A week passed in the blink of an eye.
Tomorrow was the day Dan Katō's squad would take Chiba to destroy a special Sunagakure Ninja outpost.
After Chiba brought Minazuki Kokona back, Uchiha Chiba had left a mindless Blood Clone by her side. But this orphan of the Yuki Clan seemed to have caught Tsunade's eye. She was now helping Tsunade and learning Medical Ninjutsu. Tsunade had also planned to teach Uchiha Chiba Medical Ninjutsu, but now that a little girl was by Chiba's side, she figured it was safer to teach them both. Besides, the girl couldn't leave Chiba anyway, so they might as well keep each other company.
A hidden place somewhere in the Land of Wind
"My lord, all the traps have been set," a Sunagakure Ninja said, looking at the man before him.
The man nodded and gazed into the distance. Two pairs of Iron Sand Wings sprouted from his back. He spoke slowly: "According to the intelligence, those Sannin from Konoha are powerful. Since information about this outpost has leaked, there's no need to keep setting traps. I'd like to see whether the Sannin named by Hanzo the Salamander have the nerve to give me a warning."
That man was the Third Kazekage. His distinctive Iron Sand Technique made him unmistakable.
"Lord Kazekage is right. Those so-called Sannin are nothing compared to you. We'll go dismantle the useless traps at once," a Sunagakure Ninja said, lowering his head and flattering him.
The Third Kazekage waved his hand.
The Iron Sand Wings dispersed, and countless flecks of black iron sand disappeared into the cave.
"I'm rather looking forward to tomorrow. Oh, send word to Chiyo: the front lines are to launch an attack at once. Once I've dealt with the enemies coming here, I'll strike their rear," the Third Kazekage ordered, turning to a Sunagakure Ninja behind him.
"Yes, Lord Kazekage!" The ninja vanished in an instant.
The following morning
The Sannin squad received word that, on the front lines of the Second Shinobi World War between Sunagakure and Konoha, Chiyo had suddenly launched an all-out assault. Smoke billowed as the battlefield erupted in flames.
Tsunade had originally planned to go with them, but Chiyo's sudden attack kept her tied up. She could only focus on breaking Chiyo's poison, and regretfully couldn't accompany Dan Katō.
At that moment
Dan Katō was leading his squad into the desert of the Land of Wind, from which they would never return. Including Chiba, who had temporarily joined them, there were six of them in total.
They made their way through the desert as a vast cloud of sand blotted out the sky...
Dan Katō's gaze was firm and deep. His pale blue hair fluttered in the wind as he looked at Chiba beside him and smiled. "You're Tsunade's student, right? I'm Dan Katō, more or less your teacher's lover. We're in a hurry for this mission, and I don't have much to give you, so take this... an A-rank Ninjutsu, Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique."
Without slowing down, Dan tossed him the scroll. Chiba glanced over the Ninjutsu scroll with his Sharingan, then casually burned it with Fire Release.
"This kid would probably be a genius even without the Sharingan. Talent really is terrifying," Dan Katō murmured.
The members of Dan Katō's squad were highly capable. They were all battle-hardened elites who trusted and supported one another. That was why they worked together so seamlessly in their past battles and had always prevailed.
They were making a forced march,
so they soon reached a cave near their target. It was still dark, and the area was especially quiet.
"Be careful. It's too quiet." Dan Katō frowned and signaled the squad to stop. Then he formed Hand Seals.
"Spirit Transformation Technique."
The Spirit Transformation Technique was a mysterious art that separated the user's soul from their body, allowing them to exist in the world as a spirit. It gave the user a great advantage in battle and let them explore places they couldn't normally reach. It could be used for assassination or reconnaissance, but its drawback was that if the user's body was injured, their soul would be hurt as well.
A blue spirit shot out of Dan Katō's body.
After a while
Dan Katō's spirit returned.
It reentered his body.
"There are about thirty elite jonin in the cave. There doesn't seem to be anyone at Kage Level. We need to hurry—the front lines have already engaged, and we can't waste time." Dan Katō tightened the ninja tool pouch at his waist and spoke seriously.
"Don't worry, Dan. You know how strong we are," one of the squad members said with a smile.
"Of course I do. We're comrades, after all." Dan Katō shook his head and smiled.
Under normal circumstances, even if their reconnaissance went wrong and they ran into someone at Kage Level, it wouldn't be a problem. Dan Katō was already almost at Kage Level, and with several elite jonin at his side, they could easily gang up on one.
