Uzumaki Mashin stopped, his face wary as he looked at the seven masked jonin before him. He gave a bitter laugh inwardly.
It seemed impossible to escape with the children in tow. He had his shadow clones set the children down and said calmly, "You all run on your own. Just head toward the relief station."
"Once you get there, you'll be safe."
Yakushi Nono, hearing Uzumaki Mashin's words, gritted her teeth and tightly gripped the hands of the two youngest children...
"It'll be fine. It has to be fine!"
She prayed silently in her heart.
However...
"Kill them. Leave none alive," one of the masked jonin said coldly.
"Whoosh!"
All the masked jonin sprang into action.
"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Uzumaki Mashin once again used the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu, sending most of the clones to escort the five children away while he charged at the masked ninja with a jutsu...
"Run!!"
After releasing a jutsu, Uzumaki Mashin flipped back and threw shuriken at the nearby ninja. "Mutually Multiplying..."
"Dammit, explosive tags! Dodge!"
One of the masked ninja shouted.
However...
"Hurry!!"
While the ninja dodged, Uzumaki Mashin didn't actually use the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags. Instead, he used the moment for the children to flee!
"After them!"
The masked ninja didn't care much about the fleeing children, simply sending one jonin to pursue them. As for the Uzumaki ninja before them...
He was as good as dead.
Uzumaki Mashin knew he couldn't hold out much longer. He was only a jonin, not an elite jonin or Kage-level. There was no way he could take on so many jonin, especially Konoha jonin!
When a shuriken stabbed into his back, he knew he was done for. "I hope those kids can get away..."
But...
The messages constantly relayed back from his shadow clones told him it was hopeless.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball!"
"Fire Release: Great Fireball!"
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
"..."
Seeing them all unleash fire jutsu at once, Uzumaki Mashin inwardly cursed. This was really the end.
Yet...
"Whoosh!"
Just as the jutsu were about to hit...
"What are you closing your eyes for?" Uzumaki Jun dragged Uzumaki Mashin away with the Flying Thunder God Technique, dodging the attack. He said irritably, "Waiting to die?"
And damn, he was heavy!
If not for the Flying Thunder God Technique, he wouldn't have been able to pull him away.
"Lord Jun!!" Hearing Jun's voice, Uzumaki Mashin opened his eyes in surprise.
"Where's Kouta?" Uzumaki Jun frowned as he surveyed the area. These masked ninja were clearly Root. Only Danzo, that psychopath, would slaughter refugees for no reason!
"He..." Uzumaki Mashin fell silent, then said urgently, "Those children!"
"It's fine. Kai is handling it." Hearing that Kouta had died, Uzumaki Jun's eyes turned icy as he stared at the Konoha ninja. "Can you still move?"
"Of course," Uzumaki Mashin replied with a smile. "I'm an Uzumaki jonin. A little injury like this will heal in no time."
"Then go help Kai," Uzumaki Jun said, scanning the six Root ninja. "And stall the Konoha ninja. As for these guys..."
"I'll personally send them to apologize to Kouta."
"Yes!"
Uzumaki Mashin immediately agreed. As for why he didn't stay to help Lord Jun...
Did Lord Jun even need his help?
Lord Jun had fought tailed beasts before!
And he knew the Flying Thunder God Technique. It was better not to get in the way...
However...
Uzumaki Jun really did want him to stay out of it. He was only a jonin himself, not Kage-level. That one time had been an accident, an unrepeatable fluke. But even as a jonin, Uzumaki Jun could confidently say, "I can fight any Kage to a standstill!"
Meaning neither could kill the other...
As for these jonin before him? Hah. It would just take a bit more time.
"Stay alert!" The Root jonin immediately grew serious, though his mask hid his expression. "Intel says this kid has Kage-level strength and knows the Flying Thunder God Technique."
"The mission is a failure. Retreat now!"
But...
"Thinking of running now? Isn't that a bit naive?"
Flee just because you can't win? Think you know the Flying Thunder God Technique too?
Uzumaki Jun sneered, though inwardly he felt a bit proud. It seemed he had reached the same level of prestige as Konoha's Yellow Flash. The mere sight of him made them abandon their mission...
Should he call himself the Red Flash of Uzushiogakure?
Or the Crimson Flash of the Whirlpool...
That name didn't sound great. It sounded like "Whoa, Crimson Flash!"
What would other ninja say when they saw him? "Whoa! Crimson Flash—it's the Crimson Flash of the Whirlpool!"
Way too easy to laugh at...
Uzumaki Jun threw a kunai marked with the Flying Thunder God seal, planning to take them down one by one!
Guerrilla warfare...
Who was afraid of who?
...
"Kids, stay hidden." Uzumaki Kai, seeing only one masked jonin ahead, relaxed slightly but still said to the children behind him, "Don't run around, okay?"
Yakushi Nono, seeing it was an Uzumaki ninja, also relaxed. For some reason, she began to trust the ninja of Uzushiogakure. Maybe...
It was because the two ninja before had stayed behind to cover their escape, making her let her guard down.
"I really want to see if Uzushiogakure is as good as that red-haired boy said," Yakushi Nono thought longingly. Maybe their lives would get better?
No war, enough to eat, and pretty houses to live in!
However, Uzumaki Kai glared at the masked ninja, his eyes filled with killing intent. Damn it, he'd almost been too late. Lord Jun was very interested in this blonde girl!
What if something happened to her?
Ugh!!
Lord Jun might just go fight the Nine-Tails in Konoha...
So...
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter!"
You're staying right here!
Seeing the masked jonin dodge, Uzumaki Kai wasn't surprised. He threw a kunai, then charged forward with another in hand...
"Wind Release: Wind Return!"
But the masked jonin dodged again.
"Fire Release: Flame Bullet!" The masked jonin fired off a jutsu, then dodged Uzumaki Kai's kunai and blocked his strike with his own kunai!
After a clash, both sides retreated.
"Wind Release..."
"Fire Release..."
Uzumaki Kai saw the stalemate. As expected of a Konoha jonin!
As an elite jonin, he couldn't finish this quickly. But...
Lord Jun had said Konoha ninja would catch up soon. He didn't have time to waste. He had to end this fight fast...
"Swish, swish...!"
He threw a few kunai, but they were dodged again.
Then...
"Wind Release: Wind Blade!"
Suddenly, a voice came from behind the masked jonin.
"It's Mashin!!"