Naked and Alone

In the lush forest, two ninjas were running at breakneck speed, their faces contorted with anxiety and fear, glancing back frequently as if something terrifying was chasing them.

In the distance, the spaces between the trees, resembling doorways, suddenly brightened. That was the end of the forest; once they passed through there, they could escape the forest and enter the territory controlled by their own people.

The light grew brighter and brighter before my eyes, shining through the trees like a gateway to heaven. I was about to burst out of the forest when more than ten Kunai different angles from deep within the woods.

The two ninjas staggered to a stop at the edge of the forest, looking down at the Kunai that had pierced their chests. In the end, they could only collapse helplessly to the ground, their right hands, outstretched before they died, finally reaching out to touch the light outside the forest.

At that moment, three more young ninjas appeared Body Flicker beside the two dead men. They quickly cleaned up the scene, retrieved the Kunai they had just used, and after ensuring that the victims were completely dead, they left without looking back.

This is Kakashi Trio; eight days have passed since their first mission.

In these eight days, they have undergone a complete transformation, from making numerous mistakes at the beginning to now being able to handle things with ease. They are making rapid progress.

However, it must be said that the battlefield is the best catalyst. With two to three real battles every day, and the constant need to be aware of traps, these ever-present dangers constantly force the three of them to make continuous progress.

Fortunately, they had Taiichi Squad with them. Even when they encountered enemies they couldn't defeat, Taiichi and his team could step in in time, giving them ample training while rescuing them from danger.

Even so, crises are still impossible to prevent.

That day, Obito was preparing to finish off a dying enemy when, just as he approached, the enemy detonated all the Explosive Tag on his body. The violent explosion sent Obito flying more than ten meters away.

The explosion came so suddenly; no one had anticipated that the enemy's desperate counterattack would be so ferocious. Rin's eyes immediately turned red, and she lunged at the fallen Obito like a madwoman.

But Taiichi was faster than him, arriving in front of Obito in a Body Flicker. Without saying a word, Chakra Perception, and green light surged from his hands, instantly enveloping Obito's entire body.

At this moment, the others also rushed over. Yohei grabbed Lin, who was in tears. In her current state, she couldn't help and would only make things worse. It would be better to let Taiichi treat her alone.

"Don't worry, everything will be alright. Trust Taiichi, can't you see how calm he is?" Yohei comforted everyone, pointing to Taiichi was calmly treating the patient, to encourage them.

It's no wonder Rin was so distraught; even Kakashi's eyes were Obito. Obito's appearance was so pitiful that he was completely unrecognizable.

He suffered burns to half of his body, with displaced internal organs and massive bleeding.

An injury of this severity, even a delay of just two or three minutes, would have been fatal for Obito, but what could he do when Taiichi was right there beside him?

With Chakra Scalpel in both hands, he peeled away the burned clothing from Obito's body. Then, with his Mystical Palm Technique, he began to use Sage Mode to reposition his internal organs and stop the bleeding. His left hand converted a large amount of Yang Release Chakra to protect the activity of Obito's cells, ensuring that he would not die during the treatment.

It took Taiichi more than 20 minutes to finish treating Obito's internal injuries. He then turned to the burns on Obito's body. Compared to the injuries to his internal organs, the burns on his body were more severe but easier to treat.

The Mystical Palm Technique promotes cell division, Yang Release Chakra nourishes the newly formed cells. With both working in tandem, by the time Taiichi withdrew his hands, Obito was completely unharmed, except for his pale face and naked body.

Rin immediately knelt down and carefully cleaned the stains on Obito's body, as well as the small scratches that Taiichi hadn't healed.

Not long after, Obito, who had been unconscious, gradually regained consciousness. In his hazy memory, he recalled being blown away by Explosive Tag. Could he now be in the Underworld?

Thinking of Rin, whom he hadn't confessed his feelings to yet, and then thinking of his grandmother, who was old and had no one to take care of her, Obito couldn't help but shed tears.

This scene caused everyone to exchange worried glances, wondering what was wrong with Obito. Was he crying tears of joy?

While everyone was still confused about what was going on, Obito finally regained full consciousness.

When he turned around and saw his worried companions, he realized he was still alive. But when he saw Lin's concerned eyes, he felt that even if he died now, it would be worth it.

But when he felt a cool sensation on his body and looked down to see that he was completely naked, a crimson flush instantly rose to his pale face.

"Ah!" A scream echoed through the forest. Obito curled up like a pitiful, bullied woman. "Clothes! Damn it, Kakashi, get me some clothes!"

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that Obito still had the energy to care about his clothes. It seemed that the treatment was very effective and there were no aftereffects.

"Kakashi!" Obito called out again, but Kakashi still didn't respond.

Looking up, he saw him awkwardly scratching his head, and facing Obito's murderous gaze, he could only innocently say, "I don't have any clothes either!"

"Haha!" Everyone chuckled softly again.

At that moment, a set of clothes was thrown at Obito. It turned out that Yohei bear to watch anymore and took out his spare clothes.

