Meanwhile, a little later in the Land of Waves.
"We've been looking everywhere for you, and you actually came to us! Boys, that woman's over he—Aagh!"
A kunai drove straight into the forehead of one of Gato's Men, and he collapsed with a scream.
Kurenai Yuhi, who had thrown it, was deathly pale. A sword wound across her waist and abdomen still seeped blood through its bandages.
Yet there was not a trace of fear in her beautiful eyes, only the cold resolve of a Konoha jonin:
"You've been looking for me? What a joke. I'm the one looking for you!"
Casually pulling her kunai from the corpse, Kurenai Yuhi surveyed the thugs, none of whom even measured up to a genin, and quietly waited, hoping they would spread word of her presence here.
She had deliberately exposed her whereabouts to draw as many of them to her as possible and ease the search pressure on Shino.
Although she did not know where Shino was now, he certainly had not fallen into their hands yet.
After hiding Lady Tsunami, the daughter of her protection target, Tazuna, she had captured one of the pursuing assassins and forced information out of him.
Their orders were still to find two people, which meant Shino was still in hiding.
I really am a failure. If only I'd reported the irregularities in this mission as soon as I discovered them... Ah, Sakura, Shino, Kiba, please all be safe. Otherwise, I...
Yet Kurenai Yuhi's decision to stand there and wait led the lackeys to mistakenly believe she was frightened of their superior numbers.
Several of Gato's men exchanged glances. Rather than wait for reinforcements, they drew their weapons and stepped forward, shouting.
"She's all alone! Who gives a damn if she's a ninja? Kill her and