water Style Clan, the three of them dared to launch a sneak attack on Team Kakashi, but they were not arrogant enough to wipe out the Alliance of Konoha, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure in one fell swoop.

Suzumebachi quickly stepped forward and added, "We heard you wanted to deal with the Jinchūriki team from Kumogakure, so we're here to help!"

"Help? You think we'll believe you just because you say so?" Zabuza sneered, his nostrils flaring as he retorted.

This guy! Is he born with a sarcastic face? Three black lines appeared on Tōka's forehead.

As expected, the atmosphere froze instantly and became tense Zabuza speaking.

Black Bee, his face grim, raised his hands to Hand Seals, but was stopped by Suzumebachi was frowning beside him.

Suzumebachi secretly observed the faces of the nine people. Before coming to Konoha, she had made a point of remembering a few noteworthy individuals.

Those belonging to Konoha were naturally Tōka and Kakashi, but Kakashi was nowhere to be seen here.

Suzumebachi knew that Tōka and Shisui were members of Team Kakashi.

Now, Kakashi's place has been taken by a Green Skin Kappa with a Watermelon- shaped head. Suzumebachi remembers that this guy's name is Guy, and he is a ninja who is proficient in Taijutsu.

This means there must be another small team from Konoha hiding nearby.

As Suzumebachi pondered to herself, her intuition told her that the group of people present were led by this nine-year-old brat.

At least until the Jinchuriki squad in Kumogakure is wiped out, Dongge is the temporary commander.

"Intelligence is always crucial, and our team can handle the reconnaissance," Suzumebachi said, her gaze fixed intently on Tōka without even glancing at Zabuza.

Zabuza's expression changed slightly, his hand tightening and loosening repeatedly, but he ultimately restrained himself from striking with his sword.

Tōka considered Suzumebachi's suggestion. Indeed, what they lacked most at the moment was personnel responsible for reconnaissance.

Even with Kakashi's Eight Ninja Hounds capable of tracking enemies, they are far less stealthy than Bee.

Hiki, a member of the Kumogakure team, is not only proficient in medicine and Genjutsu, but also possesses a powerful sensory ability!

"Alright, you guys will be in charge of reconnaissance." After a brief moment of thought, Tōka agreed to let the Iwagakure Bee Squad join the team.

Their original plan was for the four hidden villages to unite and deal with the Jinchūriki of Kumogakure.

The only reason they were excluded from the plan was because they couldn't contact the Bee Squad of Iwagakure due to intelligence issues.

The fact that the Bee Squad has come to us personally proves the strength of their reconnaissance capabilities.

Soon, the Bee Squad from Iwagakure was assigned to the vicinity of Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai's hiding places, primarily responsible for reconnaissance and assisting in the attack.

Kakashi's injuries hadn't fully healed, and he was only about 70-80% back in shape, so he specifically switched positions with Guy.

In Asuma's team, Kurenai is responsible for long-range Genjutsu support, while Kakashi and Asuma are responsible for long-range Ninjutsu support.

Everything was assigned, and all that was left was to wait for the arrival of the Kumogakure team.

Gradually, the light dimmed, and a somber, gloomy sunlight enveloped this strange Forest.

The Forest was eerily quiet, as if everything was asleep in the fear of death.

The Tree Shadow swayed, like ghostly figures stretching out their sharp claws, crawling out from the depths of the earth to claim lives.

Before long, a swishing sound rang out, and three figures leaped through the dense Forest, gradually approaching the ambush point set up by Tōka.

"Xi, are you feeling any better?" Darui asked, his voice lazy but tinged with concern, as he looked at Xi, who didn't look well.

"It's nothing..." hope shook her head slightly, indicating that it was alright.

Although Xi had not fully recovered from Tōka's Golden Wheel Nine Revolutions, he did not want his teammates to worry, so he kept going.

The dizziness and lightheadedness made hope feel very uncomfortable, and even her alertness decreased considerably.

The three walked through the overgrown Forest, and as the light around them gradually dimmed, Yugito suddenly noticed the mixed scents in the air.

"Darui, Xi, wait!" Yugito immediately raised his hand and called out to the two.

The two stopped in their tracks and turned around at the same time, only to see Yugito looking around warily.

Seeing this, Xi's eyelids twitched, and a sense of unease welled up within him. He quickly Hand Seals his Sensory Technique...

The Kumogakure team stopped in their tracks, refusing to take another step, right in front of the traps containing numerous Explosive Tag.

The people hiding in the shadows were furious and wanted nothing more than to push the three of them.

A moment later, Xi sensed the many hidden presences nearby, and a thought suddenly arose in his mind.

"Oh no, an ambush!"

Just as expected!

As Xi finished speaking, a series of kunai Kunai the air, the ear-piercing sound of the wind mixed with the smell of burning.

Explosive Tag?!

The three men's expressions changed drastically. They reacted quickly, sinking their bodies and then leaping backward to create as much distance as possible.

Rumble!!

A series of explosions shook the entire Forest, and the powerful airflow shook the leaves off the trees.

Immediately afterwards, a visible whirlwind arose, blowing the fallen leaves far away.

"Tsk... what a pity, it was just one step away." Tōka's figure floated out mysteriously and stood on the broken ground.

Swish swish swish!!

Eight more figures darted out, all wearing expressions of regret.

"Kirigakure, Sunagakure?... And Konoha!" If the three from Kumogakure still didn't understand what they were seeing, they must be missing a screw.

"Hmph, did they set a trap for us?" Yugito sneered, her beautiful eyes coldly sweeping over the crowd.

