The Lightning Release burly man's corpse collapsed limply, kicking up a cloud of dust.
On the other side, Kakashi's Lightning Blade had already pierced the heart of the second Kumogakure Jonin. The battle was over.
"Haa… haa…"
Yamanaka Kaede hurried over, her golden ponytail swaying in the moonlight. "Are you okay?"
Her tone carried a subtle hint of concern that was hard to miss.
The boy she had previously dismissed as an "idiot" had just displayed strength and combat awareness far beyond her expectations.
"I'm fine!"
Sora straightened up, flashing her a wide grin that showed two rows of white teeth. "Kaede-senpai, you weren't hurt just now, right? I saw that Kumogakure guy's sword almost hit you—it scared me to death!"
His concern sounded overly sincere.
Kaede froze for a moment, feeling oddly uncomfortable. "…No. Your Vacuum Serial Waves were impressive."
For her, that was already high praise.
"Hehe, that was just luck!" Sora scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "I didn't expect to actually land it. It's mainly because Tenzo-senpai and the captain were so strong—they held them down so I could sneak in an attack!"
His words naturally distributed credit for the victory across the entire team.
Kakashi covered the Sharingan under his forehead protector and walked over.
His visible dead-fish eye lingered on Sora for a moment. In the end, he said nothing more, only patting Sora's shoulder.
"Good job."
Four simple words, but they carried significant weight.
Tenzo stood in place; his expression beneath the mask remained unreadable, but his gaze toward Sora seemed to hold something new.
"Clean up the site."
Kakashi's voice returned to its usual lazy drawl. "Kaede, check their tools for more intel. Tenzo, handle the bodies. Sora, scout the perimeter."
"Yes!"
Sora immediately saluted and bounced off toward the forest edge.
He looked nothing like the killer who had just slain a Jonin—more like a student sent on an errand.
Once everyone dispersed, he leaned against a tree, amber eyes narrowing slightly.
His consciousness sank into the system space.
In the disc library, several brand-new green discs had appeared.
[Wood Release: Four-Pillar House Technique]
[Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall]
[Wood Release Secret Technique: Deep Forest Emergence (Small-Scale)]
[Wood Release: Tree Bind Flourishing Burial]
And one glowing with blue electricity.
[Lightning Release Chakra Mode]
"Not a bad haul."
The corner of Sora's mouth curved in satisfaction, but he quickly suppressed the expression.
It wasn't time to devour them yet.
At least not until he was out of Konoha's surveillance range and in a completely safe location.
He looked up at the stars in the night sky.
Wood Release, Sharingan, Sage Body, and now Lightning Release.
The puzzle pieces were coming together, one by one.
Half an hour later, the team regrouped.
Kakashi held a scroll, his face grave.
"The situation is worse than expected."
He unrolled it—encrypted text from Kumogakure.
"According to this intel, Kumogakure has dispatched at least three elite squads to the border. Each one is configured at no less than the level of those two we just fought."
Kaede's brows furrowed deeper. "This scale… it's no longer just probing."
"So we need to get this intel back to Konoha as quickly as possible."
Kakashi pulled out another scroll from his pouch, bit his finger, and rapidly formed seals.
"Summoning Technique!"
A puff of white smoke exploded.
A palm-sized ninja dog appeared in his hand, wearing a forehead protector and looking energetic.
"Pakkun, take this intel back to Konoha. Deliver it to the Hokage."
"Got it, Kakashi."
The dog grabbed the scroll in his mouth and vanished into the forest with a leap.
With that done, Kakashi turned to the team.
"We press on. The original plan remains—rendezvous with the border garrison and investigate Kumogakure's invasion intent and scale."
He paused, scanning the three faces.
"But from now on, everyone stays on high alert. Attacks like that could happen again at any moment."
"Yes!"
The four set off once more.
This time, the atmosphere was far heavier.
Sora remained at the rear, but his gaze kept drifting—subtly—toward Tenzo's back.
Those Wood Release discs were like sickly sweet candy he ached to devour immediately.
But reason told him not to rush.
"Sora."
Tenzo suddenly spoke.
Sora blinked. "Huh? Tenzo-senpai, what's up?"
"Just now…"
Tenzo seemed to search for words, pausing several seconds before continuing. "Who taught you that Body Flicker Technique?"
The question made Sora's heart skip a beat.
But on his face, he only flashed a brilliant smile.
