Chapter 16

"Xuan Zhe, Shinnosuke, after the last mission failed, the Second Kazekage is bound to tighten his guard. You'd better not clash with him head-on. Sneak into the camp and wait quietly for an opening."

The next day, at the entrance to Konoha's main camp.

Hatake Sakumo earnestly cautioned Xuan Zhe and Sarutobi Shinnosuke as they prepared to leave.

Xuan Zhe couldn't help rubbing his temples, thinking that his brother really was a complete idiot when it came to politics.

Even Tsunade, who knew he had hemorrhoids on his backside, couldn't be bothered to say anything.

Even Orochimaru could guess what he wanted to do, yet his brother hadn't suspected a thing.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke frowned and glanced at Xuan Zhe.

"What do you mean by that?"

Xuan Zhe didn't answer. He merely raised a hand and pointed at the muddy path ahead.

The downpour battered the road, sending up sheets of spray. Several ** lay sprawled in the grass beside the road, their blood already diluted by the rain.

"Look over there."

Sarutobi Shinnosuke followed his pointing finger.

Deep in the grass, a pair of eyes stared fixedly at them.

The owner of those eyes was wrapped in a black cloak, with only a deathly pale face exposed. Rain ran down his chin and dripped onto the kunai hanging at his waist.

"One of Hanzō's men?" Sarutobi Shinnosuke asked in a low voice.

"Doesn't look like it." Xuan Zhe shook his head. "Hanzō's men wouldn't hide somewhere like this."

Barely had he finished speaking when three or four more figures emerged from the grass.

They moved very slowly, their gait somewhat stiff, like puppets on strings.

Xuan Zhe narrowed his eyes.

These people wore no forehead protectors or any other identifying marks. But they all held kunai, their knuckles white, clearly poised to strike.

"Who are you?" Sarutobi Shinnosuke demanded.

No one answered.

Amid the rain, only the footsteps drew closer and closer.

Xuan Zhe pressed a hand onto Sarutobi Shinnosuke's shoulder.

"Get back."

Sarutobi Shinnosuke froze for a moment.

Before he could react, Xuan Zhe shot forward like an arrow.

The dark figures all raised their heads.

Xuan Zhe's figure flickered through the rain, and the kunai in his hand had already sliced across the throat of the person in front.

The instant blood sprayed out, the others moved in unison.

Their movements grew faster.

Unbelievably fast.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke swallowed, his heart pounding.

He had never seen this group's style of ninjutsu in any records. They struck even faster than the Land of Rain's ANBU.

Xuan Zhe became locked in combat with them.

Through the curtain of rain, only blurred figures and flying spray were visible.

Suddenly, a scream rang out.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke instinctively looked over and saw Xuan Zhe punch one of the black-clad men through the air. He slammed into a tree trunk and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"One down."

Xuan Zhe shook the blood off his hand and turned to shout at Sarutobi Shinnosuke.

"Four left."

Sarutobi Shinnosuke drew a deep breath and pulled the ** from his waist.

"I'll help."

"No need."

Before Xuan Zhe had finished speaking, he charged into the group again.

This time, his movements were even more vicious.

He used no ninjutsu, relying purely on taijutsu and speed, every punch and kick striking a vital spot. They couldn't stop him at all and were knocked to the ground in just a few blows.

The last black-clad man knelt in the rain, covered in wounds, blood still spilling from his mouth.

Xuan Zhe walked over, crouched down, and lifted his chin.

"Who sent you?"

The man stared fixedly at Xuan Zhe without speaking.

Xuan Zhe smiled.

"Not talking, huh?"

He took a scroll from his pocket and unrolled it in front of the black-clad man.

The black-clad man's pupils abruptly contracted at the sight of the symbols on the scroll.

"You... you're-"

Before he could finish, Xuan Zhe slit his throat.

The ** fell to the ground, twitched twice, and went still.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke ran over, his face pale.

"Who were these people?"

