Chapter 45 The Final Battle (Part 3)
Imai Kenta's journey had been relatively smooth; with Uchiha启 and Minato Namikaze keeping the enemies occupied, his progress was relatively unhindered.
Aside from encountering numerous pre-set traps along the way, everything else was manageable.
After spending some time disarming these traps, Imai Kenta continued forward. Although dealing with them had cost him some time, it was far better than being inexplicably blown to bits.
Listening to the vibrations around him, Imai Kenta knew that both Captain Uchiha启 and Minato Namikaze were engaged in battle with the enemy. He realized he was on his own now.
"Even if they weren't fighting, Uchiha启 probably wouldn't come to help me, would he?"
Imai Kenta thought silently, the innocent, harmless smile that usually adorned his face now absent.
That smile was a disguise he had long grown accustomed to wearing at all times, but now, he truly couldn't smile.
He knew the dangers of this mission, yet he couldn't escape it. He was very clear that Minato Namikaze's Flying Thunder God technique was likely already imprinted on him.
However, comparatively, Imai Kenta still preferred Minato Namikaze. Although Minato Namikaze's strength was terrifying, he was still a trustworthy individual.
His teammate and current captain, Uchiha启, on the other hand, was so cold-blooded that it made Imai Kenta frown slightly.
Imai Kenta felt an immense chill from that man. Although Uchiha启 hadn't done anything overtly outrageous so far, Imai Kenta could sense the other side hidden beneath his calm exterior.
It was an emotion similar to his own, perhaps even more terrifying and obsessive, and this man's intelligence also left Imai Kenta speechless.
Having such a person as a teammate could only be described as unfortunate. Every one of his plans, every action, had a strong underlying purpose. Whether he appeared to be doing good deeds or considering the team, his ultimate goal was always himself!
A cold, intelligent, and calm individual is hard to trust no matter what, especially now that he had activated his Sharingan and become even more powerful.
"Uchiha启, a terrifying man," Imai Kenta thought to himself, "Hyuga Aya is also not simple; a woman full of schemes and ambition. Why are these two my teammates this time?"
Complaining was useless. Imai Kenta felt the vibrations growing stronger, and he knew he had to speed up.
Although he didn't care whether Konoha won or not, he cared about whether he could return safely. If this mission succeeded, they could return to Konoha peacefully. Otherwise, he might truly have to leave Konoha Village.
Imai Kenta carried many heavy burdens, too many things he couldn't speak of, even things he himself was unwilling to bear.
Continuing his journey, Imai Kenta soon arrived at the Kannabi Bridge. After carefully inspecting the surroundings, he disarmed several traps and then leaped down.
However, Imai Kenta dared not relax. Minato Namikaze had made it very clear earlier that he had detected two enemies on the surface, but who knew if there were other enemies waiting for them under the bridge?
Therefore, Imai Kenta remained highly vigilant. Even though the vibrations nearby were getting weaker, he still dared not let his guard down.
"Really no one?" After descending, Imai Kenta didn't immediately set the Exploding Tags. Instead, he frowned and observed his surroundings for a period of time.
After spending nearly a minute checking, his brows slowly relaxed, seemingly confirming that there were no enemies around.
Imai Kenta quickly pulled Exploding Tags from his ninja blade pouch. Every Ninja carried some of these common Ninja tools.
However, Imai Kenta didn't have many Exploding Tags on him, even though Uchiha启 had given him his. Unfortunately, Uchiha启 himself didn't have many either.
Imai Kenta had to plan carefully where to place these Exploding Tags to ensure the bridge would collapse properly.
After some calculation and thought, Imai Kenta selected the positions for the Exploding Tags and began to place them as planned.
But just then, the sound of rushing wind suddenly echoed behind Imai Kenta. Without any warning, Imai Kenta's eyes suddenly widened, and he slowly collapsed to the ground.
"Kids are just kids," a voice spoke from behind Imai Kenta, his tone dripping with disdain. "Is Konoha so short on Ninja? How could they send someone like you?"
A figure slowly emerged. It was an Iwa Ninja, appearing to be in his twenties or thirties, dressed in red Ninja combat attire. Clearly, this individual had also mastered the Secret Technique: Camouflage Hiding.
However, as a defensive Ninja, after a brief glance at Imai Kenta's body, he immediately sensed something was amiss. Especially when a familiar sound of rushing wind suddenly came from behind him, he instantly knew he had probably been ambushed too!
"Clang!"
The Iwa Ninja reacted incredibly fast. With a swift turn, his Kunai precisely parried Imai Kenta's ninja blade, and he even used his powerful strength to push Imai Kenta away!
Imai Kenta landed on the ground, holding his ninja blade with both hands, staring coldly at the Iwa Ninja in front of him. Meanwhile, the 'corpse' of Imai Kenta at the Iwa Ninja's feet was revealed in that moment—it was an Earth Clone, which had completely dissolved into a puddle of mud.
"Not bad," the Iwa Ninja sneered slightly. "How did you find me?"
"I've already encountered someone like you once along the way," Imai Kenta said calmly. "I noticed you as soon as I came down. It's a pity, though, the ambush didn't succeed. It seems I'll have to put in some effort."
Who was the hunter and who was the prey? It was hard to say. At least in the eyes of Imai Kenta and this damned Iwa Ninja, both of them were hunters, and the other was the true prey.
For a moment, both fell silent. Verbal attacks could indeed stir a Ninja's heart, but against a Ninja with an incredibly cold and resilient heart, verbal attacks were just a waste of breath.
Not everyone had the sarcastic ability to provoke someone into a rage. Imai Kenta couldn't, nor was Uchiha启 particularly adept at it.
"Die."
Silence, after all, was brief. The Iwa Ninja had always placed himself in the role of the hunter. He didn't believe he would lose to a kid who looked fourteen or fifteen!
Gripping the Kunai in his hand, the Iwa Ninja burst forth with terrifying speed, slashing towards Imai Kenta with immense ferocity.
Imai Kenta snorted in disdain, and a layer of azure Chakra shimmered on the ninja blade in his hand.
Imai Kenta displayed incredible speed. Just as they were about to clash, he suddenly lowered his head and dodged the attack, only a few stray strands of hair being cut and scattering in the air.
But his ninja blade did not stop. He raised his hand and swung, forcing the Iwa Ninja to evade.
They crossed paths and simultaneously pulled apart. Imai Kenta felt a slight numbness in his right hand. He knew that this man's strength was probably something he couldn't contend with head-on.
"It seems I can't hold back anymore."