24 Tensions

"Kohaku, what are you doing?", Kaito said after seeing that he completely froze, "Everything second you waste blaming others or thinking about what you could have done something else to change the outcome will not bring Tomoko back. If anything, you will let the opportunity to kill the assassin slip by your hands."

Kohaku's eyes were red from a mix of anger and sadness. However, these words brought him back to reality.

"Don't any of you dare to kill this old man", Kohaku firmly said, "He is all mine"

This time around, they did not need the Tatsumi Clan's eagle to follow their prey. Merely following the river was enough of a trail. Since the old man was bleeding, finding him would not be very difficult. Before following the rest of the team, Kaito managed to rummage through the dead chunin's body, and it seemed like there was a sealed scroll in her belongings. As it was probably the most valuable thing, he took it alongside her charred headband.

Minutes passed, and the group was moving fast. Unlike before, not a word was spoken, yet all of them crossed the forest and followed the river as a harmonized team. 

The sun was starting to rise, and the weak solar rays illuminated the river and trees all over the landscape. The land of rivers was vast and very much preserved. To wild beasts, this was heaven. To humans, however, this was not so easy. 

As an hour passed, the team failed to catch the old man. And the distance they had travelled through far surpassed zone 324. This meant that if they continued, then it would mean that any team that managed to reach the delta region would manage to cross the rivers where the current was minimal, and eventually survive long enough to reach Tanigakure. This meant that if they continued to chase, the goal of the mission would be compromised.

"Kohaku, we have failed to chase him. We have to return to the delta region. Some Tanigakure shinobi might have already used this opportunity to slip through the Sunagakure Genin Corps, and if they manage to spot one weakness in our formation, then our region will become the biggest slip up of this operation. I let you chase him for as long as it was acceptable, but we have to return now", Kaito said firmly

Kohaku stopped, moved towards Kaito, and punched him as hard as he could

[You have received 4 points of damage]

However, Kaito was not just any puppeteer. He had trained in taijutsu, and even though he knew that Kohaku was just angry, he would not let himself be hit without parrying a blow, especially in enemy territory. Without hesitation, Kaito drew his yellow-steel sword and only stopped it from cutting his neck open.

Kohaku was taken aback. Weren't puppeteers incapable of fighting in close combat? Even if Kohaku was not a taijutsu or kenjutsu specialist, he had received formal training from his clan since he was an infant, yet he didn't see Kaito's move unless it was too late. Once again, Kohaku clenched his fist, realizing the difference between him and Kaito.

It was not just a matter of talent. Kaito was good, yet he was far from the likes of the noble clan heirs. Kohaku had already witnessed true talent, immense chakra reserves and physical capabilities from Yahiko Tatsumi, the future patriarch of the Tatsumi clan.

Kaito was different. His individual strength stemmed from his training. Even back in the academy, he worked harder than anyone else, pouring in effort as if there was an impeding doom. And this was perhaps his biggest strength. 

Kohaku looked at Aki and Eiji, both of them exuding a face that was more refined, more mature than team 146. 

Kaito exceeded him in every way, both as a shinobi, and as a team leader.

If Kaito's teammates were Tomoko and Harumi, they would surely be alive still, and they would have surely become much stronger under his influence and training. Back in the academy, neither Aki nor Eiji were significant. They were even below average, based on the class they had. Kohaku was well-aware of the standards of shinobi, having done many joint missions with other teams. Yet none of them were as efficient as them when it came to combat techniques. It was not just a matter of damage output, but teamwork too.

"If you come back to your senses now, I will overlook what you just did, but if you continue, it will be insubordination", Kaito warned him, "I won't let you ruin this mission"

"You...", Kohaku muttered.

Had it been anyone else, Kohaku would have raised his voice and make an irrational choice, but perhaps Tomoko's death was a punishment for his lack of leadership. Clenching his teeth and fist, Kohaku closed his eyes, and eventually nodded after a long silence that made everyone tense.

"Sorry...I was not in my right state of mind...Let's come back to the delta region"

"Our role is essential in this operation. Every enemy we kill are casualties we prevent in the future. Let's go back to the delta region"

As they came back to the delta region, their efficiency did not decrease at all. Kohaku had blocked off his emotions, letting his anger express itself through the scouting. Kaito's team did the rest.

[You have dealt 12 points of damage]

[You have dealt 12 points of damage]

[You have dealt 12 points of damage]

[Poison ailment has been inflicted on the target]

'How could I have played this situation better?', Kaito thought

However, this would have to wait. As much as he wanted to improve and become a better shinobi, a mindset that allowed him to get stronger over the years, he had to focus on the present, and kill more Tanigakure shinobi.

A couple of hours passed by, and Kaito managed to kill 12 more genins, letting only 6 of them slip through zone 324, some with injuries, others having left unscathed.

[You have killed [Level 14 Tanigakure Genin]...]

[You have received 280 EXP...]

One of them suddenly died, most likely from the Steel-tailed scorpion poison ailment that came from the shuriken puppet's poisoned shurikens. Had he known it was as efficient as this, he would have invested in poison manufacturing a long time ago.

With Kohaku's cooperation, the mission was a success. In the whole operation, they had managed to take down 34 genins, and 1 chunin. With just 6 people, they had managed to take down 35 shinobi from an enemy village , with only one casualty. This was more than enough to consider this mission a huge success. 

A horn blew in the air, which was the signal that they had to retreat. This meant that the siege of the outpost had ended, and its surroundings completely looted. There were villages in the surroundings too. Although this was rarely portrayed in the series, they had been looted without a doubt. And they were innocents in the conflict between shinobi. However, there was no law to protect them in this world, only suffering.