"I practiced it myself! I really love studying all kinds of ninjutsu—most of it's just theory, but I've been working on Body Flicker for a long time!"
He scratched his head, looking sheepish. "My chakra reserves aren't especially large, so I figured if I could master Body Flicker to the extreme, at least I wouldn't hold the team back when running away!"
A perfectly normal story: an average Chunin desperately training a skill to compensate for his weaknesses.
Tenzo didn't press further.
But Sora could feel it—the silent Wood Release user's attention on him had risen another level.
Troublesome.
Really troublesome.
Still, it was also a good thing.
The more attention, the more chances to record Wood Release.
As long as he didn't expose his true strength, the risk remained manageable.
The team sped through the forest, moving much faster than during the day.
Moonlight filtered through the leaves in dappled patches.
Suddenly, Kaede stiffened.
"Hold up!"
She stopped abruptly, face turning pale.
"One kilometer ahead—massive chakra fluctuations! At least… at least twenty people!"
Kakashi's pupils contracted. "Kumogakure forces?"
"Not just Kumogakure…"
Kaede's voice trembled. "There are Konoha chakras too! They're engaged!"
As she spoke, distant explosions boomed.
Firelight shot skyward, illuminating half the horizon.
"It's the border garrison!"
"Everyone—full speed ahead! Prepare to support!"
Four figures accelerated simultaneously, blurring into afterimages through the trees.
Sora brought up the rear, his amber eyes gleaming with excitement in the darkness.
A chaotic battle with twenty combatants?
This was a once-in-a-lifetime material feast!
The rush through the forest ended amid piercing explosions.
Firelight flickered across the four faces.
"Go!"
Kakashi barked lowly, pushing his speed even higher.
In mere breaths, they burst from the dense cover. A devastated battlefield opened before them.
This had once been a Konoha outpost.
Now, wooden watchtowers burned, the ground riddled with massive craters and crisscrossing slash marks.
The air reeked of scorched earth and thick blood.
Dozens of ninjas clashed in pairs, chakra glows and cold steel weaving a deadly web in the night.
"It's the Third Squad! They're surrounded!"
Urgency filled Kaede's voice.
Konoha ninjas in standard uniforms were clearly at a disadvantage, steadily retreating against superior numbers and individual strength from Kumogakure forces, suffering heavy casualties.
"Tenzo, use Wood Release to divide the battlefield and cover the wounded's withdrawal!"
"Kaede, locate their commander and sensory ninja!"
"Sora, stick close—provide fire support!"
Kakashi's orders were short and clear, no wasted words.
"Yes!"
The three responded in unison.
Tenzo clapped his hands together; surging life energy pulsed.
"Wood Release: Great Forest Technique!"
Rumble!
Dozens of massive trees erupted from the center of the battlefield, forcibly separating the combatants and forming a natural barrier—buying the trapped Konoha ninjas a moment to breathe.
"Wow! Tenzo-nii is so cool!"
Akashi Sora let out a genuinely impressed exclamation while very honestly hiding behind Kakashi.
Deep in his consciousness, the system interface cascaded like a waterfall.
[High-quality Lightning ninjutsu detected: Lightning Release: False Darkness! Recording initiated…]
[Secret technique detected: Earth Release: Hardening Technique! Recording initiated…]
[Kumogakure-Style Sword Technique: Slash detected! Recording initiated…]
[Recording complete! Obtained disc: Lightning Release: False Darkness!]
[Recording complete! Obtained disc: Earth Release: Hardening Technique!]
[…]
It was a buffet!
Michelin-level!
"Sora! Stop spacing out!"
Kakashi's voice snapped him back.
"Yes!"
Sora shouted, then peeked half his body from behind Kakashi, hands rapidly forming seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
He opened his mouth, and a massive fireball over five meters in diameter roared out, carrying scorching heat waves, precisely slamming into a Kumogakure burly man chasing a Konoha ninja.
The Kumogakure ninja clearly hadn't expected such a fierce flank attack. In his haste, he could only cross his arms to shield himself.
BOOM!
Flames exploded. The massive impact hurled him backward, charred black as he crashed to the ground—life or death unknown.
This Great Fireball, far exceeding C-rank power, instantly drew every eye on the battlefield.
Even Kakashi, locked in combat with a strong foe, couldn't help glancing back.
This kid…
"Hehe, I actually hit with the Great Fireball!"
"Next target."
