The current situation was extremely unfavorable for Asuma's group of four.
They were vastly outnumbered, and Kurenai Yūhi's genjutsu was completely useless against puppets—meaning the only ones with real combat capability were Asuma, Might Guy, and Hayate.
"Eight Gates Release! Fifth Gate—Gate of Limit, open!"
Might Guy activated the Eight Gates without hesitation and charged straight into the enemy ranks.
"Dynamic Entry: Leaf Adamantine Whirlwind!"
With a sweeping kick, Guy sent large numbers of Sunagakure shinobi flying into the air.
Moonlight Hayate activated his bloodline limit, Transparency, concealing his presence.
"Konoha Sword Style: Dance of the Crescent Moon!"
Like a reaper, Hayate cut through the Sand ninja, harvesting lives one after another.
"Kurenai! Stay close to me!"
After shouting his warning, Asuma joined the battle as well.
Because the Sand shinobi had no understanding of Asuma's team's strength, they suffered heavy casualties at first. However, relying on their overwhelming numbers and the advantage of puppets, the situation gradually stabilized.
With Chiyo's exquisite puppetry, the Sand forces began to suppress the four of them.
As the battle dragged on, Asuma's team was reaching their limits.
Guy had already opened the Sixth Gate. Hayate's sword was nicked and dulled. Asuma, who had been repeatedly using chakra-enhanced taijutsu, was starting to feel exhausted, and Kurenai—who was supporting him—had suffered light injuries.
By contrast, the Sand shinobi refused to engage them directly. Instead, they used puppets to steadily drain Asuma's group of stamina, aiming to capture or kill them at the lowest possible cost.
On the other side of this intense battlefield, a thin figure was steadily approaching.
That figure was none other than Gyutaro, who had gotten lost.
After parting ways with Ume and Yōsuke that day, Gyutaro had been traveling throughout the shinobi world—taking in its landscapes while searching for Orochimaru.
But every time he tracked down Orochimaru's trail and went to investigate, he was always one step too late. By the time Gyutaro arrived, only abandoned bases remained.
This time, Gyutaro had received messages from both Hakuji and Yōsuke, arranging to meet in Kumogakure.
Unfortunately… Gyutaro got lost.
Originally in Takigakure, all he needed to do was pass through the Land of Frost and the Land of Rice Fields to reach the Land of Lightning.
Instead, he went in the exact opposite direction—passing through the Land of Grass and the Land of Rain, eventually arriving in the sandy wastelands of the Land of Wind.
Realizing his mistake, Gyutaro immediately turned back, planning to take a shortcut through the Land of Fire. That was when he unexpectedly encountered a battle between Konoha and Sunagakure shinobi.
Not wanting to get involved, Gyutaro chose to watch from the sidelines, thoroughly entertained.
But something felt off.
The Konoha ninja wielding a blade—his sword movements carried traces of Yōsuke's swordsmanship. Even more telling, the rhythm of his breathing was unmistakably that of the breathing techniques from Gyutaro's world.
Gyutaro suddenly recalled that Yōsuke had once stayed in Konoha. Combined with the organization Yōsuke had founded, it was highly likely that this swordsman was a member of the Owl Organization.
If he was indeed a companion from the same organization, then Gyutaro decided to step in.
As Gyutaro drew closer, the Sand shinobi braced themselves.
If he were a civilian, he would never approach a battlefield like this. And they were certain he wasn't an ally—meaning he was most likely reinforcements for Asuma's group.
Gyutaro stepped onto the battlefield between Konoha and Sunagakure.
Facing Gyutaro—who radiated an overwhelming presence and wore no forehead protector—the Sand shinobi did not dare to act rashly.
Gyutaro scratched his cheek and tilted his head.
"Ah? Why is everyone staring at me?"
Chiyo stepped forward from the formation and asked gravely:
"This is a battlefield between Sunagakure and Konoha. Why has your excellency appeared here?"
"I won't interfere with your fight," Gyutaro replied calmly.
"But I'm taking him with me."
He pointed his blood sickles at Gekko Hayate.
Asuma, Guy, and Kurenai all looked at Hayate in confusion.
Hayate himself looked completely bewildered.
"I don't know this guy."
Chiyo's expression darkened instantly.
"So you are Konoha reinforcements. Attack!"
At Chiyo's command, the Sand forces launched a ferocious assault on Gyutaro.
"Blood Demon Art: Crawling Circular Slash!"
Blood-formed blades spiraled around Gyutaro, creating a full defensive barrier that blocked all incoming ninjutsu.
"Blood Demon Art: Flying Blood Sickles—Chaos!"
Gyutaro transformed his blood into countless razor-thin blades and launched them outward.
The crimson blades mercilessly tore through the Sand shinobi ranks. In an instant, casualties were catastrophic.
Asuma's group stood dumbfounded, unable to believe the power Gyutaro had displayed.
Chiyo's eyes burned with rage. Originally, she could have dealt with Asuma's team at minimal cost—but Gyutaro's arrival made that price unbearable.
She manipulated her puppets and sent them charging toward Gyutaro.
"Puppet techniques?" Gyutaro said curiously.
"I've never really seen how puppet masters fight."
Facing the blade-covered puppets rushing straight at him, Gyutaro didn't dodge. He raised his arm and took the attack head-on.
A puppet blade pierced straight through his arm.
Gyutaro swung his sickle in response—the puppet was instantly torn to pieces.
"That's it?"
He sounded disappointed.
He had originally planned to collect some puppet techniques, but now he had lost interest. Against him, this kind of attack was simply too weak.
Chiyo snorted coldly.
"Don't underestimate Sunagakure's puppetry! You've already been poisoned. Without an antidote, death is only a matter of time!"
"Poison, huh…"
Gyutaro sensed the toxin eating away at his cells.
But as a demon, poison was the thing he feared least. Within a few breaths, the toxin had already been neutralized.
Chiyo stared in disbelief.
"How is this possible?! Why hasn't the poison taken effect?!"
"Your poison's too weak. It's not even as good as the scraps Shinobu or Kanae casually make."
"Elemental transformation techniques are way more interesting. That kid I met last time—Hōzuki Suigetsu—being able to liquefy any part of his body was pretty fun…"
"After this is over, should I ask him if he wants to come to the Land of Lightning with me…?"
Gyutaro's absent-minded rambling completely enraged Chiyo.
She immediately ordered all puppet masters to attack Gyutaro at once.
"Blood Demon Art: Circular Severing Rotation—Flying Blood Sickles!"
Spiral-shaped blood slashes wrapped around Gyutaro's arms, shredding every puppet that came near—while his thoughts remained on Suigetsu.
"While I'm at it, I should go find that kid. Maybe ask him if he wants to join the Crow Organization."
"After all… Yosuke-sama really likes collecting kids."