With Chitora charging from the front, blade in hand, and a combined Fire Release attack closing in from behind, Renchi had no time to think. He leapt away instinctively, narrowly escaping his current position.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Blade!"
The instant Renchi landed, Chitora launched his jutsu—Wind Release: Vacuum Blade—swinging his sword down with deadly precision.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Flash!"
At that exact moment, Renchi, having activated his clan's secret technique, roared in desperation. In the nick of time, he barely dodged Chitora's deadly strike.
"I have to run. If I don't escape now, I never will…"
After evading the attack, Renchi's peripheral vision caught sight of numerous Root shinobi emerging from the darkness. That was all the confirmation he needed—escape was his only option.
He wasn't the only one. Laki and the others, seeing the hidden Root operatives reveal themselves, were also desperate to flee the tightening noose of the ambush.
If we don't run… we die here.
Driven by the sheer will to survive, the Cloud-nin released their chakra in a surge, flooding their bodies as they tried to force their way out of the encirclement.
Renchi, pushed to the edge, ignited Lightning Flash—his body now a streak of lightning racing across the night. A long, electric blue tail of chakra trailed behind him as he broke through the Root formation, blazing toward the Land of Hot Water.
"After him! Don't let him get away!"
Chitora, stunned by how fast Renchi vanished, barked orders at the surrounding Root agents, his voice filled with fury from beneath his mask.
He too gave chase, following Renchi's trail.
Moments later, the inevitable began.
Cloud-nin who couldn't match Renchi's explosive speed tried to flee—only to be cut down. The first to fall was a Chūnin, sliced down by the unforgiving swordsmanship of the Root.
"Ahh—! Betru!!"
Another Cloud-nin, a close comrade of the fallen, screamed in grief—but his cry barely lasted a moment. He, too, was decapitated by a silent Root blade.
Their deaths triggered a domino effect—like a toppled house of cards. One after another, Cloud-nin fell, helpless under the precision of the Root.
Soon, Laki—unable to find a path through the siege—fought tooth and nail, killing several Root operatives before a Wind Release–wielding Root jōnin ran him through the heart with a single thrust.
"Ghh—!"
A spray of blood followed as the blade burst from Laki's chest. His eyes, filled with bitterness and longing, widened before they faded into the void. His body crumpled.
The Root jōnin—code-named Wind Demon—pulled the blade free, now acting as the field commander since Chitora had gone after Renchi.
"Clear the battlefield. Leave no trace of our presence."
At Wind Demon's command, the Root agents moved swiftly. The bodies of the fallen Root shinobi—over a dozen—were retrieved without delay.
Then came the cleanup. One by one, the wounded Cloud-nin were identified and swiftly executed. No witnesses could be allowed to live.
Beneath the wreckage of a shattered carriage, the unconscious Roy and Darui were discovered. While they were still alive, the others received silent orders: finish off the rest.
Just as the last task was completed, Chitora returned from the failed pursuit. Empty-handed.
Wind Demon only had to look at him to know Renchi had gotten away.
With a silent exchange, Chitora acknowledged the battlefield status. The next phase was immediate—retreat.
But before they left, they needed to plant evidence.
Roy and Darui were quietly awakened by covert genjutsu techniques. Still groggy, they remained hidden beneath the debris—until they overheard two Root shinobi speaking nearby:
"Mission's finally done. Time to head back."
"Yeah, the Land of Fire's way nicer than our sand-choked homeland."
"Once Cloud realizes we killed their men, a war with Konoha is guaranteed. That'll be our chance to seize Fire Country territory."
"Let's hope so. Come on—let's not fall behind the captain…"
Their voices drifted farther and farther away—but to Roy and Darui, they rang crystal clear.
The two locked eyes in the silence beneath the carriage ruins. Tears welled in their eyes—tears of grief, of helplessness.
But they didn't make a sound.
They didn't dare.
It wasn't until dawn that they crawled out from the wreckage.
The battlefield was a graveyard. Corpses lay scattered. But none of them… were from the Root.
As they realized the truth, their cries finally broke free.
"Laki-sensei…"
"Everyone…"
...
Elsewhere, in the Hidden Leaf Village—
Veigar, who had been staying with Minato Namikaze for several days, was finally allowed to go out again. Today, he was leaving the village—with Minato himself.
Watching from the shadows, Bird, who had been seeking an opportunity to capture Veigar, saw them emerge with travel gear and immediately understood—Minato was taking Veigar out on a mission.
He withdrew at once, retreating with two subordinates to report back to Shimura Danzō.
At the village gates, Veigar and Minato were already there, exchanging casual conversation.
"Sensei, where are we headed this time?"
Veigar hadn't been on a mission since before the Chūnin Exams—it had been over a month.
"We're going to the border of the Land of Rivers," Minato replied with a warm smile. "I'll explain the details once we're on the road."
Then, with a twinkle in his eye, Minato added mysteriously:
"Once Kakashi gets here, I have something else to tell you all. Just don't be too surprised, alright?"
Veigar opened his mouth to ask, but at that moment, Kakashi appeared in the distance.
"Kakashi! Over here!" Minato waved.
"Kakashi!" Veigar echoed, smiling and waving.
The silver-haired shinobi jogged over to them and gave a respectful bow to Minato.
"Sensei. Veigar. Good morning!"
"Are we setting out now?"
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