The Calm Before the Storm 14

Before dawn broke the next morning, Silver and Kage were already on the move, their feet barely touching the ground as they flickered through the dense forest. They pushed their bodies to the limit, urgency in every movement. The plan was simple: get back to the Land of Waterfall, lay low, and report to Konoha. The intel they had gathered was invaluable, and they had to make it out alive.

But fate had other plans.

As they neared a clearing, Silver's senses tingled. He stopped, his sharp eyes scanning the area. He wasn't sure, but something felt off. Kage, who had been ahead, turned to see Silver's sudden halt.

"Silver?" Kage asked, his voice wary.

"Wait," Silver muttered, his eyes narrowing. "Something's not right."

Before either of them could react, a heavy presence loomed from the trees. Silver's heart skipped a beat as he saw the figure emerging. It was too late to retreat. The figure, short in stature but exuding immense power, stepped into the clearing. Onoki, the Second Tsuchikage's disciple, stood before them, a smirk on his face. His eyes glowed with dangerous intent.

"Well, well. It looks like the little pests finally decided to show themselves," Onoki said, his voice dripping with mockery.

Silver's instincts screamed for him to move, but Onoki was faster. In an instant, a wave of crushing energy surged from his hands. The ground beneath them seemed to disintegrate as the devastating force of Dust Release hit the two shinobi. Kage reacted instinctively, throwing up his arm to protect himself, but Onoki's attack was too powerful. The air cracked with the sound of the destructive jutsu, and before Kage could even raise his guard, his arm was severed cleanly from his body.

Kage's pained scream echoed through the forest, his face contorted in agony as he stumbled backward, clutching his stump. Blood poured from the wound, staining the ground beneath him.

Silver's eyes widened in shock, his hands instinctively reaching for his blades, but there was no time. Onoki smirked again, clearly enjoying the sight of Kage's pain.

"You two have been causing quite the disturbance," Onoki taunted, his fingers flexing as more energy began to swirl around them. "But it's over now. You're not going anywhere."

Silver's gaze hardened, fury replacing the shock in his eyes. He wasn't going to let Kage die here. Not like this.

He flicked his hand, releasing a torrent of shuriken in Onoki's direction, aiming to distract him, buying Kage a moment to recover. The dust particles swirled around them, but Silver's precision kept the attack from being blocked.

"Get up, Kage!" Silver shouted, his voice urgent. "We need to move, now!"

Kage, through gritted teeth, struggled to push himself up, his remaining arm shaking. Blood continued to drip from the stump, but his gaze was unwavering, filled with determination.

"I… I'm not done yet…" Kage growled, his voice strained. He reached for his pack, trying to steady himself as he fumbled for his remaining chakra supplies.

Silver took a step forward, his eyes locked on Onoki, but the Tsuchikage's disciple wasn't done yet. He raised his hand again, and Silver could feel the air growing heavier.

"You're in my way," Onoki said coldly, his tone laced with malice. "You've interfered with things far beyond your control. Now you'll pay the price."

Without hesitation, Silver leapt forward, aiming for a direct attack, but Kage, despite the pain and blood loss, managed to intercept, dragging himself in between Silver and Onoki.

"Silver, go!" Kage shouted through gritted teeth. "I'll hold him off!"

Silver's heart pounded in his chest, but he knew what he had to do. "Don't be stupid, Kage! We stay together!"

But Kage's eyes were resolute. "This is it, Silver. I'll keep him busy. Just—just go. Don't let all this be for nothing."

Silver hesitated for a split second longer, then nodded grimly. "Don't die on me, Kage."

With that, Silver spun on his heel and dashed for the trees, disappearing into the forest. He could hear Kage's strained breathing behind him, but he didn't look back. He couldn't afford to. Kage's sacrifice had bought him the chance to escape.

As Silver disappeared into the shadows, Kage gritted his teeth, summoning every last ounce of chakra he had left. The pain in his arm was unbearable, but his will to survive—and to protect his team—kept him going. He reached into his pouch, grabbing a handful of kunai and tossing them at Onoki.

"Come on, you bastard. I'm not going down that easily!" Kage spat, struggling to stand tall even as blood poured from his wound.

Onoki chuckled darkly. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. But it's over."

He raised his hand, ready to deliver the final blow. But before he could release his jutsu, Kage's shadow clones surged forward, distracting Onoki for just long enough. The clones, though weak, proved to be a nuisance, giving Kage enough time to retreat.