Kapitel 217: 216-Cold Reception
Renjiro could sense the confusion and curiosity lingering among his team members after his unexpected announcement that he wouldn't be leading the mission.
He knew that this was the right decision, both for the squad's growth and his own future plans, but it was still hard to break the news.
"I'm going to leave the force in a few months. Three to be specific," he said, his voice calm and steady. "So I thought it would be better that you are able to complete missions on your own by the time I leave."
The revelation hung in the air like a heavy mist. The squad members exchanged surprised glances, clearly taken aback by the news.
Akira, one of the more vocal members of the team, was the first to speak up.
"Why are you leaving, Renjiro-sama?" Akira asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and concern.
Renjiro had been a capable leader, by her standards, and the thought of losing him so soon after he had taken command was unsettling.
Renjiro met Akira's gaze, understanding the worry in her eyes.
"I only planned to serve in the force for a full year," he explained simply, the corners of his lips turning up in a small smile.
'He's only been in the force for a year, and he's already a squad leader?'
Akira marvelled internally.
The fact that Renjiro had risen to such a position in such a short time was a testament to his skills and capabilities, but it also made Akira wonder just what kind of person Renjiro truly was.
Tora also couldn't help but voice his own question.
"Why, Captain? Why only a year?"
There was genuine confusion in his voice as if the idea of leaving such a prestigious position was unfathomable.
Renjiro turned to Tora, his expression softening slightly.
"You know my surname, Tora. Uzumaki and not Uchiha," he said, hoping that would be enough of an explanation.
He couldn't exactly tell them that their clan head was giving him preferential treatment, so he decided to euphemise the situation.
Tora nodded slowly, understanding the implications, but still, there was a tinge of sadness in his eyes.
Miki, who had been quiet up until this point, finally spoke up, her voice tinged with curiosity.
"But why Kudo, Captain? Why will he be in charge?"
'Is she mad?'
Renjiro wondered as he glanced at Kudo, who had remained silent throughout the discussion, his expression still unreadable.
"The responsibility will have to change hands over our next missions," Renjiro explained, his eyes meeting Kudo's as he spoke.
"Since Kudo is the current assistant squad leader, he'll start taking the lead from now on."
Kudo nodded solemnly, accepting the responsibility that was being placed on his shoulders. He wasn't surprised by Renjiro's decision—if anything, he had expected it since they had had a talk before with Renjiro.
However, the reality of it was still daunting. Kudo knew that the squad looked up to Renjiro, and stepping into his shoes would not be easy.
However, he was determined to prove himself worthy of the task.
Renjiro, sensing the need to refocus the team, cleared his throat. "That's enough for now, have a mission to complete," he reminded them,
"Let's stay focused and get the job done."
The squad members nodded in unison and with that, they turned their attention to the task at hand and left the village, setting out for Shimogakure.
=====
The journey to the Land of Frost was long and arduous, the terrain growing more unforgiving with each passing mile. As they travelled further north of the Land of Fire, the landscape began to change dramatically.
The once lush forests of the Land of Fire gradually gave way to barren, icy plains, and the temperature plummeted, the air growing colder and harsher with each step. Especially after they passed through Yugakure.
Snow began to fall as they crossed the border into the Land of Frost, the flakes swirling around them in a soft, silent dance.
The ground beneath their feet was covered in a thick layer of snow, making it difficult to move quickly. Their pace slowed as they trudged through the frozen landscape, their breaths visible in the frigid air.
Despite the cold, the squad maintained their focus, their training and discipline guiding them through the harsh conditions. The silence of the snowy wilderness was broken only by the sound of their footsteps crunching through the snow and the occasional gust of wind that swept across the plains.
The journey took two days, the snow and ice making it a gruelling trek, but finally, Shimogakure came into view.
The village was nestled in a valley between two towering mountains, its buildings constructed from dark stone that blended seamlessly with the snow-covered landscape. A wall of ice and rock surrounded the village, offering both protection and seclusion from the outside world.
As Renjiro and his squad neared the entrance of Shimogakure, they noticed a group of shinobi gathered near the gate.
The shinobi were dressed in the distinctive dark cloaks of the Land of Frost, their faces partially obscured by hoods and masks.