His amber eyes swept the chaotic field like a picky gourmet searching for the tastiest dish among a lavish spread.
A Kumogakure ninja was suppressing a Konoha Chunin with sharp swordplay.
Nice swordsmanship—record it.
[Replicate and play: Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves]
Shwick-shwick-shwick!
Several invisible wind blades instantly crossed dozens of meters, sealing all retreat paths.
The Kumogakure ninja, lost in the thrill of an imminent kill, never expected death's scythe from an unimaginable angle.
Spurt-spurt-spurt!
Blood sprayed.
In shock, he was sliced into pieces—his limbs still holding the slashing pose.
"Nice one, Sora!"
A Konoha ninja cheered from afar.
Sora merely smiled shyly, continuing his role as an occasional-burst "backline mage."
But his attacks never stopped.
A Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet materialized from nowhere, slamming an enemy preparing Lightning Release into vomiting blood.
An Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall rose, blocking a hail of incoming kunai.
He was like an inexhaustible ninjutsu turret, always delivering the perfect technique at the critical moment to support frontline allies.
The breadth of ninjutsu and chakra reserves he displayed far exceeded a Chunin's norm.
But in this chaotic battlefield, no one had time to question it.
They only knew the newly arrived support team had a highly reliable long-range firepower point.
"Hey, blond kid over there! Left side—left side needs help!"
A Konoha Jonin shouted.
"Coming!"
Sora responded energetically, then unhesitatingly hurled a maximally compressed "Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere" in that direction.
BOOM!
Air exploded. Three Kumogakure Genin were torn apart instantly.
[Recording complete! Obtained disc: Kumogakure-Style Taijutsu: Thunderstorm!]
[Recording complete! Obtained disc: Lightning Release: Earth Walk!]
The harvest kept growing.
Then Kaede's voice came over the team channel, urgent.
"Found them! Their commander is at thirty degrees rear—two guards! I'm going to use Mind Body Switch to control him!"
"Too risky!" Kakashi immediately vetoed. "They have a sensory ninja—your mental fluctuation will be detected!"
"It's the fastest way!" Kaede insisted. "If I control him for even one second, you can finish him! Tenzo, Captain—cover me!"
Without further argument, she formed a unique seal.
Her body swayed and fell straight backward, caught by a nearby Konoha comrade.
Almost simultaneously, the distant Kumogakure commander—protected by two guards—stiffened, movements locking up.
Success!
"Now!"
Kakashi and Tenzo vanished from sight.
But disaster struck!
A black shadow—like a venomous snake lurking in darkness—burst from the ground beside Kaede without warning!
Earth Release: Heart Decapitation Technique!
A Kumogakure ninja who had been hiding underground, waiting for the perfect moment!
His target: Kaede's defenseless body!
The tachi unsheathed, flashing deadly cold light straight toward her heart.
"Watch out!"
The Konoha ninja holding her cried in horror, but his body couldn't react in time.
It's over!
Everyone who saw it thought the same.
Yet.
In the instant before the blade touched Kaede—
A figure appeared before her like a ghost.
Akashi Sora.
No one knew when he had left Kakashi's side or how he had moved here.
The energetic smile was gone, replaced by absolute calm.
No unnecessary movement.
He simply extended his hand.
[Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall]
No sound.
No roar.
The wall that appeared wasn't even grand.
It simply stood there—stubbornly, unyieldingly.
The tachi aimed at Kaede's heart slammed solidly into it.
Crack!
The crisp sound of shattering rang sharply across the chaotic field.
The blade fractured inch by inch from the tip!
What the hell kind of wall is this?
But Sora gave him no chance to recover.
As the wall rose, Sora's body blurred into an afterimage, circling past it.
His right hand flipped—a standard-issue kunai appeared in his palm.
No flashy ninjutsu, no shocking chakra surge.
Just one simple, efficient, perfectly precise throw.
Thud.
A soft sound of blade entering flesh.
The Kumogakure ninja gained a thin slit in his throat—blood gushing forth.
His pupils dilated rapidly, all light fading.
From the wall's rise to the enemy's death—less than two seconds.
So fast most couldn't even process it.
Afterward, Sora flickered again, returning behind Kakashi as if the death god who had just executed the kill was merely an illusion.
"Whew! That was close—I almost didn't make it!"
His voice was quiet, but audible to those nearby.
On the other side, deprived of their commander and ambusher, Kumogakure forces collapsed in morale.
