Chapitre 50: Hiding
Kazuya's departure left Shizune feeling a bit disappointed. This was understandable. In recent years, she had traveled with Tsunade, encountering mostly gamblers, loan sharks, and thugs. Compared to them, Kazuya was a breath of fresh air.
Talented and powerful, he could even challenge Lady Tsunade in battle. Moreover, he was kind and considerate, paying for their room for an extra month before leaving. Most importantly, he was handsome. At eighteen, the same age as Kurenai, Shizune found herself naturally drawn to such an impressive figure.
Tsunade snorted coldly, noticing Shizune's wistful gaze. She knew what the young woman was thinking. "That little rascal is really unsettling," Tsunade grumbled. Next time she saw Kazuya, she intended to give him a proper thrashing to regain her dignity. As one of the Sannin, she couldn't let a junior best her without retaliation.
Meanwhile, the situation was tense in the Land of Frost. Located northeast of the Land of Fire and bordered by the Land of Hot Water, the region had become a hotbed of conflict. The major villages were cunning, often turning small nations into battlegrounds to avoid damage to their own territories.
Cloud Village had assembled elite troops in the Land of Frost to pressure Konoha. In response, Konoha quickly deployed their own forces. The journey from Konoha to the Land of Frost required passing through the Land of Hot Water, where Cloud Village had set an ambush.
Kurenai Yuhi and Kakashi Hatake had the misfortune of falling into this ambush. The Cloud ninjas were formidable, and Konoha's Anbu units were quickly outmatched, suffering severe injuries. Forced to flee, they found temporary refuge in a dense forest.
Inside a large tree hollow concealed by a barrier, the injured Anbu rested. Two lay critically injured on the ground while the remaining five were in poor condition. Kurenai, wearing her cat-face mask, was relatively unscathed but exhausted, with her chakra reserves nearly depleted. Kakashi, despite his numerous wounds, still had some fighting capacity.
"Our barrier might not hold for long. The enemy will find us soon," Uzuki Yugao warned, her voice strained as she arranged explosive tags. Nearby, Moonlight Hayate lay gravely injured, his luck as poor as ever.
Kurenai sighed. "If we don't get support soon, we'll have to make a break for it."
"The Cloud ninjas have us outnumbered and outmatched," Kakashi noted, glancing at his fallen comrades. In the past, he might have considered abandoning them to escape alone. But Kazuya's influence had changed him. The words, "The night gave us black eyes, but I should look for the light," echoed in his mind. He resolved to save his teammates, no matter the cost, embodying Kazuya's spirit of never abandoning comrades.
Elsewhere in the forest, Cloud ninjas continued their search. The lead ninja, wary of Konoha's elite, ordered a thorough search in formation. He turned to Samui, a young but capable kunoichi with striking blonde hair, reminding her of the danger. Samui's pride was wounded; she had allowed Konoha's Anbu to slip past her guard, and she was determined to redeem herself.
One of the Cloud ninjas cautioned, "We need to be careful. Konoha's Anbu might counterattack, and their reinforcements could arrive at any time."
Their leader nodded. "We need to buy time for the main battle. With Master Killer Bee and Lady Yugito leading the charge, we'll defeat Konoha's forces."
The mention of these powerful figures energized the Cloud ninjas, who prepared to hold their ground. Known for their ferocity, they were ready to face any challenge, undeterred by the looming threat of Konoha's reinforcements.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone