The wind howled across the ridge as Shisui and his team crouched near the edge of a moss-covered cliff, overlooking a narrow canyon pass below. The convoy of wagons—eight in total—was slow-moving, flanked by two dozen shinobi escorts from a neutral trade village.
Ayato signaled the team with two fingers:
Observe. Report. Do not interfere unless compromised.
But Shisui's instincts were ringing.
The wagons were sealed shut with reinforced chakra locks—standard for containment missions involving dangerous biological assets. Naoko adjusted her lens scope, peering into the distance.
"There's no emblem or flag… No records of this passing through Hanagakure command."
Kaien narrowed his eyes. "So who authorized it?"
Mikazu, ever calm, tapped a kunai against a stone. "The chakra signatures… some of the escorts are modified. They're not normal shinobi. I can sense Arch Energy residue, but it's… warped."
Then it happened.
One of the rear wagons suddenly convulsed as a blinding light burst from within. Screams erupted.
Metal groaned, splintering apart as something massive clawed its way out.
A grotesque fusion of human and machine, covered in metallic roots and iron sand—a failed Phase I subject—roared into the sky.
Shisui's eyes widened. "That's… Iron Tempest infused. But unstable."
The convoy fell into chaos. The escorts attempted to suppress the creature, but several were instantly impaled by magnetic tendrils.
Ayato gave the signal:
"Engage. Support the innocents. Neutralize the threat."