A Difficult Road Home 9

Tetsuma's sharp eyes locked onto the shinobi blocking their path. The symbol engraved on their headbands was unmistakable—Kusagakure.

Twelve of them. Three jonin, three chunin, and six genin. They were arranged in a strategic formation, the jonin positioned at the back while the chunin and genin spread out to cut off escape routes.

Tetsuma suppressed a sigh. "Kusa shinobi… what could they want?"

His body was still recovering from his battle with Ebizo. He wasn't in prime condition for a prolonged fight. If he could settle this without bloodshed, that would be ideal.

Taking a step forward, he kept his hands relaxed at his sides but remained alert.

"You're blocking our way," he said calmly. "State your purpose."

One of the jonin, a tall man with a scar running down his jaw, took a step forward. "We've heard rumors that an Anbu commander of Konoha was passing through these lands. Our superiors wanted to confirm if those rumors were true."

Haruto tensed beside him. "That doesn't explain why you brought twelve men just to ask questions."

The scarred jonin smirked. "You know how it is. The war has everyone on edge. We can't just let Konoha's forces move freely through our borders without checking, can we?"

Tetsuma kept his face neutral, but inside, he was analyzing every detail.

Kusagakure wasn't officially allied with Konoha's enemies, but they had always been opportunistic. If they thought they could capture or kill an Anbu commander, they might try to claim the bounty from Iwagakure or Kumogakure.

Tetsuma tilted his head slightly. "And now that you've confirmed it's me, what's next?"

The Kusa jonin chuckled. "That depends on you, Silver Blade. You're injured, and we outnumber you. If you're willing to come with us peacefully, we'll make sure you're… well-treated."

There it is. The real reason they were here.

Haruto growled, his hand inching toward his blade. "Tetsuma-sama, we should—"

Tetsuma raised a hand, signaling him to hold. Fighting wasn't the best option yet.

He let out a slow breath, his silver eyes meeting the scarred jonin's. "You know as well as I do that Konoha won't take this lightly. If you try to take me in, the next time you see Leaf shinobi, it won't be for a friendly chat."

The Kusa shinobi didn't immediately respond. They weren't fools. They knew Konoha's Anbu was ruthless when provoked.

Still, their formation remained unbroken. They weren't backing down easily.

Tetsuma clenched his jaw. He had hoped to talk his way out of this. But it seemed like—

A fight was inevitable.

The tension in the air was suffocating. The Kusa shinobi remained in formation, their eyes sharp and wary. Tetsuma knew the moment would break soon—and he had no intention of waiting for them to make the first move.

With a flicker of chakra, he vanished.

"He's moving—!"

The Kusa shinobi barely had time to react as Tetsuma's blade gleamed with lightning, arcing toward the scarred jonin's throat. The man jumped back, forming a single-handed Tiger seal—"Wind Release: Gale Burst!"

A sudden explosion of wind roared from his palm, but Tetsuma was faster. He twisted midair, his Chidori-infused Kusanagi blade carving through the jutsu, dispersing it with sheer force.

CLANG!

Their weapons met in a flurry of sparks—a kunai against his crackling sword. Tetsuma pressed forward, his free hand forming a seal—"Lightning Release: Raijin Strikes!"

A flash of light, and a streak of electricity burst from his palm, spearing toward the jonin's chest.

"Tch—Earth Release: Stone Wall!"

The scarred jonin slammed his hands together, and a thick stone barrier erupted between them. Too late.

Tetsuma had already Body Flickered above him, his blade descending like a silver flash.

SHLNK!

Blood splattered. The Kusa jonin barely dodged, but his shoulder was sliced deep. He stumbled, eyes wide with shock.

But there was no time to recover.

"Earth Release: Raging Tremor!"

Tetsuma slammed his palm into the ground. The earth quaked violently, jagged spikes shooting up beneath the genin and chunin. Three were impaled instantly.

"Damn it! Fall back—!" One of the Kusa jonin shouted, forming hand seals—"Water Release: Crushing Wave!"

A surging wave crashed toward Tetsuma—but he was already moving.

Body Flicker.

He reappeared beside the second jonin, blade raised—"Chidori Blade: Piercing Crescent!"

A blinding arc of lightning cleaved through the man's torso. The jonin gasped, his body convulsing before dropping lifelessly.

The last remaining jonin's eyes widened in horror. "This monster—!"

He turned to flee.

Too late.

Tetsuma's hands blurred through seals—"Lightning Release: Chidori Lance!"

A spear of lightning shot forward. It pierced through the fleeing jonin's back, sending him collapsing onto the dirt.

Three jonin down.

The remaining Kusa shinobi were trembling. Only three chunin and three genin were left.

Tetsuma turned toward them, his Chidori-infused blade humming with deadly power.

"You should run."

Their courage shattered. They bolted.

Haruto and the Konoha shinobi had barely moved, watching in stunned silence. The fight had lasted less than a minute.

Tetsuma exhaled slowly, shaking the blood off his blade. Another battle won. But the war was far from over.