Chapter 242: Fleeing
Call out—
As the thick stench of blood surged outward, spreading rapidly, the ninjas of the Hidden Cloud Village instinctively rushed toward Mikasa, attempting to capture her.
However, just as they got closer—before they could even lock onto their target—a strange floral scent began to rise in the air around them.
At first, it mingled with the smell of blood, making it hard to distinguish. But as they neared the black-haired woman, the floral fragrance intensified—and that's when they realized it.
The air was laced with poison.
"What a despicable move!"
The advancing Cloud ninjas halted. A tingling numbness crept into their limbs, and they could feel their chakra flow slow to a crawl.
"Water Style: Hidden Mist Technique!"
As they struggled against the creeping toxins, a thick fog began to rise, rapidly engulfing the area and cutting off their vision.
"Help… Help!"
"Master Ninja! Save me, please!"
"Shiko! Shiko, where are you?!"
…
The chaos erupted in an instant. The civilians were far slower to react than the trained shinobi. Only when the fog rolled in did they truly sense that something was wrong.
Fear of death tore screams from their throats. The instinct to survive drowned out reason. Panic set in.
All around, terrified cries echoed in the mist. The Kumogakure ninjas found their senses—sight, smell, even hearing—muted and muddled by the noise of the panicked crowd.
Then, that same voice rang out again. The voice they had heard earlier—still honest and simple—but now, in their ears, it sounded mocking. Cruel.
"The lives of two thousand four hundred and eighty ninjas. Why that number? Because during our migration to Land of Rain, your village sent two hundred and forty-eight assassins to kill us."
"In the ninja world, the Hyuga do not seek enemies. But if we are harassed or humiliated, we will make sure the debt is repaid in full."
"Lord Ryosuke has decreed—we will not stoop to your level. We are not cowards who hide behind shadows and assassination. We act in the open. In two months, the Hyuga will send fifty members to collect what is owed."
"We've told you the time, the place, even the number. Prepare yourselves. Will you surrender the lives of these two hundred and forty-eight ninjas? Or will you force us to take them? Make your choice."
His voice was eerily clear, but it shifted positions constantly—no one could pinpoint its source.
"Bastard!"
"Quiet down! Everyone shut up!"
"Wind Style: Wind Blow!"
"…Damn it! I can't blow this away on my own—get more Wind Style users in here!"
…
Civilians cried out in confusion and pain, but the Cloud ninjas tried to maintain calm. Despite the disarray, they were focused—scanning the crowd for the two Rain Country intruders.
Unfortunately, the ambush was clearly planned in advance. Everything—from the mist to the announcement—was orchestrated for maximum impact and humiliation.
On one side, two Rain ninjas with a prepared speech.
On the other, unprepared Kumogakure shinobi caught off guard.
Of those present, the highest-ranking ninja was only a Chunin. No one could stop the Rain duo from speaking.
The Hidden Mist Technique was basic—but its effectiveness scaled with the user's mastery of water chakra. The greater the control and chakra output, the denser and more persistent the fog became.
"Such refined water jutsu… that woman's a Jonin."
One of the older Chunin assessed Mikasa's strength and immediately began forming hand seals. He and several others gathered their chakra and released a collective Wind Style technique, finally blowing away the thick fog.
As the mist scattered, a scene of devastation unfolded.
At the village entrance, countless civilians lay on the ground—poisoned, crying for help. Many Genin had also collapsed, unable to resist the toxins.
And the two culprits—the Rain shinobi who had delivered the humiliating message—were gone.
They hadn't come to fight.
They had come to speak.
And even so, just the two of them had enough confidence to challenge the entire Hidden Cloud Village.
"What now?"
The Cloud shinobi exchanged glances, then turned toward the Chunin who had first questioned the Rain duo.
"Chase them!"
The Chunin gritted his teeth as he looked over the fallen villagers and wounded comrades.
"We can't let them walk away from this. If we do, our village won't be able to show its face in the Land of Lightning—or in the ninja world."
He turned toward his remaining forces.
"Those who can move, follow me. One of them is just a civilian—they can't have gotten far."
"To those still paralyzed—stay here, tend to the injured, and report to Master Samui immediately."
"Yes!"
Their uniform response brought a brief calm to the chaos. The cries of pain faded as people sensed leadership taking control.
"Now—move out at full speed!"
Among the shinobi still standing, one figure stood out—a dark-skinned man, unmistakably from the Yotsuki Clan. As he stepped forward, silver-white lightning danced across his body.
The Lightning Style chakra surged through him, stimulating his nerves and pressure points, amplifying his speed.
"I won't wait for you. Just follow the path I carve."
And with that, he blurred into motion, a black streak vanishing into the distance as he chased after Eren and Mikasa…
…
In a wasteland of craggy rocks, visibility was poor.
But the acoustics were perfect. Even the softest footstep echoed clearly.
"Eren, I'll carry you."
Eren's pace had slowed considerably. Mikasa glanced over with concern.
"You've been sprinting full speed this whole time. That's a lot, given your body."
"I'm fine!"
He kept pushing himself forward. His breath was ragged, and he was close to oxygen deprivation, but he pressed on.
"I don't know if the old cat is tailing us…"
He forced a laugh.
"He probably didn't expect us to finish the mission without even fighting. Those Kumogakure were ridiculously easy to deceive. Not like the Hidden Rain…"
He recalled the earlier confrontation and couldn't help but grin. If it had been Hidden Rain shinobi, they would've attacked the moment they saw the forehead protectors. None of that speech would've happened.
In truth, none of what happened had been planned.
