The Hidden Leaf Village was never meant to be a beacon of justice; it only seemed that way once Naruto and Sasuke became the saviors.
The Will of Fire they propagated was about "protecting the village," not "protecting the ninja world."
As for whether the ninja world was peaceful or not?
As long as the village was peaceful, that was enough.
After Asuma wrapped his wounds with the bandages, Kiyoshi suggested they rest by the riverbank.
***
Under the ancient tree where Kiyoshi and Pakura had fought.
*Smash!*
Pakura violently hammered the tree with pure physical strength, without gathering any chakra.
The deep indentation she had previously made in the tree's surface became even deeper, nearly reaching the point where the tree would topple over.
As she stood up, a small, wet puddle on the ground rippled slightly.
Pakura knew that Kiyoshi had thoroughly humiliated her.
She bit her lip, straightened her ninja uniform, and stood up, leaning against the wobbling tree.
The thought of Kiyoshi shaking his hand made the indignation in her heart unbearable.
What did he take her for?
Suddenly, the sound of hurried running approached from not far away.
Pakura looked up and saw Maki, clutching his arm, leaping through the trees.
His arm was almost severed, and blood soaked the cloth wrapped around it.
That cloth was meant to minimize the blood traces left on the ground.
"Pakura, thank goodness you're alright." Maki had feared Pakura had been killed, relieved to see her safe.
Kiyoshi must have been in a hurry to leave and didn't linger with Pakura.
Pakura was a rare Bloodline user in the Hidden Sand, and a genius!
Losing Pakura would have been a significant blow.
"Did the Uchiha do this?" Pakura asked about Maki's arm.
"It was him!" A responding voice came from the distance.
It was Tarō Hōki catching up.
"Let's go."
Pakura remained silent for a moment before speaking.
If they stayed here, Kiyoshi's team might circle back to attack again.
They also risked encountering other squads.
Their current condition was unsuitable for combat.
Pakura led the way.
Maki endured the sharp pain in his arm to keep moving.
Tarō Hōki, who only had minor injuries, helped support Maki.
Suddenly, he noticed what appeared to be a scratch mark on Pakura's smooth back.
The scratch ran diagonally, and even the hem of Pakura's tunic showed signs of being wrinkled.
Tarō Hōki didn't think much of it, assuming it was a scratch incurred during the intense fight with Kiyoshi.
***
"It's the Hidden Mist."
Pakura hadn't walked far when she suddenly raised her hand, stopping Maki and Tarō Hōki.
"You are Pakura of the Hidden Sand."
Mei Terumī and her team spotted Pakura's tracks in the distance.
It was evident that Pakura's group showed signs of having just fought.
"Is the Hidden Mist planning to block our path?" Pakura asked coldly, making a hand gesture behind her back.
Maki and Tarō Hōki had already silently gathered chakra, ready for confrontation.
"Block you? I don't think that's necessary." Mei Terumī shook her head.
According to the intelligence the village provided before they set out, Pakura, the Hidden Sand genius, possessed Scorch Release.
However, the priority for acquisition wasn't very high.
The Hidden Mist Village had Bloodline similar to Scorch Release; she herself was the best example.
She possessed a Double Bloodlines, Melt and Boil Release, both techniques that could only be mastered through a Bloodline!
Mei Terumī had no intention of targeting Pakura. To obtain the other scroll, all they needed to do was find another weak, fodder team. Why bother engaging in a difficult fight with the Hidden Sand genius?
Mei Terumī was actually more interested in who had managed to put Pakura in such a battered state.
"Who did you run into? Hidden Cloud ninjas?"
Seeing that Mei Terumī had no intention of fighting, Pakura subtly changed her hand gesture to a signal for canceling their preparations.
The tense, confrontational atmosphere between the two sides immediately eased.
"No, it was the Uchiha from the Hidden Leaf, the ninja with the Sharingan."
Pakura suddenly realized she didn't even know the name of the ninja who had laid a "hand" on her.
This caused the suppressed resentment in Pakura to flare up again.
She would get her revenge sooner or later!
"Uchiha... Kiyoshi."
Hōzuki Mangetsu, standing beside Mei Terumī, spoke Kiyoshi's name.
They had recently encountered a Hidden Leaf squad, and after defeating them, they acquired information about Kiyoshi.
Unfortunately, the scroll the opponent had was the same one their own squad possessed, forcing them to continue their search.
"Kiyoshi... Kiyoshi..."
Pakura repeated the name, seemingly wanting to etch it into her memory, ensuring she never forgot this humiliating experience.
"Since that's the case, let's agree not to interfere with each other."
Shōshi Kaguya, whose eyebrows were short and shaped like an oval, said calmly.
There was no need to engage in meaningless conflict.
The goal this time was to take at least one Bloodline back to the village. Taking either the Sharingan or the Byakugan would suffice.
The Sharingan's function was more inclined towards individual enhancement, capable of quickly increasing a high-level ninja's strength.
The Byakugan could be used for strategy and intelligence gathering. Both were assets that the village could not have enough of.
"Agreed." Maki spoke, his voice muffled by the need to suppress the pain from his wound.
Such an injury could be considered a severe blow.
The arm was crucial for a ninja. Losing an arm would significantly reduce the efficiency of hand seals and diminish combat power.
If he didn't receive treatment soon, the arm might be permanently crippled.
The two teams parted ways there.
Pakura's team retreated to rest in the distance.
Mei Terumī's team continued to scout for suitable Bloodlines.
***
The next day.
"Hand over the scroll."
The leader, Kei Yotsuki, spoke.
He was flanked by two teammates, one black and one white, whose common feature was their sheer physical strength.
"Impossible!" Tetsu Hyūga immediately retorted.
The Clan Head had placed great hope in them this time. How could they fail here?
"We, the Hyūga, are the Hidden Leaf's largest clan. I advise you Hidden Cloud ninjas to be careful."
"Tetsu." Natsu Hyūga frowned slightly.
The opposing team consisted of three ninjas who did not look easy to deal with.
Words failed to bridge the gap between them. Kei Yotsuki drew the ninja sword from his back and charged towards Tetsu Hyūga with his two teammates.
Tetsu Hyūga, Natsu Hyūga, and Homura Hyūga adopted the Gentle Fist stance, warily watching the charging Hidden Cloud ninjas.
"Eight Trigrams Empty Palm!"
"Lightning Release: Fang Blade!"
The powerful, ancient Gentle Fist style clashed with the dazzling Lightning Release.
Five hundred meters away from their battle, Kiyoshi felt the commotion.
"That's Lightning Release." Kiyoshi understood.
A ninja skilled in Lightning Release was nine times out of ten a Hidden Cloud ninja.
"Should we go take a look?" Kurenai asked.
"We can." Kiyoshi nodded.
They had spent the night resting near the riverbank.
Kurenai slept under the bushes while he and Asuma took turns standing guard.
Because Genjutsu took a heavy toll on the spirit, Kurenai might fall asleep if she were to stand watch.
After a night of rest, and a bit more sleep in the morning, they were just about to scout the area when they noticed the commotion.
The five hundred meter distance was quickly traversed, and Kiyoshi's team soon arrived.
"Kiyoshi!"
Natsu Hyūga, struggling in combat, suddenly spotted Kiyoshi and was immediately overjoyed.
***
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