Chương 70: Chapter 70: A Change of Plans
"This enemy is capable of blocking even my chakra sensing, he's a master at stealth!" Kamizuru Ishigawa quickly shared the information with his remaining subordinates.
The three remaining Iwagakure Jonin, already on edge, exchanged nervous glances before forming a tight defensive formation, eyes scanning the darkness around them with heightened vigilance.
Meanwhile, the Jonin who had been stabbed by Hui's ambush lay bleeding on the forest floor, the blood pooling beneath him.
Kamizuru Ishigawa's expression grew even darker. He could feel the difficulty of the situation, along with a mounting sense of frustration.
In broad daylight, or in an open field, such an ambush would never have succeeded. He would never have allowed an enemy to attack his subordinates right under his nose.
But this environment was entirely different—deep in a dark, dense forest where visibility was minimal.
The thick canopy above blocked any moonlight, plunging them into near-complete darkness, save for the thin beams of their flashlights. It felt as if they were fighting blindfolded.
In such conditions, even experienced fighters were at a disadvantage, much like a strong adult whose eyes are covered, facing off against a child armed with a stick.
The advantage could shift dramatically, and that's exactly what was happening here.
Kamizuru Ishigawa repeatedly cast his sensing jutsu, straining to catch any trace of Hui's presence. But it was as if his enemy had vanished into thin air.
The only chakra signatures he could detect were those of Lightning and Hatake Sakumo, retreating further and further away, almost beyond his sensory range.
As for the one who had attacked them moments ago—he was nowhere to be sensed, like a ghost.
This put Kamizuru Ishigawa in a tough spot, caught between two equally risky choices.
Should he continue the chase, risking more ambushes from the elusive enemy? Or should he call off the pursuit, abandoning the mission and sacrificing the lives lost so far?
"Curse it all!!!" he roared in frustration, his anger boiling over.
He felt humiliated—even as the Anbu Commander of Iwagakure, he was pushed to the edge by a single Konoha operative. Never before had he suffered such a setback in his career, not even during the First Shinobi World War.
He activated his sensory jutsu once more, finding that the two distant chakra signatures were nearly beyond his reach. He had to make a decision now—continue the chase or not.
Just then, a scream pierced the silence from the direction they had come.
"Ahhhh!!!"
Kamizuru Ishigawa's face twisted with realization. "No, no, no, no! it can't be!"
Without hesitation, he turned and raced back toward the sound, his remaining Jonin following close behind.
As they rushed back, a grim scene greeted them. The remaining Chunin and Elite Chunin had formed a defensive circle, their expressions tense as they scanned the surrounding darkness.
"What happened?!" one of the Jonin shouted, sense of dread creeping into his voice.
"Captain, Commander! We're being attacked by someone... we don't know where they are!" an Elite Chunin reported, struggling to suppress his fear. The sight of his commanders offered some relief, but the terror of the unseen enemy still lingered.
Earlier, a sudden cry of pain had alerted them to a new attack. By the time they realized what was happening, three of their comrades had already fallen, killed in the darkness.
Kamizuru Ishigawa's expression grew even grimmer.
From the moment of the ambush on his Jonin to now, barely two minutes had passed, and yet this ghostly Konoha Anbu had already claimed three more lives.
"Retreat!" he barked through gritted teeth.
His rational mind told him that continuing the pursuit would only lead to further losses. Even if they managed to catch up with the Konoha squad, it wouldn't be worth the casualties they would suffer.
He would have to swallow his pride this time, but the next time they met, he would make sure it wasn't in such a disadvantageous situation. He vowed never to battle this ghost-like enemy unprepared ever again.
Seething with frustration, Kamizuru Ishigawa stood his ground, scanning the shadows, unwilling to lose more of his men.
At his order, the Iwagakure Anbu began their retreat, many of them releasing long-held breaths.
They had been facing an enemy who moved like a ghost, always ready to strike from the shadows. Despite their anger and humiliation, they had no choice but to retreat, storing away the grudge for another day.
Hidden in the darkness, Hui let out a quiet sigh of relief as he observed the retreating Iwagakure forces. At the same time, he felt a deep sense of fortune.
Though this encounter had brought him a string of successes—managing to take out multiple Iwagakure Anbu, even with their commander present—he knew that luck and circumstances had been heavily on his side.
It had been the cover of night, the dense forest, and his unique sensory abilities that allowed him to blend into the shadows so seamlessly.
And his young, small body made it easier to move undetected. All these factors combined with his strategic thinking, had allowed him to outmaneuver Kamizuru Ishigawa's forces.
He was fully aware that a similar outcome would be hard to replicate. After this, the Iwagakure Anbu would be much more cautious and likely avoid night missions.
But... who could say what his own strength would be the next time they faced each other? Perhaps by then, he wouldn't need to rely on stealth and tricks—perhaps he would be able to defeat them head-on.
But those thoughts were for later. For now, the rescue mission was a success, and it was time to leave.
Yet just as Hui prepared to withdraw, he suddenly halted, his expression shifting. He had received a rush of memories—sent back by his own Light Clone.
It wasn't that his clone had been defeated in battle. Rather, it had intentionally dispelled itself to deliver this information.
From the memories, Hui learned that the clone had successfully rescued Takeshi and was heading back toward the Konoha Anbu gathering point. But along the way, it had encountered other Konoha Anbu.
Those Anbu revealed that they were members of the First Unit, who were engaged in a critical mission.
If successful, their mission would heavily weaken the Iwagakure Anbu's presence in the Land of fog, allowing Konoha to secure victory in the region.
However, after hearing the details, Hui realized a critical flaw in their plan: their unit commander did not know that Kamizuru Ishigawa, the Iwagakure Anbu Commander, had entered the Land of fog and was likely heading toward the conflict zone.
If Kamizuru Ishigawa arrived, the entire situation would change. His presence, combined with a force of elite Anbu, and his own Kage-level strength, would tip the balance drastically.
Thinking of this, Hui glanced at the retreating Iwagakure forces below and made a hard decision.
It seemed he couldn't let them simply leave after all.
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