Kazuki's battle against the bandits ended with a swift, decisive strike. He didn't waste a moment, his attention snapping toward Yuki's last known location. Her chakra signature had dimmed suddenly, and an icy dread filled him.
'Something's wrong.'
He dashed through the trees, his sharp senses guiding him. When he reached the spot, he found nothing but the faint traces of chakra and disturbed ground. His lips pressed into a thin line as his hands formed a quick seal. The sensing technique revealed numerous foreign chakra signatures in the area—far more than he'd anticipated.
Before he could investigate further, multiple traps sprang to life around him. Explosive tags detonated, wires whipped through the air, and concealed projectiles launched from every angle. Kazuki moved fluidly, dodging each threat with ease, but his frustration mounted. Where is Yuki?
Clearing the traps, Kazuki extended his senses again. This time, he picked up on an unfamiliar chakra signature nearby. He moved instantly, appearing in a blur where the signature had been. His attack hit nothing but air.
Kazuki frowned, his instincts sharp. Someone's here. He formed hand seals and unleashed a high-ranking wind jutsu, scattering the foliage and debris in a wide radius. He sensed the figure shift locations and clenched his fists. Whoever this was, they were skilled enough to remain undetected despite his efforts.
---
Meanwhile, Reiko had already begun her part of the plan. Using her insect-like puppets, she unleashed a barrage of paper bombs and poisoned projectiles on the bandit camp. Her attacks were calculated, aimed to sow chaos and force their leader into action.
Bandits scrambled to regroup, shouting orders and trying to counter her puppets, but her relentless assault left them disoriented. One of her puppets, a large insect with spindly legs, detonated a paper bomb in the heart of the camp, sending bandits flying and leaving a crater behind.
From her hidden position, Reiko smirked. 'Let's see who steps up to take control now.' She glanced back briefly, her thoughts on Satoru. 'You better be buying me enough time for this plan to work.'
Ko stood at the edge of the battlefield, his massive frame cloaked in shadows as he surveyed the chaos. Smoke rose in the distance, laced with explosions that scattered his forces. Bandits were dropping like flies, their bodies collapsing for reasons he couldn't immediately discern.
His jaw clenched, and he took a swig from the bottle of alcohol in his hand, draining it entirely. The liquid burned as it went down, but it cleared his head. He hefted his metal club over his shoulder, chakra swirling faintly around his body.
"Time to end this mess myself," he muttered.
He stepped into the fray, avoiding detection with surprising stealth for someone of his size. His sharp eyes focused on the lone figure of Kazuki, the jonin effortlessly cutting through the remaining bandits. Ko's gaze narrowed. 'So he's the one gutting my men.'
Meanwhile, Satoru lingered on the outskirts of the scene, observing both men intently. His plan was already in motion. With precise timing, he led Kazuki toward an area where a few bandits remained. Pulling out a small package, Satoru hurled it into the midst of the remaining bandits. The package exploded in a cloud of poison, engulfing the area.
Kazuki reacted immediately, his honed senses kicking in. The poison barely affected him, as he recognized it as one used by his students in the past. His body was already immune. He tightened his grip on his sword and stepped through the dissipating smoke, his gaze darting as he heard a loud noise.
Ko emerged, his massive frame illuminated by the clearing smoke. The bandit leader's metal club dragged along the ground, leaving deep grooves as sparks flew from the chakra-laden weapon. Kazuki's eyes narrowed as he assessed the man. 'That's no ordinary bandit. And judging by his size, he's dangerous.'
Ko snarled, his voice a low rumble. "You're the one killing my men, aren't you?"
Kazuki didn't respond, instead shifting into a ready stance. His sword gleamed in the moonlight as wind chakra enveloped its blade. Ko roared, charging forward with terrifying speed. He swung his club with immense force, the ground quaking as Kazuki sidestepped the blow. The shockwave from the impact sent dust and debris flying.
In the shadows, Satoru activated Boogie-Woogie. With a handsign, Kazuki's position swapped with a nearby tree branch just as Ko's follow-up swing obliterated it.
Kazuki blinked in confusion, glancing around to reorient himself. Ko, undeterred, turned his attention back to the jonin. "Quit running, coward!" he shouted, rushing forward again.
Kazuki retaliated with a quick wind Wave, releasing a razor-sharp arc of wind that sliced through Ko's chakra aura and grazed his arm. Ko grunted but shrugged it off, the cut barely slowing him. He retaliated with a wide sweep of his club, forcing Kazuki to leap back.
As the two clashed, Satoru used Texture-Surprise to subtly alter the terrain. Ko stepped forward, his foot catching on uneven ground, causing him to stumble. Kazuki capitalized on the mistake, closing the distance and landing a precise strike on Ko's shoulder. The wound wasn't deep, but it drew blood.
Ko roared in anger, his chakra flaring wildly. The ground trembled as he swung his club in a series of rapid strikes. Kazuki dodged each one, though the sheer force of the blows made the air around them hum. Satoru, lurking unseen, triggered another trap. A hidden paper bomb exploded near Ko, enveloping him in smoke.
Coughing and enraged, Ko bellowed, "Enough of these games!" He swung his club downward with all his strength, creating a shockwave that cleared the smoke and sent debris flying. Kazuki shielded his face, his eyes narrowing as he reassessed the situation.
'Who's behind all of this?' he wondered, his senses picking up faint traces of chakra manipulation.
Satoru smirked, watching as the chaos unfolded. With another handsign, he swapped Ko's position with a nearby boulder, causing Kazuki's next attack to miss entirely. The bandit leader recovered quickly, his eyes blazing with fury as he charged Kazuki again.