They appeared to be on high alert, their eyes scanning the surrounding area as if they were expecting something.
Renjiro raised an eyebrow at the sight, his mind immediately going into high gear.
'Well, that's not strange at all,' he thought sarcastically.
'Are they preparing to move out?'
Among the gathered shinobi, a middle-aged man with graying hair and a weathered face noticed Renjiro's squad approaching.
His sharp eyes narrowed as he studied them, and after a moment, he began to walk towards them with measured steps.
There was an air of authority about him, the kind that came with years of experience and leadership.
Renjiro straightened slightly as the man approached, his senses on high alert. The man's movements were deliberate, and there was a certain intensity in his gaze that suggested he was not someone to be taken lightly.
When the man reached them, he stopped a few paces away and offered a small, respectful nod.
"Welcome to Shimogakure," he said, his voice deep and steady. "I am Hirai Yutaka, leader of the Hirai clan."
The name immediately triggered a memory in Renjiro's mind.
'Hirai… that's one of the clans mentioned in the scroll Fugaku gave me,' he recalled, a sense of recognition dawning on him.
The Hirai family was known to favour Konoha, which meant that this man could potentially be an important ally in their mission.
Renjiro glanced at Kudo who was beside him and gave him a nod. He was clearly prompting him to take the lead and converse with Yutaka. After all, it was decided that he was going to take a step back on this mission.
Before Yutaka could continue, however, something strange happened. His voice caught in his throat, his eyes widening in shock.
Renjiro's gaze snapped to Yutaka's throat just as a thin, dark line appeared across it—a line that was quickly followed by a gush of blood.
Yutaka staggered, his hands flying to his throat as he tried to stem the bleeding, but it was too late. The blood poured out between his fingers, staining the snow beneath him a deep crimson. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, his eyes filled with confusion and pain.
Renjiro's heart raced as he watched the man fall, his mind struggling to process what had just happened. 'An attack? But from where?' he thought frantically, his eyes darting around the area, searching for any sign of the assailant or assailants.
=====
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Kapitel 218: 217-Swordsman
Instinct and training kicked in for Renjiro and his squad, and honed reflexes were taking over before conscious thought could intervene.
Without wasting a second, Renjiro created a shadow clone. The clone immediately dashed forward to Yutaka's fallen body.
Dropping to one knee, the clone's hands glowed with a soft, green light as it began applying medical ninjutsu, attempting to heal the gash that had so quickly drained Yutaka of life.
While the clone focused on the near-hopeless task of healing Yutaka, Renjiro's real self concentrated on locating the assailants.
Knowing that every second was precious, Renjiro closed his eyes and activated his chakra field, sending out a wave of his chakra to sense any unusual movements around them.
'They must still be close,' he thought, his brow furrowing as he extended his senses to the very edge of his range, a full kilometer around their position.
His chakra field picked up numerous signatures: the shinobi standing nearby, those within the village walls, and many others scattered throughout the surrounding area.
It took him a few agonizing seconds to filter through the multitude of chakra signatures, but then he noticed it—a cluster of ten distinct signatures moving swiftly away from the village, heading east.
"There they are!" Renjiro muttered to himself before shouting to the others,
"They're ten in number, heading east!"
With a flicker, he disappeared from his spot, racing toward the retreating enemies with his squad following close behind.
The other shinobi who had been with Yutaka hesitated only briefly before following suit, though one of them knelt beside Renjiro's shadow clone, who was still trying to save Yutaka.
The shinobi, seeing the situation, yelled out, "Follow them!" before aiding the clone in attending to their fallen clan head.
Meanwhile, the clone's efforts to save Yutaka were proving futile. The medical ninjutsu was potent, but the wound was too severe and too much time had already passed.
The clone's chakra pulsed through Yutaka's body, trying to stimulate his cells and regenerate the tissue, but the vital signs were too weak.
The blood loss had been catastrophic, and by the time the clone attempted to seal the wound, Yutaka's body had already begun to shut down. The glow of the healing chakra faded as the clone realized the harsh truth: Yutaka was beyond saving.
---
Renjiro moved through the snow-covered terrain with speed and precision, the white landscape blurring around him as he zeroed in on the fleeing attackers.
