A squad of Kumo-nin arrived at the side of the small child, who was standing there looking a bit dazed.
"Are you alright?" they asked with concern.
The little boy sniffed, his expression proud.
"I'm fine! Kumo-nin-sama, can I become a ninja too?"
He was feeling quite pleased with himself for accomplishing such a big feat. After all, many children looked up to the ninja with their high-speed movements and powerful techniques.
One of the female Kumo-nin couldn't help but ruffle his hair.
"As long as you work hard, you can definitely become one."
Kumogakure wasn't as strict as Konoha when it came to training kids. Although they did start young, the requirements were somewhat more lenient. However, in this world where bloodlines held significant power, it was still incredibly tough for an ordinary person to rise to the rank of an elite ninja.
"Don't mess up my hair! I'll never grow tall if you keep doing that!" The little boy swatted her hand away, puffing out his chest indignantly.
"I'm going to be a tall, strong ninja one day!" he declared with a sniffle, causing the surrounding ninjas to chuckle.
However, the female ninja suddenly grew serious. "You're very brave, but next time, don't do something like this."
She knew that enemy ninjas would not hesitate to kill a child. This time, the two strangers had chosen not to harm him, but there was no guarantee they'd be so lucky again.
"But I helped the Land of Lightning!" the boy protested, his face turning red. After all, it was thanks to him that they found those two.
"If you don't listen, you won't become a ninja," the female Kumo-nin said sternly.
Hearing that, the boy's face fell, and he hung his head in disappointment. "Fine, I'll listen..."
"Good boy." The female Kumo-nin patted his head again, but the boy quickly slapped her hand away.
"I said, I won't grow tall if you keep doing that!" he protested, causing her to laugh out loud.
"Alright, go play now," she said, knowing they had no more time to spare.
As the squad moved on, the boy gazed up at them as they leaped across rooftops, his face filled with admiration.
Meanwhile, the Kumo-nin had spotted two figures moving swiftly between the buildings.
"There they are!" one of them shouted as they locked onto the two targets diving into an alley.
With a shout, the chase was on. The entire squad focused on the two figures, and the rooftops became a flurry of movement as more Kumo-nin joined the pursuit.
The two figures raced through the city, using the rooftops and alleys to their advantage. They ducked behind laundry lines, dashed under awnings, and leaped from one building to the next, using every bit of cover they could find. Meanwhile, civilians scattered out of the way, knowing better than to get caught in the crossfire of a shinobi chase.
The chaos of the fleeing civilians gave the two targets a few moments of respite, but soon enough, the Kumo-nin would catch sight of them again.
"There they are!" another Kumo-nin called out, and the chase resumed. From all directions, more and more Kumo-nin began to converge on the two fleeing figures.
At first, the pair had been heading toward the city's exit. But as the number of Kumo-nin increased, they were forced to keep changing their route, moving farther and farther from their original goal.
Their knowledge of the city's layout was limited, while this was Kumogakure's territory, giving the pursuers a significant advantage.
Soon, the Kumo-nin started to form a tightening circle around them. The two were clearly aware of the encroaching trap, but there was little they could do to alter the situation.
The only silver lining was that the Kumo-nin hadn't attacked immediately. Instead, they were trying to herd them into a prepared ambush. With this much time to set up, it was clear they were being cautious, trying to avoid unnecessary casualties.
While the Kumo-nin worked diligently to close the net, two tall, dark-skinned men stood among the spectators, watching the chase from a distance.
"They're fast," one of the men remarked. His voice was indistinguishable from Gin's.
The other man, of course, was Sakumo.
Both had used the transformation technique to blend in with the onlookers.
As for the two being chased? Those were nothing more than shadow clones.
Even though they were just clones, they weren't easy to defeat. It would take the Kumo-nin a fair amount of time to catch them.
As Gin and Sakumo observed from the crowd, they noticed that not all the Kumo-nin had joined the chase. Many were still keeping a careful watch over the area, anticipating the use of clone techniques.
"Let's go," Sakumo said, shaking his head as he turned to leave. There was no point in sticking around.
Gin followed suit. The two of them made their way leisurely toward the city's exit.
The observing Kumo-nin glanced at them briefly but didn't pay much attention. Without the Byakugan, they had no way to see through the transformation. Gin and Sakumo fit right in with the locals, blending seamlessly into the background.
As they approached the city gate, they saw that it, too, was under heavy guard. Each person leaving the city was being thoroughly inspected.
"Kumo-nin aren't as brutish as I thought. This level of caution doesn't suit their reputation," Gin remarked as he surveyed the security measures.
"Ninjas are never truly brutes," Sakumo replied, shaking his head. Other than the newest generation of shinobi, most were seasoned and cautious.
Gin pursed his lips. He did know one true brute: Might Duy. He wasn't cunning like other ninjas, but that didn't matter—his raw power meant his enemies never got the chance to use any tricks against him. Sometimes, having overwhelming strength was all it took.
As the line inched forward, it was finally their turn.
"Residence permit," the Kumo-nin demanded, his sharp gaze scrutinizing the two.
"Here," Gin said, stepping forward.
The Kumo-nin looked at him, and a pair of crimson Sharingan eyes met his. The three tomoe spun hypnotically, capturing his gaze.
"All clear, you can pass," the Kumo-nin said, waving them through without hesitation.
Once they were safely outside the city, both Gin and Sakumo let out a sigh of relief. They had managed to escape without raising suspicion.
When they finally returned to their hidden cave, they were confident no one had followed them.
At that moment, Gin stopped in his tracks, feeling a wave of memories flood his mind. The shadow clones had been dispelled, sending their last moments back to him.
"Looks like they resorted to torture," Gin muttered, rubbing his temples. The clones had been caught in the end. After holding out for a long time, they were finally taken down by Kumo-nin traps. The clones had dispelled themselves just before the torture began, saving Gin from experiencing their pain.
"Now the important thing is to get these two Kumo-nin to talk," Sakumo said, glancing at the unconscious captives they had sealed in the cave.
"We'll get there. The memory-extraction jutsu I've been working on is almost ready," Gin replied, checking the progress of his latest technique. While it wasn't as difficult as the Celestial Demon Art, it still required some fine-tuning.
(End of Chapter)
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