The story shifted to another place—flames surged into the sky in the direction of Takigakure, their orange-red glow lighting up half the heavens. Explosions sounded one after another, accompanied by distant shouts and screams.
"Mother, have they started fighting over there?" As soon as Uchiha Mikoto returned, Uchiha Sasuke jumped off the bed and asked.
"Yes." Mikoto nodded and motioned for the two of them to follow. Then she turned and headed out. "Pack your things. We're leaving."
Sasuke quickly stuffed his clothes and ninja tools into his backpack, moving efficiently. Karin had already packed, too, and stood waiting beside him.
"Remember, once we're outside, don't speak. Just follow me." Mikoto tucked a kunai into her belt. "We'll go in under cover. Don't draw anyone's attention."
The two children nodded.
Mikoto opened the door. The hallway was empty. The innkeeper and guests had probably been frightened by the explosions in the distance and were hiding in their rooms, afraid to come out. The three of them slipped out of the inn without a sound and headed toward Takigakure along the street.
The streets were chaotic. Frightened villagers were everywhere. Some clutched their belongings and fled the town, while others stood at their doorways, peering out with fear written all over their faces.
"War again..."
"Run! Don't get caught up in it!"
"My shop... What's going to happen to my shop?"
Mikoto walked against the flow of people, with Sasuke and Karin following on either side behind her. They moved quickly but steadily, making no unnecessary noise.
Beyond the town, the woods lining the road grew denser. The distant flames stained the sky a dark red, and smoke rose like a black pillar.
After about half an hour, Takigakure came into view. Mikoto stopped and crouched behind a large tree, raising a hand to signal Sasuke and Karin to stop, too. The two children immediately crouched and held their breath.
"Listen," Mikoto whispered.
Sasuke strained to hear. The sound of ninjutsu explosions came from the village, louder than before. Shouts and screams mingled with the sound of buildings collapsing.
"Boom!"
A ball of fire rose from the village and exploded in midair, scattering sparks.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!" someone shouted. A moment later, a tremendous splash sounded, as if something huge had smashed through a wall.
"That side's using Fire Release, and that side's using Earth Release." Mikoto pointed in different directions, keeping her voice low. "The one using Fire Release might be from the Sarutobi Clan. That jutsu just now was our Uchiha Clan's Fire Release Ninjutsu. These days, though, it's become a jutsu used by other clans. The one using Earth Release is probably from Iwagakure."
"Mother, how many people are fighting?" Sasuke followed her pointing finger, trying to make out where the lights and sounds were coming from.
"At least dozens," Mikoto said. "But there aren't many real experts. Judging by the sounds, most are Chunin and Genin. The ones at the Jonin level haven't entered the fight yet."
She peered out from behind the tree and carefully observed the outskirts of the village.
"Come on. We'll move to another position."
The three of them crouched low and moved along the edge of the woods toward the side of the village. Mikoto walked carefully, placing each step where it wouldn't make much noise. Sasuke followed behind her, imitating the way she moved. Karin quietly trailed them both, her steps even lighter than Sasuke's.
After about fifteen minutes, Mikoto stopped again. This spot was a little higher than the last one, and they could see part of the village.
Takigakure was small, built beside a river. The administrative building stood at the center of the village, surrounded by residential districts and shops. Now, smoke rose from all of them.
Most of the fighting was on the eastern and southern sides of the village.
On the eastern side, several ninjas in gray clothes were facing off against Takigakure's defenders. They used all kinds of jutsu: Fire Release, Lightning Release, and Taijutsu in close combat. Takigakure had fewer ninjas, but they had the advantage of terrain. They hid behind buildings, firing arrows and occasionally throwing Shuriken.
The southern side was even more chaotic. At least four groups were fighting each other. One group wore blue flak jackets and looked like they were from Kirigakure. Another wore earth-yellow clothes and was probably from Iwagakure. The others wore ordinary clothes, so it was hard to tell which side they were on, but they were all skilled fighters.
"So many people..." Sasuke murmured.
"Right now, the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki in Takigakure is the easiest one to get in the Ninja World, so naturally, lots of people have come." Mikoto pointed at a rooftop on the southern side. "See that person? The one in white."
