The fact that Yahiko and the others had left him behind without particular concern was also because they had come to believe he held no genuine ill will toward Akatsuki. This was partly the result of a deliberate effort on his part to create a certain impression for the three of them. Treating the wounded earlier had relieved some of their suspicion.
Beyond that, the urgency of the situation had left no time to deal with the question of what to do with him properly. Otherwise, with his level of strength, after Akatsuki's main force had departed and only logistics personnel remained, he could have caused devastating losses if he had chosen to act against them.
"It seems it was still effective. I have gained some degree of trust," he thought to himself.
Yahiko and the other two, leading the core members, were clearly Akatsuki's central fighting force. Throughout the Land of Rain, other Akatsuki personnel were operating simultaneously across different areas, their total numbers far exceeding what was concentrated at this single stronghold.
However, those members were dispersed across different regions while Yahiko's group remained engaged in the most critical battlefields.
"Move quickly."
The entire underground space of the abandoned village had only one main passage, but the ends of that passage branched off into numerous smaller tunnels specifically designed for personnel to change positions and escape.
Even if the stronghold were discovered, these tunnels gave them a chance to flee before being caught.
A squad leader shouted, urging his companions to finish packing supplies and move.
Yuji followed the group toward the surface.
"It is already too late."
He activated his sensory perception and scanned the surroundings, his awareness extending through the dense forest in every direction. What he found was a large force of Hidden Rain Village soldiers advancing like a swarm, cutting straight through the mountains and forests toward the abandoned village. Their numbers were several dozen strong.
It was clear that the Hidden Rain Village's plan had been well designed from the outset. After roughly determining the location of Akatsuki's hidden base, they had deliberately staged a visible search to force Yahiko's group out into the open.
Meanwhile, a separate Hidden Rain force had been conducting a quieter investigation behind the scenes. By drawing Yahiko's group out to confront the visible search party, Akatsuki had inevitably revealed their tracks and allowed the hidden investigation team to pinpoint the base's location.
After all, these were well-trained subordinates of Hanzo who had participated in the previous Great Ninja War. Their battlefield experience and combat skills were considerable. The secretly deployed Hidden Rain elite force was simply not something the remaining Akatsuki logistics members could match.
Although Yahiko had left behind some fighters to protect the logistics personnel during the move, only about a dozen were capable of direct combat. Completely insufficient.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.
The members who had gone ahead to organize the supplies were now rapidly retreating back along the predetermined route.
Realizing that the other members behind were gradually catching up, Yuji spoke.
"You would do better not to keep moving. The enemy has already surrounded you. The better option is to quickly organize your formation, use your familiarity with the terrain to fight a defensive battle, and use positional warfare to buy time until the main force realizes that the Hidden Rain has circled to the rear and comes back to assist. That way you might still have some chance of survival."
He then leaped onto a crumbling wall, crossed his legs, and looked down at the Akatsuki logistics leader who was still directing the orderly retreat.
"What?" The leader was startled upon hearing this.
He knew the mysterious person was powerful. But his expression showed clear doubt. He found it difficult to believe that the Hidden Rain Village could have moved this quickly or locked onto their stronghold in such a short time. This place had always been considered safe before.
"Enemy!"
"It is the Hidden Rain!"
"Everyone be alert!"
However, only seconds later, shouts erupted from the retreating Akatsuki members further back. Many of them, carrying supplies, had been suddenly attacked by Hidden Rain soldiers and were forced to turn back and retreat toward the village.
"Prepare for battle!"
The leader on this side immediately shouted the order. Figures appeared one after another, rushing toward the Hidden Rain forces and engaging them in fierce combat.
The leader quickly pulled out a wolf-shaped smoke grenade. The smoke drifted upward slowly, extremely visible against the rain-soaked air.
Bang, bang, bang.
What had been an orderly retreat instantly collapsed into chaos.
Two senior Hidden Rain ninja leading the assault moved like gods of death through the Akatsuki members, their fighting power on this small-scale battlefield functioning as a perfect killing machine. Their figures cut through the air, relying on powerful taijutsu alone to suppress their opponents and drop them one after another.
One of the Hidden Rain Jonin grinned as he defeated an opponent and raised a specially crafted umbrella. He held it open with one hand while his fingers formed hand seals with the other.
"Umbrella Senbon Technique!"
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.
In an instant, the umbrella aimed at a cluster of targets and fired a barrage of poisoned projectiles. Simultaneously, a large spray of water droplets burst outward, obscuring the vision of the Akatsuki members around them and making it nearly impossible to dodge.
This technique was not simply a matter of utilizing specialized ninja tools and mechanisms. It was a combination of those tools with Water Release ninjutsu woven throughout.
The other Hidden Rain Jonin simultaneously unleashed a Black Rain technique. A massive volume of water droplets, carrying a dark oily substance, rained down across the Akatsuki members. A moment later, flames ignited the liquid coating their bodies, and several were instantly engulfed.
"Today I will finish this completely."
The Hidden Rain Jonin watched the wounded and groaning enemies with a sinister smile, licking his lips slowly.
As Yahiko's remaining combatants were picked off one after another, the surviving support personnel, even relying on their advantageous defensive positions, could not withstand the Hidden Rain's offensive.
The survivors were forced to slowly retreat from the outskirts of the village, narrowing their formation back toward the abandoned buildings at the center. But the disparity in strength between the two sides remained too great. If this continued, these people would be wiped out before the main force could return.
The Akatsuki squad leader on this side, already injured during the exchange with the Hidden Rain forces, watched his comrades falling one after another. He knew he could not simply wait for death. He had to find a way out. Otherwise none of them would survive.
He turned around.
His gaze fell upon the mysterious figure sitting motionless on the village wall, who had not moved from that position throughout the entire engagement. His eyes flashed with desperation and he immediately rushed closer, calling out for help. In their eyes, the only person who offered any glimmer of hope was this mysterious figure.
Seeing this, Yuji tilted his neck slightly.
Then he moved.
"Hmm?"
Not far away, the Hidden Rain Jonin holding the umbrella-shaped ninja tool noticed the masked man. But before he could get a proper look, goosebumps spread across his entire body. Sensing danger, he reacted as a sharp figure lunged forward instantly.
The Hidden Rain Jonin immediately aimed his ninja tool at the incoming target and fired several poisoned silver needles.
"Quick reaction. As expected of a Jonin."
The Hidden Rain Jonin heard those words of acknowledgment. Then he saw the masked man, several meters below him, extend a palm strike upward from a distance. A powerful surge of chakra erupted from the motion.
The force of the strike was overwhelming. It knocked every one of the fired projectiles out of the air simultaneously, and the terrifying force continued through, striking the Hidden Rain ninja above. He spat blood, his feet lifted from the ground, and he was sent flying. His body slammed directly into a crumbling building.
"Shukan!"
The other Hidden Rain Jonin witnessed this and was visibly shaken. He immediately used the Water Clone Technique and sent the clone in to strike the masked man from behind.
But Yuji simply turned around and kicked, shattering the clone instantly. Simultaneously, he threw several explosive tags toward the ninja's position.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
A second later, deafening explosions rang out and smoke and fire billowed in every direction.
"Quite interesting."
Yuji stared at the scorched ground where the explosions had landed, and smiled beneath his mask.
...
Bonus @200 PS
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