"Are you an idiot?"
Kamikaze Valley, with his long purple hair and imposing aura, exuded an overwhelming sense of dominance as he heard Dragon's words. His eyes flashed with arrogance, and he smirked disdainfully at Dragon, offering no explanation whatsoever.
Dragon's body trembled slightly at Kamikaze Valley's insult. As a captain of Konoha's Anbu, he had never been called an idiot before. Though furious, Dragon maintained his composure, scrutinizing Kamikaze Valley intently. There had to be a reason for such a remark.
"What...?"
"A rogue ninja..."
When Dragon noticed the slashed headband on Kamikaze Valley's forehead, he gasped in shock, his eyes flickering with realization. After a moment's thought, he understood.
Kamikaze Valley had come to intercept the Iwa-nin delegation traveling to Konoha to sign a peace treaty, likely arriving late. Knowing his abilities would inevitably reveal his identity, he had simply slashed his headband, declaring himself a rogue ninja to avoid any repercussions from Konoha or Iwa-nin should his mission fail.
Of course, if Kamikaze Valley managed to eliminate them all, he could simply replace the headband later.
"Damn it..."
Though Dragon instantly understood Kamikaze Valley's motive, he couldn't suppress his anger. This meant they would have no tangible evidence to present!
Even knowing the attackers were Sand Ninja, they were powerless to act.
And that wasn't all. Since Kamikaze Valley was involved, Dragon now had to figure out how to protect the Iwa-nin Mizuta Mu!
"Wolf, take the Iwa-nin and leave. We'll hold them off!" Dragon commanded Kakashi decisively. Keeping Mizuta Mu here would put him at mortal risk. To fulfill the Hokage's mission, Dragon had no choice but to split the group, sending Kakashi and Mizuta Mu ahead while the remaining three covered their retreat.
The Sand Ninja Dragon had just fought was already severely wounded. He could stall Kamikaze Valley while Viper and Dog handled the remaining two Sand Ninja and the injured one without much trouble.
If they could just hold out for a while, they could all escape!
Still, Dragon knew deep down that with Kamikaze Valley present, their rearguard action carried a high risk of sacrifice.
But for the Hokage's mission, for Konoha, it was all worth it!
Kakashi was taken aback by Dragon's words. He sensed the man's unwavering resolve and deep affection for Konoha, which stirred a profound shock within him. Since his rebirth, this was the first time he had directly witnessed such fervent devotion to Konoha from a Konoha ninja.
*They're even willing to sacrifice their lives for Konoha!*
Kakashi had once scorned such devotion, but now it resonated deeply within him. He realized that Konoha's rise to become the strongest ninja village was rooted in this enduring spirit.
*Is this the Will of Fire? A flame that burns through generations!*
Kakashi murmured inwardly.
"Yes!"
Seemingly infected by Dragon's self-sacrificing devotion, Kakashi felt his blood surge with renewed purpose. He vowed never to betray the mission entrusted to him by Dragon, nor the mission assigned by the Third Hokage.
With a solemn nod, Kakashi affirmed his commitment to Dragon.
"Wolf! The Iwa-nin are yours to handle!"
"Wolf! Move out now!"
Simultaneously, Dog and Viper whispered urgently to Kakashi.
They showed no hesitation or doubt regarding Dragon's orders.
Only unwavering obedience.
Kakashi's lingering resentment over the earlier probing by the two vanished instantly.
"You're the captain, right? Smart thing to do would be to take your subordinates and scram!" Kamikaze Valley sneered coldly at Dragon, watching Kakashi and his team murmur among themselves.
"Hmph! Konoha's ninja never abandon their missions!" Dragon retorted with a cold snort.
He then hissed urgently to Kakashi behind him, "Hurry! Get the Iwa-nin out of here!"
"Understood!" Kakashi nodded sharply, turning to Mizuta Mu.
Mizuta Mu wasted no time. He knew Kamikaze Valley's reputation well. The Konoha Anbu's willingness to stay behind as a rearguard was perfect—ideally, they'd all die together with the Sand Ninja!
Mizuta Mu was secretly grinning inwardly. *Delicious! Two of my Chūnin subordinates were just killed. Now Konoha might lose three Anbu, and the Sand Ninja will probably lose a few Jōnin too. How satisfying!*
"Move out!"
Outwardly, Mizuta Mu showed none of his inner glee. He acknowledged Kakashi with a curt nod and vanished in a burst of speed.
*Whoosh!*
*Whoosh!*
With Mizuta Mu gone, Kakashi immediately followed suit, vanishing in a flash.
"Think you can just leave? Not so fast!"
The moment Kamikaze Valley saw Mizuta Mu and Kakashi fleeing, his face darkened with fury. With a thunderous roar, he charged forward.
The three Sand Ninja followed without hesitation, surging forward in unison.
"If you want to pursue them, you'll have to get past us first!"
Seeing Kamikaze Valley and his team closing in, Dragon scoffed coldly and flashed forward, blocking their path.
"Get out of my way!" Kamikaze Valley roared, his hands rapidly forming hand seals.
"Wind Release: Wind Death Scythe!"
*Shhh!*
A razor-sharp blade of wind erupted before Kamikaze Valley, slashing violently toward Dragon.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
Undaunted by the attack, Dragon calmly activated an Earth Flow Wall to shield himself.
*Boom!*
Viper and Dog intercepted the remaining three Sand Ninja, cutting off their pursuit.
Kakashi glanced back at Dragon and his team successfully holding off Kamikaze Valley's group, then turned his attention to their escape.
"I hope Captain and the others don't die! I never expected the Sand Village to send Kamikaze Valley!"
Kakashi offered a silent prayer before following Mizuta Mu in a series of rapid, evasive maneuvers.
Though concerned for Dragon and the others' safety, Kakashi was even more worried that they wouldn't be able to hold off Kamikaze Valley. If Kamikaze Valley caught up, they'd all be in grave danger.
*A wise man doesn't stand beneath a collapsing wall,* Kakashi muttered to himself. *I'm no wise man, but I won't put my life at risk. I'm not ready to dance on the edge of death. We need to get out of here, now!*
Kakashi and Mizuta Mu fled relentlessly, finally stopping an hour later, drenched in sweat, on a tree trunk.
They gasped for breath.
"Huff... huff..."
"They shouldn't be chasing us anymore. We're safe now!" Kakashi declared. Mizuta Mu beamed with relief, finally free from danger.
"Safe? Are you joking?"
The moment Kakashi spoke, a mocking voice echoed from ahead.
..........
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(End of Chapter)