章 284: 283-Strategic Retreat
A was already known throughout the shinobi world for his prodigious strength, though he was still only on his way to becoming an S-rank shinobi. A was around the same age as Minato, Konoha's rising star and Renjiro had heard enough about him to know this was a fight best avoided.
'I need to get out of here,' Renjiro thought, his mind racing with the urgency of the situation.
If this had been an ordinary encounter, he might have considered holding his ground, but the circumstances called for a swift, strategic retreat.
They weren't necessarily outnumbered—counting the three spies, they technically had the advantage in numbers. But they were in a foreign country, operating illegally, and the entire point of their mission was to avoid detection.
If they engaged Kumo's forces head-on, they'd risk drawing more attention and alerting Kumo's intelligence units, which would completely derail their covert operation. Worse, if they were captured or killed, Konoha's involvement would be undeniable.
Renjiro knew they couldn't afford to fight full-out either; doing so would reveal their identities as Konoha's ANBU, which would only heighten Kumo's security and lead to disastrous consequences. They had to withdraw—quietly, cleanly, and fast.
He sprang to his feet, grabbing both Takata and Kakashi, who were still disoriented from the explosion. Without hesitation, he activated the Body Flicker Technique, a flash of chakra propelling him and his two charges from the heart of the battle.
Yano and the other two spies could handle themselves for now. As far as Renjiro was concerned, his priority was securing Kakashi and Takata, the leader of the spies; with them safe, the mission still held a chance of success as well as future developments as Kakashi held an integral part in the story.
As they dashed through the trees, an enemy ANBU—a tall, masked figure from Kumo—appeared in their path, launching forward with blinding speed. He wanted to stop Renjiro from escaping.
In a split-second reaction, Renjiro created a water clone, the fluid shape materializing beside him before it lunged at the Kumo shinobi. With a flick of its wrist, the clone slapped a handful of chakra-drain seals onto the enemy, each seal sapping a portion of the shinobi's chakra reserves in an instant.
Renjiro smirked under his mask. The seals were an old addition to his arsenal, a potent technique he'd learned after a training accident involving Kushina, whose unintended use of them had led Renjiro to see their immense utility.
"Aaargh!"
The Kumo shinobi staggered backwards, a muffled groan of pain escaping him as the seals began draining his chakra. He fell to one knee, visibly weakened, and the water clone dissolved into a puddle, its task complete.
In that brief opening, Renjiro disappeared once more with Kakashi and Takata, vanishing into the dense cover of the trees.
Renjiro's use of a water clone had been deliberate. Normally, he would have relied on a shadow clone, a more versatile option, but the shadow clone jutsu was too closely associated with Konoha shinobi.
A water clone, however, was associated with Kirigakure, which was closer to Kumo than it was to Konoha. His ANBU training had taught him adaptability; every decision on the battlefield counted, especially under such precarious circumstances.
Meanwhile, the fallen Kumo ANBU's incapacitation gave Yano and the remaining two spies a precious moment to recover. With quick reflexes honed from years of combat experience, Yano seized the opportunity and signalled the two spies to retreat. At least, that was what they intended to do.
A's sharp eyes had caught Renjiro's swift manoeuvre as he escaped with Kakashi and Takata. He grit his teeth, unwilling to let any more escape. Channelling lightning chakra into his palms, he prepared a jutsu of his own.
"Raimei no Tebiyoshi," he muttered, clapping his hands together with a thunderous crack that echoed through the mountains like the roar of a tempest.
"Boom!"
The Lightning Release: Thunder Clap jutsu sent a massive shockwave outward, reverberating through the air with a concussive blast that could disorient anyone of its targets. The sound alone was deafening, a rumbling wave of noise that left those caught within it momentarily stunned as if caught in a thunderstorm at close range.
Yano felt the shockwave hit him like a physical blow, his ears ringing and his balance momentarily thrown. But he was a seasoned shinobi, and his training allowed him to regain his footing quickly.
