Ch.221 Encounter

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Watching one signal flare after another explode in the air, Uchiha Shinji, strolling through the Forest of Death, wore a somewhat speechless expression.

Judging by the frequency of these flares going off, it was obviously not the work of the interception teams. One could easily imagine that the students had already begun large-scale confrontations among themselves.

Perhaps this was also something the shinobi academy was happy to see!

Observing the bursts of flares in the sky, Karin felt uneasy.

The nearest flares were only a few hundred meters away from them—maybe just a few stands of trees or some brush in between.

Haku asked Uchiha Shinji, "Uchiha Shinji, are we really fine just walking slowly like this?"

Uchiha Shinji waved a hand. "Relax. As long as we reach the central tower, we pass. As for rankings—do you really care that much?"

Haku shook his head. "Not at all."

Karin hurriedly said, "I-I don't care either."

"Then that settles it!" Uchiha Shinji smiled. "Honestly, I'm a medical shinobi. I'm no good at all that fighting and killing!"

Just then, a group of students emerged from the bushes.

Seeing them, Haku and Karin immediately grew alert.

"Oh no, it's Uchiha Shinji!"

But when Haku and Karin assumed they were about to be attacked, those students—upon recognizing Uchiha Shinji—bolted back into the bushes like startled rabbits, not daring to look back.

Uchiha Shinji remarked, "See? Everyone knows I'm a medical shinobi, so they won't lay a hand on me!"

Haku and Karin exchanged glances.

Atop a thick tree branch,

Shizune leaned against the trunk, gazing into the distance. "I didn't expect it to be this intense. It hasn't been long, yet so many groups have already been eliminated!"

Anko said, "Yeah, looks like only the squads with those few brats will make it to the central tower in the end."

Asuma turned to Iruka, who had just caught up, and asked, "How many interception teams did you arrange in total?"

Iruka replied, "Including the one at the entrance, we have five interception teams in total. They coordinate with each other; the closer you get to the central tower, the greater the chance they'll strike."

Asuma said, "So there are still twenty chunin inside the Forest of Death? Heh, those brats are in for it!"

There was no doubt about it.

According to Iruka, the closer one got to the central tower, the stronger the interception efforts would be. In the end, it might even happen that multiple interception teams attacked simultaneously.

One on one, those kids might easily defeat a single chunin.

But once chunin form up in numbers, working together, then forget those academy kids—even someone like Asuma, a jonin, would find it a headache!

...

Deep in the Forest of Death,

"Tie them up properly. Remember, don't kill anyone!"

Night Owl, while changing into the interception team's outfit and mask, gave instructions to the three subordinates at his side.

His three subordinates quickly tied up the four unconscious interception team members, hid them in a tree hollow, then also changed into interception team attire.

Afterward, one of them asked Night Owl, "Boss, what's our target this time?"

Night Owl, already in interception team attire, spoke grimly: "An Uchiha who's still in the shinobi academy!"

"What? An Uchiha?!"

"Afraid of what? It's just a brat from the academy!"

"Yeah, it's not Uchiha Shisui!"

Upon hearing the target was an Uchiha, Night Owl's subordinates began whispering among themselves.

Previously, Uchiha Shisui had been in charge of the border between Hidden Leaf and Kirigakure. Some among Night Owl's group had either dealt with Shisui or heard tales of his renown, and they were terrified of him!

Night Owl waved a hand, cutting off their debate. "This time, the target is just a young Uchiha who hasn't awakened his Sharingan yet. As long as we're careful, we should be fine. But listen up—this is Hidden Leaf's territory. Unless absolutely necessary, do not kill anyone!"

"Understood!"

"As soon as we catch him, we leave immediately." After a pause, Night Owl beckoned to his subordinates. "Move out!"

Boom, boom, boom!

Hearing the explosions ahead, Sasuke, in the midst of rushing forward, stopped in his tracks. Far from worry, his face was brimming with excitement.

Sakura said, "Sasuke, that's quite a commotion up ahead. Could it be an interception team?"

"Even if it is, what is there to fear?" Sasuke snorted. "If you two are scared, you can stay here. I'll go alone!"

With that, not waiting for Sakura or Naruto, his figure flickered as he rushed off toward the battlefield ahead.

"Hey, Sasuke, you're so annoying! As if we'd be scared! Wait up!"

Naruto complained aloud while chasing after him.

Behind them, Sakura said anxiously, "Naruto, you idiot, keep your voice down!"

Whoosh!

Right then, a distress flare rose from the battlefield ahead.

No doubt, yet another group had been eliminated.

Moments later, when Naruto and Sakura arrived at the site, all that remained on the battlefield were four downed interception team members and Sasuke standing in place.

Sakura hurried over to Sasuke. "Sasuke, what happened here?"

Sasuke curled his lip. "These useless guys were beaten by Kimimaro alone!"

Naruto's eyes went wide. "So that distress flare just now…?"

Sasuke gestured to the interception team on the ground. "The flare must've been theirs."

Naruto looked stunned. "What?! The ones eliminated were the interception team?"

Sakura, more perceptive, said, "Th-this quickly?!"

From the outbreak of battle to its end had spanned just a few minutes at most. Seeing the scene now meant Kimimaro's team had taken out four chunin in just a few minutes.

Considering that Shion and Kurama Yakumo on Kimimaro's team were basically non-combatants, the obvious conclusion was that Kimimaro defeated all four on his own—and easily, at that!

Sasuke sniffed disdainfully. "Tch, so-called chunin can't even wear Kimimaro down?"

Sakura tried to dissuade him, "Sasuke, Kimimaro and his group are probably just up ahead. Maybe we should…well…take a detour?"

"Are you kidding me!"

Sasuke shot Sakura a glare, then propelled himself off the ground and continued toward the central tower.

Sakura and Naruto had no choice but to continue complaining as they hurried after him.

Not long after, the three of them encountered another interception team racing toward them.

Standing on a tree branch, Sasuke rested one hand on his hip and looked down at the interception team below. "I didn't think you'd deliver yourselves! Kimimaro is no pushover, and I'm even tougher than Kimimaro!"

Below, Night Owl and his men—disguised as the interception team—saw the scarlet three-tomoe Sharingan in Sasuke's eyes, and their breathing became noticeably heavier…