Kakashi's reaction was astonishingly fast. Using the Sharingan's precognition, he shoved Ling Yue and Sakura aside.
The invisible wind blade nearly grazed their backs. The piercing sound of a dead tree being severed made their scalps tingle.
"Enemy attack! Find cover!" Kakashi growled, instantly drawing a Kunai as his Sharingan swept sharply toward the direction the wind blade had come from.
Ling Yue and Sakura reacted immediately as well, swiftly darting behind a nearby boulder and tree, watching the dense forest warily.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Pretty quick reactions, Hidden Leaf Village ninja." A slightly hoarse, mocking voice came from the shadows among the trees.
Accompanied by footsteps, three figures slowly emerged.
They all wore Sunagakure ninja uniforms, but each of their forehead protectors bore a deep slash, marking them as rogue ninja.
The leader was a sinister-looking middle-aged man with his arms folded across his chest. That wind blade had clearly been launched by him.
To his left stood a tall, skinny, pale-faced young man. To his right was a short, stocky brute with a face full of flesh.
"Sand Village rogue ninja?" Kakashi's gaze narrowed. "You came for that thing too?" He gestured toward the destroyed Purple Soil pit behind him.
"Hmph, looks like you got here before us." The leading Sand Village rogue ninja, Ye Gui, snorted coldly. "But it doesn't matter. Killing you and taking the sample afterward works just as well. And while we're at it... we can demand some ransom from the Hidden Leaf Village."
The tall, skinny man beside him let out a strange chuckle and licked his lips. "That silver-haired little girl looks soft and tender. She should taste pretty good." His gaze roamed over Ling Yue with ill intent.
The short, stocky rogue ninja said in a muffled voice, "Boss, enough talk.