Encounter Battle

"It's time!"

Sakamoto Kouta rose to his feet. It was time to meet with White Fang as agreed.

After Shiraha's treatment, the wound on his arm had mostly healed.

"Let's go. Kouta and Soujin will take the lead with me. Everyone else, form a Swastika Formation and protect Shiraha."

Oshima Shuichi spoke.

It was not safe to remain here.

And Sakumo, who had gone ahead to scout the path, had yet to return. He might have run into trouble.

However, Oshima Shuichi was not worried about Sakumo's safety. To take Sakumo out in such a short time, the Third Tsuchikage himself would have to be leading the enemy.

"Yes!"

Everyone moved according to their orders.

Hyuga Toma, Sarutobi Keita, Uchiha Chiho, and Hyuga Hideto surrounded Shiraha in the center and followed the three who were clearing the way.

Boom—!

Wind Style: Net!

Wind Style: Tornado Hurricane!

Wind Style: Wind Murder Formation!

Howling winds swept through the forest as countless fine wind blades tore across it. Trees were shredded into splinters, and ravines crisscrossed the ground.

Akayu and Hakusa each controlled two puppets. After the first wave of carpet-bombing attacks, they began close-quarters combat.

A white-haired young man wielded a silver-white Chakra Short Sword, remaining utterly composed despite being besieged by four puppets.

Although Akayu and Hakusa had learned the White Secret Technique: Chikamatsu Ten Puppets from Chiyo, their mastery was still insufficient.

Against cannon fodder and ordinary Jōnin, they could each control five puppets and crush their opponents through sheer numbers.

But against a powerful opponent like White Fang, they naturally had to fight at their peak. Controlling two puppets each was more manageable and allowed them to perform at their best.

Though Akayu had claimed that White Fang could not possibly defeat him and Hakusa working together, he showed not the slightest hint of underestimating him once they truly faced off.

Clang!

The silver-white Chakra Blade in Hatake Sakumo's hand turned, blocking the puppet descending from above.

Then, a flash of blade light.

Starting from its head, the puppet was split in two by Hatake Sakumo's single strike.

Hakusa raised a finger and used Chakra Threads to pull back the destroyed puppet. She then tossed out another scroll, and a jet-black combat puppet appeared on the field, charging at Hatake Sakumo.

The puppet opened its mouth, and purple poisonous smoke instantly blanketed the area, completely concealing Hatake Sakumo's figure.

Yet the next second, a fierce flash of blade light tore through the haze as Hatake Sakumo rushed straight out of the poison smoke.

Although he had shut his eyes and held his breath while charging out, some of the poisonous smoke had still entered his body.

Hatake Sakumo reached into the Ninja Tool Pouch behind him and pulled out a cylindrical metal object. He bit off its cap, revealing a sharp needle.

He drove the needle forcefully into his thigh, then injected the medicine into his body. The numbness and discomfort quickly faded away.

"Damn Tsunade!" Hakusa cursed under her breath. She glanced into the distance, then turned back. "Akayu, this won't work. The poison smoke is useless, and it'll be difficult for us to take down White Fang. It could become dangerous if we drag this out any longer. We should retreat!"

"As long as we can seriously injure him, this trip won't have been in vain. Step up the offensive!" Akayu said grimly. "Hold out until Kosuke and the others finish their battle and come support us."

With that, he took out another puppet.

Even if they could not kill White Fang, they at least had to cripple him and prevent him from returning to battle anytime soon.

Otherwise, every time White Fang led a Jōnin squad into the Land of Wind to wreak havoc, Sunagakure would be forced to divert part of its forces.

This operation of theirs was also a counterattack against Konoha—giving them a taste of their own medicine.

Seeing this, Hakusa also brought out another puppet.

Surrounded by six puppets, Hatake Sakumo remained calm, without the slightest panic. After the enemy added two more puppets, he clearly sensed that the frequency of attacks between the puppets had decreased.

However, that also meant he had lost his chance for a quick victory.

The man and woman before him were both extremely powerful. Judging from their appearance and their mastery of Puppet Technique, they were likely the son and daughter-in-law of Chiyo, Sunagakure's elder.

Akayu and Hakusa were among the strongest Jōnin in Sunagakure. Their standing there was comparable to Konoha's Legendary Sannin.

Even so, Hatake Sakumo did not fear facing the two of them alone.

The crucial issue was the Konoha Ninja at the outpost. With their sole Jōnin killed in a sneak attack, the remaining ten Chunin could not possibly hold out long against Sunagakure's four Jōnin.

The wisest course would have been to abandon his allies immediately and return to rendezvous with Sakamoto Kouta and Oshima Shuichi. Together with Uchiha Soujin, they would have at least four Jōnin-level fighters.

Hyuga Toma, Sarutobi Keita, Uchiha Chiho, and Hyuga Hideto were all elite Genin, each possessing combat ability comparable to a Chunin. The four of them could clearly hold off one weaker Sunagakure Jōnin for the time being.

At that point, as long as he held back Akayu and Hakusa, they would still have the greater chance of victory.

But if he retreated, the remaining ten Chunin would certainly die, while Sunagakure's six Jōnin would go into hiding and continue causing trouble within the Land of Fire.

Konoha Ninja would never abandon their comrades!

Thus, Hatake Sakumo prepared to fight until the very last moment. He had even resolved to die together with Akayu and Hakusa.

Trading his life for Akayu and Hakusa would be a loss Sunagakure could likely not bear.

Elsewhere.

Sunagakure's Four Suna Jonin were launching a fierce assault against the ten Konoha Chunin at the outpost.

By this point, five Konoha Chunin had already fallen, while only one of Sunagakure's four Jōnin had suffered a minor injury.

As time passed, the remaining five Chunin also fell one after another.

Boom!

"Agh!"

The last Konoha Chunin died in battle. However, his final counterattack had severely injured Sunagakure's Kosuke, leaving a long, narrow wound carved across Kosuke's thigh by Wind Style Ninjutsu.

"Is this the Konoha White Fang? Even Lord Akayu and Lady Hakusa can't defeat him together?"

Kosuke briefly treated his wounded thigh before looking toward the direction where violent battle fluctuations kept erupting.

As a sensory-type Special Jonin, he was the weakest member of the team. After that round of fighting, his Chakra was nearly depleted.

"Kosuke, be careful. Let's go help!"

"Finish off White Fang quickly, then leave together. I'm in so much pain."

Boom—!

A massive explosion drowned out Kosuke's voice. He was blasted into the air by an Exploding Tag, then swallowed by the Great Fireball Jutsu.

Though the other three Jōnin dodged in time, they were still struck by the shockwave.

Eight figures appeared atop the surrounding tree trunks. The ones who had attacked were Oshima Shuichi and Uchiha Soujin.

"Finish this quickly!"

Oshima Shuichi and Sakamoto Kouta each engaged one Sunagakure Jōnin, while the remaining one was besieged by Uchiha Soujin and the other four.

As for Shiraha, as a Medical Ninja, all he needed to do was provide support from the side.