As if they hadn't already explored the place Akashi, Arima, and Karin were walking toward the factory in the mountain with a little escort of two samurais of the town following them, one of the town's dignitaries had been sent to guide them to the place for their inspection.
As they controlled the flow of information in town they were able to hide the information that they wanted as the number of men who follow each of Akashi's deplacement.
"They should already be at the factory ready," Karin said
They had confirmed from the letters intercepted the real goals of this attack on their factory.
Test the strength of the sky country and if a Uzumaki shows up to clean up the bandits that were caused by that mess capture them if possible.
It was a carefully laid plan that could've worked if it wasn't for Akashi's team that was sent here.
The mission was nearly annulled but then it was modified by the old Kuroko when he received authorization.
"Once we deal with them, we should also clean the remaining bandit groups in the surroundings, what do you think?!" Arima always ready for a fight proposed with his usual cheerfulness
"You are always eager for a fight, huh, unfortunately, we can't do that, this isn't our mission, and our time here is coming to an end"
"I you wanted us to do that we should've sped up dealing with the spies in town,"
"Yeah!"
'They are going to regret not leaving after the destruction they caused,'
"I feel them," Karin said with her eyes claused
"Twenty-five people, fifteen normal bandits, seven genins, two chunins, and one jonin, and there seems to be a few others hidden away," she said opening her eyes and a frown appeared on the face of everyone present as they realized that no other group of genin could've escaped such a predicament.
"How dare they target us, they are going to regret it,"
"They are coming!"
And nearly immediately the Jonin disguised as the bandit leader appeared in front of them and the other bandits walked out from the bushes weapons in hands.
"Behind us sir," the samurais said as they took out their weapons
"Well, look who is there guy, some redhead looks like the rumor that the Uzumaki seek refuge in the sky country is true, how much do you think we will make if we sell them to the black market,"
"Look there is also a noble with them, we can capture him too,"
"We made the right choice by staying near the factory,"
'Let's play their game,'
"So you are the ones that attacked the factory, huh, good let's kill them and be done with that mission," Akashi said taking out his sword.
"Perfect, I'm gonna take care of that..." Without ending his sentence Arima stomped on the ground and used the body flicker at maximum capacity he launched himself toward the Jonin
"Slash,"
"First blood," Arima said looking at the blood on his kunai
Even with a surprise attack and at full speed he was only able to lightly injure his opponent, who was fast enough to escape in time.
"Damn kid," the ninjas said in anger as the battle between the two started
"Attack,"
everyone followed the example of the two and in an instant, the battle started,
"Let's split them," Karin said and made a quick series of hand seals
"Suiton: water waves,"
With her big chakra reserve, the water created enough waves to push away even the genin and take care of some of the bandits.
Karin and one of the Samurais attacked the bandits and the genins while at the same time protecting the old dignitary who found a place to hide.
On the other side, Akashi had engaged in a fight with the two chunins.
"Clang, clang..."
The fight between the three ninjas created sparks everywhere in the forest.
"It looks like you realized that we are not mere bandits one of the chunin said appearing beside his female companion on a three.
Akashi observed his opponent with attention from another tree
'The man seems to be weaker and the support from the two, he might also be a puppeteer, she seems to be stronger and faster,'
"When you attack a Uzumaki you need to be ready to pay the price ninja of Suna," Akashi said crossing his sword in front of him as he circulated his chakra in them.
"So you know our identity," they said getting rid of their disguise, "How did you find out,"
"Your little spy sang everything she could about you when we got our hand on her," Akashi said with a grin that infuriated the two ninjas.
"You are going to regret what you did to Maya," the Kunoichi said and with her companion, they made a quick series of hand seals.
"Futon: Destructive tornado,"
They sent a powerful combined tornado toward Akashi who destroyed everything on its path.
"They are chunin alright. Nimpo: Sword slash," Akashi said
Lifting his hands above him he brought the swords down in one move sending an X-shaped chakra slash that clashed against the tornado coming at him.
Akashi's technique was weaker in front of that combined attack and very soon the tornado pushed back toward him, but it didn't matter as he had anticipated that and used the tornado as cover.
He flickered on his left between the trees avoiding the gaze of his opponent, before focusing some of his chakra on his feet he propelled himself toward the ninjas of Suna.
In an instant, he was next to them ready to kill them.
"We were waiting for you," the man said as he put himself beside his teammate and took out a scroll.
"Poof, clang," Akashi looked at the dissipating cloud of smoke with attention.
"A wooden shield !" He exclaimed in surprise 'No it looks like it's made of an animal shell,'
'Those suna ninjas are really ingenious, I guess they need to be if they don't want to be left behind by the other villages,'
'To be able to stop my slash and only receive a few cracks is impressive,' he thought as he looked at the shield.
"This is my beauty, taste it," saying it he pulled a hidden lever and poison darts shot out of the shield and lodged themselves in the body of Akashi.
"Looks like I didn't need you to finish, he was tough,"
"Yes he was, but you killed him congratulation, maybe I will give you a reward later," the girl said coquettishly while he smiled at her.
The ninja of Suna was delighted by what he was hearing
'It feels like a dream,' the moment that idea travers his mind his vision blurred and another image flashed through his eyes.
He saw a woman that he recognized as his partner Kaiya, she was kneeling on the ground trapped by golden looking toward him while tears were rolling down her cheeks, and in front of her was Akashi who was looking at him with a blazing red Sharingan activated.
'I guess it really was a dream, I'm sorry,' was the last thought that went through his mind as the head before his eyes closed.
Akashi looked at the kunoichi who was crying in front of the severed head of her friend without any emotions in her eyes.
"Such is the fate of most ninjas," he said and as she looked at him with hatred in her eyes he just activated his Sharingan and put her to sleep.
'There is really no question about that I the Sharingan is one if not the best doujutsu,'
"Let's see how the others were holding up," he said after he was done with the two chunin.
Arriving where the others were fighting he observed Karin who was fighting now two genins 'She will be done with them soon' he thought.
The two samurais had returned to the side of the old man, as all of the bandits had been dealt with.
"They are still samurais, after all, a bunch of thieves is light work for them,"
With that out of the way, he looked toward Arima, between the sounds of fighting the sparks illuminating the forest and the sound of explosions created by their jutsus Akashi saw the current state of his cousin,
"Not good," he murmured.
Arima was panting quite heavily and blood was soaking his clothes, he even had his adamantine chains out and attacking the Suna ninja who seemed in relatively better shape.
He immediately made a plan.
"woosh," in an instant he flickered toward KArin and eliminated one of the genin in from behind allowing her to quickly do the same with the other.
"Thanks,"
"No need we need to help Arima,"
She immediately understood when she looked at him
"He indeed needs help,"
"I'm going to distract him," Akashi said moving toward Arima, once he was close enough he focused his chakra on his feet, and like an arrow he launched himself toward the Jonin.
"Slash," a bloody mark appeared on the back of the suna ninja who had barely avoided the attack.
With the help of Akashi who fights with his full-strength Adamantine chain and Sharingan the Suna ninjas lost their advantage.
On the side, Karin took a deep breath eyes closed focusing fully on her mind eyes she was able to detect nearly everything around her and using that she managed to hide everything.
And with a perfectly executed flickered justsu she sneaked behind the Jonin who couldn't react in time to see his head fly in the air.
"How was it," Arima asked seated on the ground
"Not bad, but it could have been better,"
the old Kuroko said as he appeared with a ninja of Suna on his shoulder.