[NTU] [ARC-07-JOUNIN] Chapter : 108 (Patreon)

"The opponent was from the Uchiha clan, a clan as renowned as the Senju. They are a legendary ninja clan, and you all performed greatly to oppose him. By your estimates, he should be at least an Elite-jounin, if not a low-kage level Shinobi."

Seeing the young talents in his village discouraged by the Uchiha, Yagura didn't miss the chance to offer some comforting words.

"You're all remarkable, not to mention that several of you are under twenty and already at the Jounin level. Especially Terumi Mei, with her dual bloodline limits—her future potential is boundless."

"By the way, how did the ANBU mission go?" Mei quickly recovered and asked about the ANBU mission's progress.

"ANBU's mission..." Yagura felt a headache coming on. He couldn't understand what the Third Mizukage was thinking, planning to seal the Three-Tails into a Konoha ninja. Did Konoha need another Jinchuuriki when they already had the strongest, the Nine-Tails? It seemed like sending a sheep into a lion's den. Everyone opposed the idea, but the stubborn and aging Third Mizukage wouldn't be swayed, not even by his most trusted right-hand.

In the end, they had to cooperate with the ANBU and hope for a successful surprise attack on Konoha.

"Is the Sandaime going senile?" Shimizu, known for her cold demeanor, voiced her opinion before Yagura could respond to Mei.

This was no secret among the powerful Mist Ninja clans.

"Shut up!" Yagura and Mei's faces paled as they quickly silenced him, nervously looking around. Despite his age, the Third Mizukage was not someone they could speak about lightly. Careless words could bring trouble to them and their families.

"I think the Sandaime's plan is brilliant!" Kaito of the Kaguya clan expressed his contrary view. "If the Three-Tails goes on a rampage in Konoha Village, the damage would far exceed any battlefield casualties we could inflict."

"But if Konoha manages to seal the Three-Tails, wouldn't we suffer a massive loss?" Mei countered, explaining that the plan seemed like the folly of an old man, treating the Three-Tails like a mere explosive tag.

"Would Konoha dare to keep our Three-Tails? Neither we nor the other villages, like Iwagakure and Kumogakure, would allow that!"

Terumi Mei was momentarily speechless. Kaito had a point. The balance of tailed beasts was a serious matter. Konoha, already housing the strongest Nine-Tails, couldn't simply keep the Three-Tails without provoking the other villages.

"That’s true, but what if Konoha demands a ransom for the Three-Tails?"

"Only if we lose the war!" Kaito retorted, leaving Terumi Mei exasperated. His logic was sound, but it didn't alleviate her concerns.

---

The following afternoon, Toshiro, practicing in his tent, was summoned by Orochimaru.

"So, Minato-senpai's two precious disciples are in a dire situation?" Toshiro remarked, glancing at the information.

"Yes! For Konoha..." Orochimaru, seated at the head of the table, let out a cryptic laugh, seemingly mocking something.

"Then… Minato-senpai now…"

"He is still at the northern border, dealing with those Cloud Ninjas and the famous AB combo..."

'So, the Hokage sent Kakashi's request for help to you? And now you've called for me?' Toshiro thought, eyeing Orochimaru.

With a sigh, Toshiro left the tent. He had mastered the Sage Mode and had no interest in his clan’s famous Gunbai anymore, but fate had drawn him into this once again.

He summoned a large ink bird and sped towards the location marked on the intelligence. Though reluctant to get involved, destiny had once again intervened in his plans.

"I hope I can make it in time!"

Flying through the air and gazing down at the forest and river below, Toshiro could only try to reassure himself.

He didn't have a close relationship with Nohara Rin—they were merely acquaintances through mutual friends. He didn't particularly care about her fate. However, if there was a chance to save her, he intended to take it. This incident could also serve as a significant opportunity for him, potentially securing his future plans, if handled well.

Whoosh!

After several hours of travel, Toshiro descended from the sky and arrived at the location where Kakashi had requested help. But Kakashi was no longer there.

"Are you reinforcements from Konoha?" A male voice called out from a distance.

Before Toshiro could respond, the voice seemed to recognize him.

"It's you! This is perfect! I was worried the reinforcements would be weaklings. If that were the case, it would be unclear who’s rescuing whom!"

Looking at the brown ninja dog emerging from the nearby grass, Toshiro couldn't help but marvel at the ninja world. Even a summoned beast could be so sarcastic.

"It's you, Pakkun... If someone came to support you, you should be grateful! How could you be picky about it?"