It was all improvised. The Cloud ninjas gave them the stage—and Eren seized it.
Of course, the success of it all hinged on Mikasa's flawless coordination. With just a few shared glances, she had moved exactly as he intended.
"Stop talking now. You need to save your energy—they're going to catch up," Mikasa reminded him at the right time.
From the start, she never believed Kumogakure would let them go so easily. But because she wanted to assess the remaining combat strength within the village, she hadn't knocked Eren out and carried him away immediately. It takes at least half a month to travel from Hidden Cloud Village to the Land of Lightning's border. They couldn't run non-stop, so she had to gauge the strength and urgency of the pursuit.
If things got truly out of control, she'd find a secluded place to hide within the Land of Lightning and wait for Hyuga's support.
Boom boom boom—
As her words faded, a series of deep rumbles and crackling electric sounds echoed from behind.
Though the noises were still distant, it was clear the Hidden Cloud Village wasn't about to let them off the hook just because they were merely delivering a letter.
Whoosh—
Eren exhaled heavily through his nose.
Beside him, Mikasa moved with calm precision, even slowing slightly to match his pace.
More directly, Eren felt the stark gap between them.
Among ordinary people, he was already strong—able to take on ten men alone. But without the ability to refine chakra, he was cut off from the power that allowed others to transcend their physical limits. No matter how hard he trained, without chakra, he would never match a true shinobi in physical ability.
Mikasa was a jonin. Even a genin might outlast him in stamina.
"...I need your help," Eren finally admitted, surrendering his pride.
His physical condition had declined so much that even controlling his footsteps and breathing became difficult. At this rate, they'd be caught in no time.
So he gave up the idea of proving anything to Mikasa.
Mikasa didn't hesitate, nor did she gloat.
As though expecting this moment, she sped up, reached Eren's side, and without warning, scooped him up by the waist.
Eren barely had time to react.
Mikasa's unique scent filled his nose. It was faint and pleasant.
Her tall, athletic body wasn't soft—but strong, solid from constant training.
It was the first time Eren had been this close to a woman. Her breath brushed against his cheek like soft cotton, and her heartbeat pounded clearly in his ears. His face flushed.
But it wasn't shyness he felt—it was shame and frustration.
Being held like this… was comfortable.
But it bruised his pride. To avoid slowing her down, he had to wrap his arms around her shoulders—making him look like a blushing bride.
It wounded his self-esteem deeply.
He remembered when Mikasa had depended on him, timid and fragile, always seeking his protection. Back then, she followed him everywhere like a lost shadow.
But after the Titans broke through the walls… after they joined the training corps… everything changed. Mikasa showed incredible talent, often earning top marks in every session.
And in this world, she'd done what neither he nor Armin could: refine chakra. She became a ninja.
The girl who once stood behind him was now ahead—and growing more distant by the day.
Looking at her beautiful, composed face, Eren's shame only deepened. Even the fat cat hiding nearby seemed to mock him.
He wanted to bury his face and disappear.
But he knew even that would only make him seem weaker, so he tightened his arms around Mikasa's shoulders instead.
"Their speed is too fast. Must be that ninjutsu we read about in the intel."
Mikasa felt his grip and understood. She knew Eren's personality—his pride, his stubbornness. But there was no time to coddle it.
"To catch up so fast… they probably didn't wait for support from the Jonin. They must've rushed after us alone."
"In other words, the ones chasing us now are the same Kumogakure ninjas from before. The strongest among them is just a Chunin. Even if they reach us, I'm confident I can get away on my own."
"But my chakra affinity is with water and wind. Their lightning techniques counter mine badly. So, Eren… I need you to escape first. I'll draw them away."
That meant she couldn't protect him if it came to a fight.
"…Are you kidding me?"
Eren's voice was low, strained. He wanted to protest. But he was just an ordinary samurai. His fists clenched. "…I understand."
Even after all these years, he still had to face reality.
Mikasa was satisfied with his response and continued, "There's a cave a few kilometers ahead. Remember it? We passed by earlier. I told you to remember the terrain. You thought I was being nosy."
Eren frowned. "I remember."
"There's a pile of fallen rocks near that cave. They're not high enough to hide a person, but I dug a small pit behind one of them and set up a barrier."
"I'll place you in the pit. Stay quiet. When the pursuers leave, you can climb out safely. I'll send the old cat with you."
"After that, head west for two kilometers. There's a small village. You don't have chakra, so if you hide your sword, you can blend in as a normal civilian. As for the old cat... I'm not worried about him."
"Remember—when you leave the rock pile, don't run fast. Be steady, cautious. There will definitely be a second wave of Kumogakure ninjas. Unlike this first group, they won't be so careless. They'll search everything."
She spoke quickly, but each instruction was thorough, as though the plan had long been prepared.
Eren listened in silence. His expression was complicated. "So you'd already decided... to draw them away alone?"
"After all, I can't leave with you."
Mikasa stared ahead, not looking down at the man in her arms. She sounded calm.
But beneath that calm was reluctance.
She didn't want to leave behind such painful words in Eren's heart.
But… it was necessary.
From the beginning, Mikasa hadn't focused on completing the letter delivery mission. Based on the difficulty and her experience, the delivery itself was the easy part.
The real challenge was escaping the Land of Lightning—especially with Eren beside her.
So she had thought of every possible plan to ensure his survival.
"Old Cat," Mikasa called calmly, "I know you're nearby. Follow the plan. Stay with Eren until he settles in that village. Wait for Hyuga's backup. Or… if I confirm Kumogakure's forces are weak, I'll come find you both."
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