Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!
A blazing dragon of fire tore through the sky, cast by a Sarutobi shinobi. The flames lit up the collapsed buildings and the narrow, oppressive battlefield around them.
Hane Genma stood hidden just over thirty meters from the edge of the battlefield. The fire's reflection flickered in his eyes. The fact that even a random shinobi could use high-level Fire Style jutsu left him a little surprised.
A trail of scorching heat marked the fire dragon's path as it shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bowstring. The air itself shimmered from the intensity.
Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall!
Just as the fire dragon was about to hit its mark, a Ishigawa(Stone river) shinobi quickly formed hand seals. With a rumble, a massive wall of earth erupted from the ground, blocking the fire dragon's trajectory.
Boom!
The serpentine flames slammed straight into the wall, pressing forward with such force that the dragon collapsed into what looked like a flaming pancake.
The thick wall shuddered under the impact, as if a giant flaming hand had slapped it hard. The roar was deafening, and waves of heat burst outward in all directions.
Even the ground nearby trembled from the sheer force.
"Watch out!"
Another Sarutobi shinobi shouted a warning. The one who had cast the Fire Style jutsu instinctively sensed danger and leapt to the side. The moment he moved, several sharp earthen spikes erupted from the ground where he had just been.
Earth Style: Fist of Stone!
A Ishigawa ninja's arms transformed into massive rocky fists. He charged forward, aiming to engage in close combat.
Fire Style: Blazing Flame Technique!
Another Sarutobi shinobi avoided the brunt of the attack, opting instead to harass the enemy with Fire Style from the flank.
Earth Style: Earth Lance!
Fire Style: Great Flame Bullet!
Jutsu flew wildly across the battlefield. As he watched, Hane Genma found himself nodding slightly. Yes, the flame bullets used by the Sarutobi were pretty much the same as the ones he used.
The shinobi on both sides clashed with Fire and Earth Style techniques. While no casualties had occurred yet, this wasn't some mock battle—once chakra started running dry, death would be inevitable.
Genma carefully observed the battlefield. As time went on, the formation and coordination among allied shinobi gradually began to unravel.
Eventually, the number of allies around the Sarutobi ninja carrying the supply scroll dwindled. On the edge of the battlefield, a narrow path had opened up.
Now's the chance!
Genma moved swiftly, slipping into the fray.
The ninja was in the middle of forming seals when he suddenly felt a weight lift from his shoulder—something had disappeared.
He instinctively turned his head and saw an unfamiliar figure standing behind him. A young face looked back, wearing a sheepish, almost shy expression.
"Too heavy? Getting in the way of your fighting? I'll hold onto this for now."
Genma cleanly sliced through the strap securing the supply scroll, tucked it under his arm, and—with a sneaky foot trip and a gentle shove—nearly knocked the ninja to the ground.
Then he turned and ran without a hint of hesitation. After all, even a thief had a code: take what's needed, and don't meddle with the rest.
Genma still held some respect for the Sarutobi name. He didn't want to stir up unnecessary trouble—if he had, a knife to the back would've made sure the shinobi didn't get up again.
Even though his theft was seamless and fluid, in a battlefield this tense, such sneaky behavior was bound to be noticed.
So he awkwardly formed a hand seal and hurled a fireball at a Ishigawa shinobi trying to block his way. While running, he shouted loudly:
"I'll evacuate with the supplies! Hold them off for a bit before retreating—don't get dragged into a prolonged fight! Prioritize the supplies!"
He deliberately kept his head down. None of the Sarutobi could get a good look at his face.
The battlefield was chaotic. Genma had appeared out of nowhere, and with no one realizing his approach, the Sarutobi naturally assumed he was an ally.
As for the Ishigawa side, there was nothing to question—he used Fire Style, didn't he? Must be a Sarutobi.
That supply scroll isn't flying away on my watch.
"Wait, you—!"
The Sarutobi ninja who'd originally been carrying the scroll had, of course, realized something was wrong. He didn't even know this guy—why would he be allowed to take the scroll?
But before he could call out, the Ishigawa shinobi were already closing in relentlessly.
The Sarutobi fought desperately to hold them off, determined not to let any enemy leave the battlefield. This, in turn, ensured the supplies were "safely escorted away."
Genma didn't expect the Sarutobi to be stupid enough to not realize he was a thief. All he needed was a one- or two-minute distraction.
He quickly left the battlefield. After circling behind a broken wall to block line of sight, he disappeared into the trunk of a large tree, taking the scroll with him.
And just like that, he was gone.
To those on the battlefield, it was likely they'd never find him again.
Snatch and dash—what a thrill.
The chaos belonged to them. None of it had anything to do with him.
As a bystander, Genma maintained a neutral stance—just an onlooker eating popcorn. He was a good person, one who didn't harm others. The scroll he acquired was, in his view, perfectly legitimate "income."
Think about it. He could've assassinated a few Sarutobi shinobi—but he didn't.
So everything Genma gained from this battlefield, aside from his life, should be considered "payment for survival."
It wasn't that assassinating Sarutobi shinobi was easier than taking out members of the Tsugawa Clan—far from it. But the Sarutobi were being evenly matched by the Ishigawa, and Genma, acting as a third party, faced less risk, better results, and greater efficiency if he struck here.
Now that he'd made off with the Sarutobi's supply scroll, there was no way they'd ever catch up.
If no one could find him, then the scroll had no owner.
And something without an owner? Naturally belonged to whoever claimed it first.
Genma's claim to ownership was in line with public norms and basic morality. It violated no law or code.
After distancing himself far from the battlefield that had nothing to do with him, Genma released the Mayfly Technique, ending his concealed movement state.
He retied the severed strap of the scroll and slung it over his back, heading toward his faction's camp.
This outing had been a great success. His "experience package" theory had proven effective—the White Zetsu encounter had rapidly boosted his strength. He'd also secured urgently needed supplies for the camp.
Whether this batch of Sarutobi resources was meant for the frontlines or to be returned to the village, it undoubtedly contained items useful to Genma's camp. This single scroll might greatly ease their survival pressure.
This opportunistic robbery had gone incredibly smoothly. No extra trouble stirred. It seemed Genma's luck had taken a turn for the better.
But in this era, in the midst of such a brutal war…
Does "smooth sailing" even exist?
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