Iwagakure Corps

Arata Uchiha felt uncomfortable.

It was not a physical discomfort, but rather a sensory one.

This feeling was akin to having an annoying fly buzzing around one's ears while trying to drift into a light sleep.

He had used the chubby frame of Tekuno as cover several times to scan his surroundings, yet he still found nothing.

There were only two possible reasons for this situation: first, his nerves were too frayed, causing him to hallucinate—after all, no one could endure such long, uninterrupted missions without strain; second, the observer was simply too powerful, possessing reconnaissance capabilities comparable to the Byakugan of the Hyuga!

Arata, naturally, leaned toward the latter.

He trusted his intuition.

The light intensified as they moved; they were about to exit the forest!

"Captain."

Arata, still unable to pinpoint the anomaly, decided to play it safe and suppress the unease in his heart.

After all, in this squad, the only one with more combat experience than him was Hayama Shirakumo. The chubby Tekuno was decent at setting up surveillance, but lacked other skills.

As for Kimura Kai, who was also a genin, he had become little more than dead weight since Arata's arrival, rarely speaking up.

Hearing the voice, Hayama instantly signaled the squad to halt their advance.

The Sharingan was the eyes of this team; he could not ignore the boy's input.

Of course, even if the one speaking had been Kimura Kai, he would have acted the same way—this was the greatest difference between this Jonin and other team leaders.

Strong, reliable, and willing to listen to his comrades' opinions.

"This forest doesn't feel right to me."

Arata said softly.

"The forest? Not the plains?"

Hayama Shirakumo's expression tightened slightly.

They were currently at the edge of the forest, having already crossed the terrain where danger might be hidden, and their next step was to traverse the plains ahead, not to return to the woods.

"What did you discover?"

Still, out of caution, he asked.

Arata shook his head.

If he could have found the source of his discomfort, he would have already erased the threat.

Besides, the Sharingan could not perform long-range reconnaissance like the Byakugan.

"Murakami Kai, what about your sensing?"

Captain Hayama shifted his gaze to the ninja who had originally been the team's scout.

The young man looked visibly startled, then immediately closed his eyes, pushing his mental energy outward.

Because of Arata's arrival, he had almost forgotten his own primary duty.

"I haven't discovered anything."

A moment later, he opened his eyes and replied.

"Continue forward. Complete the reconnaissance and retreat immediately."

"Murakami Kai, do not belittle yourself by relying entirely on your comrades. Arata is not omnipotent."

Having received the report, Hayama Shirakumo ultimately chose to prioritize the mission—a mindset held by many of the older generation of ninja: absolute obedience to orders from above.

At the same time, he took the opportunity to warn his less-present companion.

"Yes, Captain Hayama."

The taciturn Murakami Kai flushed, not daring to slack off again.

"Move out. I will lead the way, Arata will follow, and Tekuno will bring up the rear. If we encounter danger, retreat immediately and run toward the location where we set our traps."

Just as they set off again, an inconspicuous little black insect fluttered its wings and took flight.

Moving through the plains felt far worse than the forest. Although the ground was flatter, the waist-high wild grass could not conceal the squad's movements.

Even if they lowered their bodies or crawled forward, as long as the enemy occupied the high ground, the swaying grass would betray everything.

For instance, from the perspective of Iwagakure right now!

"It really is Hayama Shirakumo and Arata Uchiha. The intelligence is correct."

A voice sounded from within an unremarkable rock.

[Earth Style: Rock Stealth Technique]: Uses rock and soil to hide and move; the user can freely travel through rock walls.

"Then, let's do it! There is no need for further delay; we are likely reaching the detection range of the Sharingan soon."

"Heh heh, Blood Asura Arata? Those trash from the Mist really hold the Uchiha in high regard. Let us teach him a proper lesson!"

""

Azure!

A sea of azure filled their vision!

It was not the sky crashing down to the surface, but countless Earth Style ninja lurking beneath the ground!

"Run!"

Arata let out a sudden, low roar.

However, he did not immediately flee himself; he wanted to see exactly how many enemies were lying in wait.

Besides, in terms of speed, even the Kirigakure ninja who specialized in assassination could not compare to him with his Body Flicker Technique!

Hayama Shirakumo did not hesitate, instantly retreating while hauling the still-dazed Murakami Kai along with him. Although Tekuno was a beat slower, he still demonstrated exactly what it meant to be a nimble fat man.

But the enemy's offensive came too quickly!

The moment the surface was torn open, countless Iwagakure ninja had already finished their hand seals.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow!"

The chant, spoken in unison, erupted in an instant. In a heartbeat, the ground shattered and a torrent descended.

The Earth Flow, created by over a hundred people, was like a divine punishment for the end of the world sent by the gods, rapidly swallowing every living thing on the plains.

And this was an open field; there was absolutely nowhere to gain leverage or dodge!

This was the true power of an Iwagakure battalion!

Hayama Shirakumo's expression was grave, yet he continued to sprint away while clutching Murakami Kai. Given his strength, if he were to discard the burden in his arms, he might still have a sliver of a chance to escape.

As for Tekuno, not a drop of blood could be seen on his face. His chubby body rolled and scrambled frantically across the plains, his mouth spewing curses at these god-forsaken Iwagakure ninja.

"Captain, leave me behind!"

Kimura Kai twisted his body. In his field of vision, the surging torrent was already closing in; if this continued, they would all die!

Dropping him was the most rational choice.

Once the captain and the others escaped into the forest, they would at least have terrain to use to their advantage.

However, Hayama Shirakumo did not answer, continuing to sprint forward on his own, even as the deafening roar of the earth closed in around them!

At this moment, he did not ponder why so many Iwagakure ninja had appeared, but instead regretted not heeding Arata's intuition.

But where was Arata now?

He remembered that when the warning was issued, the boy had not fled immediately. Could it be that the kid lacked a means of escape? In an instant, a wave of intense self-reproach surged up.

Yet, at that very moment, a familiar voice rang out in his ear.

"Captain, blast a hole in the ground."

It was Arata!

For some reason, when Hayama Shirakumo heard this voice, he felt an inexplicable urge to rely on him.

Perhaps it was because of the reputation the boy had recently built.

Perhaps it was because of his refusal to abandon his comrades.

Or perhaps, it was simply the recognition that had grown over these past ten days!

Regardless, he immediately drew his sword.

"Vacuum Sword!"

Surging wind-natured chakra erupted in that instant, and the soft ground was instantly torn open to create a pit large enough for the four of them to stay in.

And at almost the exact same moment, Arata appeared behind the three of them, pressing his hands against the earth as he let out a low growl: "Earth Style: Earth Wall."

As the words fell, the technique followed. A sturdy rock barrier instantly surrounded and enclosed the pit, angled according to Arata's chakra guidance to deflect the force of the impact.

"Thud!"

The muffled sound of the collision was transmitted through the rock into the narrow barrier. As gravel shook loose, the air began to grow thin.

But on the wide-open plains, this was the only solution he could devise.

Moreover, the true danger they faced was not the collapse of the barrier or the thinning air, but the fact that the four of them had to contend with an Iwagakure battalion nearly a hundred times their size!