Sasuke looked where she was pointing. A man in white stood on the rooftop, rapidly forming Hand Seals. A huge water dragon surged out from behind him and crashed into the crowd opposite.
"A skilled Water Release user," Mikoto said. "Judging by the way he forms Hand Seals, he's probably from Kirigakure. Kirigakure's ninjas are all strong in Water Release because the Land of Water is surrounded by the sea, so their chakra tends to be water-aligned. If you ever face a Kirigakure ninja, try not to fight them near water."
Sasuke nodded, listening intently.
"Over there. See the one using Lightning Release?" Mikoto pointed in another direction. A tall, burly man held a sword in his left hand, while blue lightning crackled around his right. He cut down a Takigakure ninja, spun around, and threw a punch. Lightning flashed, blasting two people behind him away.
"Lightning Style: Lightning Fist," Mikoto said. "It's a signature jutsu of Kumogakure. Kumogakure's ninjas specialize in Lightning Release and swordsmanship, and they're strong in Taijutsu, too. Don't fight them at close range."
"Then how should I fight them?" Sasuke knew this was a rare opportunity to learn, so he didn't pretend to understand and asked outright. Karin, beside him, turned her head to listen attentively, too.
"Keep them at bay with long-range jutsu, or use genjutsu." Seeing how seriously the two were listening, Mikoto nodded to herself and explained. "The Uchiha's Sharingan is what they fear most. Use genjutsu from a distance to control them, and they won't be able to get close. Or use Fire Release and Wind Release to force them back. Karin, you can also use Adamantine Sealing Chains to restrain them."
Sasuke and Karin nodded in understanding.
"And over there." Mikoto pointed at the center of the village. "Those people tearing down buildings are from Iwagakure. They specialize in Earth Release and like to alter the terrain to give themselves an advantage. If you run into Iwagakure ninjas, watch your step. Don't let them trap you by suddenly changing the terrain."
Karin listened nearby, occasionally pushing up the frame of a pair of glasses that wasn't there. It was a habitual gesture, even though she no longer needed glasses.
"Aunt Mikoto, when are we going to make our move?"
"Don't rush," Mikoto said. "Let them fight first. Eventually, someone will run out of steam and retreat. That's when we go in."
The three of them continued watching. The fighting grew more and more intense, and one building after another collapsed. The flames burned brighter and brighter. Someone shouted, "Have you found them yet?" Another voice answered, "No! They might be hidden somewhere!"
Mikoto's lips twitched slightly as she heard the shouts.
"They're looking for the Jinchuriki," she whispered. "Looks like they haven't found them yet."
"Then should we..."
"Keep waiting."
After about another half hour, the fighting gradually reached its peak.
Takigakure's ninjas had suffered heavy losses, but they were fighting desperately to buy time, as if they were waiting for something. The attackers weren't doing well, either. Several teams from smaller factions had lost more than half their members, and people were starting to sneak back.
Behind some ruins at the village entrance, several groups were hiding behind broken walls, watching one another. None of them wanted to be the first to charge in, because whoever went in first would become everyone's target.
"See those people?" Mikoto pointed behind the ruins. "They're all trying to be the bird that gets the worm. They're waiting for others to finish fighting so they can go in and take what's left, instead of making the first move themselves."
"Are we doing the same thing?" Karin asked.
"We're hunters," Mikoto said. "A bird that gets the worm only picks up what's already there. A hunter knows when to strike and when to pull back."
She glanced at the sky, stood up, and rolled her wrists. "It's about time. If we wait any longer, someone might find the Jinchuriki."
"Sasuke, Karin, stay close to me. Don't get too far away. If you run into someone you can't beat, come back to me. Don't be reckless, and don't get caught up in a fight."
"Understood," the two children said in unison.
Mikoto darted out from behind the tree and hurried down a path leading to the side of the village. Sasuke and Karin followed on either side behind her, the three of them moving in a triangle as swiftly as three cats.
Once they entered the village, ruins and corpses were everywhere. The air reeked of blood and charred wood, along with the lingering chakra of jutsu. Fires still burned in some places, flames licking at the wooden houses with a crackling sound.
Mikoto led the two children through the ruins, avoiding crowded areas as much as possible.
The sound of fighting came from ahead.
