Kaito Chapter 81
Hotaru and Itachi landed next to Kaito, who simply said, "Told you these ROOT ANBU were cannon fodder."
Confusion crossed Itachi's face as he asked, "Why did you let him go?" He looked at Kaito for an explanation.
Hotaru also voiced her concerns. "Hai, Kaito-kun," she said quietly. "Is it ok to let him leave like this?"
Kaito's lips curled into a sly smile as he turned to face them. "Who said I let him go?" He then changed the subject, looking up at the darkening sky. "Damn, it's getting late. I really want to end this second test before the day is over. ya know" With that, he started walking in the direction of the tower.
….
As the sun set, casting the forest into darkness, the soft glow of the moon illuminated the trees. Team 11, having sealed up the remains of the Root Anbu after their battle, made their way towards the center of the Forest of Death to reach the tower. They were on high alert, keeping an eye out for any other teams that they could try to ambush.
After a few hours had passed and they were currently sitting on the roof atop of the tower, Kaito had his eyes closed and was using his Kagura's Mind's Eye ability to scan their surroundings for any teams. he opened his eyes still, he turned to Hotaru, and asked her, "There's a team about 1.5km in that direction. Can you take a look" pointing towards where he sensed the team.
Hotaru nodded and said, "hai." She activated her Byakugan and reported back, "There is a team from Kirigakure setting up a trap in that direction."
Kaito furrowed his brow and asked, "Is it the same team we encountered before?"
Hotaru shook her head. "No, it's one of the other Kiri teams."
Kaito hummed in thought before Itachi spoke up again. "Can you use your Byakugan to check if they have the Earth scroll?"
Kaito nodded in agreement. "Hai, good thinking Itachi. I don't want to waste time fighting a team that doesn't have what we need."
Hotaru focused her Byakugan on the approaching team and confirmed their suspicions. "Hai, they have the Earth scroll."
Kaito stood up and stretched his muscles then turned to his teammates and asked, "So how do you guys wanna do it?"
Itachi spoke up from beside Hotaru, his expression serious, "We should ambush them," he said confidently. "We have the advantage with us knowing their positions." With that, he leaped off the top of the tower, quickly followed by Hotaru and Kaito.
As they closed in, Itachi turned to Kaito and instructed, "Kaito, use your clones to trigger their traps. When they are distracted, Hotaru and I will take them out from behind."
Kaito nodded in understanding and Hotaru chimed in with her agreement, "Hai."
They stopped atop a sturdy tree, a few meters away from the Kiri Genin team. With practiced ease, they split up and took their positions.
Itachi taking position checked in with his team through their radio communicator, "Hotaru, Kaito, are you both in position?"
"Hai," came Hotaru's after landing in a bush nearby she had her Byakugan active as she kept an eye on their targets.
Kaito created a clone when they split and sent it in the direction of one of the traps that Hotaru had pointed out with her Byakugan.
Landing gracefully on another tree near the Kiri Genin camp, Kaito observed the traps set up by their enemies. "They've put some thought into these traps and layered them with genjutsu," Kaito thought to himself as he landed near one of the traps.
He then spoke into his communicator, "Hai, I'm in position."
A while later, they received a response of "Hai" as the shadow clone landed in place to trigger the first trap.
Seeing that they were ready to execute their plan. "Alright, start," Itachi ordered. In perfect synchronization, the shadow clones triggered the traps.
The young ninjas had just finished setting up camp for the night and were now eating fruits they had collected on their journey. Among them was a boy, aged 13 or 14, with tousled brown hair and a prominent scar across his left cheek. He turned to his teammate, a boy with sleek black hair and piercing gray eyes, and praised him thinking, "Hiroki, setting traps near the tower was a smart move.
The female Genin smiled in response and replied confidently, "Hai, We'll only have to face off against teams that have already been weakened by fighting others."
Hiroki grinned confidently and replied, "And if we're lucky, our genjutsu traps will do most of the work for us." His teammates chuckled in response, feeling well-prepared and hopeful for what lay ahead.
