So This Was Real Combat

Sasuke walked along the flank of the team, hands in his pockets, his sharp gaze sweeping over the surroundings. He treated this mission as a true test of his abilities and stayed alert at all times.

Sakura tried hard to keep up with Sasuke, though most of the time, she was worrying about whether the long trek would leave her skin sunburned.

Kakashi strolled along at the rear, his copy of Icha Icha Paradise hardly ever closing. He seemed careless, but his visible eye kept the entire team and their surroundings in its peripheral vision.

Ling Xuan walked in the middle of the team, appearing to travel at an even pace. In reality, his Eye of Truth had already shifted into high-level operation.

It recorded every environmental factor along the way, from terrain and vegetation to climate, as fundamental data for constructing a combat-environment model. At the same time, he paid attention to his teammates.

He could sense Naruto's barely contained excitement, see the tension in Sasuke's muscles beneath his seemingly calm demeanor, and feel the nerves Tazuna couldn't hide beneath his drunkenness and grumbling.

Ling Xuan's gaze fell on the client's hand, trembling slightly as it clutched the sake bottle. He already understood.

The details of this mission were a lie. Tazuna was being hunted by some potentially lethal threat—one far beyond what a team assigned to a C-rank escort mission could handle.

"Kakashi-sensei must have noticed, too." Ling Xuan glanced at the jonin at the back of the team. "Perhaps he hasn't called it out because he wants to use this mission as our first test in actual combat."

Once he understood that, Ling Xuan stopped paying attention to Tazuna and focused more of his efforts on watching their surroundings. He knew the real test could come at any moment.

After walking for about half a day, the team came upon a puddle in the road.

The weather was clear, and it hadn't rained for several days. For a puddle to appear out of nowhere on a dry dirt road was highly suspicious.

Naruto stomped right through it without a care, not noticing a thing. Sasuke's brow furrowed ever so slightly, as if he sensed something was off, but he didn't look into it.

The instant Ling Xuan saw the puddle, his Eye of Truth sounded an alarm.

[Warning: Anomaly detected in puddle ahead. Water contains traces of residual chakra. Two life signs beneath puddle have been deliberately suppressed to extremely low levels. Chakra flow patterns identify them as Kirigakure Ninja. Status: concealed.]

A trap.

Ling Xuan understood, but didn't warn the others. He needed real combat to test the fruits of his training—and see how this hastily assembled team would perform when faced with a life-or-death moment.

So he remained silent and calmly followed the team as they walked past the puddle.

The instant the entire team passed it, everything changed!

"Splash!"

Two dark figures burst from the puddle. They wore Kirigakure Forehead Protectors, bandages wrapped around their faces, and menacing metal gauntlets on their arms. A glinting chain linked the two of them, coiling toward Kakashi at the rear of the team like a venomous snake!

"The first one!" one of the ninja jeered.

The chain tightened in an instant. With the sound of metal claws tearing through flesh, Kakashi's body was twisted into several pieces!

But no blood sprayed.

It was the Substitution Technique!

The two Kirigakure Ninja—the Demon Brothers, Meizu and Gozu—were startled. But they had no time to think, because their next target was already the most conspicuous person in the team: Naruto!

"The second one!"

The chain lashed out again, aiming straight for Naruto's vitals.

"Naruto!" Sakura screamed in terror.

Naruto was completely stunned by the sudden attack. He stood frozen in place, his mind blank, and watched helplessly as the deadly chain came at him.

So this was... real combat? Fear swept over him like a cold sea, swallowing him whole.

"Clang!"

A sharp metallic clash rang out.

Sasuke Uchiha had somehow appeared in front of Naruto. He used a kunai to precisely deflect the incoming chain. But the enemy's strength far surpassed what he'd expected. The tremendous impact sent him stumbling backward, his arm numb.

"Are you just going to stand there and shake, dead last?" Sasuke said coldly without looking back, though his gaze was graver than ever.

"Sa... Sasuke..." Naruto stammered, staring at the figure standing in front of him.

"Not bad, Leaf brats," one of the Demon Brothers sneered at Sasuke.

"Gozu, take care of the one with the kunai. I'll kill the client!"

"Right!"

The brothers flicked their chains and instantly split up. Gozu swung his clawed chain at Sasuke, while Meizu darted around the others and charged at Tazuna at the rear of the team, whom Sakura was protecting.

"Protect Mr. Tazuna!" Sakura cried. Though her legs were shaking with fear, she summoned her courage and spread her arms in front of Tazuna.

But how could a freshly graduated Genin fend off an experienced Chunin's assassination attempt? Meizu's claw grew larger and larger in Sakura's eyes.

It was over.

At that critical moment, a figure soundlessly shifted one step and blocked Sakura and Tazuna.

It was Ling Xuan.

He didn't even look back at the two behind him. His calm gaze locked onto Meizu, charging straight at him.

[Target: Kirigakure Chunin Meizu. Chakra reserves: standard Chunin. Specialties: Water Release, assassination techniques, coordinated chain attacks. Attack method: poisoned claw on right hand. Attack trajectory: straight line. Targets the two behind me and does not consider me a primary threat.]

"Another fool volunteering to die!" Meizu sneered, his claw never slowing as he swiped at Ling Xuan's face.

Ling Xuan didn't dodge. Just as the claw was about to strike him, he twisted his body at an odd angle and evaded the lethal attack. At the same time, he held his right hand like a sword, a faint azure glow gathering at his fingertips, and jabbed at the wrist joint of Meizu's attacking arm.

"Smack!"

A light sound rang out. Meizu's wrist went numb as a deft force struck through it, abruptly stopping his clawing motion.

What speed! What precision! Meizu was shocked and hastily retreated.

On the other side, Sasuke struggled against Gozu's attacks. The Demon Brothers worked together flawlessly. Even when separated, their movements complemented each other. Every one of Gozu's strikes seemed timed to match Meizu's movements, making Sasuke feel as though he were fighting two opponents at once.

"Damn it!" Sasuke gritted his teeth and barely dodged the chain sweeping at his legs with a backflip, landing awkwardly.

Ling Xuan steadied himself and didn't pursue. His Eye of Truth had already taken in every movement on the battlefield.