The three of them stopped and watched from behind a broken wall. In the small square ahead, three Takigakure ninjas were fighting two people dressed in gray. The Takigakure ninjas outnumbered them, but the two opponents were clearly stronger and had them steadily on the back foot.
"Sasuke, Karin," Mikoto whispered. "The two in gray are yours."
Sasuke's Sharingan opened instantly, the Three Tomoe slowly spinning in his blood-red eyes.
Karin nodded and flexed her fingers. A cold glint flashed in her green eyes.
"Go." Sasuke charged out from behind the broken wall.
He was astonishingly fast. The results of three months of intensive training were clear: his body reacted faster than his mind, every step landing at the perfect angle, each breath timed with the contraction of his muscles.
One of the men in gray sensed the movement behind him and turned to block. Sasuke didn't go straight in for close combat. Instead, his Sharingan spun rapidly, and an invisible wave of genjutsu spread from his eyes.
The man met Sasuke's gaze for an instant, and his body suddenly stiffened.
Sharingan Genjutsu—in his vision, Sasuke suddenly became three people, charging at him from three directions at once. He frantically swung his sword, but hit nothing.
Sasuke seized the opportunity and darted in. The kunai in his right hand swept upward from below, slicing through the man's throat. Blood gushed out as he fell, eyes wide. He didn't even know what he had been fighting before he died.
The other man in gray saw his comrade killed and roared in fury. He abandoned his opponent from Takigakure and charged at Sasuke.
"Sasuke-kun, move!" Karin called from behind.
Sasuke dodged to the side.
Karin didn't use a jutsu. Instead, she charged straight at him. Her Taijutsu was surprisingly good. Her body was extremely flexible, and she moved nimbly, like a cat.
The man swung his sword. Karin dodged to the side, grabbed his wrist with her left hand, and punched his elbow with her right. With a crack, his arm bent at an unnatural angle, and he let out a scream.
Karin didn't give him a chance to catch his breath. She drove her knee into his abdomen, doubling him over like a shrimp as he spat up bile. Then she followed through with a shoulder throw, slamming him hard into the ground, and stomped on the wrist of his sword hand.
The whole thing took less than three seconds. It was clean and efficient. The man lay on the ground, howling in pain. Karin crouched beside him, green chakra light glowing in her hand—the Chakra Scalpel. She wasn't trying to save him. She used the jutsu to sever his nerves and end his life.
The three Takigakure ninjas saw what had happened and ran in terror.
"Don't chase them." Sasuke started after them, but Mikoto stopped him. She stepped out from behind the broken wall. "They're not our target."
Sasuke stopped and wiped the blood off his kunai. His hand trembled slightly—not from fear, but from excitement.
"Well done." Mikoto checked the corpses and found several scrolls on them. "Sasuke used his genjutsu at just the right moment and followed it up with a fatal kunai strike. Karin's Taijutsu has improved a lot, too, and her Medical Ninjutsu is much more polished."
Karin smiled and withdrew the green chakra from her hand.
The three of them continued deeper into the village. Along the way, they came across several groups engaged in battle. Mikoto didn't get involved in every fight. She only let Sasuke and Karin join in when they encountered suitable opponents.
An Iwagakure Chunin who had been separated from his group hid in a corner and used Earth Release. Sasuke drove him out with a Great Fireball, then trapped him with Sharingan Genjutsu and finished him off with a kunai.
Two Kirigakure Genin ganged up on Karin. She swept one off his feet and knocked him unconscious with a punch. The other charged at her with a sword, but she dodged to the side, grabbed his wrist, and disarmed him with a hold. Then she struck his neck with a Chakra Blade using the chakra of the Mystical Palm Technique, knocking him unconscious.
After they had crossed most of the village, Mikoto's expression gradually grew serious.
"Something's wrong."
"What is it?" Sasuke asked.
"The Jinchuriki isn't here." Mikoto stopped and closed her eyes, letting her senses spread outward.
She carefully sensed each chakra in the village. Some were strong, some weak; some had a Fire Release affinity, others a Water Release affinity... But none of them felt like a Tailed Beast Jinchuriki.
The chakra of a Tailed Beast Jinchuriki was different from that of an ordinary ninja. A Tailed Beast was sealed inside them, and their chakra carried a wild, violent quality. It was distinctive, and any sensor-type ninja could detect it.