Kakashi and Tenzo seized the chance, tearing through like tigers among sheep for the final harvest.
"Lightning Blade!"
"Wood Release: Cutting Sprigs Technique!"
Lightning and wood intertwined amid continuous screams—the battle ended in under a minute.
Kaede's spirit returned to her body. She gasped awake, breathing heavily, forehead drenched in cold sweat.
Her first sight: the Kumogakure ninja's corpse nearby, the fatal throat wound, and the cracked earth wall before her slowly crumbling to dust.
She had been saved.
In her most vulnerable moment—spirit detached and defenseless—someone had saved her.
Her gaze shifted slowly, settling on the boy crouched nearby, looking shaken yet relieved.
The battlefield soon quieted.
Only the crackle of flames and groans of the wounded remained.
"Clear the field! Treat the injured!"
The surviving Konoha squad captain rasped the order.
Kakashi and Tenzo approached; their gazes fell simultaneously on Akashi Sora.
Tenzo's mask hid his face, but his stance carried new scrutiny.
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed to a slit.
He had seen it clearly.
That Body Flicker.
That burst speed, that perfect timing.
And that wall.
Its strength far surpassed a normal Earth-Style Wall.
Just how much was this kid hiding?
"Sora."
Kakashi's voice betrayed no emotion.
"Yes, Captain!" Sora snapped to attention like a student awaiting praise.
"Just now… good work." Kakashi ultimately swallowed his questions, offering only faint praise.
"Hehe!" Sora grinned proudly, scratching the back of his head.
Tenzo said nothing.
Kaede walked over silently.
She stood before Sora, golden hair disheveled in the firelight. Her usually proud red eyes now held complex emotion.
"Akashi Sora…"
Her voice was hoarse.
"Just now… thank you."
The thanks was solemn.
Sora blinked, then waved it off with his trademark bright smile.
"No big deal—it's nothing! We're teammates, after all!"
His voice rang clear and full of energy, as if the life-and-death struggle had been harmless fun.
Kaede stared at his pure, smiling face, momentarily lost.
In the cruel ninja world, "teammate" could sometimes be a cheap word.
She had seen too many betrayals for missions or profit.
"I believe," Sora said, looking into her eyes—amber irises clear and unclouded in the firelight, "that in a critical moment, you'd save me too."
"No abandonment, no giving up—that's my belief in teammates."
Kaede's body trembled faintly.
No abandonment, no giving up…
Simple, direct, almost naive.
Yet coming from the boy who had just saved her life, it carried indescribable power.
Her heart stirred inexplicably.
She had always prided herself as a Yamanaka elite, inwardly looking down on this overly enthusiastic, silly boy who got along with everyone.
Until this moment.
She realized how wrong she had been.
"Mmm."
She nodded lightly in response.
Just one syllable, but her cool expression softened noticeably.
Sora noted the change—internally unmoved.
One down.
Kakashi, having overheard nearby, now viewed him with even greater respect.
Boosting team cohesion and earning trust were crucial for the smooth execution of his future "material collection" plans.
A teammate willing to take a blade for you was far more useful than a wary watcher.
"Enough heartfelt talk," Kakashi interrupted the warm moment. "Casualty report's in."
He waved the report, tone heavy.
"Third Squad: twelve dead, seven critically injured—practically crippled."
"This Kumogakure assault's scale and intensity exceeded all expectations."
The surviving Konoha ninjas gathered, atmosphere oppressive.
Every face bore grief and exhaustion.
Sora watched those bandaged or silently wiping blood from fallen comrades' belongings—his smile gradually fading.
He hated this mood.
Meaningless sacrifice was what he despised most.
If one had enough power, could all this be prevented?
The thought flashed through his mind.
"Captain Kakashi, what's our next move?" The surviving squad captain approached, arm thickly bandaged.
Kakashi paused, then pulled out the captured Kumogakure intel scroll and a map.
He spread the map on the ground.
"Pakkun's delivery will only raise village alertness—too far to help us now."
"Sora, create a shadow clone. Head to this position at maximum speed," he circled a spot, "and scout enemy follow-up forces. Observe only—no engagement. Any issue, dispel immediately."
"Yes!" Sora formed seals.
Poof.
An identical shadow clone appeared, gave him a thumbs-up, then blurred into the forest.
"Tenzo, set defensive traps around camp."
