July 29th, Dawn.
On the barren hill, Namikaze Minato, who was on watch, suddenly called out: "Shisui, Sanyō, Shūichi!"
The three resting inside the tent immediately jolted awake and rushed out.
Standing atop the elevated hill, with no trees to obstruct their view, they could clearly see figures emerging from all directions.
These were clearly different from the harassers from the previous day—not just in attire, but in their demeanor.
"Rain-nin?" Kurama Sanyō muttered uncertainly.
The newcomers wore the forehead protectors of Amegakure.
Hoshita Shūichi took out a soldier pill and swallowed one. "Not necessarily."
In the Land of Rain, deception was the norm—identities were fluid, truths and lies intertwined.
Namikaze Minato said, "For now, don't worry about who they are—"
Before he could finish, the ground trembled violently.
Then, Hoshita Shūichi and the others watched as the earth beyond the hill rose in tiers, the highest layer soon surpassing the hill itself.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Figures appeared atop the towering earthen wall, looking down at the group below.
"Such skilled earthwork," Hoshita Shūichi couldn't help but think, though his guard was at its peak.
"Be careful—these are likely Iwa-nin!" Namikaze Minato warned.
No sooner had he spoken than the attackers on the wall launched their assault.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
A barrage of kunai and shuriken rained down—though none carried explosive tags, likely to avoid accidentally killing the envoy they believed was inside the tent.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Hoshita Shūichi moved swiftly, wielding the Ama-no-Murakumo Sword in one hand and a kunai in the other, deflecting the onslaught.
Meanwhile, some attackers used the distraction to descend the wall and charge toward the tent.
As the first wave ended, the remaining enemies leaped down, surrounding Hoshita Shūichi and the others in moments.
Twenty against four.
This was the first time since graduating that Hoshita Shūichi faced such overwhelming numbers, the first time he fought in such a chaotic battlefield.
So, the moment the first enemy closed in, he swallowed another soldier pill and activated 10x Focus Mode for the first time.
Instantly, his already rapid thoughts accelerated further. His reflexes sharpened, his senses heightened.
The shouts, screams, and clashing metal no longer distracted him.
Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu!
Without forming hand signs, Hoshita Shūichi exhaled a torrent of flames.
This was the first time he revealed his ability to cast ninjutsu without seals—so sudden, so close. Only one of the three charging enemies managed to dodge; the other two were struck head-on, sent flying as human torches.
"Watch out—this kid doesn't need hand signs for—"
The surviving enemy's warning was cut short as a blur flashed before him.
Slash!
Blood sprayed as the man clutched his throat and collapsed.
Hoshita Shūichi was already turning, rushing toward Kurama Sanyō, who was struggling against three foes. "Sanyō!"
Understanding instantly, Kurama Sanyō disengaged and retreated toward Uchiha Shisui.
Hoshita Shūichi took a deep breath and spat out multiple fireballs.
Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The flames collided with an earthen wall that erupted from the ground, shattering it into dust and debris.
Hoshita Shūichi tore off his raincoat and flung it aside with a kunai, clearing the smoke.
"Over here!"
A voice shouted from behind the wall—but Hoshita Shūichi wasn't fooled. With a single hand seal, two shadow clones materialized beside him.
The clones burst into action—one flanking left, the other vaulting over the wall.
Clang! Clang!
Both attacks were blocked. The enemies hadn't taken the bait; the shouted distraction had been deliberate.
But while the three foes focused on the clones, Hoshita Shūichi struck from the right.
A flash of steel—a head flew.
He decapitated the enemy from behind, then lunged at the remaining two. Each strike was precise, lethal. Blood sprayed, screams echoed, and two more fell.
As the last clone dispersed, Hoshita Shūichi swallowed another soldier pill.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Shisui and Kurama Sanyō had dealt with their own attackers.
But then—
One of the enemy jōnin broke through Namikaze Minato's defense and stormed into the tent.
Inside, the shadow clone disguised as the envoy feigned terror. As the attacker moved to knock him out, the clone's hidden hand formed a seal.
Poof!
The "envoy" vanished in a puff of smoke.
The intruder's face paled as he spotted the burning explosive tag beneath him—and others, previously concealed, now igniting on the tent walls.
"You bastard—"
The explosion swallowed his curse.
Outside, the moment the defense was breached, Namikaze Minato gave the order: "Retreat!"
Hoshita Shūichi, having deactivated 10x Focus Mode, leaped onto the earthen wall with Uchiha Shisui and the others.
Namikaze Minato appeared beside them just as the hilltop tent erupted in a fireball, the shockwave hurling nearby enemies and the slower-moving samurai down the slope.
"Shisui, Shūichi—throw the kunai I gave you at the enemy!" Namikaze Minato commanded, already hurling several of his own.
The two obeyed without hesitation.
And then—
Namikaze Minato vanished.
What followed was a display of true speed.
Kurama Sanyō couldn't even track the movements—enemies fell one after another.
Uchiha Shisui's Sharingan struggled to keep up.
Only Hoshita Shūichi, having reactivated 10x Focus Mode, could barely perceive it:
Namikaze Minato flashed across the battlefield, appearing where each kunai landed, dispatching foes faster than thought.
"Too fast..."
"If it's just a kunai appearing nearby, with 10x Focus, I might react in time."
"But if the mark is already on me... I wouldn't stand a chance."
Hoshita Shūichi swallowed hard.
With kunai, Namikaze Minato's arrival had a predictable range.
But if the mark was on a person, he could appear anywhere—front, back, left, right, even above.
"I have to learn this technique someday," Hoshita Shūichi vowed silently.
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