Turnaround Attack!

Now it was two against two!

Shita Genichi stared at the two men opposite him, his expression still grave.

Uchiha Namiichi was just as serious.

At that moment, Kusuke was stunned, while the Jonin Shito was shocked and furious. "You bastards!"

Those two clearly-young brats had inflicted devastating losses on them.

Especially Shita Genichi, wearing a tiger mask. His true body had been hidden far too well.

Kusuke hadn't even noticed that Shita Genichi had used the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique earlier. As a result, Shito and his group had suffered a heavy loss too, losing four men in an instant.

They had lost eight men in total, three of whom belonged to the Land of Rivers' daimyo.

Even so, Shito was now furious beyond measure. "You... are dead!"

Uchiha Namiichi sneered. "Not necessarily!"

"Even if we die, your companion will die first!"

Jiekong gritted his teeth.

He had become a liability now.

Indeed, in his injured state, he had no confidence he could stop either Uchiha Namiichi or Shita Genichi.

He had fought Uchiha Namiichi before. He was strong, and Jiekong was no match for him one-on-one.

As for Shita Genichi, he looked very young, but his Water Release was absurdly powerful.

More than half of their losses had been caused by him.

That brat absolutely couldn't be underestimated. Jiekong knew he couldn't beat him either.

However.

In truth, Shita Genichi was exhausted.

Although he had recovered the chakra he'd spent creating the Water Clone at the start, and using Water Release with the lake hadn't cost him much chakra, the two uses of the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique had drained him considerably.

If he used the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique again, he'd be completely done after just one use.

He could still try his hand at close-combat Kenjutsu.

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

And if Uchiha Namiichi faced Shito, a Jonin, alone, he had absolutely no chance of winning.

He might not even be able to buy much time.

But regardless, he still had to look confident.

So Shita Genichi fixed his gaze on Jiekong, ignoring the furious Sand Jonin who still hadn't attacked. "Kill him first!"

As he spoke, he formed Hand Seals.

Uchiha Namiichi's gaze also settled on Jiekong.

Jiekong's hair stood on end. He felt as if two venomous snakes were staring at him.

Shito snorted and shouted, "Jiekong, fall back! I'll handle them!"

Jiekong glanced at him, nodded, and immediately leaped backward, disappearing into the darkness.

With him gone, Shito no longer had to worry about protecting him. He raised his hand and sent several shuriken flying at Shita Genichi and Uchiha Namiichi.

The shuriken aimed at Shita Genichi were fitted with Explosive Tags.

Shita Genichi was only pretending to form Hand Seals. He immediately leaped backward.

Boom!

The Explosive Tags blasted countless splashes of water into the air.

"Brat, you must be running low on chakra!"

Shito charged straight at Shita Genichi.

Shita Genichi hurriedly retreated again, landing on the shore.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Namiichi charged forward, repeatedly throwing shuriken.

Clang, clang, clang!

Shito swung his blade, deflecting every shuriken.

But just then, Uchiha Namiichi leaped into the air and tugged at a wire with his teeth. In the moonlight, thin steel wires gleamed coldly.

The wires crisscrossed, coiling toward Shito.

The Uchiha Clan Shuriken Manipulation Technique!

At the same time, Uchiha Namiichi formed Hand Seals.

Just then, the ninja blade in Shito's hand hummed and glowed. With a swing, he easily sliced through the wires, preventing them from binding him.

But the next moment, Shito realized he couldn't see a thing.

"Genjutsu!"

Shito was startled and quickly leaped backward.

Boom!

Flames struck the surface of the water, sending clouds of steam billowing into the air.

Shito narrowly dodged Uchiha Namiichi's Dragon Fire Technique.

Pat, pat, pat!

Footsteps sounded beside him.

Shito focused his attention and braced himself, then suddenly swung his blade to block.

Clang!

Sparks flew.

Uchiha Namiichi's attack was blocked.

On the lakeshore, Shita Genichi gasped for breath.

His chakra was almost completely spent.

But a Jonin was still a Jonin. Even blinded, Shito could remain calm and respond.

Shita Genichi stuffed two Military Ration Pills into his mouth, then suddenly narrowed his eyes.

Jiekong, who had left, had come back.

He stepped onto the surface of the lake. Shita Genichi was about to wring every last bit of chakra from himself to unleash a desperate burst of Water Release when—

A flash of white, and Jiekong fell.

"Teacher Sakumo!"

Shita Genichi was overjoyed.

Shito died moments later.

"Genichi, are you all right?"

Hatake Sakumo asked with concern.

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

"Teacher Sakumo, did you complete the mission?"

Hatake Sakumo shook his head.

Shita Genichi's heart sank.

Had he given up on returning to save them?

Hatake Sakumo didn't explain further. He shouted, "You two, fall back! I'll cover you!"

Shita Genichi gritted his teeth. "Teacher Sakumo, we can still—"

"If we strike back now, we can catch the enemy completely 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 wouldn't have a chance to escape.

By then, every available force would be hunting them down.

If he got pinned down, Uchiha Namiichi and Shita Genichi, already worn out from the battle, wouldn't stand a chance of surviving.

Complete the mission?

Or save his comrades' lives?

Hatake Sakumo chose the latter without hesitation. "Follow my orders!"

Shita Genichi tried to persuade him. "Teacher, I know you're worried about Namiichi and me, but I think we still have a chance."

"Have one Shadow Clone retreat with us as a decoy. Then your real body can turn back and assassinate the target."

"That should give your real body enough time to return."

"Besides, I'm recovering my strength. I can still fight."

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

Uchiha Namiichi nodded repeatedly.

"Right, right. Exactly."

Shita Genichi continued, "Here's a second plan: Teacher, you draw the enemy away as you retreat. Namiichi and I will infiltrate the compound and assassinate the daimyo."

"When the enemy sees our squad retreating, their main force will surely pursue us. The daimyo's guards will be thin."

Hatake Sakumo, wearing his mask, gazed at Shita Genichi with deep admiration.

Then he made his decision. "We'll use the second plan!"

With that, he formed Hand Seals and created two Shadow Clones. The clones used the Transformation Technique to take the forms of Shita Genichi and Uchiha Namiichi.

Shita Genichi and Uchiha Namiichi immediately hid themselves.

Uchiha Namiichi hid behind a rock garden, using the Transformation Technique to turn into a stone.

Shita Genichi hid in the lake.

Before long, the pursuers arrived.

Hatake Sakumo immediately retreated.

But he didn't simply keep running.

The two Shadow Clones withdrew first, with his real body bringing up the rear.

From time to time, he would turn and charge at the enemy, keeping their attention as he gradually drew them out of the Daimyo Palace.

At the lake, two groups of pursuers passed by. Only then did Shita Genichi and Uchiha Namiichi show themselves.

"Genichi, stay here and cover me. I'll go assassinate the target!"

Uchiha Namiichi said.

Shita Genichi thought it over, then nodded. "All right."

"If you can't pull off the assassination, draw some of the pursuers over first. We'll take them out, then strike back."

Uchiha Namiichi nodded, then leaped away and disappeared.