"Water Style, Water Gun," Dosuke said. A palm-length cone of water shot at Yang, fast.
Yang leaned back, dodging.
Dosuke saved Takuto at the last moment.
"Konoha Illusion Dance," Soda said. Three chakra sickle blades slashed at Yang.
Soda's long scythe split into three parts.
A log, cut into three, stood in Yang's place. He vanished.
"Captain, he is up there. His chakra does not feel like a chunin's," Tatee shouted.
"You are trouble. Is Konoha ready to fight Sunagakure?" a short figure said, perched on a tree, looking down.
"Who are you?" Soda asked, resting his sickle on his shoulder, staring at the figure.
"Who am I? I am Yang Cang, the second name," Yang said.
A blood-stained bone whip burst through the carriage roof, stabbing at Soda.
Soda swung his sickle. Sparks flew as it clashed with the thick bone.
The carriage shattered.
Under the moonlight, Hang, thought dead, stood in the wreckage. A bone whip from his tailbone twisted like a bloody snake.
"Captain Soda, did you not kill him?" Dosuke asked loudly.
When the shuriken trap triggered, Soda broke Makoto's neck.
But now, Hang stood, unnatural.
Dosuke's hands glowed green with chakra. He healed Takuto's severed leg, watching Saidaiji and Jieren.
Saidaiji's limbs were useless, but Jieren's chakra was only sealed by Tatee's Gentle Fist.
Dosuke flashed to Jieren's side. His chakra scalpel cut Jieren's tendons.
"Sorry," Dosuke said, meeting Jieren's gritted teeth.
"You cowards. Fight me fairly," Jieren yelled.
Dosuke ignored him.
"You were robbed, yet your son and daughter shopped and bought pets. Does that make sense?" Yang said, stepping beside Hang.
"You knew we were faking?" Tatee asked, blue veins bulging around her eyes, Byakugan active.
"I suspected at first. Now it is clear. I wanted to know why Konoha was in the Wind Country, but you just want captives. No need to hide anymore," Yang said, waving his hand.
"Even if you did not strike, I would have," Yang said, his killing intent thick.
"We must end this fast, or Sunagakure will notice. Take Takuto and Jieren. Retreat," Soda said to Dosuke and Tatee.
Soda stepped on Saidaiji. "Let us leave, and I will free your captain."
"Yang Cang, you are no nobody. Who are you?" Soda asked again.
"Teammates are tools for missions. Who am I? I am Yang Cang, Sunagakure Anbu. Or call me another name," Yang said, pausing.
"Sunagakure Ghost Master!" Saidaiji, limbs severed, lunged up, biting Soda's thigh.
Saidaiji exploded, a massive blast.
Blood mist sprayed. Soda was thrown to the ground.
"Teacher!" Jieren screamed, eyes wide, unable to move with severed tendons.
"Eight Trigrams, Gale Palm," Tatee said. Her palms unleashed a fierce wind, clearing the blood mist.
"Captain Soda," Dosuke said, rushing to him.
Soda's body showed burn marks. His bitten thigh was black and blue.
"Poisoned. Sister Tatee, I must treat him now," Dosuke said. He cut the wound with kunai. Black-purple blood oozed.
Dosuke pulled a test tube from his pouch, pouring two-thirds of the green antidote into Soda's mouth. He spread the rest on the wound.
His hands glowed with chakra, pressing Soda's abdomen. Black-purple blood flowed from the wound.
Dosuke bandaged the wound and stood. He left Takuto, leg broken, and Soda, unconscious, side by side.
"Takuto, guard the captain. Your leg is only temporary. No heavy movement," Dosuke said.
"Give me painkiller. The pain blocks my bug control," Takuto said, gripping Dosuke's arm.
"It lasts ten minutes," Dosuke said, tossing a syringe, then walking away.
Tatee blocked a bone whip from Hang with one palm.
"Dosuke, be careful. He is the Ghost Master," Tatee said, eyeing Yang.
"Sister Tatee, you know him?" Dosuke asked.
"Yes. The Sunagakure Ghost Master is a special jonin," Tatee said, hands in a defensive stance.
She recalled the ninja manual. Sunagakure Ghost Master: name unknown, appearance unknown, special jonin. Wanted for turning teammates into living puppets. Sunagakure spared him, making him Anbu.
"Fine first aid," Yang said, watching Dosuke's treatment.
"Hang is your teammate. Saidaiji was your teacher. You are heartless," Dosuke said.
"Heartless? They would be dead without me. They were never teammates, only my puppets," Yang said loudly.
"This team is me and Jieren. He was my next puppet, but now I will find another," Yang said, glancing at Jieren, who lay helpless.
"They are alive normally, puppets in battle. They keep their bloodline limits. Hang's bones are perfect art only I can craft," Yang said, smiling darkly.
"This lady will be my new masterpiece," Yang said, eyeing Tatee greedily.
"Water Style, Water Bullet," Dosuke said.
Water orbs shot at Yang.
Yang waved, pulling Hang in front. The bone whip deflected the orbs.
"Wind Style, Fang Slash," Yang said. A wind blade flew at Dosuke.
Dosuke leaped back, dodging as he landed.
"Gentle Fist, Double Rush," Tatee said. Chakra sprayed from her hands, blocking the wind blade.
Hang, controlled by Yang, fired bone bullets.
"Water Style, Water Wall," Dosuke said. A water curtain stopped the bullets.
"Dosuke, we cannot win like this. Yang's Wind Style is far, and Hang blocks me close. Your chakra is low from healing," Tatee said.
"I will hold them. Take Soda and Takuto. Go," Tatee said calmly.
"No, Tatee. I will get you, Soda, and Takuto back alive," Dosuke said, standing beside her.
Dosuke faced Hang. Tatee faced Yang.