Mikoto sharply leapt back, her katana ringing as it deflected two strikes at once. The puppet blades passed mere centimeters from her face, slicing off a few strands of hair.
"Damn…" she exhaled, tightening her grip.
Her Sharingan spun, tracking movements, but the enemy's attacks were growing faster. If not for the recently awakened third tomoe, she would have already lost.
"You're running out of steam, girl," the Sand kunoichi smirked, sharply twitching her fingers.
The puppets changed rhythm. Now they moved not only quickly, but chaotically, constantly intertwining in the air, aiming for blind spots while releasing toxic mist and needles.
At that moment, a figure flew past the Uchiha. Nawaki, covered in stone armor, was sent crashing backward, smashing through a rock outcrop. His body hit the ground with a dull thud, leaving cracks behind.
"Kh—!"
He tried to rise, spitting blood. The stone armor on his arm was partially shattered, exposing damaged skin. The swordsman who had launched him couldn't capitalize on the opening, as he was constantly fending off the Divine Dog's attacks.
"Persistent…" he muttered through clenched teeth, using a vacuum blade technique.
Air blades shot toward the dog, but it deftly dodged and counterattacked, driving its claws into the opponent's shoulder. The swordsman growled in pain and leapt back.
Mikoto didn't waste time and used the Great Fireball Technique. Using it as cover, she moved forward, slipping behind the enemy. Her katana traced a perfect arc, aiming for the Sand kunoichi's heart. But at the last instant, a puppet appeared in her place. Though the blade split the wooden body in two, the kunoichi had already jumped away.
Ignoring the pain, Nawaki finally managed to stand. His breathing was heavy, but his eyes still burned with determination. He formed a seal and slammed his palms into the ground.
"Earth Style: Stone Prison!"
Thick stone pillars burst from the ground, attempting to trap all of the enemy's puppets. Although the Sand kunoichi reacted immediately, under Mikoto's constant pressure, she could do little. She managed to save only her last puppet, while the rest were crushed by the stone technique.
The swordsman, unable to use his right arm due to the injury from the Divine Dog's claws, continued to fend off attacks while trying to retreat. Grinding his teeth in frustration, he jumped back toward the Sand kunoichi and, with a single glance, understood how dire their situation had become.
How can these kids be so strong? And where did that insane mutt come from?! Why hasn't anyone come to help yet?! Damn it!
"We need to retreat," the swordsman whispered.
"I know, but do you think they'll just let us go?"
"No. I'll hold them off. Even in our condition, those kids have spent a lot of chakra. Even against three, I can buy some time. Your task is to deliver all the information to Lady—"
He didn't finish. A cascade of violet lightning crashed down from the sky, slamming into the ground with a roar, shattering stone and sending up a cloud of dust.
The electricity spread across the surface, making the air tremble with tension. At the last moment, the swordsman pushed the kunoichi aside, taking the attack himself.
"Kh—!"
His body was pinned to the bottom of the newly formed crater, completely covered in burns. The Sand kunoichi froze for a moment, staring at the massive bird hovering in the sky, with another boy standing atop it. Then she snapped back to her senses, turned sharply, and fled.
"Stop!" Mikoto shouted, dashing forward.
But her body responded with pain. Even though Nawaki had given her antidote, it hadn't fully neutralized the poison.
Kuro, however, had no intention of letting another enemy escape. Using his full speed, he instantly appeared in front of the fleeing kunoichi. With a predatory gleam in his eyes, he delivered a series of strikes, then drew a kunai and drove it straight into her heart.
Kuro quickly approached his teammates, assessing their poor condition while dismissing the Divine Dog. At moments like this, Nara clearly regretted not yet mastering the power of reverse cursed technique.
"You both held out well. I'm glad you're alive. And it looks like you've even grown stronger—the third tomoe, congratulations."
Mikoto gave a faint smile, though her face remained pale and exhausted.
"Thanks… you came just in time."
Nawaki leaned against a rock, spitting blood.
"What about the others?"
Hearing his friend's question, Kuro frowned slightly.
"Five are dead, but one managed to escape. And that's a big problem. He'll reach the main Sand forces soon, and they'll learn about our unit."
"Then we need to return immediately. The squad is in danger," Mikoto said, sheathing her katana.
"Then let's not waste time."
Nawaki nodded, albeit with difficulty. Before leaving, Kuro created a shadow clone to leave a "gift" for any uninvited guests.
Soon after, Nue descended from the sky, and the three chunin climbed onto its back, heading back through the devastated canyon. Behind them lay the bodies of the fallen Sand shinobi, along with the heavy scent of blood and poison.
On the way back, almost no one spoke. Only the wind whistled in their ears, and occasionally Nawaki's heavy coughing broke the silence. Mikoto sat quietly, catching her breath and watching the landscape rushing beneath them.
After twenty minutes of flight, the fortified camp of their unit appeared ahead. Nue descended smoothly and landed some distance away to avoid causing alarm. As soon as they touched the ground, several shinobi rushed toward them.
One of the chunin approached with his weapon ready, but upon recognizing them, he immediately relaxed.
"What happened?"
"We need to speak with the captain."
As they entered the camp, they saw Touga Aburame stepping out of his tent. His face was grim, and when he noticed the condition of Orochimaru's team, he immediately understood the battle had been serious.
"Report," he ordered curtly once they entered his tent.
Kuro stepped forward, wasting no time on formalities.
"We pursued a red-haired puppeteer named Akira. It was a trap—he lured us to a squad of eight Sand shinobi. In total, eight of them, including the red-haired one, are dead. But one escaped."
Touga Aburame frowned, a thought flashing through his mind.
Akira? Could it be… no, impossible. They would already be dead. But still… these three newly promoted chunin killed eight Sand ninja?
"How did you manage that?"
"The summoning beasts of our sensei played a major role, along with our coordinated teamwork."
The three ignored Aburame's skeptical look, and he eventually spoke again.
"So one escaped. That's bad. It means the Sand likely already knows about our unit."
Kuro nodded.
"Exactly. We need to strengthen defenses immediately and send a message to Orochimaru-sensei. That survivor could bring an entire force with him. Also, the poison they used is new and extremely potent. Nawaki and Mikoto were affected, though Tsunade-sama's antidotes helped."
Mikoto and Nawaki stood slightly behind, trying to remain upright despite their exhaustion and pain. let out a heavy sigh and spoke.
"Go to the medics immediately. I'll handle the rest. You did well."
Kuro gave a short nod.
"Understood."