Obito, suppressing his embarrassment and anger, quickly put on his clothes. Just as he was about to complain, Taiichi spoke up, "Obito, how are you feeling? Is there anything else that's bothering you?"

Obito was stunned for a moment, then remembered that he had been directly blown up by the Explosive Tag, and a sense of lingering fear welled up inside him.

He carefully checked himself over, then jumped up and down a few times to make sure he was really alright.

A tear slid down her cheek involuntarily; this time, it was truly tears of joy.

"Remember, never underestimate any enemy on the battlefield, and never let your guard down with anyone. Like that last-hit situation before, Kunai at them, why risk doing it yourself!"

Everyone nodded in agreement, especially Obito, who nodded particularly hard; this experience was truly unforgettable for him!

Just as everyone finished packing up and was preparing to leave, Taiichi suddenly drew his sword quickly and unleashed a Flame Slash at a large tree not far away. Instantly, a Bright Gold Flame Blade Qi shot out from the sword, splitting the tree in two in the blink of an eye, leaving both sides of the cut charred black.

Everyone was startled by Taiichi's actions, thinking they had encountered some kind of enemy, and they all assumed defensive stances.

However, everyone stared in the direction of the big tree for a long time without any movement, which made them wonder.

"Taiichi, did you discover something?" Saori asked, voicing the question on everyone's mind.

There seemed to be something there just now, but it's gone now!

Taiichi spoke, but he already had a guess in his heart. Hidden in the trees, he was able to get so close silently. If it weren't for the slight aura that had just been leaked, Taiichi would not have noticed.

This must be the White Zetsu who used the Mayfly Technique. He glanced at Obito beside him; this guy was probably after Obito.

Yohei and Saori, who were familiar with Taiichi, seemed thoughtful, but since Taiichi was unwilling to say more, they did not ask any further questions.

"Let's head back to Camp. We've been out long enough; it's time to go back and rest Resupply!"

"Great!"*5

Shortly after everyone left, two white heads emerged from the soil.

"Ah, that was close! We almost got discovered!"

"Yes, yes, such keen perception. I just breathed a sigh of relief, and he sensed it."

"Luckily I ran fast, otherwise that knife strike would have really killed me. I've never even experienced what it feels like to take a dump!"

"How can you have such a thought about the feeling of pooping? You don't even poop."

"That's why I want to know what it feels like to poop!"

The argument between the two White Zetsu in the forest lasted for a long time, until one White Zetsu disappeared and the other White Zetsu submerged underground again, following the direction Taiichi others had left in.

Upon returning to the Konoha Camp, Taiichi and his group found the Camp filled with a sense of dejection and anxiety, with everyone looking listless. More importantly, many ninjas were dismantling the Camp.

Taiichi gave Yohei a wink.

He immediately understood and stepped forward, grabbing a passing ninja and asking, "Senior, what's going on at the Camp? Are we moving?"

The older Chunin, seeing himself abruptly pulled aside, was about to get angry when he noticed a group of ninjas staring at him. He recognized the leader of the group, so he quickly composed himself, bowed, and greeted them.

"Hello, Taiichi!"

Taiichi was surprised that this person recognized him, but he responded politely and then inquired about the Camp.

"Sigh, the Camp can't be held. Yesterday, the Sunagakure's outposts even reached the Camp gate. We can't stay here. Lord Jiraiya has already ordered a retreat to consolidate our defenses. We must retreat back to the Land of Fire to redeploy our defenses!"

So, the plan has already progressed to this stage.

Taiichi Chunin once again, then led everyone to the Mission Office to hand over the mission.

"Taiichi, are we really going to retreat? We seemed to be doing quite well in the fight." Obito was puzzled. They had killed quite a few Sand Village Ninja these past few days, so why were they told to retreat as soon as they returned?

Taiichi glanced at Obito, then at the busy crowd around him, and chose to remain silent.

Kakashi then provided the answer, "What you see is only the situation we're facing. In reality, overall, Konoha is at a disadvantage."

Obito looked at Kakashi, then at the others who remained silent, his expression clearly downcast.

At this moment, Taiichi had already led everyone to the Mission Office, and after some registration, he made a mission record for everyone.

"You all go and rest first. I'm going to the Central Command Tent to inquire about the situation at the Camp."

Everyone knew about Taiichi's relationship with Commander -in-Chief Jiraiya, so they watched him leave with anticipation, hoping he would get some new information.

After going through layers of notification, Taiichi was finally allowed to enter the Central Command Tent.

The moment he entered, he saw more than ten Jonin sitting on both sides of the tent. Among them were Captain Yamaguchi Director Fujita, and Senior Disciple Brother Minato, whom he recognized, as well as some Jonin he had treated before, but most of them were unfamiliar ninjas.

Judging from the situation, they are having a meeting.

No wonder it was so difficult to get in just now; usually, it's straightforward.

