The Captured Pakura (One More Update Tonight)

Yusuke drew the short sword Incursio, angling its tip toward the ground.

"Thud~ thud~ thud~"

The thirteen people across from them stopped, forming a fan-shaped encirclement around the two of them.

"You're quite the runners. You made it this far in half a day."

"Hand over the intel, and I might give you an easier death."

A fireball coalesced in Pakura's palm, hovering in the air, while three more revolved behind her.

From the young woman's outfit, Yusuke recognized the ninja before him. She had to be that old jinx, Pakura.

As a hero of her village, she had been betrayed by the Fourth Kazekage Rasa and handed over to Kirigakure in exchange for a brief peace.

In the end, she had been riddled like a pincushion by Kirigakure Ninja hurling Kunai and Shuriken all over the place.

A flash of inspiration crossed Yusuke's mind. The idea of creating an organization that had first taken root in his thoughts resurfaced and began to take shape.

He could recruit these "jinxed" ninja and form his own "Night Raid" organization.

And Night Raid would start with Pakura.

"You're already surrounded."

"Pakura, right? Have you ever considered switching sides? You could join my organization."

Yusuke smiled, showing no trace of fear.

"Heh. Have you been scared out of your mind? How can the two of you possibly beat all thirteen of us?"

"Attack!"

Seeing that her subordinates had surrounded the two of them, Pakura gave the order in a sharp voice.

Yusuke rested the sword on his shoulder, unleashing a wave of chakra pressure.

Pakura trembled under the chakra's oppressive force, and the fireball in her hand dimmed.

"Not good. He's no ordinary ninja. His strength has probably reached Kage Level."

"Retreat... Fall back, now!" Pakura shouted.

But now that the battle had begun, it wasn't something she could simply call off.

The roles had reversed. The little lamb had shed its disguise and become a tiger.

The Sunagakure Ninja quickly split into groups of three and fled into the distance.

At a time like this, whoever ran slowest would end up on the front line.

Yusuke vanished from where he stood and caught up with them after just a few uses of the Body Flicker Technique.

Even without Senjutsu or Incursio's first stage, his strength was already at the lower end of Kage Level. Dealing with these nobodies was as easy as drinking water.

Screams rang out through the woods, startling the birds from the trees.

In less than two and a half minutes, only Pakura and the Jonin remained alive.

"Thud~ thud~"

Yusuke used the Body Flicker Technique to appear in front of the two. He flicked the blood from his blade and smiled. "Have you made up your mind?"

His handsome smile chilled Pakura to the bone, like an ordinary person meeting a tiger's gaze.

Pakura remembered that smile for the rest of her life.

She gritted her teeth. "You underestimate me. A Sunagakure Ninja will never surrender."

The three fireballs revolved around her again as she charged straight at Yusuke, engaging him in close combat.

"Interesting. You know you're going to die, but you still refuse to surrender? That's admirable. I want you more and more."

Yusuke charged at Pakura as well.

Hearing his words, Hyuga Aya's mouth twitched. "That's... that's a terrible line."

She darted forward and blocked the Sunagakure Jonin as he tried to keep running.

"I won't let you leave before he gives the order."

"Byakugan: Activate!"

She took up a Gentle Fist stance and charged the Sunagakure Jonin.

Yusuke toyed with Pakura like a cat playing with a mouse, nimbly dodging her moves and attacks.

By now, Pakura's forehead was beaded with sweat, but it wasn't because she was exhausted.

Every time she tried to use the fireballs behind her to launch a sneak attack, Yusuke seemed to know all her tricks and dodged ahead of time.

It left her feeling as if she were striking a pillow, utterly powerless.

When Pakura attacked Yusuke again and he dodged, an opening appeared in her guard.

"Five Elements Seal!"

Seizing his chance, Yusuke gathered chakra in his fingers and pressed them directly against Pakura's abdomen.

The sudden blow sent Pakura flying backward.

Her smooth back slammed into a tree, and she immediately spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Is there really no way to escape?"

Pakura knew what awaited her. Her eyes hardened, and she gripped the Kunai in her hand, aiming it at her head.

She intended to destroy her own brain.

"Even if I die, you won't get a single piece of intel from me!" she roared.

"Ugh, you really are a handful."

Yusuke sheathed his greatsword, used the Body Flicker Technique to close in, then pinned both her hands above her head against the tree.

Their eyes met, and Pakura's pupils contracted.

Then came several sharp cracks. Yusuke dislocated her shoulders and jaw.

A muffled groan escaped her throat, but she forcibly swallowed it down. Pakura only glared fiercely at Yusuke.

"Can't be helped. You brought this on yourself."

Yusuke pulled out a rope and bound the unruly young woman from head to toe.

He had to admit, after gaining some experience tying up Amegakure Ninja last time, he had gotten quick at it.

When he was done, Yusuke looked toward Hyuga Aya. Her fight was nearly over, too.

Several chakra points along the Sunagakure Jonin's meridians had been blocked by the Gentle Fist, preventing his chakra from circulating.

Now all he could rely on was Taijutsu as he fought Hyuga Aya.

But trying to fight a member of the Hyuga Clan, who excelled at Taijutsu, using Taijutsu was nothing short of a pipe dream.

Sure enough, there was a thump as the Sunagakure Jonin took another heavy blow to the abdomen. His whole body spun through the air toward a tree behind him.

After a close encounter with the tree, the Sunagakure Jonin rolled his eyes and passed out.

"You wasted too much time, Aya," Yusuke said.

This time, Hyuga Aya didn't stay silent as usual. She shot back at him directly.

"If we're talking about wasting time, Captain, you spent more time on that woman than I did."

Her expression was cold. She ignored Yusuke and went straight to the unconscious Sunagakure Jonin, tying him up as well.

Yusuke scratched his head in confusion. "What's gotten into her?"

Never mind. Forget it.

Yusuke pulled the intel scroll from his robes again. Hyuga Aya looked over and saw that he was about to open it.

"Wait, what are you doing? Intel scrolls are usually sealed. If you open it, it'll destroy itself."

But when Yusuke opened it, nothing happened. It was just an ordinary blank scroll.

"As expected, the real intel scroll is on him," Yusuke said with a cold laugh.

"What about that guy, Inuzuka Go..." Hyuga Aya began, but Yusuke cut her off.

"He should be fine. Didn't we lead all the enemy ninja onto this route?"

"This many ninja pursuing Miyazaki Kenta, who's badly wounded, should be more than enough."

"They should've reached the Stone Mountain where they were supposed to meet up by now," Yusuke surmised.

After hearing him, Pakura looked at him with contempt. "You arrogant fool. Do you really think everything's going according to your plan?"

This was the only chance she had to mock Yusuke so far.

Yusuke sensed the location of the Flying Thunder God Kunai, then furrowed his brow.

"Why isn't Go's position to the north? Why is it... to the south?"

He looked at Pakura and noticed the contempt in her eyes.

"Could it be... there's more than just your squad pursuing us?"

Yusuke grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up, his voice cold. "Answer me."

Pakura's face reddened as she choked, but she still looked at him with contempt.

"Hmph!" Yusuke dropped her to the ground. "I'll find out soon enough."

He walked over to the unconscious Jonin and pressed his palm against the man's forehead.

"Ninja Art: Mind Reading Technique!"