Facing the Iwa Pursuers Alone

"Where's Iwagakure's scroll?"

Once all the Konoha Anbu ninja had regrouped, Shihōin Naraku looked up at the members who had been cleaning up the battlefield.

"Sir, it's this scroll!"

None of the Anbu ninja present had the authority to open the scroll and inspect it. Only Naraku was qualified to do so.

"It's quite a jumble."

"What exactly was Sunagakure trying to buy from Iwagakure with all that gold dust..."

Naraku opened the scroll and examined it carefully. The supplies listed on it really were a jumble, with all sorts of things included.

"Ninja tools, seeds, grain..."

These supplies alone showed how short of resources Sunagakure was. Even supplies needed for everyday life were scarce.

In fact, across the entire shinobi world, only the Land of Fire and Konohagakure had abundant resources and lacked little in the way of supplies. This was also why everyone resented Konohagakure. If they could have defeated it, the other nations would have carved up the Land of Fire long ago.

"So that's it..."

Naraku spotted the most important material stored in the scroll: chakra metal!

Chakra metal was a very unique metal in the Naruto world. Weapons forged from it were not only extremely sharp and tough, but also allowed chakra to be applied to them easily, with less chakra loss than ordinary ninja tools.

That was precisely why ninja tools forged from chakra metal were so expensive.

For example, Asuma Sarutobi, the son of Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, used chakra blades forged from this special metal. Even with his status, he had only had a pair of relatively small blades made. That alone showed how scarce and expensive weapons forged from this metal were.

"Iwagakure and Sunagakure have really lost out this time. This chakra metal alone is enough to hurt."

With that thought, Naraku immediately put away the scroll and handed it to a subordinate, then ordered, "Withdraw now, according to the original plan!"

"Yes, sir!"

As the leader in charge of this mission, Naraku brought up the rear, letting the other members leave first and return to the village.

Naraku was very confident in his strength. In addition, the things they had seized were precious, so they needed to be delivered to the village quickly.

In fact, things would be much better once they crossed the Land of Fire Border. Generally, even pursuers would not readily enter the Land of Fire.

That was especially true of a large force with many people. Doing so would amount to an outright declaration of war.

After a battle, they should have taken the time to recover their stamina and chakra, waiting until they were in better condition before withdrawing.

But because of the supplies they had obtained, Naraku had ordered an immediate withdrawal, and the Anbu members naturally had to obey.

Watching his subordinates retreat with the supplies, Naraku glanced at the traces of battle around him, then followed them.

Of course, as the last person to withdraw, he also kept leaving traps behind him to guard against pursuers.

Whoosh!

Shihōin Naraku flickered onto the top of a tall tree in the forest and gazed into the distance behind him.

It was broad daylight now, and Naraku had yet to encounter any pursuers while bringing up the rear.

"If the rendezvous teams from those two villages don't show up soon, the supplies will enter the Land of Fire, and they'll never get them back."

At their normal pace, the Konoha Anbu ninja who had set off ahead of him were already close to the Land of Fire Border. In another hour or two, they could be back.

Just then-

Boom, boom, boom...

Thunderous explosions suddenly rang out. Flames and dust rose into the air in the distance, and a shock wave instantly spread outward in a circle.

"They're here!"

"I wonder whether they're Iwagakure ninja or people from Sunagakure!"

Naraku turned, leaped down from the treetop, and immediately took off.

Because of the time constraints, Naraku had not put much effort into concealing his trail. Any ninja skilled at tracking could easily find the various traces. He was simply doing his best to draw them toward himself.

Rustle, rustle...

Faint footsteps were masked by the calls of insects and birds in the forest.

Two squads of Iwagakure ninja moved silently through the forest, carefully watching for any movement around them.

The Iwa Shinobi leader at the front made a few simple gestures, and the subordinates behind him immediately moved forward.

After encountering the traps a short while earlier, they were now extremely cautious.

But time was also very important to them. If they took too long, any hope of recovering the supplies would be completely lost.

To the Iwagakure ninja, the supplies originally meant to be traded to Sunagakure were worth a considerable amount, especially with chakra metal among them.

Now, not only had they failed to receive payment, but they had also lost the supplies. This was absolutely intolerable.

Suddenly, ripples spread through the earth beside the Iwa Shinobi leader's feet, making the ground before him look like the surface of water. Then an Iwa Shinobi emerged from underground and gave the leader a hand signal.

The Iwa Shinobi leader then looked at the ninja beside him. The man dropped to one knee and pressed a hand against the ground, chakra surging within him as he began sensing the surroundings.

Abruptly, he paused, then warned in a low voice:

"There was some movement just now, roughly a kilometer to the southeast."

"Move out!"

"Yes, sir!"

Shihōin Naraku stood in a tall tree, completely concealed by its dense foliage.

At this point, he did not know how many ninja were pursuing him.

That also depended on which side, Sunagakure or Iwagakure, reacted faster and placed more importance on its own goods.

What concerned Naraku most now was whether there was a Sensor Ninja among the pursuers. If there was, then once fighting broke out again, the Sensor Ninja would be his first target.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Naraku frowned. The forest, which had been alive with insects and birds, fell silent all at once. With killing intent filling the air, it seemed even a pin dropping to the ground would be clearly audible.

"They're here!"

"Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears!"

Naraku sprang straight up, leaving his position in an instant!

Bang, bang, bang...

A mass of sharp rocks suddenly thrust up from the ground, forming spear-like shapes that stabbed toward Naraku's position.

In an instant, numerous tough trees were pierced by the sharp stone spears, sending showers of stone chips and wood splinters flying through the air.

"Earth Release: Rock Pillar Spear!"

Having dodged the first Earth Release ninjutsu attack, Naraku had only just flickered down to the ground when a mass of spikes bloomed beneath his feet like flowers.

The spikes rapidly grew larger and abruptly impaled Naraku before he could dodge.

Poof!

Smoke rose, and Naraku vanished, replaced by a wooden log.

"Substitution Technique? When did he form the hand seals?"

The Iwagakure ninja who had revealed themselves searched everywhere for Naraku, while the Sensor Ninja immediately located him. "Three hundred meters! Southwest!"

"Fire Release: Searing Migraine!"

Under the Iwa Shinobi's shocked gazes, Naraku formed no hand seals at all. Instead, he raised two fingers together and abruptly spat a fireball into the center of their formation.

The next second, the fireball struck the ground and instantly expanded, erupting in a terrifying explosion with a boom as rapidly spreading flames engulfed a large area around it.

The flames spread so terrifyingly fast that the Iwa Shinobi did not even have time to dodge. Three of them were engulfed by the Fire Release, then reduced to ashes amid agonized screams.

A vast stretch of forest was destroyed in an instant!

This Fire Release attack was simply too swift and fierce. Its terrifying casting speed and explosive power had dealt the Iwa Shinobi a heavy blow.