Kazekage Ninja: The Rise of the Hidden Sand

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As a former leader of the militant faction in Kirigakure, Ren'o Shimizu was neither a hot-blooded rookie who panicked at the first sign of trouble nor a muscle-bound brute who acted without thought. Cunning and resourceful, he was well aware of the classic "three-sided encirclement with one path left open" strategy. He boldly deduced that the western rear mountain was likely an ambush zone!

Thus, instead of fleeing in panic with the rest of the group, Ren'o quietly pulled aside four of his most trusted subordinates and hid in the shadows, observing the situation carefully.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before fires broke out in the dense forest ahead, followed by the explosions of explosive tags. The cacophony of clashing weapons, jutsu incantations, falling trees, and agonized screams soon filled the air. Though the sounds grew more distant, the chaos only intensified, becoming faster and more frantic.

"This path is a no-go! There are traps and ambushes all along the way. Whoever set this up is an expert—segmented ambushes, layered defenses. This entire area is likely riddled with traps. The five of us won't make it through," Ren'o concluded.

He tightened the bandages on his body to ensure no blood trails would be left for tracking. After a moment of contemplation, he pointed toward the forest on the left.

"We'll go this way!"

"But… there's no path over there," one of the younger ninjas blurted out, earning glares from the others. Another ninja even smacked the back of his head, clearly indicating that questioning the Young Master's decision was unacceptable.

However, Ren'o didn't seem bothered by his subordinate's doubt.

"Precisely because there's no path, it's safer. Don't worry. I've been stationed in this area for nearly three years. I know every tree and blade of grass here. Beyond this forest lies a narrow trail carved out by wild animals. It's just wide enough for the five of us to pass through, and no one else will know about it."

With that, he leapt onto a tree branch.

"But be cautious. Konoha may have set traps. We'll take turns scouting ahead, maintaining distance, and leaving no traces. I'll go first."

He jumped to another tree, and the four subordinates, now reassured, quickly followed.

Once I get out of here and gather reinforcements from other outposts, I'll make Konoha pay for this humiliation! Ren'o Shimizu thought bitterly.

"Things sound pretty intense over there, huh?" Ban no Shō remarked enviously, listening to the distant sounds of battle on their right.

"Yeah, unlike us, sitting here with nothing to do. Feels like we're wasting our time. If I'd known, I would've stayed in the village and let Master teach me a few new moves," Hidan replied, equally bored.

"You idiot, your master's here too. He's at the command post on the front mountain."

"Oh, right!"

"Both of you, shut up," Akazuna Shushū hissed. The two immediately fell silent.

"This doesn't feel right. Fuyō, did you set the markers?"

"I did. If anyone comes—"

Before she could finish, a flock of startled birds burst out from the forest. These were the "markers" Shushū had mentioned. Birds rarely took flight at night unless something or someone disturbed them, and the disturbance had to be close.

"They're here!" Shushū tensed, ready for combat. The three others quickly dropped their casual demeanor and focused on the forest ahead.

The rustling of leaves grew louder until a ninja stumbled out into the clearing. Under the dim moonlight, his Kirigakure forehead protector was clearly visible. Another figure soon followed…

Shushū didn't rush to attack. Instead, he observed carefully, silently counting.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Five of them! Seeing no additional figures emerge from the forest, Shushū decisively issued his orders.

"Fuyō, signal the others! Hidan, Ban no Shō, execute Plan Three!"

A green flare shot into the sky.

Ren'o Shimizu and his men looked up.

"Damn it! It's an ambush! Scatter!"

Just as the five prepared to flee in different directions, they realized they were already surrounded.

This time, Shushū held nothing back. His six puppets—Black Warden, White Warden, Ox-Head, Horse-Face, Day Wanderer, and Night Wanderer—all emerged. Two puppets blocked the front, two secured the rear, and two flanked the sides. Meanwhile, Hidan and Ban no Shō positioned themselves at the northeast and northwest corners, completing a tight encirclement. Only Shushū and Fuyō remained hidden, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

Although the enemies outnumbered them, their abilities were unknown. A reckless attack could backfire, so Shushū decided to stall for time and wait for reinforcements.

"A puppeteer?! From Sunagakure."

Ren'o Shimizu drew his sword, his eyes scanning the situation calmly.

These two brats can't possibly be puppeteers. There are six puppets here, which means one or two puppeteers must be hiding nearby.

"Stay calm, everyone. That flare was likely a signal for reinforcements. There's only a couple of kids here and one puppeteer. (He said this to boost morale, though he was actually correct about there being only one puppeteer.) If we take them out quickly, we can break through. Follow me!"

With that, he charged toward Ban no Shō, who was the shortest and appeared to be the easiest target.

Seeing the five enemies rushing toward him, Ban no Shō suddenly flipped backward.

"Boil Release: Skillful Mist Technique!"

A thick cloud of acidic mist surged toward the attackers, scorching a large swath of vegetation. The group quickly scattered to avoid it. One of the Kirigakure ninjas, a stocky man, stepped forward.

"Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"

The man leapt into the air, unleashing a torrent of water as vast as a lake. The surge not only dissipated the acidic mist but also continued rushing toward Ban no Shō.

As the Kirigakure ninjas moved, the puppets adjusted their formation. The golden-armored Day Wanderer stepped into the torrent, its legs rooted like ancient trees, unaffected by the rushing water. Ban no Shō landed on the puppet's shoulder and flung two kunai backward.

A Kirigakure ninja deflected the kunai with his blade and prepared to close the distance for close combat. Suddenly, a massive spiked club descended from above. Before he could evade, he found himself ensnared by a crystalline dragon, its coils tightening around him.

"Ahhh!"

The spiked club, wielded by Night Wanderer, crushed the ninja's skull, killing him instantly.

"There's someone else here!"

Ren'o Shimizu scanned his surroundings warily.

"No time! Hold your breath! Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"

From his mouth, Ren'o spewed an enormous volume of water, creating a massive, oval-shaped water prison that expanded rapidly. Even Shushū and Fuyō, hidden in the shadows, were caught in the deluge.

At the center of the water prison, Ren'o carefully observed the rising air bubbles.

Ah, there! Five Sharks Technique!

Five ferocious water sharks materialized and charged toward Shushū and Fuyō's hiding spots.

Shushū cursed inwardly. I thought I was fishing for a small fry, but I've hooked a snapping turtle instead!

Puppeteers often shared a common weakness: while their puppets were powerful, their own combat abilities were usually average (exceptions like Chiyo and Sasori aside—puppeteers like Kankurō were virtually helpless without their puppets). Most of their time was spent designing, crafting, and practicing with their puppets, leaving little room for personal combat training.

Normally, Shushū would keep at least one puppet close for protection. However, seeing the number of enemies earlier, she had sent all her puppets into the fray to ensure Hidan and Ban no Shō's safety. Now, recalling her puppets would take too long.

Suddenly, five crystalline dragons roared into existence, colliding head-on with the water sharks. It was Fuyō's Crystal Release: Five Dragons Technique.