Rumble! Rumble!
Countless flecks of black Iron Sand suddenly burst out from deep inside the cave.
"Is that Iron Sand?" Uchiha Chiba frowned. Ever since they'd set out, his ominous premonition had grown stronger. Now, it had become a warning from his body.
"What a pity... The so-called Sannin aren't here after all." A cold voice rang out from somewhere above them.
Everyone looked up.
A man with Iron Sand Wings sprouting from his back hovered in the air, looking down at them.
"Prepare for battle." Dan Katō drew a Kunai and thought, The Kazekage? Can I hold him off...? I can only hope...
Dan Katō: I'm fighting the Kazekage? Seriously?
Chiba: Yep, yep, yep, yep.
This time, they had encountered an enemy more powerful than any they'd faced before—the Third Kazekage. The legendary leader of Sunagakure had countless flecks of Iron Sand hovering in the air, like the arrival of the god of death!
"Never mind. I saw you use some kind of special technique just now. Killing you won't be a waste, then. So, die." The Third Kazekage waved his hand, and the terrifying Iron Sand on the ground shot toward them!
The next second
"Wind Release: Great Jade Sphere!"
Boom!!!!
The smoke cleared.
One of Dan Katō's squad members had launched the technique, but the man seemed to have blocked it with ease.
The Third Kazekage stood amid a storm of Iron Sand, his gaze cold and imposing. He raised a hand, and the Iron Sand around him surged toward Dan Katō's squad like a raging sea. The squad members scattered quickly, using their own Ninjutsu to defend themselves.
Some summoned water to try to disperse the sand, while others used Earth Release to raise sturdy walls. Dan Katō rushed to the front. His chakra surged through him as he tried to enter Spirit Transformation again. He wanted to send the intelligence back, since the front lines weren't advancing precisely because they didn't know where the Third Kazekage was!
But the Third Kazekage was far stronger than they'd imagined. Under his control, the Iron Sand slipped past one attack after another and coiled around the squad members like a serpent. One member failed to dodge in time and was bound tightly by the sand. He struggled desperately but couldn't break free, able only to watch as the sand slowly swallowed him. Then came the sound of a burst of blood.
Seeing this, Dan Katō was frantic. A flash of chakra passed over him as he canceled his Spirit Transformation. He rushed toward the trapped squad member without regard for the danger, the ninja tools in his hand glinting as he tried to cut through the deadly sand.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Song!"
Just then, Uchiha Chiba finally appeared from the side. He formed Hand Seals and not only blocked the attack aimed at Dan Katō, but also casually formed several fire dragons.
He'd been watching the Third Kazekage just now.
At the same time
He'd been wondering about something.
How had Sasori taken this thing down?
"Interesting," the Third Kazekage said, glancing at Uchiha Chiba.
The Third Kazekage launched another attack. He shaped the Iron Sand into sharp weapons and sent them raining down on the squad. In an instant, blood splattered. Another squad member was struck by the Iron Sand and fell with a scream.
Uchiha Chiba moved like a phantom, protecting the few squad members still beside him while making sure not to get hit by the Iron Sand. He looked toward Dan Katō, who was just as badly battered... Though, after all, he wasn't a Taijutsu-type ninja.
But the Third Kazekage dodged every attack with a slight shift. Then he formed Hand Seals, and the sand beneath the ground rose as if it were alive, trapping Dan Katō as well.
Dan Katō struggled in the sand, his strength fading bit by bit, but he still refused to give up. His heart was full of the will to survive and guilt toward his teammates.
"Chiba! Get out of here! His Iron Sand can absorb chakra! I'm almost out of chakra! Don't get caught in his sand or Iron Sand!" As soon as Dan Katō finished speaking, he suddenly felt himself grow lighter. Chiba's scythe had hooked him and dragged him free of the quicksand with difficulty.
Uchiha Chiba nodded. Seeing that most of the others had already been killed, he stopped in his tracks!
"If I weren't afraid my scythe would hit them, I'd have chopped you up already." Uchiha Chiba gripped the Blood Scythe and suddenly appeared above the Third Kazekage in midair!
The next second
Boom!!!!!
A short sword firmly blocked the Blood Scythe in Chiba's hand!
"Did you even eat?" the Third Kazekage said coldly.
Before you continue