"Sensei, where are you all going this afternoon?"
Asuma whispered.
Though he hadn't gotten the chance to spar, satisfying his curiosity should be permissible, right?
The others were similarly restless.
This…
They truly were curious!
Six pairs of eyes stared at him.
Kyōichi couldn't help but smile. "As the commander, this is classified information I shouldn't disclose. But since this intel will soon expire, I'll test you."
With that, he shared partial details.
The six listened intently.
Then, their eyes widened in unison.
They'd actually uncovered Kirigakure's temporary maritime base!
This was no simple feat.
"With Inoichi-senpai here, uncovering this isn't difficult."
Kyōichi offered a brief explanation.
Kurenai's expression cleared—she'd heard of Yamanaka Inoichi, Konoha's foremost intelligence specialist.
Shisui pondered, then said, "Sensei plans to attack their base?"
"Guess. A reward for the correct answer."
Kyōichi grinned.
"…"
The group collectively sighed.
Kyōichi-sensei's mischievous streak had returned.
However…
They earnestly deliberated.
Might Guy suddenly slapped his palm, eyes blazing. "I understand! Sensei intends to annihilate them outright!"
"…"
Expecting nuance from you was my mistake, Kyōichi thought silently.
He turned to the others.
Shisui frowned. "I observed our numbers earlier—we barely have a dozen squads here. Charging in risks encirclement by Kirigakure."
"Correct. What else?"
Kyōichi nodded approvingly.
Shisui's critical thinking had sharpened remarkably, far surpassing his canonical counterpart.
After a pause, Shisui's lips twitched.
Asuma, too, furrowed his brow in confusion.
"Speak freely. Be bold."
"Are you… seeking assassination opportunities against their leadership?"
Shisui carefully phrased it.
"Disruption" or "sabotage" felt unbecoming of his esteemed sensei, so he opted for a polished alternative.
Privately, he knew Kirigakure wasn't foolish—if their leader remained exposed post-capture, it could only mean two things:
One, the enemy was incompetent.
Two, It was a trap.
"Hah! A flattering interpretation, but no—we're simply causing chaos."
Kyōichi patted Shisui's shoulder. "Konoha Military Police elites will reinforce us soon. Then we launch the main assault. Later, I'll teach you a new genjutsu."
Shisui's eyes sparkled as he nodded eagerly.
The Military Police…
Excellent!
"Enough leaks. Keep this confidential and behave yourselves these days."
Kyōichi stood.
He hadn't shared this for rewards.
Truthfully…
This mission's "reward"—Water Release: Instant Water—was underwhelming.
Battling jōnin-level foes warranted greater recognition, but outsiders dismissed the operation as mere harassment.
---
Lunchtime Arrived.
A Spartan affair: one soldier pill per person—no fires to avoid detection.
---
Post-Meal, the Team Departed.
Guided by intel, the four approached Kirigakure's island base.
Halting underwater at a distance, they lay in wait.
"Inoichi-senpai, I'll catch fish for you to scout with."
"Understood."
The Yamanaka clan's techniques extended beyond human control—animals were viable proxies.
Kyōichi vanished via Water Release: Instant Water, reappearing moments later with two large fish.
Inoichi's Mind Body Switch Clone Technique seized control, steering them toward the island while the team trailed cautiously.
Near the northern shore, they halted.
Kyōichi and Inoichi synchronized their sensory pulses.
"Northbound—a group relocating by ship," Kyōichi muttered.
"Flank the perimeter!"
No hesitation.
Such density implied a supply vessel!
Sinking it would cripple Kirigakure's logistics, regardless of casualties.
They circled outward, accelerating.
Soon, Inoichi's fish reached the ship.
"One large vessel, four squads—likely transporting equipment."
Equipment like interrogation tools or medical devices couldn't be fully stored in scrolls, justifying the base's existence.
Thus, the cargo was invaluable!
