The cave smelled like blood and damp rock.
Naruto crouched next to Ino, scanning her injuries. Bruises, torn skin, deep cuts, one on her side still leaking dark streaks. Bad. She was barely holding on.
He worked fast. Tore open a storage scroll, pulled out bandages, antiseptic, and a jar of herbal paste.
The worst cuts came first. He poured disinfectant over them, watching blood wash away in thin rivulets. She twitched at the sting. Good sign. He pressed a clotting agent into the deepest wound, then wrapped it tight. It wasn't perfect, but it would hold.
She was barely there, weak as hell, but her eyes followed his hands tracking the way he moved.
He checked her breathing again. Not great, but not getting worse.
His hands moved to his pouch, flipping it open. Inside were medical herbs, sealed and stored. Enough for a treatment, but the mixture needed fresh greens to bind properly. Otherwise, it wouldn't work the way it should.
That meant leaving. Naruto exhaled through his nose.
"I need to go grab something," he told Ino. "The herbs I have won't work without fresh greens. I won't be long."
Ino's fingers twitched, barely noticeable, but he caught it. She didn't like that.
"Hey." He shifted, resting a hand lightly over hers. "I'm not leaving you."
Their eyes met, and for a moment, Naruto felt her vulnerability. Then slowly she gave him a small nod.
"I'll leave clones," he continued. "You won't be by yourself."
He gave her hand one last squeeze, then let go and formed the seal.
Three clones snapped into existence.
"One of you stays inside. Keep an eye on her, make sure she gets water, check her pulse, and watch the bandages for any bleeding."
The clone near Ino gave a nod.
"The other two, guard the entrance. Quiet. Don't engage unless you have to."
The clones took their positions.
Naruto stood, checking his gear.
Ino was secured, but not healthy. Normally, he wouldn't stop to save her. Shikamaru, Chōji, and Asuma were the ones being tortured. They should be his priority.
But he had a feeling he'd need Ino. Alone, he could do damage. But together, their chances were better at saving them.
First step heal her. Get her back on her feet.
Then, he'd get back to his old habits.
Arashi would have to appear once again.
He took a slow breath, scanning the terrain. The area was clear. For now.
His hand moved to his back, fingers brushing over the hilt of his katana. He wouldn't need it for this. The blade was sharp, but it wasn't built for what came next. Too much weight. Too much risk of sound.
He pulled a blank storage scroll from his pouch, unrolling it with practiced ease. A quick pulse of chakra, and the katana vanished in a quiet swirl of ink. He sealed the scroll back up and tucked it away.
Next, the senbon.
Naruto reached into his pouch, pulling out two sets. He slipped them into their proper places.
Left wrist holster → Poisoned senbon.
Right wrist holster → Paralytic senbon.
He flexed his fingers, testing how smoothly they slid from the holsters. Fast. Easy.
With everything set, he adjusted his stance, rolled his shoulders once, then stepped forward.
Time to move.
The night had fully settled now, the last traces of daylight gone. Good. Darkness was his ally. Less visibility, fewer chances of getting spotted.
He scanned the ground as he moved, eyes sweeping for what he needed, broad, waxy leaves, thick enough to bind the medicine properly. They grew in damp soil, usually near tree roots where moisture held.
Two minutes in, he found the first patch.
Naruto crouched, pulling out a small knife and cutting the stems clean. He slid them into a cloth pouch, tied it shut, and kept moving.
Another patch. Then another.
Almost done. Then he felt bloodlust behind him.
Naruto spun, kunai flashing into his grip just as steel came for his neck.
CLANG.
The impact jolted through his arm. The blade, heavy and curved, slammed against his kunai, nearly knocking it from his grip.
The pressure pushed him back, feet skidding against the dirt. The kunai held but just barely. The sword didn't stop. It carved downward, sinking into his shoulder.
Pain tore through him.
Naruto winced but didn't freeze.
His hand was already moving, twisting under the enemy's guard. Chakra roared to life in his palm.
The Rasengan tore through the air but the enemy ninja moved.
A blur of motion, faster than expected. He twisted mid-air, landing light on his feet a few meters away. Not just speed, it was refined footwork. Controlled.
Naruto immediately pushed himself up, feet steady, kunai gripped tight. His mind sharpened, breaking the moment down.
Posture balanced. Blade angled slightly forward, left foot leading. A duelist. A swordsman trained in precision.
Clothes reinforced fabric, armored plates sewn into key areas. Not standard mercenary gear. Elite, but not flashy.
Eyes calm. Focused. Studying him just as much as he was being studied.
The man ran his blade across his sleeve, wiping Naruto's blood from the steel. He flicked the sword once, resetting his stance.
"So they did send help from Konoha. Interesting."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Who are you?"
Naruto didn't answer. His mind was already working through the problem.
How did they find me?
His chakra was completely suppressed. He had made no sound, no unnecessary movements. Yet this guy knew exactly where to strike.
It wasn't sight. Naruto had been crouched, hidden by the terrain.
So what was it?
His shoulder pulsed where the blade had cut deep, but it was nothing.
Bloodlust.
That's what saved him.
That split-second surge of intent. It had cut through the air just before the strike landed. A warning that came too late, but still just in time.
The man sighed, adjusting his grip on the sword.
"Silent type, huh?"
Naruto focused inward, gathering chakra, letting it flow through his muscles, sharpening every nerve in his body.
The enemy smirked.
"Fine."
Then he lunged.
The moment the enemy moved, Naruto was already reacting.
The sword came fast, but Naruto was faster. He met it with his kunai, redirecting. A sharp twist of his wrist sent the blade skidding off-course, steel screeching as it veered to the side.
Naruto stepped in instantly. His fist rocketed up.
The uppercut cracked against the man's jaw. His head snapped back, footing wobbled, knees buckling for half a second but Naruto wasn't done.
He shifted forward, drove his knee into the bastard's gut.
The impact was brutal. Naruto felt the air leave his lungs, heard the wheeze as his body folded inward.
Naruto twisted, pivoting on his foot, then kicked out hard.
His boot smashed into the man's chest, sending him flying back.
Three, maybe four meters. His body crashed through the dirt, skidding to a stop near the base of a tree.