But Mikoto sensed no such quality in the village.
"They've moved her." She opened her eyes, her brow furrowed. "Takigakure must have known the Jinchuriki would be targeted, so they moved her in advance."
"Then did we come here for nothing?" Sasuke asked.
"It wasn't for nothing." Mikoto looked at Sasuke and Karin. "At least you got some practice. Sasuke, your genjutsu and kunai techniques are working together more smoothly. Karin's Taijutsu and Medical Ninjutsu were useful, too. This was much better than practicing in the yard."
Another explosion sounded in the distance. The fighting was still going on, but the sounds weren't as frequent as before.
"Let's go." Mikoto turned around. "There's no point in staying."
"We're just leaving?" Sasuke asked, reluctant to go.
"What else?" Mikoto looked at him. "The Jinchuriki isn't here. If we keep fighting, more people will target us. There are only three of us. We don't need to take that risk."
Sasuke gritted his teeth, but eventually nodded.
The three of them headed toward the outskirts of the village, with Mikoto in front and Sasuke and Karin behind her. They didn't take the same route back. Instead, they circled around and left through the western side of the village.
Along the way, they ran into several groups of people. Some were fighting, some were looting corpses, and others were ransacking houses for valuables. Most ignored Mikoto and the two children. A kid and a woman weren't worth their time.
But some people didn't know when to quit. A burly man with a fleshy face blocked their way, holding a bloodstained sword as he looked Mikoto up and down.
"Well, look at that. You've got two little brats with you. Here on vacation?"
Mikoto ignored him and kept walking.
The man flew into a rage and swung his sword.
Mikoto dodged to the side, drew a kunai from her belt, and drove it into his wrist with a backhand thrust. The man screamed, dropping his sword. Mikoto kicked his knee, forcing him down onto one leg. Before he could react, her kunai was already at his throat.
"Ugh..." The man clutched at his neck as blood spurted from the wound. He tried to say something, but no words came out.
Watching this, Sasuke silently memorized his mother's movements—clean and efficient, without wasting any strength, every strike aimed at a vital point.
That was probably what experience looked like. A real ninja wouldn't bother with flashy moves. If one strike could finish the job, there was no need for two.
The three of them continued toward the village outskirts. When they were almost at the entrance, hurried footsteps sounded behind them. Mikoto stopped and turned around.
Several figures darted out from between the ruins, blocking their way. Their leader was a middle-aged man with one eye, wearing Kirigakure's blue flak jacket and a short sword at his waist.
"Stop." His voice was hoarse. "Who are you?"
"Just passing through," Mikoto said calmly.
"Passing through?" The one-eyed man sneered. "This is Takigakure. You're passing through with two kids?"
"We're just traveling." Mikoto didn't bat an eye. "We saw the flames here and wanted to find out what was going on."
The one-eyed man stared at her for several seconds. His gaze lingered on her face, then swept over Sasuke and Karin.
"Which village are you from?"
"None." Mikoto gave him a glance and answered expressionlessly. "We're civilians."
"Civilians?" The one-eyed man laughed again. "Civilians who can use Fire Release, genjutsu, and Taijutsu? My men saw that kid use genjutsu and a kunai to kill someone. The red-haired kid's Taijutsu isn't bad, either."
Mikoto didn't answer. Her hand rested on her kunai, ready to strike at any moment.
"Go." The one-eyed man watched her for a long time, then finally waved them on. "Don't let me see you again."
Mikoto took her hand off the kunai and walked past him with Sasuke and Karin.
After they had gone a dozen steps, Sasuke asked quietly, "Mother, why did he let us go?"
"Because he knows we're not civilians," Mikoto said. "But he doesn't want to invite trouble at a time like this. The situation here is already chaotic, and he doesn't want to make another enemy. Besides, he can't figure out what we're capable of, so he doesn't dare act rashly."
Sasuke nodded and glanced back in the direction where the others had disappeared. Then he turned and continued following the group.
After leaving Takigakure, the three of them retraced their route. The flames behind them grew more distant, and the explosions grew fainter. After about an hour, Takigakure had become a dark red glow on the horizon.
"Hiruzen, you'll regret this!" As fighting erupted in Takigakure, an argument broke out in the Hokage Building in Konoha, too.
Before you continue