Konoha Notes

Chapter 365 Deja Vu
The roar of the waterfall can be heard from kilometers away.

It had been some time since the request for help was sent, and Asma, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, had been waiting by the falls for quite some time.

Izumo and Kotetsu stood guard ten meters to his left and right, respectively, with their backs to each other, maintaining vigilance over a 360-degree radius.

After discovering suspicious individuals nearby, Hyuga Himon, who had been temporarily assigned to the squad, waited there for quite some time.

Logically speaking, even if the enemy was targeting those rogue Takigakure ninjas who came to Shibuki, it wouldn't warrant such a high level of preparedness from an elite Konoha squad consisting of two Jonin and two Chunin.

Before setting off, Shuji specifically reminded Asuma to immediately seek help if any unusual situation arose, as there was a reserve team at the border.

This serious attitude and the thoroughness of the subsequent reinforcements are already higher than the level of regular guards prepared for the daimyo.

The last time he caused trouble for the other party, the other party was just an ordinary junior. Now the other party's status has risen to a higher level. Asuma still remembers this incident, and even though the guard levels are obviously unequal, he is on high alert.

He not only sent out an encrypted distress signal immediately, but also persuaded the slightly uneasy Takigakure leader, Shibuki, to return with most of his followers and defend the village, citing the need to "ensure absolute safety and avoid ambushes along the way."

Only three local ninjas, led by the Jonin Yoro of Takigakure, remained on the outskirts to work with the Konoha team, preparing to receive the arriving reinforcements.

The waiting time seemed very long, but the group consisted of high-level ninjas who were already used to this kind of life.

The demon wolf, however, was somewhat uneasy.

The people of Konoha are far too vigilant, to the point that even Takigakure, the village they are supposed to protect, finds it somewhat incomprehensible.

At that moment, Hinata Hidetoshi warned in a low voice: "Two o'clock, at the edge of the forest, there's a chakra reaction! Four... no, six! They're moving slowly and are approaching us! They're... humanoids!"

Everyone instantly went into battle alert. Izumo and Kotetsu placed their hands on their ninja tool pouches, while Yaolang and two Takigakure ninjas nervously looked in that direction.

Soon, several figures dressed in Takigakure ninja uniforms staggered out from behind the dense bushes. Their movements were unusually stiff, and their steps were dragging and uncoordinated.

"Halt! Ogata! Heisuke! Is that you?" the wolf shouted sharply, his voice a mixture of surprise and command. "Haven't you received any new orders from the village? These are critical times; no one is allowed to approach the headquarters area without permission!"

The Takigakure ninjas didn't react at all, and the demon wolf took out a kunai.

Hyuga Himon observed the newcomer.

"They... are under a genjutsu, and there is abnormal chakra in their bodies."

The demon wolf gritted his teeth, preparing to step forward and dispel the illusion cast on the village ninjas.

Just as the demon wolf stepped forward.

"Wait!" Hyuga Himon warned again, "Their chakra is gathering! Back off! Everyone, back off!"

Asuma reacted faster than the sound. The instant the fire gate rang out, he had already grabbed the wolf by the collar and yanked it backward.

At the same time, Izumo and Tetsuo grabbed two other still somewhat dazed Takigakure ninjas from the left and right, and quickly retreated to the side and back.

The very next second after they left their spot.

Violent explosions rang out one after another. The bodies of those Takigakure ninjas suddenly swelled up and then exploded.

"...It's not just illusion control," Hinata Hideaki's Byakugan observation didn't stop as he quickly scanned the surroundings filled with smoke and dust after the explosion. "Some kind of trigger-based detonation technique was pre-programmed into the body...The caster is not within my direct observation range."

Asma spat out his cigarette butt: "It seems they don't intend to ambush us, but rather to force us away from this rendezvous point, or..."

He looked around at the environment that was gradually being enveloped by the shadows of the trees.

"They're trying to wear us down and get us on our guard, even using the tragic state of their comrades to shake Takigakure's morale. You rogue wolf, it seems your village's rogue ninja has found some formidable allies." As if to confirm his words, more swaying figures appeared in the depths of the forest, slowly and silently flanking from different directions.

The quantity is greater than before.

"Mr. Asuma, what should we do now?" The wolf demon was at a loss; Takigakure hadn't faced such a situation in a long time.

Even the village disputes of some time ago were not as intense as this.

“I’m afraid you’ll need to lead us into Takigakure Village, Mr. Yoro,” Asuma said. “Given the current situation, if we create distance and retreat, it could actually lead to an attack on Takigakure Village.”

"After all, they probably know the route to Takigakure as well."

The demon wolf hesitated for a moment, but then looked at the Takigakure ninjas who had scattered on the ground and turned into a puddle.

In the end, I made up my mind.

"plz follow me!"
-
Almost at the same time that Asuma's squad was attacked, another squad had already crossed the border of the Land of Fire and was speeding towards Takigakure Village.

Genma Shiranui still held his signature senbon in his mouth, while his two teammates walked silently and quickly beside him.

The presence of one figure in the team elevated what was already a high-level emergency reinforcement to an even higher level.

“I didn’t expect you to come too,” Genma said.

“I was somewhat concerned, so I decided to come and take a look,” Shuji replied, his voice calm as ever. “Shibuki’s safety is related to a series of arrangements to come. It would be better to confirm it in person.”

Genma hummed in agreement.

“According to the last location information Asma sent back, the rendezvous point is an open area 300 meters southeast of the Great Falls,” Genma said, glancing at the sky. “If everything went smoothly, the first wave of reinforcements should have arrived and completed the handover by now.”

"At this speed, if we go any further, we should encounter their backup team, or..."

He didn't finish his sentence.

But the meaning is clear: it's time to notice signs that something is wrong.

The group continued their silent advance. The closer they got to the area where Takigakure Village was located, the more deafening the roar of the waterfall became, and the thicker the water vapor in the air grew.

Suddenly, the four speeding people came to a stop at the same time.

A figure emerged from behind an ancient tree not far ahead, a tree that required several people to encircle.

He was wearing a ninja uniform from Takigakure, his headband reflecting a faint light in the occasional moonlight filtering through the leaves.

"Konoha reinforcements?" the Takigakure ninja asked in a low, urgent voice. "I'm here on orders to provide backup! Are you the second group?"

“We were attacked, and they have temporarily retreated into the village. I have come to lead the way and take you there.”

The Takigakure ninja spoke quickly, his words seemed clear and logical, and his expression appeared anxious and earnest in the dim light.

However, none of the four people from Konoha moved.

“This scene seems familiar, Genma,” Xiuji said.

“Ah, after all, there are only a few useful tricks.” Genma clicked his tongue lightly, swaying the senbon he was holding up and down, and nodded. “So it’s not surprising that they’re used over and over again.”

(End of this chapter)