My Kidney's Gone?

After completing several D-rank missions in a row, Hyuga Satoru and the others were summoned by Aburame Shibi to a training ground one day.

After briefly explaining the mission requirements, Aburame Shibi spoke in a deep voice.

"Do you all understand the requirements of this mission?"

"We understand," Anko said, raising her hand hesitantly. "But Teacher Shibi, isn't it too difficult for our first mission outside the village to be a B-rank mission?"

Konoha scouts had discovered traces of Iwa Ninja activity near the border of the Land of Grass. They seemed to be searching for supplies, and their mission was to stop them from bringing those supplies back.

Any mission involving combat between ninja from two nations started at B-rank at minimum.

"The strongest enemy is only a Chunin. If I were alone, I could finish this instantly. This is training for you."

"That's really straightforward." Anko's mouth twitched.

Hyuga Satoru's gaze flickered. Iwa Ninja activity had been discovered at the border. This was a sign that war was approaching. It seemed the brutal Third Shinobi World War from his memories was not far off.

With the composition of their team, the strategic value of his Byakugan, and Aburame Shibi's versatility, the mission they were carrying out was bound to be anything but simple.

Uchiha Rin did not think that much about it. She was simply eager to get started.

"Then it's settled. You have half an hour to prepare supplies. Gather here again in thirty minutes."

After several days of travel, Hyuga Satoru and the others finally arrived at the location marked in the intelligence report. Looking out from the branches, they could see a lush green plain.

"According to the latest intelligence, that group of Iwa Ninja will be transporting supplies through here. Our mission is to stop them from bringing those supplies back."

Hyuga Satoru hid in the brush, silently observing the changes around them.

Searching for supplies at this time was undoubtedly preparation for war. Cutting off the Iwa Ninja's supply preparations might delay the arrival of the Third Shinobi World War. What he lacked most right now was time.

His Byakugan was activated to its limit. After more than a year of training, its range had expanded to three kilometers.

Not long after, a disguised merchant caravan appeared in his field of vision. Through the Byakugan, he could clearly see the considerable Chakra flowing within their bodies.

"They're here!" Hyuga Satoru called in a low voice. "Three o'clock, three kilometers away. There are five of them: four Chunin and one Genin."

"Five ninja?" Anko swallowed instinctively.

"With Teacher Shibi here, we shouldn't need to worry too much, right?"

She turned around and immediately got goosebumps.

Huh? Where was Teacher Shibi?

He had clearly been here just a moment ago. How had he disappeared?

The brush where they had been hiding was empty. Other than the three of them, there was no one else.

"Forget it, don't worry about Teacher Shibi. He's probably hiding somewhere else to watch the battle. For now, we'll have to rely on ourselves."

Hyuga Satoru took a deep breath and calmed himself, then looked at the other two.

"At this distance, they should pass through here in ten minutes. Let's make a battle plan in advance. First..."

Anko and Rin listened silently.

Iwato walked at the front of the formation. The five-man convoy looked like an ordinary merchant caravan, but if one looked carefully, Shuriken, Kunai, and other ninja equipment could be faintly seen beneath their travel-worn plain clothes.

This supply handover had gone extremely smoothly. As long as they transported the supplies back, they would surely receive a reward from Lord Tsuchikage.

Iwato thought happily. Their group had departed from the Land of Artisans, passed through the Land of Grass, and was now getting closer and closer to the Land of Earth.

As they passed beside a patch of brush, an abnormal change suddenly occurred!

A Kunai suddenly shot out from the brush, flying straight toward him.

An attack?

This level of attack thought it could hurt him? A cold gleam flashed in Iwato's eyes.

He raised his Kunai to block the attack's path, but just as the incoming Kunai was about to be blocked, its trajectory suddenly changed. It arced in a bizarre curve and lodged firmly in his throat.

Iwato's pupils abruptly contracted. His mouth fell open, disbelief filling his face. He wanted to say something, but his mouth was full of bloody foam spilling out.

"Captain Iwato!"

"Damn it!"

"Enemy attack!"

After seeing their captain's gruesome fall, the Iwa Ninja team quickly calmed down after a brief moment of panic. They tore off their disguising cloaks, revealing full sets of standard ninja equipment.

Since they had already been ambushed, their identities had clearly been exposed long ago. Keeping up the disguise would only make the battle more inconvenient.

At the very instant they tore off their disguises, three figures burst from the grass, charging at the Iwa Ninja with Kunai in hand.

"Byakugan? Three little brats actually killed Captain Iwato..."

The tall Iwa Ninja gritted his teeth. He looked toward the cart and shouted, "Kaito, guard the supplies. Leave these three brats to us."

"Yes!" the thin Chunin shouted.

Seeing that one of the remaining Iwa Ninja had not charged forward and had instead chosen to guard the supplies, Hyuga Satoru felt a surge of delight. This made it three against three, greatly reducing their pressure.

"Rin and I will handle those two Chunin. Anko, hold off that Genin."

"Got it!"

The one facing Hyuga Satoru was the tall Iwa Ninja. His muscles bulged, and in terms of size, Hyuga Satoru only reached his waist.

Hyuga Satoru threw several Shuriken in succession. Their trajectories abruptly shifted in midair, but the enemy blocked them with his Kunai, suffering only superficial wounds.

"Brat, are you the one who killed Captain Iwato with that ability?"

Looking at the bloody cuts made by the Shuriken, the tall Iwa Ninja gritted his teeth.

"Controlling Shuriken—what a strange ability. No wonder Captain Iwato fell for it! But it's useless now."

Hyuga Satoru's expression did not change. Using Electromagnetic Force to alter the Shuriken's trajectory was indeed strange, but its greatest advantage was its surprise factor. Once the enemy was prepared, its effectiveness dropped sharply.

Exposing this ability in exchange for the life of their strongest fighter was a profit no matter how he calculated it.

On the other side, Uchiha Rin's expression was somewhat grim. She held Kunai in both hands, blocking a Ninja Sword that slashed at her at extreme speed.

"A sword specialist? What a pain."

She did a backflip to evade the Ninja Sword sweeping toward her waist and abdomen, then spat disdainfully.

It had to be said, sword specialists were rather effective against her type. Kunai were too short to give her an advantage in close combat, while using ninjutsu would let the enemy close in rapidly. For a time, the battle fell into a stalemate.

Anko's situation was just as dangerous. The Genin fighting her had far more combat experience and kept her firmly suppressed.

Hyuga Satoru withdrew his gaze and thought, I can't drag this out any longer. I have to end this quickly and support them.

The tall Iwa Ninja facing him seemed to see through his thoughts and laughed. "As long as I'm here, you'll never succeed in supporting them."

"We've dragged this out long enough. It's time to end it."

"Secret Technique! Rock Armor Technique!"

The Iwa Ninja suddenly formed hand seals. Dense rocks covered his entire body like armor, and his already towering frame grew even larger, making him look like a rock giant.

The giant opened his mouth, releasing a rumbling voice like wind howling through a mountain valley.

"Byakugan brat, you're a ninja from the Hyuga Clan, aren't you? I only avoided close combat before because of your Gentle Fist. But in this state, your Gentle Fist cannot possibly break my defense."

He charged at Hyuga Satoru, his pot-sized stone fist aimed directly at his head.

"Who told you I use Gentle Fist?"

Hyuga Satoru raised an eyebrow, lowered his body slightly, and slammed his palm into the man's side.

A muffled boom rang out. The violent pain made the Iwa Ninja's pupils contract. Looking down, he saw that the entire section of his side where Hyuga Satoru's palm had struck had vanished, leaving behind a horrifying, bloody hollow.

Huh? My kidney's gone?