Neither combatant realized the extent to which they were being manipulated. Ko was convinced Kazuki was responsible for the destruction of his forces, while Kazuki suspected Ko of taking Yuki. Their animosity toward each other deepened with every clash, and Satoru ensured they damaged each other as much as possible.
By the time the smoke began to clear, both men were battered but still standing, their glares locked on each other.
---
Reiko stood amidst the chaos she had orchestrated, surveying the pile of unconscious bandits she had either poisoned or incapacitated with explosive traps. Her puppets moved methodically, binding the last stragglers as she wiped the sweat from her brow. But before she could exhale in relief, a sharp pain struck the back of her head. Her vision blurred, and she collapsed, unconscious.
Naka—stood behind her, his cold eyes devoid of emotion. He held the lifeless body of Yuki in one arm, her pale skin and stillness a testament to her fate. In his other hand, Kaito squirmed and struggled, Naka's grip was unyielding, his expression indifferent to the boy's defiance.
Nearby, Kazuki clashed with Ko once more. The massive man had gained the upper hand, his chakra-enhanced strikes driving Kazuki back step by step. Each swing of Ko's metal club felt heavier, faster, as if fueled by the desperation of a cornered beast. Kazuki, panting and bloodied, barely deflected the next blow when his attention was drawn to a sight that froze his heart.
He saw Naka approach, holding Yuki's cold body aloft like a macabre trophy. Kazuki's breath hitched. His shoulders slumped as he realized none of his students had survived. The weight of failure consumed him. He fell to his knees, his sword slipping from his hand. Ko hesitated, confused by his opponent's sudden collapse.
"Yuki..." Kazuki whispered before his body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
Ko turned to Naka, his brow furrowed. "Naka? What the hell are you doing here? And where's Naka from Team Hidari?"
Naka, still gripping Kaito, gave a faint smirk. "The boss has plans for that Naka. I was sent to handle... another matter." His voice was cold, calculated, as if every word was weighed before being spoken. Without warning, his free hand morphed into black, fibrous tendrils that writhed unnaturally. They lashed out, grabbing at something seemingly invisible in the air.
The tendrils wrapped around their target—Satoru, who had been hiding and observing the fight. Satoru struggled as the dark fibers coiled tightly around him, cutting off any chance of escape. His invisibility faltered, and he was dragged toward Tensei. Ko's eyes widened as he pieced together the truth.
"So, you were the one sabotaging us!" Ko growled, glaring at Satoru. He didn't get a response as Tensei unceremoniously dropped Yuki's body to the ground. The lifeless form landed with a sickening thud, but Naka's attention was elsewhere.
"I'll be taking these two," Naka said, nodding to Kaito and Satoru. His voice carried an air of finality as he turned to leave. Ko opened his mouth to question him, but Tensei raised a hand.
"Goodbye, Kotaro," Tensei said casually as he walked away from the camp, his grip on Satoru and Kaito unyielding.
Moments later, a low rumble resonated through the camp. Ko's expression shifted to one of alarm as he realized too late what was happening. The ground beneath him erupted in a massive explosion, flames engulfing everything and everyone in the area. The blast consumed the entire camp in a fiery inferno, its shockwave flattening the surrounding forest.
From a safe distance, Tensei smirked as the glow of the explosion reflected in his cold eyes. Without sparing a glance back, he disappeared into the forest, his captives in tow.
Satoru struggled against the tendrils, his vision spinning they finally slackened and fell away. He collapsed to his knees, gasping for air only to spot Kaito nearby. unconscious and battered. Before he could process the situation, a sharp snap echoed through the clearing. His head jerked up instinctively, locking
eyes with Naka.
The man stood a short distance away, his face twisted into a smile that didn't reach his intense, expectant eyes. "Do you remember me, Satoru?" Naka's voice carried a strange blend of curiosity and menace, as though he was testing him.
Satoru blinked, his mind racing to make sense of Naka's question. "You're the one who gut-punched me and took Kaito" he said cautiously. Naka's expression instantly darkened. His smile dropped, replaced by an anger so raw it sent a chill through Satoru. "Is that all?" he snarled, his voice trembling with fury.
Before Satoru could react, Naka lunged. His hand clamped onto Satoru's collar, and he slammed him into the ground with bone-jarring force. The impact left Satoru winded, his head spinning. Naka loomed over him, his eyes blazing with barely-contained rage "Think deeply!" Naka bellowed, his voice a thunderous roar. He lifted Satoru again, shaking him violently before slamming him back down. "Do you really not remember me?"
Satoru groaned, pain radiating through his body as he struggled to speak.
"I don't...don't know you!" he choked out, meeting Naka's furious gaze. The shift was immediate. Naka's rage melted into something quieter, heavier-an overwhelming sadness that lingered in his eyes.
He released Satoru abruptly, letting him slump to the ground . Htis shoulders sagged, and he turned away, his once-commanding presence now subdued.
Without a word, Naka walked over to Kaito. He picked him up like a discarded doll and hurled him at Satoru who barely managed to catch his unconscious teammate.
"Reiko is west of here,' Naka said, his tone flat but carrying an undercurrent of something unresolved. Satoru clutched Kaito tightly, his breath hitching as he listened. Naka glanced back one last time, his face was unreadable. "Don't tell anyone you saw me," he said quietly, the words more like a plea than an order
And with that, Naka vanished, leaving Satoru alone with Kaito in the silent clearing.
For a moment, Satoru stayed frozen, his mind reeling. Then, shaking off his daze, he hoisted Kaito onto his back and began moving westward. His thoughts were a chaotic storm, but one thing was clear-he needed to find Reiko and wait for Shinichi-sensei to end this nightmare quickly