Chapter 23: Pursuit and Encounter

Flipping through a few pages, a mission caught Hyuga Kyou's attention.

"Eliminate the rogue ninjas within the Land of Fire..."

A-rank missions typically involve clashes between ninjas, so Hyuga Kyou's criteria for selecting a mission were threefold:

The location had to be nearby. If the mission site was too far away, unexpected incidents could occur en route, especially given the chaotic state of the world post-war.The enemy's strength couldn't be too overwhelming.The enemy's background needed to be simple, to avoid entangling themselves in unnecessary vendettas.

This mission to eliminate rogue ninjas within the Land of Fire perfectly matched his criteria, making Hyuga Kyou's eyes light up.

He handed the mission sheet to Guy, pointing to the part about eliminating the rogue ninjas, and asked, "What do you think about this mission?"

Guy replied, "I have no objections!"

After accepting the mission, they wasted no time and set off immediately.

On the way, Hyuga Kyou and Guy analyzed the detailed intelligence they received from the mission center.

The mission was commissioned by the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. Recently, a group of rogue ninjas had been attacking several villages near the border with the Land of Waves, causing significant loss of life and property.

The information indicated that this group consisted of five to seven individuals, suspected to be defectors from Kirigakure, with considerable strength and ruthless tactics.

Due to the war, the number of rogue ninjas had increased, affecting every major village, including Konoha. However, most of these ninjas settled in smaller countries without ninja villages, and it was rare for defectors to be so brazen as to attack within the Land of Fire.

Hyuga Kyou cautioned, "Since they dare to loot in the Land of Fire, they must not be weak. Don't let your guard down!"

Guy nodded earnestly.

Seeing that Guy seemed a bit tense, Hyuga Kyou thought for a moment before adding, "But don't be too worried either. Those defectors who only dare to attack civilians aren't necessarily that strong. As long as we perform normally, completing this mission shouldn't be a problem."

Guy clenched his fists, "I'm not afraid of them!"

A few days later.

Following their pursuit, Hyuga Kyou and Guy arrived at a village that had recently been attacked.

The village was in chaos, bodies strewn everywhere, the air thick with the stench of blood. Cries and wails filled the air.

Hyuga Kyou approached a survivor and asked, "We're Konoha ninjas. Please tell us, who attacked you?"

The survivor, looking dazed, stared blankly at Hyuga Kyou before answering, "I don't know who they were. They killed everyone they saw and left afterwards."

Unaffected by the village's tragic state, Hyuga Kyou calmly asked, "How many of them were there? When did they leave? In which direction did they go?"

The survivor pointed in a direction, "They went that way! I... I don't know how many there were or when they left."

Hyuga Kyou glanced in the direction the survivor pointed and then said coldly, "Let's go!"

Guy, already filled with righteous anger, nodded fiercely, "Yeah!"

In the Hyuga clan, tracking was a fundamental skill. Every clan member who had been to the battlefield was a tracking expert, and Hyuga Kyou was no exception. He quickly found the traces left by the rogue ninjas.

A moment later, they landed in front of a swamp.

Examining the footprints in the mud, Hyuga Kyou said, "There are five to seven of them. Their steps are a bit disordered, suggesting they're in a hurry."

Guy urged, "What are we waiting for? Let's go after them!"

Hyuga Kyou shook his head and pointed to a nearby tree, "Hold on. Look at the moss on that tree!"

Guy followed his gaze and saw a faint footprint on the moss. He asked, puzzled, "Why is there a footprint there? Could someone else be tracking these rogue ninjas?"

The footprints on the tree were clearly different from those in the swamp. If the ones in the swamp belonged to the rogue ninjas, then the ones on the tree belonged to someone else.

"Since we've already taken the mission, the village shouldn't send anyone else. So I suspect that those following these rogue ninjas are from Kirigakure," Hyuga Kyou speculated.

His guess wasn't without basis. According to the intelligence, these rogue ninjas were defectors from Kirigakure, so it was logical that Kirigakure would send a team to hunt them down.

Involving another village made Guy hesitant, "What should we do then?"

After a moment of contemplation, Hyuga Kyou said decisively, "Anyone who obstructs us from completing the mission is an enemy!"

"But..."

"No buts. We continue the pursuit."

After a while, Hyuga Kyou and Guy had to stop because they came upon two groups of ninjas facing off against each other.

One group consisted of four people, all dressed as Kirigakure's assassination squad. The leader, with his lower face wrapped in bandages, was someone Hyuga Kyou recognized as Momochi Zabuza, known as the 'Demon of the Mist.'

The other group had only two members, both wearing Konoha's ANBU uniforms. One of them was small in stature, with white hair. Despite the fox mask covering his face, Hyuga Kyou recognized him as his fellow classmate and genius ninja, Hatake Kakashi.

The atmosphere between the two groups was tense, and it seemed like a fight could break out at any moment.

Seeing more Konoha ninjas arrive, Zabuza drew his long sword, looking ready to fight.

Standing on a branch, Hyuga Kyou put one hand on his hip and glanced down at the Kirigakure ninjas, his expression arrogant, his tone contemptuous, "Get lost!"

Zabuza, enraged, shouted, "Are you looking to die, brat?!"

Ignoring him, Hyuga Kyou nonchalantly ordered, "Guy, go teach him a lesson."

Guy, used to following Hyuga Kyou's orders, and seeing the enemies were from Kirigakure, charged at Zabuza with a loud yell.

Both the Kirigakure ninjas and the Konoha ANBU were surprised by Hyuga Kyou's audacity, but neither side intervened, allowing Zabuza and Guy to engage in a one-on-one battle.

As a Taijutsu specialist, Guy immediately closed in, not giving his opponent any chance to use Ninjutsu.

Zabuza, confident in his swordsmanship, met Guy head-on, and the two were soon locked in a fierce battle.

The air was filled with the sound of fists and the flash of blades!

Though not yet a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Zabuza was already a standout among his peers in Kirigakure, his techniques sharp and his presence menacing.

Guy, too, was rapidly growing stronger, his speed and strength increasing daily, far from the underdog he had been in school.

The fight quickly escalated, forcing both the Kirigakure and Konoha ninjas to back away to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

Soon, Guy kicked Zabuza's blade, and both leaped back, breaking contact...