"No idea." Xuan Zhe put the scroll away. "But they definitely weren't from the Land of Rain."

He stood and looked into the curtain of rain ahead.

"Our movements have been exposed."

Sarutobi Shinnosuke's expression darkened.

"Were they from our Land of Fire? Or the Land of Wind?"

"Either is possible." Xuan Zhe patted his shoulder. "Come on. Let's get out of here first."

The two continued onward.

The rain grew heavier along the way, and the road became increasingly difficult to navigate.

Before long, a small bridge appeared ahead.

Someone stood on the bridge.

The figure wore a long white robe and a mask that obscured his features. Yet merely standing there, he gave off an oppressive air.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke's heart jolted.

"Hanzō?"

"No." Xuan Zhe shook his head. "He's a little shorter than Hanzō."

The figure saw them and slowly spoke.

"Are you heading to the Land of Wind?"

His voice was hoarse, as though a piece of red-hot iron were lodged in his throat.

Xuan Zhe stopped walking.

"What if we are?"

"Then please turn back."

The figure's tone was calm, but brooked no argument.

"The Land of Wind does not welcome you."

"Sorry, but there's really nothing to discuss with someone who's about to breathe his last."

Before he finished speaking, a muffled clap of thunder burst overhead.

Lightning flashed down, illuminating Xuan Zhe's smiling face, which nevertheless chilled others to the bone.

Even more dazzling was the blade in his hand, already drawn three inches from its sheath.

It was an utterly overwhelming killing intent. Like a frog under a snake's gaze, even breathing became difficult.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke fell onto his backside in the muddy water. His trouser legs were soaked through, but he couldn't spare a thought for getting up.

He stared at the blade sliding out of its sheath, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints.

"You, you-"

This killing intent was no illusion. It was unmistakable, pressing down until his chest felt tight.

It felt as though a wad of cotton had blocked his throat. Only after a long while did he force out a sound. "Why... why are you doing this?"

The corner of Xuan Zhe's mouth lifted, and he laughed aloud.

"Only 'people' have the right to speak to me. Since when could crops waiting to be harvested talk?"

He paused, his gaze turning cold.

"Besides, you should have died on that last mission against the Kazekage. After you came back, didn't you even curse that useless brother of mine?"

"Since you've owed your life all this time, it's time to pay it back."

Sarutobi Shinnosuke shuddered.

Only then did he fully understand that the man before him-Hatake Xuanzhe-truly wanted his life.

Why had he agreed to go on a mission with me?

So he could make his move here!

Turmoil surged through him, and he cursed himself for being so stupid.

His fiancée had died, leaving his mind in complete disarray. He had never thought through why Xuan Zhe had spoken up for him on the battlefield that day.

Looking back now, everything had been wrong.

The place where Xuan Zhe had fought Bunpuku had been far from the Sarutobi Clan's position.

Yet as they fought, they had drawn closer and closer.

In the end, Rie and dozens of the clan's ninja had all died after being caught in Bunpuku's ninjutsu.

"You... you already wanted to kill me on the battlefield that time?!"

Sarutobi Shinnosuke roared.

He understood everything.

Xuan Zhe had deliberately drawn the battle toward the Sarutobi Clan.

He had wanted to use Bunpuku to kill them all!

A flicker of surprise crossed Xuan Zhe's face, as though he hadn't expected the man to figure this out before dying.

He smiled. "Looks like you're not as useless as I thought."

"But that doesn't matter-"

He drew his blade, its edge reflecting the lightning.

"You'll die at the Second Kazekage's hands. That's what I'll tell your father when I get back."

"In your dreams!"

Sarutobi Shinnosuke roared and bit hard into his finger.

Fight Xuan Zhe head-on? I couldn't win.

Run? I couldn't escape either.

In a desperate situation like this, only that one move could keep me alive.

His father's trump-card summoning beast had saved him several times during major battles.

"Ninja Art: Summoning-"

Boar, dog, bird, monkey, ram-he had only reached the second of the five hand seals.