Surprisingly, Kakashi had left Pakkun behind to wait for reinforcements. Grabbing the dog's scruff and shaking it, Toshiro signaled for Pakkun to lead the way. Now was not the time for idle chat.

"Tell me what’s going on!"

"Why are Kakashi and Rin at the border? Shouldn’t they be in the village?"

Since Pakkun was tracking Kakashi and the others, Toshiro chose not to fly.

"They were on a routine mission when a large group of Mist Ninja ANBU ambushed them and kidnapped Rin!"

"Kakashi is pursuing them, but those ANBU are strong. He can't rescue Rin alone!"

The Mist Ninjas' behavior was bizarre, as if their ANBU was out of control. Toshiro suspected that not only the ANBU but also the Third Mizukage were under Madara's influence. It seemed that both the Third and Fourth Mizukages of Kirigakure Village had been manipulated, highlighting their vulnerability compared to the Hokages, who had always been wary of such threats.

"Didn't you inform Minato-senpai? Kakashi has one of Minato-senpai’s kunai. With the speed of the Flying Thunder God, he could reach Kakashi instantly!"

Given Namikaze Minato’s abilities, he could easily reach Kakashi and handle the situation. There shouldn't be any need for Toshiro to intervene, even though he was the closest.

"I don’t know! It seems he has other important missions."

Pakkun, as a ninja dog, was unaware of the specifics. He was just following orders.

"This way!"

After sniffing the air, Pakkun led Toshiro swiftly in one direction.

Having grown up with Kakashi, Pakkun was deeply concerned about his safety. With so many enemies, it was almost impossible for Kakashi to save Rin alone. If Toshiro didn’t reach them quickly, they might not even be able to recover Kakashi's body.

Fortunately, the summoning technique hadn't been canceled yet, so there was still hope.

...

"Rin! You go first, I’ll hold them off!"

Pushing Rin ahead, Kakashi turned to face their pursuers. He was determined to protect his friend this time and prevent another tragedy.

He had promised Obito that he would protect Rin!

"But, Kakashi..."

"No buts, go quickly!"

While fending off the enemy's attacks, Kakashi continuously urged Rin to move forward. Seeing his resolve, Rin, despite sensing something wrong within her body, didn't hesitate any longer. She understood that her staying would only hold Kakashi back.

She turned and dashed toward the forest.

"We can't let the test subject escape!"

A voice from the Mist Ninja ANBU shouted, pointing at Rin in the distance, as if afraid she might slip from their grasp.

"Some of you, chase the girl who escaped. The rest of you, help me deal with this troublesome guy!"

The leader of the Kiri ANBU began issuing commands.

Though they appeared anxious, their actions were noticeably sloppy and lacked urgency.

Of course, they weren't in a real hurry. Their mission was to drive these two towards Konoha. As long as the girl remained within the tracking range of their sensory ninja, everything was fine.

"No matter what, I can’t let you pass!"

Seeing the ANBU trying to bypass him to chase Rin, Kakashi activated Chidori, turning into a streak of lightning to strike down the enemies pursuing her.

"Get rid of this brat!"

Some Mist Ninjas were incensed seeing their comrades fall. This white-haired kid was too arrogant.

Although their orders were to proceed with caution, Kakashi's defiance warranted a more aggressive response.

"Don't be impulsive! Stick to the mission!"

The ANBU leader couldn't afford mistakes from impulsive actions. If the girl, now a ticking time bomb, reached Konoha, even their slowest thinkers would suspect something was wrong.

"But Captain?"

"All sacrifices are to complete the mission!"

The leader cut off any further objections. Coldly, he prepared to continue the mission, ignoring the loss of his subordinates.

Under the mask, his expression remained unseen.

He gestured covertly, allowing a gap in their formation for the white-haired boy to escape, ensuring the pursuit could continue towards Konoha.

"Kakashi, something’s wrong with my body! I think the Kiri Ninjas did something to me!"

Beside Kakashi, Rin felt reassured by his presence but was alarmed by the changes in her body. The Kiri Ninjas seemed to have injected something into her, hinting at a conspiracy against Konoha. Her memories were fragmented, likely due to a genjutsu.

"Now is not the time to discuss this. I promised Obito that I would protect you!"

He had overheard the Kiri Ninjas' conversation about her being an experiment, but he couldn’t worry about that now.

"Damn it! These Kiri Ninjas are relentless!"

With the pursuers closing in, Kakashi had no time to ponder over experiments. He quickly pulled out several explosive tags from his ninja tool bag and hurled them behind, hoping to slow the pursuit.