"Taiichi, you're also in the know, and everyone acknowledges your strength." Jiraiya glanced around, and seeing no one object, continued, "Find a seat in the back and listen to the meeting."

Taiichi glanced at the Jonin and, seeing that everyone was giving him friendly looks, he stopped refusing and found a seat at the very back of the right row.

"Shikaku, you may continue." Seeing that Taiichi had already taken his seat, Jiraiya, said to Shikaku, who was sitting next to him.

"Gentlemen, as I've explained the plan to you before, your primary task tomorrow is to hold off the Sunagakure's pursuit, stabilize the situation, and prevent the retreat from turning into a rout. Once we reach the designated ambush zone, that will be our opportunity to counterattack."

"Shikaku, the plan is good, but a counterattack requires manpower. With so few people, we can barely defend, let alone launch a counterattack. Has reinforcements from the village arrived yet?" The speaker was a Jonin from the Inuzuka Clan. Beside him lay a black dog the size of a calf, which looked exceptionally majestic.

The question Jonin the Inuzuka Clan Jonin was also the question posed by most of the Jonin present. They had been suppressed for quite some time and had wanted to retaliate for a long time, but unfortunately, they didn't have enough manpower or strength!

Damn Sunagakure Ninja, a bunch of despicable villains who only know how to use poison! This was the sentiment of all the Jonin present.

"There are no reinforcements!" Shikaku's words shattered everyone's hopes, but before the Jonin could speak again, he continued, "However, Taiichi has taken care of the troop situation for us."

Shikaku is keeping everyone in suspense, while also giving Taiichi face by letting him reveal his secrets in front of everyone.

Everyone's eyes turned to Taiichi, some with curiosity, some with surprise, but mostly with confusion.

However, there are also people who understand Taiichi's medical skills, such as Captain Yamaguchi, who showed a look of sudden realization.

At this point, Shikaku no longer concealed anything and said, "More than 20 days ago, on the Taiichi day Taiichi arrived here, he had already developed the antidote. Therefore, those ninjas who retreated to the rear due to poisoning were actually hidden away, waiting for a decisive blow at the crucial moment."

With a "boom," the Central Command Tent instantly erupted into a lively commotion.

Some were incredulous, some shouted "Long live!", and others let out loud laughter. In short, everyone was venting their emotions to the fullest. It was because everyone had been suppressing their feelings for so long that many of the Jonin sacrificing themselves for the village.

After everyone had vented their frustrations, Jiraiya was sitting in the head seat, stood up and gave a final summary. "Gentlemen, tomorrow's First Shinobi World War is of paramount importance. If we win, we will severely weaken Sunagakure's fighting force and lay a solid foundation for victory in the future great war."

But all of this is predicated on the fact that tomorrow's retreat must proceed in a dignified and orderly manner; otherwise, even if we have a large number of troops, it will be of no use.

Therefore, I entrust this to you all tomorrow: you must stabilize the situation and absolutely prevent a collapse!

"Yes!" All the Jonin present stood up and solemnly replied.

As the meeting ended and all the Jonin left Taiichi one, they all walked past Taiichi, some nodding to him, some patting him on the shoulder, all showing him great goodwill.

This is not only because of Taiichi's abilities, but also because it acknowledges the contributions Hu Taiichi has made.

If anyone had looked down on him when he first entered the tent, at this moment, everyone acknowledged that Taiichi of their Jonin, even though he was only holding the title of Chunin.

After most people left, only Jiraiya, Minato, and Taiichi remained in the tent.

"Jiraiya- sensei, is there anything special for me tomorrow?" Taiichi excitedly, already eager to try.

"Of course, it's to stop the enemy's pursuit with your squad!" Jiraiya was puzzled. Taiichi Squad was quite strong and would be a formidable force in tomorrow's battle.

"What, do you have other ideas?"

"I want to Lone Walk, just like my Senior Disciple Brother in the Shuigong department!" Taiichi Manheng said firmly, expressing the request that Hu had been thinking about for a long time.

"What?" Jiraiya and Shuishang exclaimed simultaneously. Although they had some understanding of Taiichi, they were not clear about Taiichi's full strength. In their view, Taiichi was at most a Jonin, and there was still a certain gap between him and an elite.

In this respect, they probably don't understand Orochimaru as well as Taiichi does.

"Teacher, please believe me. Since I've made this request, I definitely have the ability to fulfill it."

"And your team, or Kakashi and the others?" The Shuigong was still somewhat worried, especially about his team members, who were all rookies.

"Yohei also possesses the strength of Jonin, Saori and Kakashi have the power of Special Jōnin Jonin, Obito and Rin, after this long period of training, are no longer what they used to be. I have the same confidence in them."

Jiraiya and the Shuigong exchanged a glance, remaining silent for a long time. Taiichi also remained silent, simply looking at them with a determined gaze.

In the end, Jiraiya thought about Taiichi's performance and made up his mind, "Alright, since you insist, you will Lone Walk tomorrow."

But Taiichi, you must remember, safety must always come first, and you must never take risks!

"Yes!"