"Understood." Tenzo melted into the darkness.
"Kaede, with me—reassess the wounded and set a watch rotation."
Kaede nodded and followed Kakashi toward the injured.
Sora watched their busy backs, then idly squatted, drawing circles in the dirt with a stick.
Inside, he calculated rapidly.
"Next step: increase team value—phase two."
He stood, brushed off his pants, and headed toward the wounded.
"Um… Senpai Mori," Sora's voice was soft, hesitant. "Everyone's injuries look pretty bad. The medical team…?"
Mori's face darkened. "The medical ninjas were taken out in the first wave…"
He didn't finish, but the meaning was clear.
The mood grew heavier.
A few lightly wounded ninjas used basic bandages and hemostatic powder on comrades, but for lightning-pierced or deep bone-slashing wounds, it was futile.
A young ninja lay on the ground, a massive abdominal gash oozing blood—breathing shallow and fading.
"I can't stop the bleeding!" His caretaker panicked, voice breaking with tears.
Sora walked over and crouched.
"I… I've studied some medical ninjutsu. Never really practiced it… but want me to try?" His tone was uncertain, like a rookie afraid of messing up.
The crying ninja clung to hope. "Please! Save him!"
Mori gave a complex look but nodded. "Give it a shot."
Kakashi and Kaede paused their work, watching from afar.
Under everyone's gaze, Sora took a deep breath, face determined.
He extended both hands, hovering over the wounded ninja's abdomen.
A faint green chakra glow emerged from his palms.
[Replicate and play: Mystical Palm Technique]
A disc he had recorded last year at Konoha Hospital.
Basic, but right now—enough.
The green light grew brighter, enveloping the abdomen.
Miraculously, the gruesome wound began writhing and closing before their eyes! Torn muscle reconnected, severed vessels regenerated, bleeding stopped like magic.
The process took just over a minute.
When Sora withdrew his hands, the wound was fully closed—only pink new flesh remained. The young ninja's color was still pale, but his breathing had stabilized.
"This… this…" The caretaker stared in disbelief, rubbing his eyes.
All the Konoha ninjas fell silent.
Their looks toward Sora shifted from doubt and pity to utter shock.
"Wow! It actually worked!" Sora himself seemed most surprised, staring at his hands in disbelief. "I thought at best I could stop the bleeding! The books made it sound way too amazing!"
The perfect image: a "genius youth" who barely understood medical ninjutsu but succeeded through sheer talent.
"Next! Who's next?" Sora turned excitedly to the others like he'd found a new toy.
No one doubted him now.
"Me! Over here!"
"This way—hurry! He's fading!"
Sora dove into frantic healing.
His movements were slow, even clumsy—pausing to catch his breath after each, pretending heavy chakra drain.
But the results were undeniable.
Under his care, all seven critically injured stabilized, pulled back from death's door.
The camp's mood shifted from despairing silence to grateful relief.
Every Konoha ninja now looked at Sora with heartfelt respect and warmth.
Kakashi leaned against a tree, his dead-fish eye narrowed further.
"This kid…"
Tenzo stood beside him, silent—but his breathing beneath the mask shifted subtly.
Kaede walked straight over.
She stood before Sora, watching the sweat-beaded boy beaming with "I helped!" joy.
"Akashi Sora."
"Huh? Kaede-senpai, what's up?" Sora looked up, grinning.
"Just how much more are you hiding?" Kaede crossed her arms, red eyes full of curiosity. "Overpowered Wind Release, inexplicable Earth Release, now advanced medical ninjutsu. If you tell me next you're a sensor type, you'll break Konoha's all-rounder record."
Her tone teased, but curiosity was unmistakable.
"No way, no way!" Sora waved frantically, scratching his head sheepishly. "I just read a lot of books! Good memory—that's all!"
Kaede looked at his handsome, sunny face and felt her heartbeat quicken a fraction.
This little brother—usually silly and cheerful—kept shattering her perceptions in clutch moments.
Strong, reliable, with just the right touch of mystery.
Practically…
Her type.
A thought bubbled up: Too bad he's still a kid—way too young. Otherwise, I'd snatch him up.
Unconsciously, a smile she didn't even notice crept onto her face.
"Alright." She reached out naturally, wiping sweat from his forehead. "You must be tired—rest."
The intimate gesture caught Sora off guard.
And made Kakashi, watching silently from afar, twitch an eyelid.