Soon, I Fūgetsu and her three teammates broke free from the Grass Ninja's entanglement and appeared at the edge of the battlefield like ghosts. Without pausing, they instantly entered the fray, and the situation changed dramatically!
"The objective is clear, and we must act swiftly and decisively!" I Fūgetsu's instructions were concise.
The battle ended unexpectedly quickly—not only because of the numerical advantage, but also because of the perfect teamwork of I Fūgetsu and her three companions.
I Fūgetsu struck first, targeting the most threatening Nighthawk. His hands Hand Seals so fast they were barely visible, not as an attack, but as a distraction:
" Genjutsu: Wind Disturbs the Mind!" An invisible mental fluctuation mixed with subtle wind-attribute Chakra instantly enveloped Nighthawk. Although this Genjutsu was not powerful, it was enough to severely interfere with the accuracy and speed of Nighthawk's Hand Seals, making his most proficient compound Ninjutsu sluggish and full of flaws!
Almost at the same moment I Fūgetsu made her move, Arai moved! He was like a cheetah that had been poised for a long time, his figure and the light of the blade almost becoming one!
"Dual Blade Style: Instant Flash!" He seized the fatal moment when Nighthawk was distracted by the Genjutsu and his Hand Seals faltered slightly, charging forward at a speed far exceeding his usual limits! Nighthawk Hawk hastily tried to defend with Wind Release, but his Chakra flow was disrupted, and his defense was a beat too slow!
Sizzle!
Blood splattered! Arai's twin swords precisely severed the Chakra pathways in Nighthawk Hawk's wrists! Disabling his ability to Hand Seals! Nighthawk screamed in agony, his Ninjutsu completely interrupted, instantly becoming a lamb to the slaughter.
Tetsuo followed closely behind, delivering a heavy Earth Release Fist directly to his abdomen, completely dismantling his fighting ability.
On the other hand, the approach to dealing with Fang is even more targeted.
" Wind Release: Great Blowing Wind!" While distracting Nighthawk, I Fūgetsu used a wide-range Wind Release to blow away the poisonous mist surrounding him, greatly reducing the threat of his poison technique.
Because of the information she obtained about the other party, Aoi learned about the weakness of Fang —it relied too much on poison mist and poison claws, while its physical defense and Taijutsu were relatively mediocre.
She waved her hands repeatedly, and a specially made wire mesh with a slight chakra barrier effect covered the Fang like a shower of flowers, restricting their movement.
"Damn it!" Fang roared, tearing at the steel wire with his venomous claws, but in that instant, Tetsuo had already dealt with Nighthawk and charged towards him like a heavy tank. " Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique!" A massive rock fist slammed down with unparalleled power! Fang was forced to cross his venomous claws to take the hit!
boom!
The difference in strength was enormous! Fang Fang's legs were smashed into the ground, his blood churning. Meanwhile, Shira, who had been lurking on the perimeter, seized the moment when Fang was momentarily stunned after blocking, gathered her last bit of strength in her toes, and delivered a swift low sweeping kick that precisely struck Fang's ankle!
"Ugh!" The lower body was hit hard, Fang lost his balance instantly. Aoi took the opportunity to tighten the steel wire completely, Arai's knife was also placed against his neck.
The battle ended in the blink of an eye.
Nighthawk's body lay in the ruins. During the subsequent subjugation, he was forced to be killed by Arai due to his fierce resistance. His Fang were tightly bound by specially made Chakra chains, and he was carried by Tetsuo like a bag of garbage.
The battle ended unexpectedly quickly—as soon as I Fūgetsu and his companions broke free from the entanglement of the Grass Ninja and joined the fray, the two missing-nin ' stubborn resistance crumbled swiftly in the face of their coordinated efforts.
The air was thick with the smell of blood and burning flesh, and the distant whistles of the gathering Grass Ninja could be faintly heard, growing ever closer.
"We must evacuate immediately!" I Fūgetsu wiped the blood splattered on her face, her tone resolute. "We've made too much of a commotion; the main force of Kusagakure will be here soon!"
Aoi quickly examined the scrolls retrieved from Nighthawk and nodded in confirmation. "Important intelligence has been successfully recovered."
