"Damn it!"
Asuma Sarutobi saw a Kunai about to pierce his shoulder and subconsciously wanted to raise his hand to use his Chakra Blades.
But he forced himself to endure it, twisting his body and narrowly avoiding the strike.
Anko Mitarashi was even more frustrated, nearly releasing the snakes from her sleeve several times before forcibly holding back.
Ebisu and Shiranui Genma...
If they kept fighting like this, they would be finished sooner or later.
Just then.
Aokawa, who was being suppressed by two Kumogakure Jonin, stumbled, seemingly about to be hit in the head by a whip kick.
At the critical moment!
Crack!
A layer of thick rock armor covered his arm without warning, accurately blocking the fatal blow.
"What?!"
The Cloud Hidden Captain's pupils shrank.
This Ninjutsu... is it Earth Release: Hardening Technique?!
Aokawa's face also showed an uncontrollable look of annoyance. Gritting his teeth, his Aura suddenly changed.
The previous clumsiness faded away, replaced by a violent and fierce Taijutsu style.
His fists were wrapped in rock, and his moves were wide and powerful—it was exactly the Rock-Shattering Taijutsu that Iwagakure was famous for!
Bang! Bang!
The two Kumogakure Jonin were caught off guard by this sudden change and were instantly sent flying.
Aokawa did not pursue them.
Seeing more and more enemies gathering in the distance, his figure flashed, appearing beside Asuma Sarutobi and the others like a ghost.
His hands turned into afterimages, repelling the enemies besieging them one by one.
"Earth Release: Flying Sand and Stones!"
His hands quickly formed hand signs.
In an instant, sand and dust soared into the sky like a thick fog, immediately enveloping the entire Battlefield.
Vision was completely stripped away.
"Go!"
Aokawa barked, leading the four into the sand and dust, fleeing frantically into the distance.
"Don't let them escape!"
The Cloud Hidden Captain roared in exasperation.
The remaining Kumogakure Ninjas listened for sounds to determine positions, throwing Kunai, Shuriken, and various Ninjutsu toward the direction of the footsteps in the dust as if they cost nothing.
"Ah... Ah!"
Several shrill screams rang out one after another in the smoke.
Then came the thud of heavy objects hitting the ground.
A few seconds later, the sand and dust slowly dissipated.
The Cloud Hidden Captain led his men forward, only to see several corpses lying on the ground—the very "Konoha Ninjas" they had just been fighting.
A Kumogakure member kicked one of the corpses indignantly.
"Those Konoha bastards! So despicable!"
"Sending people to negotiate with us on one hand, while sending others to sneak attack our supply station on the other!"
The Cloud Hidden Captain didn't speak. He crouched down and flipped the corpses over one by one.
He confirmed their appearances; they were indeed the people they had just fought.
But his brow furrowed tightly.
The Earth Release and Taijutsu that the leading boy burst out with at the end... He looked up at the surrounding team members.
"Did you notice that these people's Taijutsu didn't seem very proficient?"
As soon as he said this, the team members were stunned, then nodded in agreement.
"Right! Now that the Captain mentions it, I remember too!"
"Their movements were very stiff and full of openings, just like students who just graduated from the Ninja Academy!"
"Exactly, the one I fought almost tripped himself several times!"
Listening to the team members' discussion, the doubt in the Cloud Hidden Captain's eyes grew heavier.
He pondered for a moment before slowly speaking.
"Even if Konoha is short on people, they wouldn't send a few Genin to carry out a mission of this level."
"Unless..."
The team members were startled: "What do you mean, Captain...?"
"These people aren't Konoha Ninjas at all!"
The Cloud Hidden Captain stood up, his gaze sweeping over the corpses, his voice turning cold.
"Adults using their own Village's Taijutsu as clumsily as children... it would make sense if they had just learned it temporarily!"
"And the leader, when his life was threatened, subconsciously used pure Iwagakure Ninjutsu and Taijutsu!"
In an instant, all the Kumogakure Ninjas gasped.
A terrifying suspicion surfaced in their minds.
It's Iwagakure!
It was Iwagakure Ninjas disguised as Konoha people who blew up their warehouse!
"Captain, then..."
"Report the situation immediately!" The Cloud Hidden Captain's face was extremely grim.
"Let the higher-ups deal with this headache."
...Meanwhile.
Aokawa and the other four had already run for over a dozen kilometers.
After confirming there were no pursuers behind them, they stopped in a hidden cave.
The five of them released their Transformation Jutsu, returning to their original appearances.
"Phew... that was so intense!"
Asuma Sarutobi sat on the ground, panting heavily, but his face was full of excitement.
Shiranui Genma and Ebisu also looked like they had survived a disaster, but their eyes sparkled with a similar light.
This feeling of turning the tables and playing powerful enemies like fools was just too satisfying!
"Stupid senior! You were so cool just now!"
Anko Mitarashi excitedly leaned in front of Aokawa, her large eyes shining as she looked at him.
"How do you know all kinds of Ninjutsu? You even know Iwagakure's Earth Release? Teach me!"
"Especially that Ninjutsu that makes you hard!"
Aokawa was also curious: "A Disciple of the Sannin needs someone else to teach them Ninjutsu?"
"Teacher doesn't really look after me. He only taught me Hidden Shadow Snake Hands, and not much else. I can't find him all day long," Anko Mitarashi said aggrievedly.
After saying that, she pestered Aokawa again.
Aokawa ignored her noise.
He used his Byakugan to carefully check the rear, confirming there were no anomalies.
He waved his hand, his voice still calm.
"Let's go, back to the Main Camp first."
...Along the way, Anko Mitarashi didn't give up, chirping away for Aokawa to teach her Ninjutsu.
Aokawa was pestered so much that he could only teach her a C-rank Ninjutsu to brush her off.
Asuma Sarutobi didn't feel much; his father was the Professor of Ninjutsu, so what couldn't he learn?
Shiranui Genma and Ebisu, however, were very envious.
Although they came from decent backgrounds, they also wanted such a good deal where they could learn Ninjutsu just by chirping a few nice words.
Unfortunately, they weren't girls.
At this moment, they wished they had a voice changer so they could pester him for Ninjutsu in a loli voice.
Just as everyone was laughing and nearing the Main Camp.
A wave of coldness suddenly came from the forest ahead.
They subconsciously fell silent and looked forward.
On the empty road ahead, a cane suddenly poked out from behind a tree, followed by a man wrapped in bandages walking out.
He tilted his head slightly, his remaining eye scanning everyone before finally landing on Aokawa.
"Aokawa!"
"I have been waiting for you for a long time..."
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