Unbeknownst to them, the sun had long been hidden behind clouds, casting faint shadows over the forest. Distant bird calls echoed softly through the trees.
Hayashi glanced at Minato, whose arm was slightly burned. Mikoto also looked exhausted, evidence of the intensity of the previous battle.
"Are you alright, Minato?" Hayashi asked.
"Just a minor injury, but be careful of her Scorch Release techniques. Most of them are hand-sealess," Minato replied. At this moment, he knew he wasn't Pakura's match. Her swift hand-sealess attacks kept him at a constant disadvantage.
The Sand ninja captain, still nursing his bleeding right arm after being sent flying by Hayashi's forceful strike, glared cautiously at his opponents. The two young female ninja beside him mirrored his wary posture.
The puppet master lay sprawled on the ground, his puppets scattered and broken. The scene looked brutal, a testament to Hayashi's efficiency.
"Sharingan, Lightning Release, Chunin, young boy," the Sand ninja captain muttered, listing the obvious details.
"What an honor to finally meet the Leaf's Lightning genius here," he added, narrowing his eyes.
The two female ninja immediately focused on Hayashi. Everyone in the Sand ninja ranks had heard of the Leaf's Lightning genuis, and his reputation preceded him.
Hayashi remained expressionless but inwardly cursed. Am I really that well-known? They already know about me. Looks like I'll need to vary my techniques in future battles. And with my Sharingan, copying isn't a problem.
Even Kakashi had long been overshadowed—Hayashi's Chidori now rivaled his mentor's signature technique. No justice left in the world, he thought with a wry sense of irony.
The Sand ninja captain, reading Hayashi's momentary hesitation, spoke again. "You didn't return to the Leaf with the main force, yet here you are. That explains a lot."
Previously, he had assumed the Leaf ninja's presence here might be coincidental. Now, there was no doubt. Leaf intelligence had discovered their dealings with the Land of Fire, and Hayashi's presence confirmed it.
"I admit this mission has failed," the Sand ninja captain continued, his voice measured. "You can report back. Let's end this and return to our villages. What do you say, Leaf's genuis?"
Only moments ago, the teams had fought as if to the death. Now, negotiation had returned. The irony was not lost on Hayashi.
But experience mattered. The captain, a seasoned Jonin, knew when to minimize losses. Killing Hayashi now would serve little purpose, and his team could not easily overcome the Leaf's Lightning boy. Leaving promptly was the most reasonable choice.
"We don't harbor personal grudges. No need for further casualties. Persist, and your subordinates may die. Surely you wouldn't want that?" the captain warned earnestly.
"But I need evidence. Otherwise, the Daimyo won't acknowledge it," Hayashi replied calmly.
"Is that so? I should remind you, I have a timed appointment with Ryoma of the Twelve Guardian Ninja. If I'm late, they will arrive—and seeing Leaf ninja, they may consider silencing you. Delaying serves no one."
Hayashi paused, realizing that the Twelve Guardian Ninja would soon arrive. Swift action was necessary. Without a word, he raised his hand. A Chidori Sharp Spear crackled with lightning in his palm, aimed at the Sand ninja captain.
The Sand ninja team tensed immediately, ready for his attack. Two dodge paths opened just in time as Hayashi's lightning spear struck.
A kunai whizzed toward him from one of the female ninja, but Hayashi tilted his head slightly, letting it pass harmlessly by. Behind him, Mikoto blocked another returning kunai. Puppet technique? Chakra threads? His mind raced, analyzing the sudden barrage.
At the same time, the Sand ninja captain closed in, faster than the others. He had learned his lesson and avoided clashing head-on. Three rapid exchanges followed. Hayashi spotted an opening and delivered a swift kick to the captain's abdomen, creating space.
Pakura launched six expanding fireballs, targeting Hayashi and his teammates separately. Lightning-charged Chidori split through them, sending the fireballs sizzling into nearby trees.
Finally, the other female ninja arrived, forming rapid hand seals.
Hayashi froze, momentarily taken aback. A tree erupted from the ground, its branches wrapping around him like living vines, binding him tightly.
Wood Release… impossible, he thought, his brow furrowing.
"Is this a genjutsu?" he muttered. Are you actually trying to fool me with this?