Ch 175: Found out

Here's the revised version with Uchiha Chen changed to Tatsumi, Rope Tree changed to In fact, from an objective point of view, Nawaki wasn't wrong at all. A distinctive fragrance could indeed be smelled on the food residue.

After carefully sniffing it, Tatsumi could also detect a faint scent. It seemed that Nawaki was particularly sensitive to it; otherwise, he wouldn't have noticed it so quickly.

So, Tatsumi decisively called out Big White from his arms, asking it to inquire from the surrounding snakes if they had seen where the enemy team had gone.

Within seconds, Big White gave Tatsumi a direction. It also mentioned that the group in question was a standard ninja squad, though their specific strength remained unclear.

"I'll go take a look. You guys…" Tatsumi hesitated for a moment. He wanted to go alone.

"Tatsumi, we're a squad. It's better if we act together," Nawaki spoke up.

He didn't want to always be protected by his teammates.

Tatsumi shifted his gaze to Minato and Mikoto. The two nodded almost simultaneously.

Tatsumi immediately agreed. That's right—he couldn't always act like their babysitter.

So he gave up the idea of acting solo, waved boldly, and said:

"Let's go!"

Stepping onto a branch, Tatsumi leapt into the air, heading in the direction Big White had indicated.

After walking through the forest for only a short while, an image formed in his mind via Big White's thermal detection.

A ninja squad—led by a captain and accompanied by three others—was heading toward the capital of the Land of Fire. Their speed was moderate, just a regular traveling pace.

Tatsumi waved his hand to signal caution, preparing to observe the team's strength before engaging.

However, before they could get any closer, the enemy suddenly stopped.

Had they been discovered?

In the next instant, an incredibly sharp wind blade tore through the tree branches, appearing before the four, and then shot straight toward them.

Before anyone could react, the Wind Release technique expanded outward—spreading and cutting everything in its path.

Wind Release: Practice Air Great Ball!

It was a large-scale wind-type attack!

Almost instinctively, Lightning Release chakra gathered beneath Tatsumi's feet. His speed instantly surged, and with a thunderous boom, he shot through the forest.

There was likely a reconnaissance-type ninja among the enemy—one with skills surpassing even Big White's.

This thought flashed through Tatsumi's mind, but his hands moved quickly. He reached out and grabbed Mikoto, pulling her into a horizontal hold around the waist, and then swiftly kicked Nawaki in the abdomen!

Nawaki had complained before that he never got to see Tatsumi's taijutsu up close. Now the chance had come—and the power behind that kick made him feel like he'd reached enlightenment.

His body shot backward like a cannonball and collided with Minato, sending both of them flying.

The kick had been fast, precise, and merciless—a perfect world-class strike that made Nawaki let out a pained groan.

Despite the clear sound of the impact, Tatsumi didn't even glance at the two as he bolted away with Mikoto in his arms.

He kept telling himself there was no favoritism involved in grabbing Mikoto. It was simply a reflex—nothing to do with choosing love over friendship.

Tatsumi tried to hypnotize himself with thoughts like: I kicked Nawaki to save him… The kick was gentle… Did I even kick Nawaki? How did he fly off? Who did that?

But then came the real question: Should he have hugged a guy or a girl? Especially since Nawaki was technically closer.

Well…

One was soft and lovely—his childhood friend.

The other was sweaty and kind of pervy.

In short, even if God gave Tatsumi another chance to redo it, he'd still choose to kick without hesitation. What else—hug Nawaki and kick Mikoto away? That'd be insane.

To be fair, Minato was lucky. Although he got caught up in the blow, at least he didn't make direct contact. He managed to adjust midair and land properly.

Boom!

The Wind Release technique exploded in front of them.

After placing Mikoto down, Tatsumi quickly pulled her behind a tree, shielding her as he observed the enemy's attire.

After all, each village's ninja uniforms had subtle differences. For example, Sand Hidden ninjas often dressed like desert nomads. Even though they had jonin vests, few seemed to wear them regularly.

The leading ninja clearly wore a jonin vest. Judging by his tanned face and mature demeanor, he appeared to be in his thirties.

The other three were quite young. The oldest didn't look over twenty, and the remaining two were teenage girls.

But one of the girls immediately drew Tatsumi's attention.

She wore a purple outfit and a Sand Ninja forehead protector. A kunai was in her hand as she looked ahead cautiously. Two orange-red bangs fluttered in the wind.

"This person is…?"

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