Arai and Sasori lay in wait in the "hunting area," while their captain, Arai, guarded the route ahead, scouting for any Konoha teams that might appear at any moment.
After discovering a target, Arai would return ahead of their prey and pass the information to Yubi and Sasori.
That way, they could prepare in advance.
The other side was bound to have multiple members and would also be transporting supplies. Even at full speed, they would be far slower than Arai on his own.
Given Arai's strength, it would also be difficult for them to detect his presence.
Yubi hid in the shade of the trees, while Sasori concealed himself behind a tree trunk.
Time passed little by little.
Late that night, a sound came from the forest. Arai had returned.
"Six in total. Two squads. Four Chunin and two Genin."
Arai landed on a branch and cautioned Yubi and Sasori as they emerged from hiding.
He gave no more detailed instructions, merely drawing a finger across his throat.
His meaning was clear... they could go straight for the kill!
With that lineup, Yubi and Sasori were fully capable of handling them.
Arai would not need to intervene... unless something unexpected happened.
With that, all three vanished at once.
A few minutes later, several dark figures darted into the forest, entering the area where the three had laid their ambush.
Routes chosen to transport supplies to the battlefield also had to be highly concealed... especially in an environment like this, resembling a primeval forest, which could make it harder for enemies to track them to a certain extent.
Even if something unexpected happened, they could use the complicated terrain to shake off their enemies... and avoid some losses.
Quite a few ninja were currently active within the Land of Grass, with a complicated mix of affiliations... if someone set their sights on them, there would be danger regardless.
Then there was the timing. The Konoha squads would hurry along under cover of night... during the day, they would slow down somewhat and proceed cautiously... resting more to replenish their energy.
Still, the safety of their current route was assured.
After all, this was not their first time taking it... they knew it very well.
As a result, they were somewhat more relaxed.
Through a gap between several leaves, an eye silently shifted, looking down at the Konoha ninja sweeping past.
It belonged to Yubi, concealed in the shadows.
Just as Arai had said, there were six in total... clearly two squads of three.
One in front, one behind.
Each trio consisted of two Chunin and one Genin.
All six carried enormous bundles on their backs... there was no need to guess what was inside: supplies urgently needed on the front lines.
"Hm?"
But Yubi's gaze focused on one of them.
The man had paint on his face, forming very distinctive "markings."
A member of the Inuzuka Clan!
Yubi instantly recognized his identity.
He immediately abandoned his original intention of observing them a little longer and twitched his fingers reflexively.
As members of one of Konoha's clans, the Inuzuka could not be treated as ordinary ninja... their abilities were rather unusual.
Especially in a situation like this.
Even though Yubi believed he had arranged their traps to perfection... without any flaws to be discovered.
But...
Sure enough, just as Yubi made his move, the Inuzuka ninja who had leaped onto a tree trunk suddenly raised his hand, stopping the squad's advance.
"What is it?"
Not far away, another Konoha Chunin's expression changed.
"Something's wrong..."
The Inuzuka narrowed his eyes, his nose twitching as he sniffed the air.
"There's a stranger's scent... watch out! Enemies!" the Inuzuka immediately shouted, warning his teammates.
The instant his voice fell, the companion behind him suddenly toppled strangely from the tree, a glaring spray of blood bursting from his neck.
What was that?!
Inuzuka Kuri spun around, his pupils contracting as he stared at his teammate, ambushed and killed in an instant...
Then, in another brief instant, his squad's Genin was also decapitated, his youthful face filled with shock... his severed head flew into the air.
His body, still carrying its bundle, had already fallen.
"Hisamaru!"
Inuzuka Kuri shouted again.
Everything had happened too quickly. From the moment he smelled the unusual scent hanging in the air to the moment he turned around and found two teammates dead... only two or three seconds had passed.
There was barely any time to react.
Woof!
A blur as fast as lightning, like an agile cheetah, leaped from the forest floor, rapidly climbing toward the top of a large tree with its sharp claws. At the same time, it bared its fangs and snapped at a patch of green foliage in the canopy.
Rustle... the foliage shook.
A mass of leaves drifted down.
With the sound of a collision... blood spurted.
The blur that had rushed toward the treetop fell through the air, but its body rolled midair, adjusting its posture before landing steadily.
It was a large, yellow-furred dog.
It was also a ninja dog raised by the Inuzuka Clan.
At that moment, the ninja dog named Hisamaru had suffered a cut from a sharp weapon on his front paw. Blood flowed from the wound, exposing the white bone beneath the flesh.
Yet the yellow dog showed no fear at all. Instead, he bared his teeth and let out a fierce growl at the boy who jumped down from the treetop.
"Impressive... even more agile than I expected."
"You actually dodged it."
Indeed, the person who had dropped from the tree was Yubi.
This ninja dog had easily found his hiding place.
