Chapter 39: Chapter 39: The Escort Team Encounters the Third Kazekage's Ambush Squad
Swish, swish, swish...
The sound of sand shifting through the night was unmistakable.
On the watchtower, a patrolling ninja realized something was wrong. He barely had time to gasp, "What the—" before—thud—a sharp iron spike pierced through his throat and heart.
The two bodies crumpled to the ground atop the tower, never having the chance to raise the alarm. In their fading eyes, the reflections of figures wearing the forehead protectors of the Sand Village gleamed ominously.
After swiftly dispatching the outpost guards, the weapons made from iron sand returned to the side of the Third Kazekage.
"Move forward," he commanded, flicking his cloak as he led a large group of Sand ninjas deeper into the Land of Fire.
"Master, there's a large number of unidentified ninjas approaching from the front," Snowy alerted.
Resting with his back against a tree, Takuya snapped awake instantly.
The main reason he had taken the night shift was because he had Snowy. With Snowy's powerful sensory abilities, anyone approaching the camp would be detected, especially those harboring ill intentions.
Takuya hadn't expected that after ten grueling days on the road, just as they were about to reach the Land of Rivers, they would run into something like this.
"Is the Sand Village planning to strike against the Land of Fire?" The possibility sent a chill down Takuya's spine, and he quickly roused Minato and Uchiha Mikoto.
"Shh!" he signaled for silence, then whispered urgently, "Grab those officials and get out of here—now. There's a large number of unidentified ninjas surrounding the camp. They might be enemy forces invading the Land of Fire."
What?!
Minato's eyes widened in shock, his sleepiness evaporating instantly. Uchiha Mikoto also jolted awake, and together, they sprinted toward the largest tent in the center of the camp.
Out here, in the middle of the Land of Fire, with a large, unidentified force of ninjas closing in, it didn't take a genius to figure out that they were in deep trouble.
The best course of action now was to grab the important people and get out, not stick around and try to fend off the enemy.
"Let's go!" Takuya took the lead, bursting into the tent and knocking out the still-drowsy officials. Slinging one over his shoulder, he bolted from the tent. As he ran, he made sure to leave a few parting "gifts" for the Sand ninjas.
Whether those gifts would actually blow up any unlucky targets depended on fate.
Not everyone was as unfortunate as Nawaki, who managed to get blown up right in front of Orochimaru on the battlefield.
"Something's wrong! The officials have been taken!"
The sudden actions of Takuya and his team left the guards and attendants in shock.
What kind of rescue mission is this—no warning, just grabbing people and running?
"The officials have been kidnapped by the Konoha ninjas!"
The guards' shouts quickly spread panic through the camp, waking up those who had been sleeping peacefully.
Takuya had anticipated this and quickly shouted back, "The Sand Village is invading the Land of Fire! Run for your lives!"
"What?!"
"The Sand Village?"
"They're invading the Land of Fire?"
The attendants and guards who had been scrambling to rescue their masters were thrown into chaos. Considering that Konoha was already embroiled in a fierce battle with the Rain Village, an invasion during this time wasn't out of the question.
As Takuya and his team disappeared into the forest, the camp fell into complete disarray. People screamed and fled in all directions, abandoning the supplies and valuables left behind.
"Kazekage-sama, it seems the people in that camp have discovered us."
"Kill them!" The Third Kazekage's face darkened. Their discovery was not the outcome he had hoped for.
After crossing the border and neutralizing the outpost, the scouts had reported the presence of a large camp ahead. Judging by its size and supplies, it seemed to belong to the daimyo's court.
The Kazekage had ordered his forces to encircle the camp and eliminate everyone to prevent news of the Sand Village's invasion from leaking.
But before they could close in, the camp had erupted into chaos—their cover had been blown.
Boom!
In their panic, some of the guards and attendants stumbled into the traps Takuya had set. The ensuing explosion tore through the already chaotic camp, turning it into a scene of utter pandemonium.
As explosions and flames erupted behind them, Takuya's expression grew serious. Minato and Uchiha Mikoto, still in shock, realized that staying to fight was not an option—they had to get back to Konoha and deliver the intel.
As for the others in the camp, they would have to fend for themselves.
"Master, someone's pursuing us."
"You two go ahead. I'll handle the ones chasing us," Takuya said, coming to a halt. He dropped the official he had been carrying and gestured for Minato and Uchiha Mikoto to keep moving.
If no one stayed behind to hold off the pursuers, they would soon be overtaken.
"Be careful," Minato said, not wasting time on arguments. Uchiha Mikoto also nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.
Takuya was the team leader and their strongest member—it only made sense for him to stay behind and deal with the enemy.
Not long after Minato and Mikoto had left, a squad of ninjas arrived at the scene. It was a standard jōnin-led team with one jōnin and three chūnin, and the jōnin was a well-known puppeteer from the Sand Village.
"So, it's just a Konoha brat," the Sand jōnin sneered, maneuvering his puppets closer as he cautiously scanned the area. "You caused all that chaos in the camp, didn't you? How did you even detect us approaching?"
There were no other Konoha ninjas around, but the Sand jōnin remained wary, trying to unnerve Takuya with his words. In his experience, a kid this young would be easy to rattle when facing a real threat.
"Kid, did your teammates abandon you and run off?"
"No, they just didn't need to stick around," Takuya replied calmly. He closed his eyes, and when he reopened them, they glowed with a crimson light.
"Sharingan!" The four Sand ninjas were taken aback. They hadn't expected this Konoha kid, who looked no older than ten, to be from the Uchiha clan.
What the hell—since when did Uchiha start having white-haired kids?
And to top it off, this Uchiha kid had the three-tomoe Sharingan!
When did the Uchiha produce such a prodigy?
"This isn't good, don't look into his ey—"
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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