His Sharingan activated, and the world around him seemed to slow down as his eyes captured every detail, analyzing the movements of the figures ahead.
The attackers were quick, but with such a large group, they couldn't hope to maintain complete stealth or speed.
In a way, their numbers were their downfall; they couldn't move as efficiently or as quietly as a smaller unit might have.
The snow that blanketed the landscape was both a boon and a curse. It made tracking the enemies easier, as their footprints were clearly visible and the churned-up snow left a trail that was easy to follow.
But the same snow that aided in tracking also hampered speed, making it difficult for both sides to move quickly without slipping or losing their balance.
As Renjiro closed in, the attackers came into view, their dark uniforms stark against the white snow. The first thing Renjiro noticed was the distinctive pattern on their gear—the unmistakable symbols of Kirigakure. His eyes narrowed in recognition.
'Kirigakure shinobi… They attacked earlier than expected,' he thought, his mind racing.
The intel they had received suggested that the enemy would strike soon, but Renjiro hadn't anticipated that it would be this soon. Yet, here they were, deep in the Land of Frost, with enemy shinobi already causing chaos.
Renjiro's squad caught up with him, fanning out slightly as they prepared to engage. The other shinobi who had followed were right behind them, and Renjiro could sense their tension.
The group of attackers hadn't yet realized that their pursuers were that close—at least, not until it was too late.
The first strike came swift and deadly. Renjiro targeted the two rearmost shinobi, his Sharingan allowing him to predict their movements with chilling accuracy.
In a blur of motion, he closed the distance between them and lashed out with precise, lethal force.
His kunai found its mark, piercing the neck of the first shinobi, who barely had time to register the attack before crumpling to the ground, lifeless.
The second shinobi spun around, but Renjiro was already upon him. A swift strike to the chest drove the breath from the shinobi's lungs, followed by a sharp twist of the kunai that ended his life in an instant.
The two bodies fell into the snow, their blood quickly darkening the pristine white around them.
Renjiro's squad moved in next, with Tora and Shoda engaging two more of the fleeing shinobi. Tora's speed and precision were unmatched, his blade flashing through the air as he cut down his target with ruthless efficiency.
Shoda, cleaved through the enemy's defenses with sheer brute force, leaving his opponent with no chance to retaliate. Both shinobi fell, their lives extinguished in a matter of seconds.
The remaining attackers, realizing they were under assault, quickened their pace, but the weight of their numbers was against them.
It was impossible to escape cleanly with such a large group, and Renjiro and his team exploited this weakness mercilessly.
However, just as they closed in on the remaining six Kirigakure shinobi, Renjiro's Sharingan caught a glimpse of something unusual.
The lead figure, a taller man with a commanding presence, suddenly slowed down and stopped. Renjiro's instincts flared in warning, sensing that something was off.
The man turned to face them, and Renjiro finally got a clear view of his face—scarred, with eyes that gleamed with cold calculation.
But what drew Renjiro's attention most was the weapon the man was now holding. It was a massive sword, unlike any ordinary blade.
The weapon was a combination of a hammer and a sharp blade, with the blunt end designed to shatter defenses and the blade to cleave through anything that stood in its way.
'That sword… Kabutowari!'
Renjiro's mind raced as he recognized the weapon. The Kabutowari was one of the famous swords wielded by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
If this man was carrying the Kabutowari, then there was no doubt about his identity.
The man's voice cut through the cold air, deep and resonant.
"I didn't want to use this," he said, his tone almost regretful, "but now I need to."
He hefted the massive sword, his grip firm and steady as he prepared to face Renjiro and his squad.
Turning his head slightly, the man called out to his remaining subordinates, who had paused in their retreat.
"Keep moving," he ordered, his voice brooking no argument.
"I'll buy you the time you need."
The Kirigakure shinobi hesitated for a moment, clearly unwilling to leave their leader behind, but they knew better than to disobey.
With a final glance back, they resumed their flight, leaving the man standing alone, ready to face the oncoming storm.
Renjiro came to a halt, his mind reeling as the full realization hit him.
'He's one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?!'
The thought sent a chill down his spine. This was not just any shinobi they were dealing with—this was someone who had likely faced countless opponents and emerged victorious every time.
=====
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