Sensing the overwhelming aura of death, everyone's breath caught in their throats.

Suddenly, a surge of icy chakra erupted forth, instantly enveloping Yugito's body.

Darui's eyelids twitched, and he quickly reached out as if trying to grab something, only to see that Yugito had already Tailed Beast Transformation.

The words that were on the tip of his tongue remained unspoken; he pursed his lips and swallowed them back.

"It seems a fight is inevitable!" Darui drew his greatsword from his back and leaped away from Yugito.

He knew the power of Yugito's Tailed Beast Transformation, and even as a companion, he shouldn't approach him lightly.

At the same time, Shisui used a Body Flicker Technique to appear in front of Darui, holding the Wakizashi and pointing it at Darui, "This black bastard is mine!"

Nigger...

A vein throbbed on Darui's forehead, and he unconsciously increased the pressure on his hand gripping the greatsword by three points.

"Shisui, come back!" Tōka shouted angrily.

The two, deeply engrossed in their encounter, showed absolutely no reaction.

None of the three members of the Kirigakure team were skilled in Genjutsu, nor were the three members of the Sunagakure proficient in Genjutsu.

The best solution would be for Shisui to take care of Hii, the Genjutsu ninja from Kumogakure, while Kisame or Zabuza could deal with Darui.

"Never mind, I'll go deal with that Genjutsu ninja." Mei Terumī suddenly smoothed her flowing hair and laughed.

"You?" Tōka looked at Mei Terumī suspiciously, his dark eyes filled with questions.

"What? younger brother, don't you believe in your older sister's abilities?" Mei Terumī licked her lips, her alluring eyes filled with seduction.

Tōka swallowed hard and quickly turned her face away.

But then a string of silvery laughter rang in my ears.

Mei Terumī moved; she snapped a dead branch under her foot, lunged forward, and moved swiftly...

Lava Release: Lava Monster Technique!

Those alluring red lips took a slight breath, followed by a gush of fiery red magma.

At the same time!

A deafening roar resounded.

Yugito has Complete Tailed Beast Transformation, and this time the giant cat is a whole size larger than before.

In an instant, the Battlefield was divided, and Darui and Water Body Flicker to a more distant place.

Standing in the center of the field, Mei Terumī was like a heavy artillery platform, corroding everything around her.

hope could only barely dodge, unable to mount an effective counterattack.

In the very center of the ruins, the giant cat-shaped Yugito fought against a group of enemies, yet showed no signs of weakness; on the contrary, he seemed to subtly suppress them.

"Unlimited mana is great, you can use skills as you please!" Tōka glanced enviously at the enormous figure.

He dodged the big cat's slap at his head with a quick movement, and then spun out a Bone Bullet Barrage.

The Yugito figure grew larger, but its agility remained undiminished. With a loud shout, the immense air pressure sent Tōka's Bone Bullets flying.

The airflow did not decrease as a result; it swept up the fallen branches and leaves, forming a visible Tree-and-Mud Tornado that rushed toward Tōka.

"Have you two had enough of watching the show?" Tōka's cool tone carried a hint of anger.

Although this attack won't break through his defenses, getting hit by it will definitely leave him in a sorry state!

"Tch, is this how you ask for a favor?" Zabuza scoffed, but his hands were busy.

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"

Kisame also made his move at the same time, quickly Hand Seals and shouting.

The two great Waterfall summoned countless streams of water, instantly lifting the group of people several meters high.

The turbulent current instantly shattered the hurricane stirred up by the Two-Tails.

The two streams continued their momentum, merging into a towering wave not far away.

In the blink of an eye, the entire low-lying area was filled with water, forming a huge Lake with a radius of over a hundred meters.

The group stood on the still-unsettled water, their feet treading the rushing current.

Yugito clearly underestimated Zabuza and Kisame's strength; the overwhelming waves crashed down on her, leaving her overwhelmed.

He had barely steadied himself when a sense of danger arose in his heart.

Yugito sensed a wave of scorching heat coming from behind her. She turned her head and her large cat-like eyes narrowed.

The image of Pakura Hand Seals hand seals was reflected in the water.

"Scorch Release: Over-Steam Kill!" Pakura clasped her hands together, and several fist-sized fireballs appeared in front of her.

Even above this misty Lake, the heat emanating from the fireball could be clearly felt.

You absolutely cannot get hit!

A thought flashed through Yugito's mind: even in Tailed Beast Transformation, being hit would result in serious injury!

Immediately, the Yugito took a deep breath, focused its energy in its dantian, and gathered its strength before leaping high into the sky.

Splash!

As the big cat leaped into the air, its limbs creating a curtain of water as the fireball pierced through.

Sizzle...

In an instant, the scorching heat evaporated the water curtain, and a white mist of water vapor blurred everyone's vision.

"She can't move easily in the air!" Pakura shouted, her words clearly directed at Tōka.

Snap!

Tōka pressed his hands together, sensing the immense, icy aura in the air, and his chakra surged wildly within him.

All-Killing Ash Bones, Bone Rain Scatter!

Crackling sounds...

At Tōka's neck, his spine writhed and broke through the flesh to grow out, and then with a whoosh, he shot into the sky.

The bones shattered, turning into raindrop-shaped fragments the size of rice grains that scattered in all directions.

"Water Release · Water Wall!"

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

Kisame quickly used Water Release to defend himself, while Zabuza and hid behind him.

At the same time, the three from Sunagakure stood together. Baki's Wind Release blew away a shower of bones, revealing a Vacuum Zone just big enough for the three of them to hide in.

Countless fragments of bone rained down on the enormous figure in the sky.

It seems... it succeeded?!