Chapter 31: The Last Day, Encounter with a Powerful Enemy

Two days later.

Deep within the dense forest, figures flickered.

Naruto Uzumaki and the other two leaped endlessly from tree trunk to tree trunk, their forms moving at high speed.

Compared to his past life, guerrilla warfare proved far more effective in this world.

After all, they were ninja.

Their movement speed was faster, their physical constitution superior, and their individual combat prowess stronger.

Although the enemy was comparable in every aspect, as long as they did not know his exact whereabouts or sense a ninja tracking them continuously, any attempt at targeted pursuit was a joke.

Now, that was exactly the situation.

Naruto Uzumaki and his group had been darting through the Land of Whirlpools for several days, yet the Hidden Mist Village still had not caught them.

Even when they occasionally encountered small squads, to them, who were concealing their true strength, those squads were merely lambs awaiting slaughter.

As for the main force?

Never forget Nara Kazama; although the Nara clan's reconnaissance abilities were not as good as the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan, they were not entirely lacking in this capability.

The Nara clan's greatest strength was the Shadow Imitation Technique.

Shadows are invisible and leave no trace.

Especially at night, they were nearly impossible to defend against.

Their group had relied on the Nara clan's secret arts to scout the enemy's movements ahead of time.

Though not as convenient as the Byakugan, it was at least better than nothing.

As for Uchiha Jin?

He had not revealed his Sharingan; his pure taijutsu and Fire Release were enough to make him the squad leader.

The reason was simple.

Do not be fooled by their current cooperation; it was merely a necessity forced upon them by the threat of death.

Once true safety was achieved, who knew what each of them would think?

Nara Kazama was slightly better off.

They both held each other's dirt; unless a major interest was at stake, neither would betray the other.

But as for Kudo Shin, that was another story.

He was merely a commoner ninja who had struggled through countless life-and-death situations just to barely learn a single Earth Release jutsu.

Even that was only a C-rank!

In front of nobles like Uchiha Jin and Nara Kazama, it was nothing short of a joke.

A commoner ninja like that was far too easy to bribe.

With just two or three C-rank jutsu, he would sell them both out completely.

If offered a B-rank jutsu, he would dare to kneel and call them father.

As for killing him?

Neither of them had ever entertained that thought!

It was not out of kindness or any emotional bond.

First, to survive in the ninja world, kindness was irrelevant.

It only appeared in the weak, or in absolute powerhouses.

Either commoner ninjas misled by the higher-ups, or those strong enough like Hashirama Senju, or destined children like Naruto Uzumaki; at the very least, they had to be second-generation elites with powerful backers.

No one else had the qualification.

Was Kakashi Hatake kind?

Under Hiruzen Sarutobi, he was a ninja in the shadows, killing whoever he was ordered to kill!

Right and wrong simply did not matter.

Was Minato Namikaze kind?

Even after he became the Fourth Hokage, there were things Hiruzen Sarutobi forbade that he never did until the day he died.

He did not even have complete control over the Anbu Black Ops!

If even people like that could not be called kind, then certainly not Uchiha Jin and Nara Kazama.

Bonds were nothing but nonsense!

Before they even met, they were all seasoned old foxes who understood everything.

In just a few short days of contact, filled with scheming and plotting, how could a bond form from such a brief cooperation?

That was a joke!

Unless it was a specially trained elite squad, do not even think about cultivating bonds.

Not killing Kudo Shin was purely for the sake of interest.

Both Nara Kazama and Uchiha Jin had skeletons in their closets.

Even if they revealed a sliver of their true strength, they could cover it up with the war; as long as they did not reveal their ultimate combat power, the village would not take notice.

At worst, they would just rise from cannon fodder to ordinary ninjas.

But if both commoner ninjas died, causing the village to suspect something was wrong, leading the Anbu to investigate them thoroughly and even trace back everything they had done since childhood, then they would be completely finished!

Humans are not gods.

Even Uchiha Jin did not dare to guarantee that he had never made a mistake in his life that could withstand the village's investigation.

Therefore.

It was better to keep Kudo Shin alive.

"Careful, pay attention."

"There are two Hidden Mist squads ahead; their chakra intensity is average, likely ordinary squads."

Nara Kazama suddenly spoke up.

Hearing this, Kudo Shin looked at Uchiha Jin.

Clearly.

After several days of coordination and countless successful escapes, Uchiha Jin had proven himself.

Hearing this.

Uchiha Jin did not hesitate.

"Old rules!"

"Kazama and I will coordinate; Shin, Itachi hide in the shadows to finish them off!"

"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"

He formed hand seals, and seven fireballs shot out directly, scattering toward the Hidden Mist ninjas.

Nara Kazama wasted no words.

"Wind Release: Crushing Pressure!"

A massive Wind Release technique formed, shattering surrounding dead branches and crumbling the earth, merging with the Phoenix Sage Fire.

The fire rode the wind's might, sweeping away everything.

Centered on the Hidden Mist squad, an area spanning over ten meters was instantly utterly destroyed.

Several Hidden Mist genin died completely from a single strike.

Only the two remaining chunin managed to barely withstand this wave.

"This is... a Hidden Leaf ninja!" the Hidden Mist chunin gritted out.

His eyes burned with hatred.

His brother had died at the hands of Hidden Leaf ninja.

In this moment, he sought revenge.

But before he could act, Kudo Shin struck from behind, severing his throat with a kunai.

He died.

As the remaining chunin tried to flee, Uchiha Jin flung a kunai that pierced straight through his heart.

"Seal the heads and retreat!"

Uchiha Jin spoke calmly.

Nara Kazama and Kudo Shin merely nodded and began their tasks.

After days of working together, everyone was already familiar with this routine.

But, just then.

A portly Hidden Mist ninja, carrying a greatsword that looked least like a blade, stepped out with a grim expression.

"The Greatsword Samehada—Gatō of the Watermelon River!" Nara Kazama cried out in shock.

His face turned deathly pale.

Facing this renowned member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, a celebrated figure among the jonin, he did not believe his group could handle him.

Uchiha Jin's expression shifted slightly.

If he truly unleashed his full power, even against this member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, he was confident that while he might not kill the opponent, defeating him in battle would not be difficult.

But, he could not!

His true strength must not be revealed here.

"Flee!"

Having spoken, he immediately ran.

Nara Kazama had been prepared; the moment Uchiha Jin spoke, he ran without a second thought.

In that moment, he truly unleashed his full power.

But, alas.

While the two of them managed to escape, Kudo Shin was far behind.

Terrified into paralysis, he could not even muster half of his usual strength.