Then Let Them Live

The tremors ceased.

Hayama Shirakumo immediately followed his memory, slashing through the earth and stone facing the forest with a single strike of his blade.

Dazzling light flooded in instantly, dancing amidst the swirling dust.

But they had no more time to adjust.

At this moment, every minute and every second was a race against death.

Because the ninjas of Iwagakure had already surrounded them!

However, Arata Uchiha still made no move to flee.

His tracks exposed, the faint sense of unease along the way, and now being ambushed by over four hundred Iwagakure ninjas—this plot, this method!

It was undoubtedly the handiwork of Shimura Danzō.

Within the hastily constructed earthen barrier, hindered by the thinning air, Arata asked only one question: "Does Iwagakure have a custom of using genin as cannon fodder? Do they never send out their main force until the enemy's chakra is exhausted?"

Because the scene he had witnessed earlier with his Sharingan was exactly that.

Although those numerous chakra signatures were connected into a single mass, each individual cluster was incredibly weak!

To this, Hayama Shirakumo nodded with a look of disdain.

Yet at that time, he did not know that the youth before him already harbored a certain insane plan.

That was, to fight his way back!!

When it came down to it, this whole affair had started because of him.

If he hadn't come, Danzō would never have dared to easily expose the whereabouts of his own jonin to Iwagakure.

Furthermore, since that old bastard wanted him dead so badly.

It would be rather rude not to do something in return, not to offer a gift in kind.

He just wondered if these mere four hundred genin would make Iwagakure's heart ache, and if it would force them to entangle the high-ranking officials of Konoha.

"Heh heh, it's exactly as the intelligence stated. Arata Uchiha, a brainless hothead, actually thinks he can hold back four hundred of our clan's Champions all by himself?"

On the cliffside, a man wrapped in a red headscarf sneered.

In this village, any ninja wearing a red headscarf was essentially a symbol of a powerful jonin-level combatant!

"The strength of the Will of Stone is something these lunatics will never be able to comprehend."

The man standing beside him crossed his arms and affirmed.

"Arata!"

At this moment, Hayama Shirakumo, who had been fleeing toward the forest, also noticed the anomaly. His pace halted the moment his peripheral vision caught the youth running in the opposite direction.

"This damn brat, even if someone has to stay behind to cover the retreat, that should be my duty!"

"Tekuno, Kimura Kai, run to the designated location!"

After a low roar, he immediately drew his longsword and gave chase, his speed not a whit slower than the youth in his field of vision.

After all, Hayama Shirakumo was not only an incredibly responsible captain, but also a powerful ninja who possessed wind-style chakra!

"Captain!"

Tekuno's fleeing figure slowed. After his chubby cheeks shifted through a series of expressions, he suddenly slammed on the brakes. Dragging a trench into the ground, he turned around and unslung the specialized crossbow from his back.

This was his signature ninja tool, and the bolts he fired were tipped with explosive tags.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

"I'm going to fight these Iwagakure bastards to the death! Kimura Kai, run!"

He roared, his cheeks flushed red.

Yet, the moment Tekuno stopped—no, to be more precise, the moment Hayama Shirakumo turned back—Kimura Kai had already drawn a Kunai from his ninja pouch, his gaze resolute.

As the scout of the squad, failing to detect the anomaly in the first place was already a dereliction of duty!

And having been saved from certain death by Captain Hayama, his life no longer belonged to himself.

If he were to flee alone now, even if he managed to survive, what would be the point?

Would he have to live the rest of his life in the shadow of having abandoned his comrades?

He refused!

"Kimura Kai, what are you doing? Get the hell out of here!"

Noticing the young man's actions beside him, Tekuno immediately cursed.

With Captain Hayama gone, his jonin strength naturally made him the highest-ranking commander, even if he could only command one person.

But what the hell was this eyesore of a brat doing?

If he wasn't going to run, was he planning to get them both killed?

"Brother Tekuno, ten o'clock direction."

"Let's kill them!"

However, Kimura Kai closed his eyes and expanded his mental energy, his speech gradually becoming assimilated by the stout man beside him.

"Hey, good lad."

Seeing this, Tekuno no longer stood on ceremony, swinging his ninja tools with his full focus.

At this moment, Arata, who was sprinting at the very front, had already locked eyes with the Iwagakure ninja; he could even see the expressions of pity on those fellows' faces.

But.

Who was the one who should be pitied?

"Spirit Bind: Red Plum Under Snow."

Snowflakes drifted and freezing ice surged.

Massive icicles manifested out of thin air, piercing through the leading Iwagakure genin and continuing their momentum forward; in just an instant, over a dozen vibrant lives were extinguished.

Yet, this alone was not enough to shake the Will of Stone held by these fellows.

The Iwagakure ninja behind the fallen quickly filled the gaps.

"Genjutsu: Bringer-of-Darkness Technique."

Having cleared a patch of ground, Arata formed hand seals in a flash, and a black curtain descended. The ninja within a ten-meter radius suddenly lost their vision, and just as they attempted to dispel the genjutsu according to their rigid training, sharp blades were already pressed against the necks of these poor wretches.

This was Shisui's Body Flicker Technique!

Blood splattered the earth.

In just one encounter, dozens of Iwagakure genin had already left their souls in this foreign land.

But.

But!

There was not a shred of fear to be seen in the eyes of these Iwagakure ninja; there was only fury and fearlessness!

Shuriken descended upon the youth standing amidst the blood like a swarm of locusts.

In such a situation, Arata was actually at a loss for how to respond.

Had this been in Kirigakure, those cold-blooded yet exceptionally self-preserving fellows would have long since retreated to wait for a better opportunity to strike; they rarely possessed such a spirit of fearless sacrifice.

Then.

Just keep killing!

The blade lifted slightly; to him, the shuriken that looked like a swarm of locusts crossing the sky were not even as threatening as Itachi Uchiha had been two years ago.

"Vacuum Sword!"

However, just as Arata prepared to meet this storm of ninja tools, a burly figure blocked his path, and a surging gale of sword wind blew those tools—which possessed nothing but momentum—into disarray.

The one who arrived was none other than Hayama Shirakumo!

"Meddlesome."

Arata, however, retorted without the slightest bit of politeness.

This was supposed to be his own war; if he told them to run, they should have run. Why come back? To be a burden or to throw their lives away?

Hearing this, Hayama Shirakumo did not get angry.

To be able to sweep through so many Iwagakure ninja in a single encounter, even if they were only genin, was enough to explain everything.

This kid's strength was completely up to the task.

"I am your captain; protecting my subordinates is my duty. Also, death cannot make the ninja of Iwagakure feel fear."

"Because they preach a Will of Stone that is devoid of any humanity."

"Especially when it comes to an army like this!"

Hayama Shirakumo saw through Arata's thoughts at a glance; the kid wanted to use bloodshed to deter these Iwagakure, but it was completely useless.

"In the past, this village once used the lives of over ten thousand men to grind the Third Raikage to death—and he was the strongest ninja of Kumogakure."

Fearing the youth behind him did not understand history, he added.

"The threat of death is useless, then."

Arata's eyes glowed with a scarlet light.

"Then let them live."

"Live, but as good as crippled!"