Discovered

Four people, at most at the level of Chunin, wanting to destroy a granary right in front of a ninja unit—which was fully staffed from Chunin down to Genin and numbered at least twenty—was, to be honest, no longer a matter of technical skill.

At the very least, Qi believed this was like walking a tightrope over a volcanic crater, especially since there was a significant gap in the strength levels among the four members of their own team.

But there was no other way; this was what special missions were all about. Furthermore, in the profession of a ninja, as long as one's combat skills and power level hadn't reached a certain realm, it would always be full of variables, and this was their opportunity.

"Forget it, I'm betting on it!"

Qi's hand seals were almost completely finished the moment Kakashi vanished. In this instant, he had cast aside all hesitation and began to focus on manipulating his chakra.

For the purpose of chakra sensing, eyesight was truly an optional luxury. Coupled with the fact that the water vapor here was incredibly dense, within Qi's sensory range, those hidden sentries and even Kakashi, who was using Earth Release, were like massive bonfires in the dead of night—impossible to miss.

Seeing that Kakashi was about to approach the first hidden sentry, Qi did not miss the opportunity and immediately executed his ninjutsu!

Almost instantly, a chill surged from beneath the Rock Ninja's feet, freezing him firmly to the ground!

After eight years of accumulation and a qualitative transformation some time ago, Ice Release was no longer a mediocre skill for Qi; it had become his primary ability.

If it weren't Qi himself, he would never have been able to experience this kind of thrill. It was like someone who originally used a bird gun suddenly getting their hands on a heavy machine gun—how could it even be described?

However, having said that, under this sudden freeze, the Rock Ninja reacted. After all, Ice Release was predicated on the creation of ice, and that chill was no joke. Even an ordinary person would shiver if ice latched onto them, let alone a ninja whose senses were ten times sharper than an ordinary person's.

Almost the very moment his feet were frozen, the Rock Ninja understood his predicament. He immediately opened his mouth, ready to shout and alert his companions!

"If I let you make a sound, wouldn't that mean I'm incompetent? I don't want to be told that by Qi!"

Seeing that the Rock Ninja was about to cry out, Kakashi finally appeared, and his appearance perfectly mirrored the Hatake Clan's consistent combat style!

Kakashi's figure emerged directly from the earth in front of the Rock Ninja. The entire process was devoid of even a hint of sound, and the next moment, with a wave of his hand, the Rock Ninja's head was cleanly severed by his short blade!

What was called flowing like water and clean as a whistle—this was it.

Although Qi had practiced the Instant Kill Technique with Ogata for several years, he couldn't help but silently praise, "Beautiful." Compared to Ogata's Instant Kill, which relied entirely on speed and was straightforward, this kind of unpredictable assassination strike from the Hatake Clan was clearly more terrifying.

And this was just Kakashi's Earth Release. Back in the day, White Fang was not only lethally sharp with his blade work but also mastered both Earth and Lightning Release; to what extent must that have been terrifying?

However, the subsequent matters became easier to handle. Having witnessed Kakashi's strength, Qi felt at ease. He began to cooperate with Kakashi, one by one, removing the remaining hidden sentries in the same manner.

Whether it was Qi or Kakashi, their methods were truly a bit insidious. These Rock Ninja Genin simply couldn't resist this double-pronged attack. Even if they could react in time, firstly, their feet were frozen, making it impossible to stand, and secondly, Kakashi's speed was fast enough, and he specialized in cutting necks—every strike was fatal, leaving them no chance to transmit a warning.

However, the two of them still underestimated the Rock Ninja. Just as Kakashi killed the final hidden sentry, one of the Rock Ninja in the camp suddenly turned his head, and his gaze locked directly onto Kakashi's direction!

"Captain, is there a situation?"

The Rock Ninja's unusual behavior immediately drew the attention of the surrounding Rock Ninja.

"Yes!"

The Rock Ninja addressed as "Captain," wearing the flak jacket only a Chunin could wear, had a cold and sharp gaze.

