As Gua noticed the thunderclouds,
the members of all three Jonin patrol squads in the distance noticed them too.
Iroha Hyuga was still responsible for tracking inward, while the other two Jonin squads continued patrolling the perimeter.
They could not all leave.
The whole reason three squads of Shinobi had been stationed on the perimeter was to handle sudden situations like this.
If something unusual happened, the third Jonin squad would move first, followed by the second. Once only the first Jonin squad remained, they could do nothing but wait for reinforcements.
"Three Shinobi are fighting in that direction!"
With his Byakugan active, Iroha Hyuga had already seen what was happening there.
The two Shinobi behind him immediately asked,
"Is it the Three Little Ones?"
"No! Two of them belong to the squad that infiltrated earlier! The other has an unfamiliar chakra signature."
Iroha Hyuga frowned slightly.
Things were looking really bad now. That unfamiliar chakra signature was displaying far too much power.
"This one's going to be tough."
Iroha Hyuga added another warning to his companions. "Be careful."
Both companions nodded.
Just then, one of the Shinobi beside him suddenly shouted,
"Iroha! Watch out!"
Iroha Hyuga's heart clenched. He jerked his head up and discovered an enormous summoned beast dropping from the sky above him.
His attention had been entirely focused on using his Byakugan to observe what lay ahead,
and he had nearly fallen victim to its sneak attack.
After retreating several dozen meters,
Iroha Hyuga finally looked closely at what stood before him. A woman dressed in leather and holding a whip stood atop the strange summoned beast, a smile playing on her lips.
"Sorry~ I can't let you through right now~"
Then,
two men appeared, one on either side.
Three against three.
Iroha Hyuga activated his