A crosswind swept through the mountain forest, and beneath the rustling of swaying leaves, the vast clearing became a battlefield of life and death.
Kagami Uchiha cautiously watched Danzo and his companion while silently sensing every movement in the surrounding wind and grass.
The two before him could not be called weak, but it was absolutely impossible for them alone to have crossed layer after layer of defenses to reach this place.
That meant they definitely had companions, and those companions were most likely stronger than them.
Kagami had two choices before him: either eliminate these two before their allies appeared, or hold them off and see whose reinforcements arrived first.
Against ordinary enemies, Kagami would have chosen the safer second option. But since they were all the same age...
"Hara, I'll leave the other one to you. Watch your timing."
Might Yuan gave the side of his nose a light wipe with his thumb and said confidently, "Hehe, got it!"
"Hmph, just what I wanted."
Danzo tightened his grip on his kunai. This was a battle to prove his abilities, and he absolutely could not lose.
Unlike Danzo's eagerness, Mitokado Homura wore a grave expression. He knew that he was normally inferior to both Danzo and Hiruzen, placing him only in the second tier beneath them.
But against these enemies, leaving aside that Uchiha Clan boy, even the bowl-cut guy alone was terrifying. From that kick earlier, he could tell that the man's taijutsu was frighteningly strong. At the very least, Homura did not think he could necessarily withstand that whip kick.
Seemingly noticing Homura's hesitation, Danzo slowly reassured him, "Homura, keep an eye on the bowl-cut. Buy me three minutes. If I haven't decided the battle by then, we retreat."
"I'll do my best."
After those brief instructions,