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A few minutes earlier...
A team of twenty Iwa ninjas, led by Kurotsuchi, moved swiftly through the darkened terrain. The group was a formidable force, consisting of two Special Jonins, two Jonins—including Kurotsuchi herself—and the rest Chunins. They were racing toward the source of a distress signal that had originated from the center of the base, where Konoha captives were being held. The urgency in their steps was palpable, their mission clear: reinforce their comrades and neutralize the threat.
As they advanced, the ground beneath them trembled violently, a massive surge of chakra rippling through the air. The team came to an abrupt halt, their eyes widening as they felt the unmistakable signature of a powerful earth-style jutsu. Kurotsuchi, her sharp gaze scanning the horizon, broke the silence. "Who's fighting?" she demanded, her voice cutting through the tension.
One of the Jonins, a seasoned warrior with a grim expression, responded, "It must be Tsubasa and his team. They were stationed in that direction. They're likely engaged with the enemy."
Kurotsuchi's eyes narrowed. She turned to one of the Special Jonins in her team, a sensory ninja known for his precision and accuracy. Without a word, she gestured for him to assess the situation. The Special Jonin nodded, understanding her unspoken command. "I'm on it," he said, his hands already moving through a series of intricate hand seals.
After a moment of concentration, his expression shifted. "Yes, it's Tsubasa's team," he confirmed, his voice steady but tinged with concern. "But... he only has three ninjas with him now, not ten." His face paled as he sensed the overwhelming chakra presence of their enemy. "They're fighting someone... someone whose chakra is far beyond Tsubasa's. At least five times stronger, if I had to estimate."
Before anyone could react, the sensory ninja's eyes widened further. "One of the ninjas following Tsubasa... their chakra signature just vanished. They're dead."
Kurotsuchi exchanged a glance with the other Jonin, her expression hardening. "Could it be Jiraiya?" she asked, her voice low and serious.
The sensory ninja hesitated. "I've never met Jiraiya, so I can't say for sure."
Kurotsuchi rolled her eyes, her patience wearing thin. "I wasn't talking to you," she snapped, her focus shifting back to the Jonin beside her.
The Jonin, his face grim, nodded. "Most likely. We need to hurry."
Kurotsuchi didn't waste another moment. "Move out!" she commanded, and the team surged forward, their pace quickening as they headed toward the towering forest of stone pillars that now dominated the landscape.
As they ran, the sensory ninja continued to relay updates, each one more dire than the last. "Another one's gone... Now only Tsubasa and one other ninja are alive." His voice grew tense. "Wait... another chakra signature just disappeared. Only Tsubasa remains."
Kurotsuchi's temper flared. "Damn it!" she cursed, her fists clenching at her sides.
But the worst was yet to come. The sensory ninja's voice faltered as he delivered the final blow. "Tsubasa's chakra... it's gone. He's... dead." He didn't need to finish the sentence. The implication was clear: when a ninja's chakra signature vanished entirely, it meant only one thing.
The team came to a sudden stop, the weight of the news settling over them like a suffocating fog. Kurotsuchi stood still, her chest rising and falling with controlled breaths as she processed the loss. Tsubasa, a skilled Jonin and a loyal comrade, was gone. The enemy they were facing was not just strong—they were devastating.
Kurotsuchi clenched her fist, her knuckles whitening as she turned to the Jonin standing beside her. Her voice was sharp, laced with urgency. "What should we do now?"
The Jonin, his expression grim but composed, responded with measured words. "If that person really is Jiraiya, then winning against him will be nearly impossible for us. Even with our team of twenty, we might not stand a chance. Our best course of action is to gather every Iwa ninja stationed around the base into one location. Only then can we hope to give him a fight—or at the very least, force him to retreat."
Kurotsuchi nodded, her sharp eyes reflecting both frustration and resolve. "You're right. We'll do exactly that."
Just as she finished speaking, one of the Iwa ninjas in their group suddenly pointed toward the sky, his voice tinged with alarm. "Look! Someone's floating up there, above the stone pillar forest!"
Kurotsuchi and the Jonin turned their gaze upward simultaneously. There, hovering slightly above the jagged stone pillars, was a figure that immediately caught their attention. A boy with blonde hair, his eyes glowing a vivid sky blue, his body enveloped in a radiant aura of the same color. He glanced in their direction for a brief moment, his expression indifferent, before turning away and flying off into the distance.
Kurotsuchi's eyes narrowed as she recognized him. "That's not Jiraiya," she said, her voice firm. "That's Inoiki Yamanaka. I've met him before, in Kusagakure. I'm certain of it—that's definitely him."
The Jonin beside her frowned, his tone cautious. "Even if it's Inoiki Yamanaka, he's still far above the league of ordinary Jonins. With his abilities, he can hunt down Jonin teams one by one, just like he did with Tsubasa's team."
Kurotsuchi's jaw tightened as she processed the implications. "Then what are we waiting for?" she said, her voice steely. "Let's go after him immediately. Once he stops, we'll use the predetermined signal to gather all the Iwa ninjas in one place. We can't let him pick us off one by one."
Without another word, the team sprang into action. Kurotsuchi led the charge, her movements swift and determined as she raced in the direction Inoiki had flown. The Jonin and the rest of the team followed closely behind, their footsteps echoing in unison as they moved with purpose.
The night air was thick with tension, the weight of their mission pressing down on them. Inoiki's presence had shifted the dynamics of the battle, and Kurotsuchi knew they couldn't afford to waste a single moment. As they ran, her mind raced with strategies, her resolve unshaken. They would regroup, they would fight, and they would ensure that Inoiki Yamanaka didn't leave this battlefield unscathed.
The chase was on, and the stakes had never been higher.
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