Tasks & Companions?

Maki, an elite jonin of the Sand Hidden Village, a trusted confidant of both the Fourth and Fifth Kazekage, and one of the Sand Hidden Village's future higher-ups.

In the original story, Hayate Gekko—jokingly called the protagonist of Shippuden—had died at his hands. Maki's strength at the time had amazed countless viewers, though he subsequently faded into obscurity.

Even so, it was enough to prove that his strength was far beyond what a special jonin like Matsumoto Ryohei could match.

With that in mind, Uchiha Mo dodged the chunin's attacks while keeping an eye on the battlefield nearby.

Sure enough, less than half a minute later, the battle took a turn.

"Kunai... Looks like he's a taijutsu-type ninja."

Seeing Maki holding a pair of kunai, Matsumoto Ryohei immediately came to that conclusion.

"In that case, we'll use Water Release ninjutsu to keep our distance."

"Konoha ninja, why are you attacking us?"

Maki's face darkened as he raised the two kunai in a reverse grip before his chest.

"Tell us how the Kazekage is doing, and we'll leave at once!"

"The Kazekage..." Maki's expression turned cold. "Lord Kazekage has been doing very well lately. You may leave now."

"Looks like we can't come to an agreement."

Matsumoto Ryohei snorted and rapidly formed hand seals. "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

Water surged into existence, twisting into the shape of a dragon as it charged furiously toward Maki.

"You're courting death!"

A cold, cruel curve formed at Maki's lips. He suddenly tossed both kunai to the ground, then held two fingers together with his right hand and shouted:

"Wind Release: Wind Blade!"

"Buzz~"

Ripples spread from his fingertips, and a thin, circular wind blade buzzing loudly condensed into existence. Maki flicked his right hand, then raised his left to form another one and hurled it out as well!

Wind Release: Wind Blade, an A-rank ninjutsu. Hayate Gekko had died to this very move. Its cutting power was formidable, and its speed was so great that the databook described it as "absolutely impossible to evade."

"Buzz~ Squelch—!"

The first razor-sharp wind blade streaked forward in a straight line, instantly slicing apart the water dragon. The dragon collapsed into falling water, while the wind blade dissipated into the air.

But immediately afterward, the second wind blade shot toward Matsumoto Ryohei with a hum like the beating wings of a bee! Meanwhile, Maki's hands continued flinging out a third, fourth, and fifth wind blade!

"How is that possible?!"

Matsumoto Ryohei's pupils contracted in terror as he hurriedly formed hand seals once more.

"Water Release: Water Wall!"

The wind blades were incredibly fast. The distance of over ten meters vanished in nearly the blink of an eye, and they arrived before Matsumoto Ryohei.

Fortunately, the Water Wall rose successfully just before the attack struck...

"Plop!"

The Wind Blade plunged into the wall of water, splashing water everywhere. Matsumoto Ryohei let out a breath behind it, while silently reevaluating his opponent's strength.

What he did not see was the cruel expression on Maki's face...

"Plop!"

Water splashed as another wind blade plunged in. Before the water could settle, however, the third wind blade shot down at the exact same spot!

The fourth... the fifth!

A narrow, transparent hole suddenly appeared in the wall of water amid the violent splashing. Before Matsumoto Ryohei could make sense of it, a Wind Blade shot through the hole and slashed viciously at his neck!

Disbelief appeared on Matsumoto Ryohei's face. He raised a hand as if to touch his neck, only to find that his body had long since slipped beyond his control...

"Plop!"

His head slid from his neck and hit the ground, kicking up dust. The cruel smile on Maki's face deepened.

"Uh-oh~ Little ones, it looks like you're in quite a bad situation..."

Uchiha Mo withdrew his sidelong gaze, completely unsurprised.

Although jonin were already considered the top combat force of a ninja village in the conventional sense in this world, from a broader perspective, if ninja were classified like athletes, reaching jonin level only meant one had truly entered the field.

Most so-called chunin and genin were merely cannon fodder who knew a few ninjutsu and would not run from war.

