"Cough, cough, cough!"
From the scattered dust and smoke, the Kumo Ninja Captain crawled up from the ground. After waving away the smoke in front of him, he prepared to stand up, but then a sharp pain shot through his left leg, causing his half-risen body to fall back onto his knees, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
Although he reacted in time to the previous attack, he was still sent flying by the subsequent airwave and crashed into a tree. Fortunately, his physical condition was good enough that he did not suffer too much injury.
"Captain…"
Just then, a weak call came from beside him, like a flickering candle in the wind, threatening to extinguish at any moment.
"Gen!"
The Captain suddenly looked up, enduring the pain to stand up, and limped towards that direction. His gaze was fixed on the dissipating smoke in front of him.
He saw a thick tree trunk, along with the remaining half of its crown, lying on the ground. And beneath the tree trunk, concealed by the smoke, a figure was faintly revealed.
As the smoke cleared, the figure's true appearance was revealed: it was the bespectacled Kumo ninja whom the Kumo Ninja Captain had pulled away earlier.
He was now lying on the ground, a trickle of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, his eyes lifelessly staring at the Captain walking towards him, while his mouth continuously mumbled.
"Gen!"
The Captain arrived close by. When he saw the current state of his companion, his mind buzzed, and his brain went blank.
His body, which had just managed to stand up, swayed unsteadily and almost fell down again. A hint of sorrow appeared in his eyes, and he whispered tremblingly.
"Gen…"
Following his gaze, the Kumo ninja named Gen's upper body, aside from some torn clothing, was otherwise fine. However, his lower body was deeply buried in the earth, with a section of a thick tree trunk weighing several hundred kilograms pressing down on it.
"Go…"
Gen looked at his Captain, his voice weak and soft.
"My lower body has lost all sensation. Hurry back, don't mind me. That monster should be about to…"
"Boom!"
Before he could finish speaking, a loud thud of a heavy object landing echoed from not far away, raising dust all around and obstructing their view.
"This Chakra…"
Gen, who was pinned down, suddenly widened his eyes slightly, his gaze filled with fear as he looked into the dust cloud.
"Mon… monster…"
In his perception, a powerful Chakra fluctuation emanated from behind that dust cloud.
Compared to their Chakra, the opponent's Chakra was like a solidified entity, vast as an abyss or a sea. It was absolutely not something they could contend with.
"What is it?!"
The Captain stood in front of Gen, shielding him firmly behind him. He then pulled a Kunai from his ninja tool pouch, watching the gradually dissipating smoke with a wary expression.
"Roar!"
As the smoke cleared, both of them saw the incoming figure clearly. Their expressions changed instantly.
They saw a monster, its entire body covered in a nearly materialized dark red Chakra, moving on all fours, with seven tails fluttering in the air behind it, slowly walking towards them.
The immense pressure made the Captain instinctively take a step back, but remembering his companion behind him, he had no choice but to withdraw his foot and stand opposite the creature.
"Who exactly are you?!"
Remembering the previous attack, the Captain gritted his teeth and questioned.
Because of this monster, their pursuit team was almost annihilated. Even if some Kumo ninja miraculously survived, without timely treatment, they could only silently await death where they were.
"Me?"
The beast pondered for a moment before beginning to shed its Tailed Beast cloak, revealing its Kasai face. This made the two on the opposite side stunned.
Before they could speak, they saw the young man wearing a Kumogakure headband take off his wig. Then he wiped away the two purple oil paints on his face and the mole below the corner of his mouth.
"Phew, it's still more comfortable like this."
Ren let out a long breath after shedding all his disguises. It truly was most comfortable like this. Undercover missions, he genuinely wasn't suited for them.
"You are…"
The Captain looked at the somewhat familiar face before him, pondered for a moment, then his eyes lit up, and he shouted loudly.
"Hoshimi Ren, with a bounty of thirty million ryo!"
"Oh? You've heard of…???"
Ren heard the other party mention his name and immediately responded cheerfully. He only realized something was wrong halfway through, and his smile instantly froze on his face.
Isn't it Hoshimi Ren of Konoha Village? What the hell is a thirty million bounty?!
Good heavens, it's only been a few days since he last visited the bounty station, and even he's on the bounty list now.
"What did you just say? A thirty million bounty?!"
Ren's eyes widened instantly, looking at the other person with a puzzled expression. The other person was also surprised by Ren's reaction and, while on guard, said in a deep voice.
"Hoshimi Ren, Konoha Village Special Jonin, underground black market bounty of thirty million ryo, dead or alive."
"…"
Ren opened his mouth, but for a moment, he didn't know what to say.
Since when did he have a bounty? Who has nothing better to do to do such a boring thing? Who did he offend?
Besides, his strength should be worth more than thirty million ryo, it's not even as high as Asuma's future bounty.
"No, I'm getting off topic."
Ren came back to his senses, looking at the Kumo ninja in front of him, holding a Kunai and looking at him warily, and his dying companion behind him, he couldn't help but shake his head.
"Surrender, perhaps his life can still be saved."
"Hmm?"
The Captain's eyes widened, and he turned to look at Gen, whose consciousness was already beginning to fade. A look of struggle appeared in his eyes.
"Don't mind me, Captain!"
Gen looked at the hesitant Captain in front of him, and immediately, as if suddenly well, he forcefully grabbed the other's lower leg with both hands and shouted.
"We cannot betray the Village! We cannot!!"
After saying that, Gen strenuously reached for the ninja tool pouch at the Captain's waist and tore it off. Before the latter could react, the former took a Shuriken from the ninja tool pouch and plunged it straight into his own neck!
"Gen!"
The Captain finally came to his senses and immediately squatted down, reaching out his hand to try and stop the other. But it was already too late.
"Shhh!"
With a soft sound, Gen's eyes widened at the same time, the Shuriken in his hand slipped to the ground, and the Captain's outstretched hand remained suspended in the air.
For a moment, only the sound of blood continuously gushing out remained on the scene. Ren's gaze deepened slightly, and he turned his head to look away.
Gen's gaze fell upon the Captain, whose eyes were completely blank. He stretched out a hand and tremblingly grasped the other's hand, which was suspended in mid-air. His head lifted slightly, and the vitality in his eyes continuously faded.
"It's all… for the Village."
As soon as the words fell, Gen lowered his head, and the hand gripping his companion's also lost its strength, falling to the ground. All vitality in his body completely vanished.
"Gen…"