Where's the blade? Where's my blade?
Five kilometers outside the town.
Suikazan Fuguki, leading six Hidden Mist Ninja, returned to the area where they had initially set up their ambush after barely repelling the Hidden Sand Ninja led by Yakura.
"Captain, there are no signs of a struggle at the scene. All were killed with a single blow. Judging from the wounds on their necks, it's highly likely to be an expert proficient in Wind Release nature transformation."
A Hidden Mist Ninja skilled in crime scene investigation reported the results to Suikazan Fuguki.
"Which direction did the enemy leave from?"
"The traces of our previous battle are too chaotic, so... so it's impossible to determine."
"Are there no other clues?"
"...N-no, there aren't."
The chilling killing intent gradually enveloping him caused the Hidden Mist Ninja to break out in a cold sweat.
Suikazan Fuguki, seeing his subordinate's fearful appearance, snorted in displeasure.
He turned and took out the summoning scroll for the greatsword Samehada from his chest, running his fingertip across the still-bleeding wound on his forearm.
After forming hand seals, he slammed his palm onto the summoning contract in the center of the scroll.
A huge cloud of chakra smoke rose.
However, the greatsword Samehada, which should have appeared in the center of the scroll, showed no reaction to the summoning contract.
Suikazan Fuguki's heart trembled, and a bad premonition surged into his mind. Unwilling to believe it, he cast the summoning jutsu again.
The summoning scroll under his feet still showed no reaction.
Bang!
Suikazan Fuguki grabbed the head of the subordinate beside him and slammed it hard into the ground.
The anger rising in his chest made him want to smash the subordinate's head with a single punch.
The repeated failures in the battle with Yakura had already caused the village's higher-ups to harbor many dissatisfactions towards him.
If the greatsword Samehada, one of the village's symbols, were lost, he would inevitably face the village's censure!
"I'll give you one last chance. Find the little thief who stole Samehada, or I'll crush your bones inch by inch!"
"Y-yes!"
The Hidden Mist Ninja, with a collapsed nose and a face covered in blood, was already terrified and could only nod repeatedly in agreement.
The remaining Hidden Mist Ninja also quickly began to act, searching every inch of the battlefield for any traces left by the enemy.
While staying away from the furious Suikazan Fuguki, they also hoped to find some clues left by the enemy.
Otherwise, this anger would probably fall on them in the end.
...
Inside an inconspicuous house in the town.
The oil lamp on the square table flickered with a bean-sized flame, emitting a dim light.
A Hidden Sand Ninja disguised as a civilian concealed their presence well, pretending to be an ordinary person busy preparing dinner.
Inside the basement of a private house.
Yakura and her six subordinates, having escaped the entanglement of the Hidden Mist Ninja, were healing their injuries with the help of a medical ninja.
Although Yakura's act of charging into the encirclement alone successfully disrupted the Hidden Mist's plan and attracted most of the firepower, allowing her companions to take the opportunity to counter-encircle.
However, after a fierce battle, they still had five casualties.
Almost all of them were injured, making a long-distance retreat impossible.
In this situation, a town with a more complex population composition was undoubtedly more conducive to their concealment than the open wilderness.
Dong dong~ dong dong dong dong~ dong~
A rhythmic knock came from the basement door.
Hearing the correct password, the Hidden Sand Ninja guarding the basement door breathed a sigh of relief and opened the door.
"Lady Yakura, something is not right."
The Hidden Sand Ninja who entered the basement quickly reported the results of his investigation.
After they and the Hidden Mist Ninja called a truce.
He, being the least injured, returned to the Hidden Mist Ninja's initial ambush site under Yakura's instructions.
But not only did he fail to find any trace of his companions.
The four headless Hidden Mist Ninja corpses also made him feel particularly strange!
There were no traces of any high-power ninjutsu at the scene, nor were there any messy footprints or destruction from close combat.
Everyone was killed with a single blow!
He knew very well.
Akasaburo, who had stayed behind due to his injuries, did not have such strength even in his prime.
"A third party?"
Yakura's eyes narrowed slightly.
The keen senses honed from a long time of walking on the edge of life and death made the alarm bells ring in her heart.
Almost without thinking, she sat up from the ground and said to everyone.
"This place is no longer safe, retreat!"
"Yes!"
Everyone responded in unison.
They hurriedly packed up their weapons and supplies, transformed into ordinary civilians using the Transformation Technique, and quickly left the basement.
And just as they were about to merge into the street.
A very strange, yet familiar sound of rushing water reached everyone's ears.
Yakura raised her eyes to look in the direction of the sound.
Small sharks, enveloped in streams of water, swam directly towards the group!
Damn it!
Who didn't properly deal with the scent on their body!
Yakura cursed inwardly, knowing that there was no point in blaming her subordinates at this point.
She raised her hand and made a warning gesture to the people behind her.
Although she didn't know why the Hidden Mist Ninja were chasing after them at this time, after only fighting once in the afternoon.
However, the two sides had been fighting for so long, and had always tacitly avoided fighting in towns.
After all, once large-scale destruction was caused in a town.
Even if the Daimyo of the Tea Country was cowardly, he would protest to the Daimyo of the Water Country and the Daimyo of the Wind Country.
With the complex relationships between the Daimyos of various countries, the ensuing result would be the Daimyos of each country blaming their respective ninja villages.
According to common sense.
After the Hidden Mist Village ninja were discovered, they had already lost the opportunity to assassinate them with poisonous smoke, mist, Genjutsu and other means.
At most, they would say a few harsh words and then retreat helplessly.
It's just.
Now, Suikazan Fuguki, who is leading the Hidden Mist side, can no longer be guessed by common sense.
Almost the moment he saw the Hidden Sand group.
The anger in his heart completely erupted!
"Water Release: Water Fang Bullet!"
Rotating streams of water gathered in front of him, and water guns shot out, heading straight for Yakura and her group!
Even if the other Hidden Mist Ninja still had concerns.
But those who came from the Bloody Mist Village understood that if they didn't help Suikazan Fuguki retrieve the Samehada sword.
Before the village could attack them.
Suikazan Fuguki, as the captain and the strongest, would kill them!
That guy never showed mercy when facing his own people.
Kunai and Shuriken, with sharp sounds of breaking through the air, shot towards the Hidden Sand group standing at the entrance of the alley.
Water Release ninjutsu followed closely behind, launched from the hands of the Hidden Mist Ninja!
Yakura's pupils shrank sharply.
Having misjudged the Hidden Mist's intentions, they hurriedly dodged while using defensive ninjutsu!
Boom! Boom~ Boom~
The collision of ninjutsu against ninjutsu instantly erupted into deafening roars within the town.
Screams mixed with cries shattered the peace and tranquility of the early evening.
Yamanaka Kei and Namikaze Minato, who had just finished their dinner, frowned as they watched the tragic scene of ninjutsu clashing hundreds of meters away.
In a flash of thought, they understood that they had underestimated the importance of the great sword Samehada.
If it weren't for the sudden disappearance of this sword.
The two sides, who had been fighting for a long time and maintaining a certain degree of restraint, would not have recklessly fought in the town.
"How about we return the sword to them?"
"Or should we just kill them?"
Namikaze Minato and Yamanaka Kei spoke at the same time.
After speaking, one felt helpless, and the other disgusted.
After looking at each other, the little sun ultimately conceded, choosing his best friend's plan.
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