"It's the smell of blood. Someone has snuck in! Prepare for battle!"

At almost the same moment, Qi also reacted. They had made a huge mistake.

"Damn it... we've definitely been discovered!"

The commotion among the Rock Ninja in the camp further confirmed this.

"What's wrong, Qi?"

Obito and Rin had clearly noticed something was off; the actions of the Rock Ninja in the camp were clearly shifting from patrolling to defensive.

Getting into a fight with Rock Ninja who were prepared for defense was no joke. Everyone knew that among the Five Great Villages, the Rock Ninja were the best at defensive counter-attacks. Once an enemy failed to break through their defense, they would die a miserable death in the subsequent counter-attack.

"The wind is blowing this way..."

A look of "regret" appeared on Qi's face.

"The smell of blood was blown into the camp by the wind!"

"Then what do we do now?"

Obito's expression also turned serious.

"If we wait for them to get ready, we'll be in danger!"

"There's no other way, we charge in! We attack directly!"

Facing Obito's question, Qi uttered this "suicidal" statement with murderous intent.

"What!?"

This time, not only Obito, but even Rin was startled.

"If we charge now, there's still hope. Otherwise, once they find Kakashi, we'll be dead for sure!"

In the span of a few sentences, Qi had already made his choice. He no longer hid his figure but stood up.

"If we make a move, the enemy's attention will be focused on us. That way, Kakashi can use Earth Release to sneak in and destroy their formation from the inside. This is our only chance of survival."

Rock Ninja were skilled in Earth Release, so naturally, they were also skilled in how to counter it. If they were allowed to hunt for Kakashi, it would be very easy. By then, without Kakashi, the only one who could use Earth Release, relying on the three of them to charge head-on would definitely be suicide, and running away would be the same.

"Understood, that's the only way. How do we notify Kakashi?"

Obito also drew his kunai.

"If he doesn't know our plan, wouldn't we just be throwing our lives away?"

"If he can't figure this out, then he doesn't deserve to be the son of White Fang. If he lacks even this much judgment, what kind of ninja is he!"

After finishing this sentence, Qi exhorted Ling to "take care of yourself," and officially began this operation that could be described as "poking a hornet's nest" or "acting as a target."

"Rumble..."

A thunderous roar immediately drew the attention of the Rock Ninja below. Qi had chosen the perfect moment to act, as the Rock Ninja were just about to search the surroundings for any enemies using Earth Style...

Looking toward the sound, they saw a white torrent rushing out from a cliff, pouring down directly upon them!

"Water Style? Using Water Style against us from Iwagakure? Where did this idiot come from!"

Facing the "waterfall" crashing down on them, the Chunin gave a cold, mocking smile.

"Retreat!"

At the order, all the Rock Ninja immediately began performing Earth Style without a word. With a single sound, they all submerged into the ground together. Before the "waterfall" had even arrived, the area had already become an empty clearing!

However, the massive spray of water cared nothing for this; it only followed the laws of nature. Even though there were no longer any targets for the technique below, it still slammed down heavily under the influence of gravity, scattering in all directions...

And just beyond the reach of the splashing water, the line of Rock Ninja had already emerged from the ground, watching the scene with sneers.

For Rock Ninja who excelled in Earth Style, Water Style was perhaps the least lethal thing they could encounter. After all, someone like the Second Hokage was a rare exception in the ninja world; running into one was essentially the same as winning the lottery...

"Kill!"

With a roar, Tu took the lead, appearing before the Rock Ninja in the wake of the Water Style technique and charging toward them. Following behind them was Ling, who also clutched two Kunai in her hands.

In contrast, the Rock Ninja side remained composed. The Chunin swept a look of near-disdain over Qi and the others before waving his hand to issue an order.

"So it's just a few brats. Take them out!"

It's been a while since I've written Naruto, and I've just been reviewing it at home these past few days, so I'm just typing a bit to keep the feel. Everyone, feel free to take a look.