"I'll sink it. Regroup afterward."
Kyōichi transformed into a fish via Transformation Technique and surged forward with Water Release: Instant Water.
---
Aboard the Ship:
"Takeshita-kun! Use your sensory jutsu to scan the perimeter—now!" the jōnin barked, his voice sharp with urgency.
Takeshita, a wiry Kirigakure chūnin with scarred hands, sighed but complied. "Relax. Konoha's forces here are skeletal. They wouldn't dare—"
A tremor rippled through the water beneath the ship.
"NOW!" the jōnin roared.
Too late.
A geyser of pressurized water erupted from the sea like a vengeful serpent, its force concentrated into a blade-thin arc.
The technique—Water Release: Instant Water—sliced through the hull with a deafening CRACK!
BOOM!
The ship's midsection exploded into splinters. Sailors and ninja alike tumbled into the churning waves.
Before the crew could rally, a shadow flickered among the debris—Kyōichi, his twin blades gleaming.
Slash!
Two chūnin collapsed, throats slit before they could scream.
The jōnin spun, kunai raised, parrying Kyōichi's strike.
Metal screeched, sparks flying.
But Kyōichi's left blade hummed with crackling lightning—Lightning Release Chakra Flow.
The jōnin's arm seized, muscles locking as electricity surged through his weapon.
Paralysis spread like frost.
Desperate, he tried to leap back, but Kyōichi's right sword—sheathed in swirling wind—Wind Release: Vacuum Blade.
"Water Release: Raging Wave"
Takeshita's voice cut through the chaos.
A wall of water erupted between them, deflecting the lethal strike.
The jōnin staggered free, his right arm dangling uselessly.
Kyōichi's eyes narrowed.
Annoying.
He flickered sideways, avoiding a hail of senbon from a recovering Kirigakure kunoichi.
Behind him, Inoichi, Duy, and the Konoha team surged onto the wreckage.
"Eight Inner Gates: First Gate, Open!" Duy's roar echoed as he bulldozed through two chūnin, their ribs crunching under his fists.
Inoichi, meanwhile, wove hand signs. "Mind Body Switch Clone Technique" A spectral clone peeled from his body, phasing into a fleeing sailor.
The man froze, then turned, hurling kunai at his former allies.
Kyōichi pressed his advantage.
His blades became a whirlwind—lightning and wind chakra carving through defenses.
A Kirigakure genin raised a trembling sword, only to have it shattered by a thunderclap-enhanced kick.
The jōnin, now pale and bleeding, formed shaky signs. "Water Release: Water Shark Bullet" A shark-shaped water projectile rocketed toward Kyōichi.
But Kyōichi didn't dodge.
Instead, he met it head-on, blades crossed.
The shark exploded—and through the spray, Kyōichi lunged, his right blade piercing the jōnin's shoulder.
Wind chakra shredded muscle and tendon.
"Genjutsu: Bubble"
Kyōichi's free hand flickered.
Takeshita, mid-leap to aid his commander, froze—his vision filled with iridescent spheres.
Reality warped; the Konoha ninja seemed to multiply.
Idiot!
Break it!
Takeshita bit his tongue, pain shattering the genjutsu.
But the delay cost him.
Inoichi's clone-possessed sailor tackled him, dagger plunging toward his heart.
Meanwhile, the jōnin collapsed, gasping.
Kyōichi stood over him, blades poised. "Yield."
"Go… to hell…"
A kunai flashed in the jōnin's left hand—aimed at his own throat.
Kyōichi's wind blade flicked out, severing the hand.
"Tch. Fanatics."
Behind him, Duy disarmed the last kunoichi with a roundhouse kick, her senbon scattering into the sea.
Inoichi's clone released the sailor, who crumpled, sobbing.
The water turned crimson. Of the four squads, only Takeshita and the crippled jōnin remained.
Kyōichi sheathed his swords. "Bind them. And sink what's left of the ship."