Yubi stared curiously at the large yellow dog and praised him.
"Sunagakure!"
Seeing the forehead protector tied around Yubi's neck, Inuzuka Kuri's gaze turned cold.
He did not underestimate the enemy simply because he was a boy... after all, killing the Chunin and Genin in his squad in the blink of an eye was no ordinary feat.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
Farther away, the three-man Konoha squad at the rear heard the commotion. Without needing any orders from Inuzuka Kuri, they immediately retreated, almost instinctively.
They quickly left the battlefield and vanished.
If their supply squads encountered enemies, unless they had absolutely no choice... they would never engage them.
Instead, their priority was protecting the supplies and reducing casualties.
The reason the six had split into two squads rather than moving together, keeping their distance with one in front and one behind... and especially placing Inuzuka Kuri at the front, was not merely his greater familiarity with the route and surroundings. There was another crucial point... the Inuzuka Clan's abilities.
Enhanced by chakra, their sense of smell exceeded an ordinary person's by more than ten thousand times.
This meant that no matter what ambushes or disguises the enemy prepared, as long as they had been present, Inuzuka Kuri would discover them.
Once anything happened... the rear squad would have an opening to escape.
Even if... this meant the forward squad might very well be sacrificed, at least one squad's lives and supplies would be preserved.
And they could relay the intelligence back.
This was... a very clever arrangement.
It was also a fallback measure.
Clang!
The flying knife Yubi controlled shot toward a vital point on Inuzuka Kuri's body, only to be deflected by his kunai just as it reached him.
"So you've already reacted..."
Yubi understood.
His fingers twitched repeatedly, and another flying knife traced a cold gleam through the air, striking toward the back of the man's head.
But the man ducked and dodged it again.
"Carrying such a huge bundle... and he still has this much stamina and agility..."
A thought flashed through Yubi's mind.
The third flying knife followed close behind, striking through the air.
According to his "data observation," this strike... would end the man's life.
This member of the Inuzuka Clan had absolutely no way to dodge it.
Yet just as success seemed within reach, the ninja dog on the ground raced to protect his master first, lunging behind him at tremendous speed.
Acting as a living sandbag, he blocked the flying knife's attack with his body.
"Ninja art: Beast Human Clone Technique!"
Inuzuka Kuri caught his beloved dog and immediately formed hand seals after landing.
Chakra erupted around him, and under the effects of the ninjutsu, his body seemed to undergo some kind of transformation and enhancement.
The ninja dog pressed against his body still played his part despite his injuries.
With a burst of white smoke, Inuzuka Kuri's flesh grew wildly, his whole body swelling by more than a size, muscles bulging... hair sprouted from his exposed skin as well. As though he had fused with his ninja dog, he became a beastman with scarlet eyes, sharp claws, and canine fangs, exuding a wild air.
His physical capabilities had clearly received a terrifying boost!
An Inuzuka Clan secret technique!
It was not among the few Yubi knew...
But... Inuzuka Kuri had only just finished performing his ninja art.
In his field of vision, the boy who should have been standing in the tree... had already brought his small body right up close, his back bent.
The boy held both arms high, his head lowered, like an eagle spreading its wings.
As those fingers twitched, at some unknown point... the space all around Inuzuka Kuri had already been enclosed by countless crisscrossing threads, like a fishing net.
The sharp threads floated in the air... brimming with murderous menace.
"Death Waltz."
He heard the boy's whisper, faint as a mosquito.
There was a squeak.
The net of threads abruptly contracted, binding Inuzuka Kuri tightly before he could strike.
The cutting edges of the moving threads even sliced apart the bundle on his back in an instant, spilling all the supplies inside.
He should have been strangled into a heap of minced flesh, but as the threads tightened, he did not die.
Only his skin was cut, covered in bloody marks.
"Aah!"
Inuzuka Kuri roared, trying to force the threads apart with his powerful body.
As he struggled, the threads cut deeper and deeper into his flesh, but the strength pouring from him seemed on the verge of snapping them.
His arms rose higher and higher, already opening a tiny gap.
To strangle him to death, the boy had to maintain absolute control over the threads. Otherwise... he could counterattack in an instant.
In other words, the enemy could not move either.
The two had to pit their strength against each other.
Inuzuka Kuri was confident he could break free.
He just needed some time...
Snap.
At last, he forced the threads apart and regained his freedom.
But his movements also suddenly stopped, and blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.
He had managed to force them apart not because of his brute strength, but because... Yubi had relinquished control of the threads.
Looking down, he saw one of the boy's arms, surging with chakra, piercing his abdomen like a sharp knife.
"This is..."
Inuzuka Kuri looked stunned.
Naturally, he recognized the boy's technique.
This was... a Chakra Scalpel!
This guy... was a medical ninja?!