Suddenly, a loud crash broke their conversation - one of their traps had been sprung. Hiroki's grin widened as he said, "Looks like we have some company." The trio quickly turned towards the direction of the trap, surveying the area with cautious but excited eyes.
The scarred kid spoke up, his voice filled with surprise and triumph, "Who would have thought that the trap would have worked so quickly eh?" A grin formed on his face as he awaited their next move.
Hiroki turned to the girl in their group, and instructed her, "Mihori, You stay here. Shino and I will go check out the trap." Mihori nodded obediently, her hand tightening around her weapon.
As Hiroki and Shino approached the trap, they found that it hadn't caught anything. But just as they were about to turn back, Haruki suddenly felt a presence behind him. He spun around just in time to see Shino being knocked unconscious by an unknown assailant. Before he could react, a sharp pain shot through his body, and everything went black.
Kaito stood over the black-haired genin with a frown on his face. "Well, that was anticlimactic," he commented to Itachi, who stood over the kiri genin with a scar running across his left cheek.
Itachi nodded in agreement and turned to Hotaru. "Let's take them to where Hotaru is," he said, gesturing towards the other remaining female genin.
Together, they carried the unconscious genin to where Hotaru waited with a kunai pressed against the throat of the remaining female genin. Upon seeing her worried expression, Kaito reassured her, "Don't worry, we only knocked them out." he dropped the knocked-out genin unceremoniously onto the ground and turned to Hotaru. "So, did you get the scroll yet, Hotaru-chan?" he asked eagerly.
"Hai" Hotaru nodded and held up the earth scroll she had gotten from the female kiri genin. Kaito and Itachi nodded in approval before turning to the female kiri genin. "We'll leave you to tend to them, good luck," Kaito said awkwardly while scratching the back of his head.
With that team 11 used the body flicker technique to quickly exit the area and head towards the tower. Meanwhile, the female genin rushed over to her teammates' side to check on them anxiously.
As the three members of Team 11 landed in front of the tower, they were greeted by four imposing doors. Without hesitation, they entered through one and found themselves in a mostly empty room. Only a single board with a riddle written on it was present.
Hotaru began reading the riddle out loud and Itachi read it silently, Kaito not wanting to waste time pulled out two scrolls from his pouch unfurling and tossing them towards the center of the room. His actions startled his teammates, who turned to question him.
But before they could speak, white smoke began to pour out of the scrolls, and with a puff their jonin instructor Shikaku Nara appeared before them, rubbing his face in frustration.
"I should have known you three would finish so quickly," he sighed.
Hotaru couldn't contain her surprise as she exclaimed, "Sensei? What are you doing here?"
"The scroll," Itachi said as he pieced together what had happened. "It was a summoning scroll."
"Hai," Shikaku confirmed. "And I am here to inform you that you have successfully completed the second test."
Kaito wasted no time in asking, "So what happens now, sensei?"
"Well, since you have completed this test at record speed, you will have to wait for the other teams to finish. But don't worry, I'll show you where you'll be staying during that time," Shikaku replied with a nod.
Just as he was about to lead them away, Kaito stopped him. "Wait, sensei." He reached into his pouch and pulled out another scroll. "Here," he said, tossing it to Shikaku who caught it deftly.
Curious, Shikaku asked, "What is this?"
Kaito's expression turned grim as he replied, "The ANBU sent after us by Danzo."
Shikaku's face darkened with concern as he asked sternly, "Explain now."
So they proceeded to detail the events to their sensei, leaving nothing out.
When they finished, Shikaku's brow furrowed in thought before he asked gravely, "So all seven of them are in here then?"
Itachi shook his head and gazed at Kaito intently as he spoke to their sensei, "No, Kaito. Let the leader go."
Kaito's smile widened mischievously as he retorted, "Like I said, I didn't let him go. He's just delivering a message for me, you know." He shrugged nonchalantly at the disapproving looks from his comrades.
Shikaku simply massaged his temple and muttered under his breath, "Troublesome."
If you wish to support this story and have access to 10 advanced chapters, please join me at patreon.com/Tilct
please contribute some power stone's