The Returning Horse Spear! (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

Now, it is two against two!

Shita Genichi stared at the two people opposite him, his expression remaining grave.

Uchiha Namiichi felt the same.

At this moment, Kusuke was shocked, while the Jonin Shito was shocked and furious: "Bastards!"

Two mere brats had actually caused them to suffer heavy losses.

Especially Shita Genichi, who wore a tiger mask; his true self had been hidden far too well.

Kusuke hadn't even noticed Shita Genichi casting the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique earlier, which led to Shito and his group suffering a massive blow, losing four men in an instant.

Counting everything before and after, they had lost eight men, three of whom belonged to the Daimyo of the Land of Rivers.

Even so, Shito was furious to the extreme: "You... are dead!"

Uchiha Namiichi sneered: "That is not necessarily true!"

"Even if we are to die, that companion of yours will definitely die first!"

Jiekong gritted his teeth.

He had become a burden now.

Indeed, injured as he was, he had no confidence in blocking either Uchiha Namiichi or Shita Genichi.

He had crossed blades with Uchiha Namiichi before; he was strong, and in a one-on-one fight, he was no match.

As for Shita Genichi, he looked very young, but his Water Release was outrageously strong.

More than half of the fallen had been dealt with by him.

This brat could absolutely not be underestimated; he reckoned he couldn't beat him either.

However.

In reality, Shita Genichi was currently very drained.

Although the chakra used for the Water Clone at the beginning had recovered, and the Water Release techniques relying on the lake didn't consume much, the chakra lost from casting the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique twice was significant.

If he were to cast the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique again, he would collapse after one use.

He could still struggle with close-quarters swordsmanship.

But compared to Uchiha Namiichi, his swordsmanship likely wouldn't pose much of a threat to Jiekong.

And if Uchiha Namiichi were to face the Jonin Shito alone, there would be absolutely no possibility of victory.

He wouldn't even be able to buy much time.

But even so, he had to put on a front and act as if he were full of confidence.

Therefore, looking at the furious Sunagakure Ninja who hadn't immediately attacked, Shita Genichi locked his gaze on Jiekong: "Kill him first!"

As he spoke, he was already forming hand seals.

Uchiha Namiichi's gaze also fell upon Jiekong.

Jiekong's hair stood on end instantly, feeling as if he were being watched by two venomous snakes.

Shito snorted coldly and shouted: "Jiekong, you retreat first, leave them to me!"

Jiekong shifted his gaze, nodded, and immediately leaped backward, disappearing into the darkness.

Once he left, Shito no longer had any worries, raising his hand to fire several shuriken at Shita Genichi and Uchiha Namiichi.

The shuriken aimed at Shita Genichi were even attached with explosive tags.

Shita Genichi was merely faking the hand seals and immediately leaped backward.

BOOM!

The explosive tags kicked up countless sprays of water.

"Brat, your chakra shouldn't have much left!"

Shito charged forward, heading straight for Shita Genichi.

Shita Genichi hurriedly retreated again, landing on the shore.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Namiichi rushed forward while throwing shuriken in rapid succession.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Shito swung his blade to parry, knocking the shuriken away one by one.

Yet at this moment, Uchiha Namiichi leaped into the air, pulling with his teeth, and thin steel wires glinted in the moonlight.

The steel wires crisscrossed, winding toward Shito.

Uchiha Clan Shuriken Manipulation Technique!

At the same time, Uchiha Namiichi formed hand seals with both hands.

Just then, the ninja sword in Shito's hand hummed with light, and with a swing, it easily severed the steel wires, rendering them unable to bind him any longer.

However, the next moment, Shito discovered that he could no longer see anything with his eyes.

"Genjutsu!"

Shito was startled and leaped backward in a hurry.

Boom!

Flames slammed into the water, churning up billowing steam.

Shito had narrowly avoided Uchiha Namiichi's Dragon Fire Technique.

