Suddenly, Daichi appeared next to them, giving a silent hand signal to retreat.
Once they were a safe distance away, Daichi spoke in a low voice, "The mission has changed. There's a Jonin among them, and the other two are at least Chunin-level.
This mission has now escalated to B-rank." He paused, assessing their reactions.
Despite the sudden increase in mission rank, Ryou, Tenga, and Shisui remained composed, their expressions calm and determined. None of them showed any signs of backing away or hesitation.
Daichi gave a slight nod of approval. "Good. Since you're all set on completing the mission, here's the plan. I'll take care of the Jonin. The three of you will handle the Chunin and Thief group.
Once they're captured, we'll figure out their motives before deciding what to do next. Now, how do you plan to approach this?" He glanced at them and asked.
Tenga pulled out a kunai with a smoke tag attached to it. "Sensei, we'll start by using the smoke tag to cloud their vision. That'll give you a chance to reach the Jonin while Ryou and I handle the two Chunin. Shisui will deal with the thief group."
Shisui nodded solemnly. "I'll take care of them."
Daichi praised Tenga, "Good. We'll move forward with that plan, but be careful. If anything goes wrong, retreat immediately."
"Understood!"
Daichi gestured for them to move out, and they advanced through the trees, keeping their movements silent. The forest's natural cover helped them stay hidden.
Once they reached a suitable vantage point, Daichi motioned for them to stop and observe.
In the small clearing below, Kuro's group was in discussion with the middle-aged Jonin, while the two chunin-level shinobi stood nearby.
After a few seconds, Daichi gave a subtle nod, the signal to begin.
Without hesitation, Tenga threw his kunai, aimed directly at the Jonin. As an experienced ninja, he reacted instantly, deflecting the attack with a kunai of his own and shouting, "We're under attack!"
Just then, the smoke tag attached to Tenga's kunai exploded, engulfing the area in a dense smoke cloud. At that moment, Team Daichi dashed forward.
Daichi, moving faster than the three, engaged the Jonin in direct combat before the other party could react. In a blur of speed, their kunai clashed, sending sparks flying with each collision. After a brief exchange, they separated, maintaining a distance.
"You're a Konoha ninja..." the Jonin remarked, eyeing Daichi's forehead protector. "Why are you attacking us?"
Daichi's eyes narrowed. "You're buying illegal weapons from a thief. What are you doing here, and which shinobi village are you from? If you don't answer me, I won't hesitate to use force or even kill you."
The Jonin glared but didn't respond, while the tension in the air thickened.
Meanwhile, Tenga and Ryou engaged the two Chunin-level shinobi, while Shisui confronted the thief group with his Sharingan opened.
Ryou moved with lightning speed, catching one of the Chunin off guard. Before his opponent could react, Ryou had already positioned his sword at his throat, the sharp tip of the blade drawing a thin line of blood.
"If you want to keep your head on your shoulders," Ryou said casually, "don't move."
The Chunin froze, feeling the pressure of Ryou's calm eyes. His eyes darted nervously, hoping his companion would rescue him.
The other Chunin wasn't any better. Tenga, using his Water Clone Technique, distracted his opponent and the real Tenga appeared behind the Chunin, trapping him inside a swirling sphere of water, Water Prison Technique.
"Hahaha. I did it!" Tenga laughed.
With both of their opponents captured, Ryou and Tenga turned their attention to Shisui, who had already immobilized the five members of the thief group with wire strings, restricting their ability to move.
"I thought they'd be stronger..." Tenga sighed, shaking his head, and looked at the sky. "Maybe I'm just too strong..."
Hearing Tenga's boasting, even Shisui rolled his eyes, while Ryou chuckled. "If you think you're that strong, why not go participate in the war? When you face a real skilled Chunin with the intent to kill, it won't be so easy."
Tenga was indeed good at Water Style Ninjutsu, having been trained from a young age by his Jonin parents. His chakra reserves were far superior to the average Genin, possibly even rivaling that of a Chunin.
However, against experienced shinobi who come with the intent to kill, without regard for their own lives, skill alone wouldn't guarantee victory.
"Sensei, we are done here," Tenga shouted.
Daichi glanced over his shoulder at the three of them, satisfied with their swift action. He then turned back to the Jonin before him, thinking, 'It's time to end this.'
Realizing his companions were captured, the enemy Jonin's face twisted with rage. "Damn you, Konoha ninja... You'll pay for this!"
Daichi snorted at the words, unimpressed. Will he be afraid of such a weak Jonin?
The enemy Jonin hurriedly formed a hand seal, preparing an Earth Release Jutsu, but Daichi was quicker. With a swift hand seal, he activated an A-level technique, 'Genjutsu: Infinite Darkness', before the enemy could complete his jutsu.
The Genjutsu targeted the enemy Jonin's eyesight, leaving him in a hallucinatory darkness, causing him to see nothing but blackness. Disoriented and unable to see, he was left vulnerable to the attacks.
Yet, out of instinct, the Jonin finished his 'Earth Release: Rock Pillar Spears.' Several jagged stone pillars burst from the ground where Daichi had once stood, but they struck nothing.
Daichi had already moved, now standing behind the dazed Jonin.
With a swift attack, he struck a precise point on the jonin's back, targeting a key chakra point to immobilize him. The jonin stiffened, and his body fell to the ground unconscious. Daichi then bound him and tied him with strong chakra-infused rope, ensuring he wouldn't be able to escape even if he woke up.
"You guys did well. Now, let's find out what they were up to..." Daichi said, before casting a Genjutsu on one of the Chunin to interrogate information.
Within moments, the Chunin's body convulsed before losing consciousness as Daichi stood up, his expression solemn.
Seeing his expression, Tenga asked. "What happened, Sensei?"
"They're a rogue ninja group formed from nearby shinobi villages. One of the Hidden villages paid them to target Konoha, taking advantage of the ongoing conflict between Kumo and Konoha. Their mission was to attack the exhausted Konoha teams returning to Konoha or pass their information," Daichi explained.
Tenga clenched his fists, his voice rising in anger. "What? Why are they doing this? We're all from the Land of Fire!"
Daichi remained calm, "As a Ninja, you shouldn't let your emotion cloud your judgment and it's pretty common. This how they survive!"
"But it's unforgivable!" Tenga growled.
"This is the reality of the shinobi world." Ryou sighed. Shisui also clenched his fist while frustration was written on his face.
"Let's go. We need to pass this intel to the village." Daishi spoke and turned to Shisui. "Did you find where the stolen items are?"
"Yes, they're inside the mine," Shisui spoke, finding the information with his Sharingan.
Ryou glanced at the captured people and asked, "What do we do with the rest of them, Sensei?"
Daichi's face hardened, his voice cold. "Kill them all. We'll only take this Jonin back to the village for further interrogation. The Intelligence Division will handle the rest."
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