Without wasting a second, he activated his Body Flicker Technique, disappearing into the darkness before A could close the gap. Frustration flashed across A's face, but he knew he couldn't pursue all of them at once. He would settle for Yano.
With a burst of speed, A took off after Yano, his pursuit relentless. The remaining Kumo ANBU turned their attention to the two spies left behind, their posture shifting into one of deadly focus.
In an instant, they unleashed their own attacks, prepared to eliminate the lingering threat before they could disappear as well.
One of the Kumo shinobi took a step forward, his hand crackling with blue lightning.
"Suparkuken," he intoned, as lightning enveloped his fist, the current coiling around his arm in waves of raw power. With a brutal punch, he struck one of the spies, the force of the blow combined with the lightning chakra sending paralyzing currents through the man's body.
The spy's muscles seized up, his eyes widening in pain as he froze in place, defenceless. The Kumo shinobi moved with precision, delivering a swift, fatal strike before his victim could recover.
Within moments, both spies had been dispatched, their bodies sealed into storage scrolls for transport back to Kumo's intelligence division.
Meanwhile, Renjiro halted a few hundred meters away, allowing Kakashi and Takata to catch their breath. They stumbled forward, shaken but alive, the urgency of their situation written in every tense line of their faces.
"You need to keep moving," Renjiro said, casting a wary glance back the way they'd come. "Just take Takata far from here. He's our priority."
Kakashi looked at him with a frown, his tone both curious and concerned. "Where are you going?"
Renjiro straightened, his gaze flicking back to the distant flash of chakra light where A's pursuit continued. "Yano and the others are still back there. We can't leave them behind."
Takata, who had remained silent throughout their escape, looked up sharply. "Yano is your leader?"
Renjiro cursed silently, realizing his slip. He hadn't meant to mention Yano by name, especially in the presence of someone outside the ANBU's inner circle. He shot Kakashi a warning look, but Kakashi gave a simple nod, confirming Takata's question.
Just as they exchanged glances, a sudden movement caught Renjiro's attention. Ten figures emerged from the shadows, each one dressed in the distinctive garb of Kumo's ANBU.
Their masks were a deep red, giving them a sinister air as they formed a circle around Renjiro, Kakashi, and Takata. Renjiro tensed, realizing with dismay that he hadn't sensed them until they were practically on top of them.
Kakashi shifted into a fighting stance, his eyes narrowing. "Do we fight?" he asked, his voice low but resolute.
Renjiro's gaze swept over their encirclement, analyzing their options. "Well, I don't see any other way out of this. Prepare yourself."
Before Renjiro could issue further instructions, Takata, who had been standing beside him, reached out and swiped at the back of Renjiro's neck. Renjiro reacted instinctively, sidestepping and throwing Takata a baffled glare.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Takata gave him an inscrutable look, his hand retracting as he murmured, "You had something on your neck."
Renjiro's eyes narrowed, a spark of suspicion igniting in his mind as he noticed the strange expression in Takata's eyes. "Really? Do you think now is the time—?"
Before he could finish, the Kumo ANBU closed in, their movements swift and deadly, weapons glinting in the faint light as they lunged toward the trio.
"Clang!"
The sound of kunai echoed through the night as Renjiro blocked an incoming blade.
Meanwhile, A had caught up with Yano, his relentless pursuit culminating in a face-off on the edge of a rocky cliff. Yano's breathing was laboured, his stance wary as he regarded his opponent. A, on the other hand, looked as though he hadn't broken a sweat. A smirk crossed his face as he looked Yano up and down, a spark of disdain flickering in his eyes.
"I never knew Konoha bastards were this dense," A sneered, his voice a low, mocking drawl. "If you wanted to escape, you had to make sure you were faster than me."
Yano braced himself, his muscles tensing as he prepared for the inevitable clash. At this point, he knew that he had to fight A or he would leave Kumo alive.
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