Ambush

Kazuhiko, who had been resting with his eyes closed, had not expected Madara Uchiha's perception to be so keen that he could even tell he was not asleep.

"This is your first time outside the village, after all. You're here to gain experience, but as your team leader, I still have a responsibility to you. Itachi, how did you figure out I wasn't asleep?"

"Your breathing was too regular, Kazuhiko-sensei. You're from the Sarutobi Clan, aren't you? Are you close to the Third Hokage? I'm curious what you did before this."

To keep the firelight from attracting any unexpected danger, they had extinguished the campfire when Shizuko and the others went to sleep. In the pitch-black woods, Madara Uchiha sounded out his instructor.

"I used to carry out missions. We may belong to the same clan, but I don't get many chances to see Lord Hokage. Just as your father surely doesn't know every young member of the Uchiha Clan. Speaking of which, Itachi, why didn't you join the Police Force directly? With your father there, it would be much easier for you to get experience or take some time off. Given your abilities, I think even these C-Rank Missions are something of a waste."

Kazuhiko Sarutobi gave an airtight answer to Madara Uchiha's question, then turned the probing back on him.

"I'd rather make a name for myself than live in my father's shadow. As for my abilities, they're certainly nowhere near yours, Sensei."

In the darkness, Kazuhiko Sarutobi watched Madara Uchiha's back as he stood guard. Though Madara's answer suited a young prodigy, his tone was far too flat. Just as Madara Uchiha had discerned from Kazuhiko's regular breathing that he was only pretending to sleep, Kazuhiko instinctively felt that this student of his was not as simple as his words suggested.

Two hours passed. Madara Uchiha prodded the sleeping Sōsuke Aburame awake with the handle of a kunai, then settled into a feigned sleep himself.

Is he this wary even of his own companions? No wonder he could tell I was pretending to sleep. This boy would never entrust his life entirely to someone else.

From the shadows, Kazuhiko Sarutobi carefully observed every little detail of Madara Uchiha's behavior. He was curious how Madara had developed such a temperament and such habits. Even if Madara Uchiha had fought in the Third Shinobi World War, he had served with Uchiha Fugaku's trusted troops. Kazuhiko Sarutobi did not believe that the Uchiha Clan, renowned for sticking together, would be so wary of their own clansmen. The only possible explanation was that Uchiha Fugaku had taught Uchiha Itachi not to trust anyone outside the Uchiha Clan. If that was the case, the Uchiha Clan's prejudice against Konoha ran deep indeed.

The night passed quickly. At first light, Kazuhiko Sarutobi woke everyone, and they set out once more.

"Once we cross this border, we'll be outside the Land of Fire's sphere of influence. You must be cautious once we leave the country. The enemies out there really will kill you."

At the Land of Fire's border, Kazuhiko Sarutobi once again stressed the dangers of leaving the country to his team, then led everyone across.

"Sensei, there are people lying in ambush on both sides of the road ahead. There seem to be twenty or thirty of them, but I'm not sure whether we're their target."

After they had traveled another few miles along a quiet mountain trail, Hayato Hyuga activated his Byakugan and spotted a small group setting up an ambush ahead. He immediately reported his discovery to Kazuhiko Sarutobi.

"Stay here and keep Shizuko and the others safe. I'll go meet them first."

Even Kazuhiko Sarutobi had to marvel at how convenient it was to have a teammate with the Byakugan. Hayato had detected the potential danger from so far away.

After assigning Sosuke, Hayato, and Madara to guard the group, Kazuhiko Sarutobi stepped alone onto the little bridge at the center of the ambush. The moment his feet touched the bridge, two large nets sprang out from either side. Just as they were about to envelop him, he drew a ninja sword from his waist. Blue chakra coated the blade, and with a slash of Kazuhiko's sword, the bandits' specially made nets were shredded in an instant.

Wind Release chakra could greatly increase the sharpness of ninja weapons. It was perfectly natural for Kazuhiko Sarutobi, a jōnin, to have mastered this chakra transformation.

"Friends, I'm a ninja from Konoha. I mean you no harm. I only wish to pass through. If possible, I'd rather avoid a pointless conflict with you. Would you do me the courtesy of coming out to talk?"

Standing on the bridge, Kazuhiko Sarutobi had already roughly determined how many ambushers there were and where they were hiding. Their willingness to attack him without a word made it clear they were no decent folk. But his mission as a ninja was to escort Shizuko, and a clash with these bandits would be a pointless drain on his resources outside the mission's scope. He only wanted to get through quickly. Whether these bandits attacked someone else afterward was none of his concern.

Crack!

The answer to Kazuhiko's offer of peace was the sound of the wooden bridge breaking. As it collapsed, countless arrows shot toward him from every direction. Off balance and surrounded on all sides, Kazuhiko was turned into a pincushion. Meanwhile, roughly twenty bandits in crude clothing, their bodies filthy and their eyes vicious, climbed up from beneath the riverbank and moved to surround Shizuko, Madara Uchiha, and the others.

"Aah!!"

Seeing someone die before their eyes for the first time, Shizuko and her caravan companions could not help screaming. Kazuhiko Sarutobi was the strongest member of their party. If even he could die so easily, what chance did the rest of them have? It went without saying what would happen to them if they fell into these bandits' hands.

"Don't be afraid. That was just a clone. Even I could dodge an attack like that, let alone Kazuhiko-sensei. Kazuhiko-sensei, come out already. Scaring our clients out of their wits will hurt our reputation."

At this critical moment, Hayato Hyuga stepped forward in time to reassure the panicking Shizuko and the others. At the same time, Kazuhiko's voice sounded beside them.

"What a nuisance. I was going to let them off, but it looks like we'll have to fight. You three, go ahead. I'll protect the clients. You're not going to get yourselves killed by this lot, are you?"

"Aaaah!!"

Seeing the man who had just died reappear beside her, Shizuko screamed again, even more wretchedly than before.