Before the Storm

At last, Duanmu heard a familiar voice. It was Iruka scolding Naruto. He no longer cared why the two of them were here; right now, he only wanted to grab hold of this lifesaving straw. Duanmu staggered out of the woods by the stream, his clothes in tatters, his whole body soaked through. The wound on his shoulder was still oozing blood, and his face was as pale as paper.

"Teacher Iruka! Naruto!" Duanmu shouted with all the strength he had left, his voice hoarse and weak.

Iruka, who had been reprimanding Naruto, froze at the sound. When he turned and saw Duanmu rushing out, his face changed drastically. "Duanmu?! How did you end up like this?"

Naruto had no time to complain about Iruka anymore. Seeing Duanmu in such a miserable state, especially the shocking wound on his shoulder, his eyes immediately went wide. "Duanmu! You're hurt! Who did this?!"

Duanmu rushed up to the two of them and nearly lost his footing. He grabbed Iruka's arm, gasping for breath, and pointed toward the direction he had been chased from. "Teacher Iruka, hurry... take Naruto and leave this place! It's dangerous!"

The moment his words fell, several dark figures darted out from the shadows of the forest like ghosts. They were the Root ninja who had been chasing him relentlessly.

When they saw Iruka and Naruto, surprise flashed through their eyes, but they did not hesitate in the slightest. Their target remained locked on Duanmu.

"Protect Naruto!" Iruka instantly pulled Naruto behind him, then stood in front of Duanmu and Naruto, taking a battle stance. Though he was only an ordinary genin and usually focused on teaching, faced with these murderous Root ninja, he did not back down in the slightest.

"Who are you?!" Iruka shouted in a low voice, his sharp gaze fixed on the uninvited guests wearing animal masks.

Seeing that it was Iruka, the Root ninja stopped as well. One of them cursed under his breath. "Damn it. Why is Iruka here?"

"What now? That brat can't be allowed to live."

Iruka also realized that something was wrong. These people wore masks, and their aura was cold and sinister. They were definitely not good people, and their target was clearly Duanmu.

He shielded Naruto even more tightly, and the chakra inside his body began flowing rapidly. Though he knew his strength was far inferior to theirs, as a teacher, protecting his students was his duty.

"Who exactly are you? Why are you being so vicious toward a student?" Iruka's voice carried a slight tremor, but even more than that, it was firm.

The Root member who had discovered Duanmu earlier took a step forward, his voice utterly emotionless. "Unrelated personnel, get lost." His gaze was like he was looking at two objects in the way, cold without the slightest trace of warmth.

"I am a Konoha ninja, Iruka Umino. As long as I'm here, I won't let you hurt my students!" Iruka straightened his back. Though he faced a suffocating pressure, his eyes did not waver in the slightest.

"You don't know what's good for you." The Root member gave a cold snort and signaled to the two beside him.

Immediately, two Root ninja shot out like ghosts, attacking Iruka from the left and right. Their movements were as fast as lightning, and the kunai in their hands flashed with a deadly cold gleam.

"Be careful!" Duanmu warned hoarsely. He wanted to step forward and help, only to find his body had long since stopped obeying him from exhaustion and blood loss. All he could do was watch helplessly.

Iruka's pupils constricted. He knew he could not take them head-on. He suddenly leapt backward while his hands formed seals rapidly. "Clone Technique!"

Bang! Bang! Two Iruka clones appeared where he had been, each meeting one of the Root ninja, while his real body retreated quickly to the side with Naruto and Duanmu.

Poof! Poof! The clones were instantly struck by the kunai and dispersed into white smoke.

So fast! Iruka was horrified. These people were far stronger than ordinary genin, even stronger than some chunin.

"Teacher Iruka, they're from Root!" Duanmu said with difficulty as he panted. "They're Danzo's people!"

"Root?!" Iruka's expression changed drastically. Though he was only an ordinary teacher, he had heard of that mysterious organization. It was an Anbu force directly under Danzo, secretive and ruthless in its methods, never bothering with reason. Why would they be targeting Duanmu?

Just as Iruka was shocked, the leading Root member had already lost his patience. "All together. End this quickly. Don't let the target escape!"

He was just about to charge forward when another person grabbed him. "The patrol is coming."

"What? Weren't the Uchiha supposed to be attending the gathering?! Damn it, did Iruka call them here?" The Root ninja's gaze swept toward the faint torchlight appearing in the distant woods, as well as the several clear caws of crows unique to the Uchiha clan emblem. Beneath his mask, his brows knitted tightly.

Their operation this time had been a secret execution. They absolutely could not be exposed in front of a Konoha patrol, especially not in front of the Uchiha—those Sharingan lunatics were the best at tracking. Once they got entangled with them, even if they could silence them, it would inevitably alert the Hokage Tower.

A vicious glint flashed through the leader's eyes, but in the end, he still gritted his teeth and said, "Withdraw!"

He looked unwillingly at Duanmu, who was being firmly protected behind Iruka. That gaze was like he was looking at prey that had escaped by sheer luck. "The target is temporarily safe, but he has already been marked. A specialist will handle it afterward."

The three dark figures were like drops of water blending into ink, disappearing into the depths of the dense forest in an instant. Only the faint smell of blood and the almost imperceptible killing intent remained in the air.

Only when those cold presences had completely dispersed did Iruka feel his tense body suddenly loosen. Cold sweat slid down his temples. He immediately turned and supported the swaying Duanmu, anxiously checking his injuries. "Duanmu! Hold on! Your shoulder..."

"Teacher... I'm fine..." Duanmu weakly shook his head. His vision was already starting to blur, and the wound on his shoulder was still gushing blood, staining Iruka's sleeve red. That final struggle just now had nearly exhausted all his strength. At this moment, he was only forcing himself not to collapse through willpower alone.

Naruto paced in frantic circles beside them, his small face filled with anger and worry. "Hey! Who the hell were those masked bastards? Why did they want to kill Duanmu?! Teacher Iruka, we have to take Duanmu to the hospital, quick!"

Iruka wasted no words. He directly carried Duanmu on his back and hurried toward the hospital.

While Duanmu was receiving treatment, Iruka also reported the incident to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Inside the Third Hokage's office, smoke curled through the air. After Hiruzen Sarutobi finished listening to Iruka's report, the pipe between his fingers trembled slightly, and his aged face was filled with gravity.

He remained silent for a long time. A complicated light flashed through his deep eyes—anger, helplessness, and a trace of weariness that was hard to detect. "I understand, Iruka. You did very well in this matter. How is Duanmu now?"

"The doctor said he lost too much blood and has some internal injuries. He'll need proper rest, but fortunately, his life isn't in danger." Iruka answered respectfully, lingering fear still on his face.

"Mm. You may go back first. Take good care of Duanmu and Naruto. I will handle this matter." Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand, his voice somewhat hoarse.

Iruka acknowledged him and withdrew, and the office fell into silence once more.