Arai and Tetsuo were ready to sprint, their eyes fixed on I Fūgetsu, awaiting orders.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly; the mission was accomplished, and it was time to go.
But Shira stood rooted to the spot, her feet seemingly frozen in place.
His gaze swept across the dilapidated street and landed on the run-down tent in the direction of the market.
The image of Karin's mother's pale, numb face lingered in his mind.
Are we just going to leave like that? Let that mother and daughter from the vortex continue to be drained of their lifeblood here?
He knew this idea was very "un-ninja-like." Mission comes first; personal feelings must give way to collective interests and personal safety.
But he knew even better what the Uzumaki Clan's power meant—it wasn't just sympathy, but a real strategic resource that Sunagakure might desperately need!
Just as I Fūgetsu was about to give the order to depart, Shira suddenly looked up, her voice still a little hoarse from the previous fierce battle, but exceptionally clear:
"Captain, wait a minute! There are two more important targets we must try to take away!"
Everyone was stunned, looking at him in astonishment. In such a critical moment, what could be more important than escaping unscathed with the prisoners and the intelligence?
I Fūgetsu frowned. "Explain clearly, what is the target? Where is it?" His voice carried an undeniable sense of pressure.
Shira took a deep breath, speaking rapidly but clearly, "In the market in the southeast corner of the village, in a tattered tent, there's a red-haired woman locked up—a survivor of the Uzumaki Clan! Besides her, there's her daughter."
" The Uzumaki Clan?" Arai repeated in confusion, seemingly unfamiliar with the surname.
But I Fūgetsu and Kui's expressions changed instantly. I Fūgetsu's expression turned serious as he stared at Shira and asked, "Are you sure? The Uzumaki Clan? The clan known for its massive Chakra and top-tier Sealing Jutsu?"
"I'm sure!" Shira nodded emphatically, knowing he had to present a compelling reason. "The people of Kusagakure use her as a 'blood pack' to restore their Chakra, but her value goes far beyond that!"
"Think about it, Captain! What if something happened to Gaara from our village? What would it mean if we had a Uzumaki Clan was proficient in Sealing Jutsu?"
These words were like a stone thrown into a calm pond, creating ripples.
Tetsuo scratched his head. " Sealing Jutsu? Sounds impressive, but is it worth wasting time on it? Even though Kusagakure's name has 'Kusagakure' in it, they're not pushovers!"
Aoi calmly analyzed, " The Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu are said to be able to suppress Tailed Beast. If the intelligence is true, their strategic value may be no less than these scrolls we retrieved." As she spoke, she waved the spoils in her hand.
I Fūgetsu was silent for two seconds, her gaze sweeping over the approaching commotion before settling on Shira's firm yet not impulsive eyes.
He quickly weighed the risks and rewards. Saving a mother and daughter he didn't know could easily trap the entire team in an ambush; but letting go of the key figure who could potentially solve a huge hidden danger in the village's future would also be a missed opportunity.
"Is the location accurate? What's the situation with the guards?" I Fūgetsu finally spoke, her tone a final confirmation before making a decision.
"The old tents by the rock face at the edge of the market are easy to spot. I previously observed a Chunin guarding them, but the commotion just now makes me unsure if they're reinforcements," Shira replied immediately.
"Captain, this is too risky!" Arai objected. "Rescuing another person while carrying a prisoner will severely hinder our speed!"
"But if it's really as Shira said..." Tetsuo hesitated, "That's a real treasure!"
Just then, the bound Fang suddenly let out a hoarse, cold laugh, "Heh, the bastards of the Uzumaki clan? You've got your eyes on them too? Too bad, too late. How could those vampires from Kusagakure let go so easily..."
These words seemed to confirm the truth of Shira's words and the woman's worth.
I Fūgetsu's eyes sharpened, and she made a decision in an instant. "Let's take a gamble! Kui, plan the fastest route! Arai, Tetsuo, keep an eye on the prisoners. Shira, you lead the way, and be quick. We only have one chance; we must evacuate within five minutes, regardless of success or failure!"
"Understood!" Shira's spirits lifted, and without hesitation, she turned and rushed out towards the market. I Fūgetsu and the others followed closely behind.