No matter what, Yuna was their client.
If Cloud took her, Kazuku could kiss his ninja career goodbye.
More critically, historically, Cloud and Konoha had the worst relations.
Given any chance, the Raikage stirred trouble.
If they got Yuna and unlocked Uzumaki secrets…
It'd tip the scales against Konoha.
"Ashina, Kazuku, Sakumo, protect Miss Yuna. Chikusho's mine," Sarutobi said gravely.
From his mission experience, the enemy wouldn't back down. A big fight was inevitable.
Better to strike first.
Chikusho thought the same.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen, looks like I need to take you down first." As he spoke, Chikusho grabbed another scroll.
Bang!
White mist erupted, revealing another large square shuriken in his grasp.
"Such a cumbersome tool…" Sakumo frowned, drawing his chakra short sword.
He couldn't fathom why a ninja would use such a heavy weapon.
Though powerful, it drained stamina.
And it was slower than a kunai.
"Here he comes!" Sakumo growled.
Chikusho flung the shuriken, bent his knees, and leapt.
The shuriken embedded in the tree flew out, chasing Sarutobi's group.
Sakumo and Ashina's eyes widened, baffled.
Chikusho hadn't touched the embedded shuriken—how was it pursuing?
Did his tools have a mind of their own?
"Magnet Release?" Kazuku realized, shoving Yuna to the ground.
Sarutobi formed hand signs. With five chakra natures, he had many techniques.
Earth Release: Mud Wall!
He slammed his palms down, the ground quaking. Using the terrain, he channeled chakra, raising a mud wall infused with chakra, resistant to water and fire.
But…
Facing Sarutobi's defense, Chikusho smirked, as if he'd predicted it.
As the wall rose to block the shuriken…
Suddenly!
The two shurikens veered, splitting left and right, spinning past the wall.
"How?!" Sarutobi gasped, stunned that Chikusho's shurikens could change course without external force.
This confirmed for Kazuku…
Chikusho was a Magnet Release ninja.
He could magnetize touched objects, making shurikens like Gaara's sand—controlled by thought.
And…
"Crap," Sarutobi and Ashina said in unison, moving.
One drew a kunai, the other swung his samurai sword, blocking the shurikens.
But…
It was all within Chikusho's calculations.
"Heh, you fell for it."
To Chikusho, the moment Sarutobi and Ashina touched the shurikens, the fight was over.
He channeled chakra to his feet, standing on Sarutobi's mud wall.
He flung scrolls, summoning more shurikens.
For normal ninja, such tools were powerful but cumbersome.
Easily dodged, hard to retrieve.
Their size made stealth kills tough.
But…
For Chikusho's Magnet Release, they were perfect!
His magnetization made shurikens agile as limbs.
And by contact, he could transfer magnetization to targets.
When Sarutobi and Ashina blocked the shurikens, their bodies were magnetized.
"It's over, Konoha ninja," Chikusho said, throwing new shurikens.
Magnetized, Sarutobi and Ashina were pulled toward the shurikens, flying at them.
Their faces paled.
Meanwhile, Cloud's chunin, seeing Chikusho handle the toughest two, charged Yuna.
Kazuku and Sakumo? They didn't care.
Two seven- or eight-year-olds couldn't match Cloud chunin.
Yuna hadn't expected the situation to spiral. Even reliable Ashina was pierced through the abdomen, blood gushing.
With chunin rushing her, unprecedented fear made her scream.
"Kazuku!"
In the critical moment, Sakumo stepped before Yuna, gripping his chakra sword, staring nervously at the enemies, urging Kazuku.
Their mission was to protect Yuna.
No matter what, they couldn't let Cloud take her.
As for Sarutobi and Ashina, they had to trust them.
"Get out of the way!"
"Die, Konoha brat!"
"Meeting us is your misfortune!"
Cloud ninja, faces twisted, looked like hell's demons.
Their hatred for Konoha was palpable.
Even bold Sakumo felt his legs petrify, unable to move.
This was…
Ninja combat?
Unlike training, the raw killing intent…
It overwhelmed Sakumo, heart pounding, lips dry, suffocating.
His mind flashed red words.
Death!
If he did nothing, these ninja would kill him!
Move, move!
His heart roared, but he could only watch them charge.
In this dire moment, only Kazuku stayed calm.
Chikusho focused on Sarutobi and Ashina, leaving this side to his men.
"This is a rare chance."
Kazuku muttered, stepping forward, shielding Sakumo and Yuna.
Yuna stared at his small, yet towering figure.
Then…
Kazuku unleashed Hashirama's chakra, forming a fierce airflow, forcing the charging ninja to halt.
Their eyes filled with terror.
Why…
Did a seven-year-old have such monstrous chakra!
(End of Chapter)