As the caravan rolled to a stop, Yasu's senses sharpened, his every nerve buzzing with the promise of danger. He raised his hand, signaling the group to halt. The air felt thick, charged with the tension of something unseen yet imminent. Silence pressed down on them, broken only by the faintest rustling of leaves. It was as if the forest itself was holding its breath.
Then, without warning, the silence shattered. An arrow tore through the air, aimed directly at Yasu. He twisted just in time, and the arrow grazed past him, embedding itself in a tree trunk with a dull thud. More arrows followed in a deadly volley, their sharp tips glinting as they rained down on the guards.
"Agh!" A guard's agonized cry cut through the chaos as an arrow found its mark, sinking into his chest with brutal finality. Blood splattered across the leaves, and his body crumpled to the ground, lifeless. Other guards barely managed to evade the onslaught, diving to the side as arrows whistled past them, scraping their arms and cutting through their clothing.
Team 5 reacted instantly. Yasu and Kazuki were already moving, kunai flashing as they deflected the arrows with deadly precision. Yasu's movements were fluid, each slash clearing a path through the relentless barrage. Kazuki's eyes narrowed, her expression fierce as she slashed at the arrows with an intensity that bordered on desperation. Kakashi, oddly enough, remained untouched. No arrows were directed at him, and he couldn't help the slight spark of annoyance that flared in his chest.
Are they ignoring me? he thought, irritation mingling with a strange sense of relief. Then again, he realized, it could be used to his advantage. He stayed back, observing, waiting for the right moment to strike.
"Damn it!" Another guard's desperate voice broke his thoughts as yet another comrade fell, an arrow buried deep in his throat. Blood gushed out, staining the forest floor in crimson pools. Fear began to creep into the eyes of the remaining guards, their faces paling as the bandits emerged from the shadows, weapons glinting wickedly in the low light.
Kazuki scanned the area quickly, her eyes locking with Yasu's. She gave him a sharp nod before slipping to the left, her sword drawn. With a series of swift hand signs, she created two clones, each one darting forward to confuse the attackers.
"There! It's a ninja!" one of the bandits yelled, his voice tinged with panic. Kazuki's presence seemed to shake their nerve as she charged, her clones weaving through the trees, creating the illusion of an army descending on them.
"Are you insane? Fall back!" another bandit shouted, his voice trembling. But they hesitated, emboldened by something unseen. Bandits didn't typically target shinobi-guarded caravans unless they were confident—or under orders.
Kazuki's blade was mere inches from one of the bandits when she felt it—a cold, sinister energy that made her instincts scream in warning. She threw herself backward just as a bolt of lightning scorched the ground she had occupied, blackening the earth and filling the air with the acrid stench of burning foliage. Her heart pounded as she looked up, and her eyes locked onto a figure stepping from the shadows—a man with a mask covering his lower face, a wicked blade gleaming in his hand.
The sight of him sent a shiver down her spine. A chunin, she realized, a sense of dread settling in her stomach. She was outmatched, and she knew it. Her teammates could only hope to stall him long enough to retreat. They were in way over their heads.
Seeing their ally, the bandits sneered, their confidence reignited. "We've got someone who can handle you lot!" one of them taunted, his eyes flicking to Kazuki with a sick grin.
"Kill the others; I'll take her," the masked chunin ordered, his voice cold, as if her life meant less than nothing. He lunged forward, his blade clashing against Kazuki's with brutal force. The impact jarred her arm, nearly numbing her grip as sparks flew from their weapons.
Yasu, watching Kazuki struggle, made his move. He pressed his fingers to the ground, summoning his ninken, Miyuka. In a flash of smoke, a black-furred dog appeared at his side, barking happily at being summoned.
"Not now, Miyuka," Yasu muttered in a low, warning tone. "We've got work to do."
Understanding the urgency, Miyuka focused, his hackles raised as he leapt at one of the bandits, sharp teeth gleaming in a snarl. Yasu took advantage of the distraction, throwing two kunai with deadly accuracy, cutting down two bandits before they could react. Blood sprayed into the air, their bodies falling limp to the ground, joining the growing pool of crimson.
Yet there were still more—eight bandits remained, emboldened by the presence of the chunin. Yasu clenched his jaw, his mind racing. He used an earth style jutsu to make two more bandits fall to the ground, spikes forming beneath them as they hit the dirt.
Kakashi's gaze flicked to the masked chunin, watching him battle Kazuki. Tch, he thought, irritation simmering beneath his calm facade. This was supposed to be a simple mission. But the ambush had escalated their C-rank mission to something far more dangerous—at least a B-rank, or more if the situation became more serious.
Determined, Kakashi moved toward the merchant, who had now become a target of a sneering bandit. Protecting the merchant and his goods was their primary objective, after all. The bandit noticed him approaching, sneering with malice. "What's the matter, kid? Lose your parents?" The man's voice dripped with contempt, though there was a flicker of tension in his eyes.
Without missing a beat, Kakashi stepped forward, his blade flashing as he struck. His sword sliced cleanly through the bandit's leg, severing tendons with a sickening squelch. The man screamed, his voice hoarse with pain as he collapsed, blood pouring from the wound. Kakashi's face remained impassive, his cold eyes regarding the fallen bandit without a hint of remorse.
No response, Kakashi noted, a strange sense of detachment settling over him. Am I special, or is this just... how it is? Taking a life felt oddly easy, too easy, as if it were something he'd been born to do. It was unsettling, yet he pushed the thought away, refocusing on the fight.
Kazuki, meanwhile, was losing ground. With a hand sign, she summoned Wind Release: Air Bullets, shooting multiple bullets at the opponent, who dodged them effortlessly. The masked chunin's strikes found their mark, each one forcing her back, her arms straining as she struggled to block his blade. Her heart raced, fear clawing at her insides as she realized just how close she was to death.
"Is this it?" the chunin sneered, pressing his blade down until Kazuki could barely hold her own. "Pathetic."
Rage flared within her, mingling with her fear. Gritting her teeth, she shifted her weight, trying to use his momentum against him. But he was too quick, twisting his sword at the last second, catching her across the arm. Blood spattered the ground, a dark crimson stain spreading across her sleeve as pain flared.
Yasu saw her stumble, his eyes widening in horror. "Kazuki!" he shouted, panic lacing his voice. But his cry only spurred the bandits forward, each one driven by bloodlust, eager to finish off the weakened shinobi.