The gap between one jonin and another was no smaller than that between a person and a dog. Take Kakashi and Kurenai Yuhi before the Fourth Shinobi War—both were among the strongest below Kage level, yet for Kakashi, dealing with ordinary jonin was no different from fighting chunin.

Their chakra quality was not even on the same level, and the resulting power of their ninjutsu was worlds apart, not to mention combat awareness and other tangible strengths.

Maki and Matsumoto Ryohei were the same: one was an elite jonin, the other a special jonin.

Uchiha Mo was just about to cut down the cannon fodder before him and face Maki when Kakashi made an unexpected move.

With a slash, he forced back the chunin in front of him, then turned and charged straight at Maki, leaving Inoue Shoji standing there in stunned disbelief.

"Mo! Quickly capture someone alive and get out of here! I'll hold this one off!"

White Fang swept down diagonally, unleashing a fierce flash of blade light. Maki twisted aside to evade it, then caught a kunai and hurled it at Kakashi's forehead.

"Kakashi? Then this blade must be White Fang, right? If I take you back, Granny Chiyo will surely be delighted."

At the sight of that distinctive white hair and short blade, Maki recognized Kakashi at once. Though Kakashi's reputation had only just begun to emerge at this point, White Fang held a special significance for the Sand Hidden Village, so his appearance was far from unfamiliar there.

Before his words had even faded, a shrill scream suddenly rang out from nearby. Uchiha Mo glanced sideways and saw the chunin wearing a cruel smile as he drove a kunai into Inoue Shoji's neck...

Bang!

He tossed Inoue Shoji's corpse to the ground, raised his kunai, and charged toward Uchiha Mo.

Kakashi knew full well that he was no match for this man, so he could only keep swinging the short blade in his hand, desperately maintaining the initiative.

Maki's gaze was grave as he swiftly evaded Kakashi's attacks. White Fang's reputation was too formidable—Maki did not dare clash head-on with that ninja blade using only two small kunai.

Nearly ten seconds passed. Several shallow cuts had appeared on Maki's body, but Kakashi's stamina had already run dry under his all-out assault.

Maki narrowed his eyes. Seeing Kakashi's breathing grow more and more ragged, he realized his chance had come.

He suddenly crossed his kunai to block White Fang's downward slash. Kakashi's pupils contracted, but before he could react, Maki's cheeks swelled, and he suddenly exhaled a cloud of purple smoke.

"Poison Mist Technique!"

In his haste, Kakashi quickly shut his eyes, bent his knees, and sprang backward. But battle-hardened Maki would not miss such an opportunity.

He raised both hands again, gathering wind blades as thin as cicada wings at his fingertips.

"Wind Release: Wind Blade!"

Bzzzt—Splat!

The first Wind Blade slashed across Kakashi's shoulder, bursting open a massive spray of blood! Kakashi stumbled, and the second Wind Blade was about to cleave open his head when a flash of lightning abruptly broke into the battlefield!

Uchiha Mo kicked Kakashi away. The second Wind Blade grazed his neck and flew past, followed immediately by three more Wind Blades.

Mo's expression tightened slightly as his eyes turned crimson, two tomoe spinning into view. With a flick of his wrist, his blade erupted with blazing flames and swept forward!

Boom—!

The massive flames surged back, and the Wind Blades whipped the fire into an even fiercer blaze before being swallowed up in an instant.

Kakashi sat on the ground, gasping for breath. A trace of terror still lingered on his face as he turned and saw a headless corpse and an unconscious Sand ninja lying quietly there.

He gritted his teeth and looked up at the expressionless youth. Rather than thanking him, he angrily shouted, "Why did you save me?! Didn't I tell you to take someone and run?! Why are all of you like this?! Don't you know that..."

Before he could finish, Uchiha Mo suddenly interrupted him in an indifferent tone.

"Don't misunderstand. I only saved you because I'm strong enough. Only the weak fall into the dilemma of having to choose; for the strong, any choice is the right one. Since you value the mission so much, then take that Sand ninja and flee in disgrace like a stray dog. I'll kill Maki!"