Kagura and his squad sped down the road alongside the caravan, hooves pounding against earth as dust rose in thick clouds. The rhythm of galloping horses and creaking wheels blended into a monotonous march.
Time passed unnoticed.
They had been running for quite a while, yet no Grass shinobi appeared in pursuit.
The surrounding forest was unnaturally quiet. Only the occasional birdcall disturbed the stillness.
And that stillness—
Made them even more alert.
Kagura's gaze swept constantly across the terrain, searching for any sign of ambush.
Grass shinobi daring to attack a caravan from the Land of Fire was abnormal in itself.
Was their identity exposed?
Was this opportunistic banditry—
Or a calculated operation?
The questions tangled in Kagura's mind.
His teammates remained equally vigilant, hands resting near their weapons.
At last, they reached a temporary safe zone.
The merchants nearly collapsed in relief.
Pale faces regained color as fear gave way to gratitude.
An elderly merchant approached, bowing repeatedly.
"We owe our lives to you, honorable shinobi. Without you, we would have perished."
Kagura responded with brief acknowledgment.
This was a mission.
Nothing more.
His thoughts remained fixed on the ambush.
Meanwhile, the merchants inspected their goods. Aside from the wagon sacrificed in the battle, most cargo remained intact. Their relief was visible.
To them, the merchandise mattered more than anything.
The four Root operatives gathered separately.
"Do you think the attack was random?" Ten asked.
Chi frowned. "Since the end of the Third Shinobi World War, smaller nations like the Land of Grass have struggled. Poverty drives desperate actions. Banditry isn't uncommon."
He paused.
"But this felt… organized."
Kagura nodded. "They mobilized too many shinobi for simple robbery. And they attacked immediately after we crossed the border. That's premeditated."
Agreement settled over the group.
They decided: once night fell, they would return to Konoha via a pre-scouted alternate route.
Dangerous—
But safer from pursuit.
After resting, darkness finally arrived.
The squad departed quietly, slipping into a hidden mountain path thick with overgrowth.
Ten led the way, clearing brush carefully with his blade.
The forest pressed in around them.
Then—
Ten stopped.
Something was wrong.
He raised a silent hand signal.
Weapons were drawn.
Footsteps approached.
A Grass shinobi stepped into view, face partially covered.
"You thought you could leave the Land of Grass so easily?" he said coldly.
Ten answered with steel.
He lunged forward, blade slashing with lethal precision.
The enemy parried and countered, sparks flying.
Not wanting to waste time, Ten signaled.
Chi joined the assault.
Kagura formed hand seals swiftly.
"Wood Release: Tree Binding Burial!"
Thick wooden tendrils erupted from the earth, coiling around the enemy and restraining him mid-motion.
Before the shinobi could react—
Gen's shuriken pierced his chest.
The man collapsed, blood staining the forest floor.
"Move," Ten ordered.
They had not gone far before more Grass shinobi blocked the path ahead.
Numerous.
Armed.
Hostile.
"So we were marked," Ten muttered.
There was no retreat.
Battle erupted once more.
Ten's blade became a silver storm, cutting through opposition.
Chi unleashed Fire Release and Water Release in coordinated bursts, flames and torrents crashing into the enemy ranks.
Gen moved like a phantom, striking from blind spots.
Kagura supported from mid-range, blending shuriken with precise ninjutsu.
Despite being outnumbered, the Root squad held firm.
Yet Kagura noticed a pattern—
The enemy wasn't trying to overwhelm them quickly.
They were exhausting them.
Then he heard it.
Footsteps.
From behind.
Another unit of Grass shinobi had flanked them.
They were surrounded.
For a brief moment, the forest seemed to close in.
But none of them faltered.
Retreat meant death.
Ten inhaled sharply, scanning for weakness in the encirclement.
He found it.
Ignoring minor strikes against him, he surged forward, blade carving open a narrow breach.
"Follow!"
Without hesitation, the squad burst through the gap, cutting down anyone in their path.
They fought like cornered predators—
Breaking free into the darkness beyond.