Clap, clap, clap!

Footsteps echoed in his ears.

Shito focused his guard, then suddenly swung his blade to parry.

Clang!

Sparks flew in all directions.

Uchiha Namiichi's assault was blocked.

On the lakeshore, Shita Genichi gasped for air.

His chakra was essentially exhausted.

However, a Jonin is a Jonin; even deprived of his sight, he could still respond with composure.

As he shoved two *Military Ration Pill*s into his mouth, Shita Genichi's pupils suddenly constricted.

Jiekong, who had left, was back.

As he stepped onto the surface of the lake, just as Shita Genichi intended to squeeze out his remaining chakra to unleash a Water Release technique, a flash of white light appeared, and Jiekong collapsed.

"Teacher Sakumo!"

Shita Genichi was overjoyed.

Immediately after, Shito died as well.

"Genichi, are you alright?"

Hatake Sakumo asked with concern.

Shita Genichi shook his head: "I'm fine."

"Teacher Sakumo, was the mission completed?"

Hatake Sakumo shook his head.

Shita Genichi's heart sank.

Did he abandon the return trip just to save them?

Hatake Sakumo did not offer further explanation and shouted: "You two retreat first, I will cover the rear!"

Shita Genichi gritted his teeth and said: "Teacher Sakumo, we can still fight."

"If we strike back now, we can catch the enemy off guard!"

Uchiha Namiichi immediately added: "I agree with Genichi."

Hatake Sakumo frowned.

If he chose to complete the mission, Uchiha Namiichi and Shita Genichi would have no chance of escaping.

Because at that point, all enemy forces would be hunting them down.

Once he was entangled, Uchiha Namiichi and Shita Genichi, exhausted from the battle, would have no chance of survival.

Choose to complete the mission?

Or choose the lives of his comrades?

Hatake Sakumo chose the latter without hesitation: "Execute the order!"

Shita Genichi argued: "Teacher, I know you are worried about me and Namiichi, but I believe we still have a chance."

"You can create a Shadow Clone to retreat with us as a decoy, while your main body returns to carry out the assassination."

"That will be enough to buy time for your main body to return."

"Besides, my stamina is recovering, and I still have the strength for one more fight."

"As long as we retreat to where Yan is, we will have more time."

Uchiha Namiichi nodded repeatedly.

Yes, yes, exactly like that.

Shita Genichi continued: "The second plan: you take responsibility for drawing the enemy away while retreating, and Namiichi and I will infiltrate to assassinate the Daimyo."

"When the enemy sees our squad retreating, their main force will surely pursue, leaving the Daimyo's side very vulnerable."

Hatake Sakumo, wearing his mask, looked at Shita Genichi with eyes full of admiration.

He then decided: "Then we shall execute the second plan!"

After saying this, he formed hand seals to create two *Shadow Clone*s, which then performed the Transformation Technique to take on the appearances of Shita Genichi and Uchiha Namiichi.

Shita Genichi and Uchiha Namiichi immediately went into hiding.

Uchiha Namiichi hid behind a rockery, using the Transformation Technique to disguise himself as a stone.

Shita Genichi, meanwhile, submerged himself in the lake.

Before long, the pursuing forces arrived.

Hatake Sakumo immediately began to retreat.

However, he was not merely running away.

The two *Shadow Clone*s retreated first, while his main body stayed behind.

From time to time, he would turn back to launch a counterattack, constantly drawing the enemies in and leading them further away from the Daimyo Palace.

Back at the lake, after two waves of pursuers had passed by, Shita Genichi and Uchiha Namiichi finally revealed themselves.

"Genichi, you stay here to provide support; I'm going in for the assassination!" Uchiha Namiichi said.

Shita Genichi thought for a moment, then nodded. "Understood."

"If you can't pull off the assassination, lure a portion of the pursuers over here. We'll take them out, then head back in."

Uchiha Namiichi nodded, then leaped away and vanished.