"If anyone approaches us, my insects will detect them immediately! But since I'm receiving no feedback, it means there are no enemies nearby at all!"
Haidao then took a deep breath and activated his Byakugan for the first time in this mission. "Byakugan, activate!"
The veins at his temples bulged, and his vision instantly expanded several times over. Everything within a one-kilometer radius fell into his sight.
"Captain, there's no trace of any chakra signatures around us. My Byakugan hasn't detected any anomalies either…" Haidao hesitated before adding uncertainly, "Captain… Could it be that your mechanical mouse probe is malfunctioning?"
Faced with their doubts,
Kazuki only smiled faintly and asked in return:
"When did I say they were around us?"
"What???"
Everyone was stunned.
They didn't understand what he meant, and even Tsunade looked up curiously.
Kazuki then spoke calmly, "They're lying in ambush… five kilometers ahead of us."
"I see!"
The spies who had previously hidden in the Land of Hot Water were suddenly startled.
"No one knows the terrain better than them," one of them exclaimed. "That's the only route back to Konoha from the Land of Hot Water! They must be waiting there to ambush us!"
Kazuki nodded with a slight smile.
Both Haidao and Qing were momentarily frozen in disbelief as they stared at Kazuki.
"But Captain… This is five kilometers away. How could you possibly—"
Their voices trailed off.
Because at that moment, they suddenly realized something—
The mechanical mouse!
The device Kazuki had shown them earlier… Could it really detect chakra from five kilometers away?
Upon realizing this, a chill ran down their spines.
Terrifying.
Absolutely terrifying!
A perception ability that could detect chakra fluctuations from five kilometers away…
For a sensory-type ninja, this was an unfathomable level of power.
Among their clans, perhaps only the most elite Hyūga or a sensor-nin of the highest caliber possessed such incredible detection abilities.
The two of them fell into silence.
Their twelve-year-old captain…
Was far more formidable than they had ever imagined.
"Let's go."
Kazuki's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority.
"They've set up an ambush along our only path. We'll have to confront them head-on."
"Otherwise… these fools might start believing we're nothing but easy prey."
—
Under the shroud of night, Kazuki's squad moved swiftly through the forest.
Dark silhouettes flitted through the trees, leaping between thick branches, leaving only faint afterimages in their wake.
"We're almost there. Prepare for battle."
Kazuki's voice was low, but his words carried across the team.
"Yes, Captain (Mink-sama)!"
A chorus of unwavering voices responded in unison.
Aside from Tsunade and Shizune, the Konoha ninja—along with the remaining spies—followed Kazuki's orders without hesitation.
At some point, the captain of the Anbu, Kazuki,
Had assumed absolute command over this unit.
Though Tsunade and Shizune remained silent, they, too, prepared themselves for battle.
—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Suddenly, the sharp sound of projectiles cutting through the air echoed in the darkness—
A barrage of kunai rained down upon them from all directions!
"Everyone, be careful!" Haidao shouted.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward, positioning himself in front of the team.
"Eight Trigrams Palm: Rotation!"
A high-level taijutsu technique of the Hyūga clan—
At the moment of impact, he expelled chakra from all his Tenketsu points, rapidly spinning his body like a top. A perfect sphere of chakra formed around him, deflecting the incoming kunai in all directions.
A defensive wall, impossible to break through.
This secret technique of the Hyūga clan,
combined with their own rotation and the enhanced perception of the Byakugan,
creates the technique known as Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven—hailed as an "absolute defense."
Clang! Clang!
Most of the kunai and shuriken thrown at them
clashed against the semi-spherical chakra barrier formed by the technique Haidao executed.
The few projectiles that managed to slip through
were swiftly knocked away mid-air by Kazuki and the others.
A rain of kunai descended,
yet not a single person on Kazuki's side was injured.
Weapons like kunai and shuriken may be effective in surprise attacks,
especially against weaker opponents.
However, Kazuki and his team were already seasoned fighters,
and having foreseen this ambush long ago,
such a simple attack posed no threat to them.
At this moment, his Byakugan had already been activated,
allowing him to see clearly even in the darkness,
his vision far surpassing that of ordinary people.
"This... this... why are there so many of them?!" Haidao suddenly exclaimed.
"Haidao, how many are there? Speak up!" Sunflower urged impatiently.
"Th-There are five with Jōnin-level strength,
fifteen at Tokubetsu Jōnin level, and… a total of fifteen of them!
The rest are all at least Chūnin level—there are about seventy or eighty of them!"
"Tch—!"
A sharp intake of breath echoed through the air.
Upon hearing Haidao's report, everyone except Kazuki furrowed their brows.
Five Jōnin, fifteen Tokubetsu Jōnin, and seventy to eighty Chūnin...
Could an ordinary casino truly possess such military strength?
Although Haidao and Qing had been captured when they infiltrated the casino earlier,
the number of ninjas they had encountered at that time
had been nowhere near this overwhelming!
This level of fighting power…
It far exceeded the military defense force of a small nation!
Even Tsunade, at this moment, realized that Kazuki's earlier caution
was not due to cowardice or hesitation—
it was because their enemy this time was truly formidable!
Kazuki's lips curled into a faint smile.
"So many of them… and yet they still underestimate us."
Across from them, standing at the forefront,
were the five Jōnin-ranked ninjas.
They had positioned themselves in a tight formation,
blocking the only route back to the Land of Fire.
"Hah! Did you really think winning money from our casino would be that easy?!"
One of the Jōnin spoke in a deep voice.
Then, pointing directly at Kazuki with his index finger,
he continued coldly,
"I suggest you hand over that kid to us,
along with all the money you won.
If you do that, we might even let you live."
"You're dreaming! Captain Kazuki would never hand him over!"
Sunflower placed her hands on her hips,
furiously scolding the enemy ninja.
"Hah, such a feisty little girl,"
another Jōnin sneered, a sinister chuckle escaping his lips.
"Today, we came fully prepared.
Even if one of the legendary Sannin, Tsunade, is here,
you won't be escaping so easily!"
"You—!"
Beneath her mask, Sunflower's eyes widened in frustration.
She wanted to retort, but a firm hand pressed down on her shoulder.
"Captain..."
Sunflower bit her lower lip, holding back her words.
"There's no need to waste time arguing."
Whoosh!
Kazuki raised his hand.
A shuriken spun through the air, cutting through the tense silence.
"Let's begin."
"Haidao, Qing, Sunflower—
Show me what you're capable of."
"Yes!"
Three voices answered in unison.
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