Mission Complete

Hyūga Kei's sudden suggestion left the others bewildered. Inuzuka Shigeru, visibly agitated, exclaimed, "What do you mean, just wait here? Tōka-sama and Masaki are out there dealing with that monster! Do you understand how powerful it is?"

Shigeru's voice trembled with urgency. He felt torn between two extremes: either leading his team back to camp or rushing to aid Senju Tōka and Fumori Masaki. But standing idle seemed utterly pointless.

"I know how dangerous it is," Hyūga Kei replied, his eyes narrowing. "That creature's chakra is like a beacon in the night. It's almost blinding. But despite its power, it's clear the host can't fully control it. The chakra flow was erratic; I could see the disruption in its chakra channel."

With that, Hyūga Kei stood and began walking toward the food storage area. The others were stunned—if any Kumo ninjas or samurai emerged from the storage area, they'd be in serious trouble. They rushed to stop him.

"Relax," Kei waved them off. "If I'm right, those Kumo ninjas have their hands full. They're probably fighting for their lives."

Ōnoki, listening intently, began to understand. "If the one controlling the Nine-Tails' chakra can't handle it, then they'll lose their sanity. At that point, everyone—whether it's your Konoha team or hidden enemies—becomes a target."

Ōnoki's village, Iwagakure, had experimented with jinchūriki before. But not everyone could handle the burden of a tailed beast's chakra, often leading to a mental breakdown and a violent rampage. While Konoha had the powerful Uzumaki Mito to keep the Nine-Tails under control, other villages weren't so fortunate. They had learned the hard way and had been forced to improve their sealing techniques and train their jinchūriki rigorously.

"Yes, Ginkaku is already out of control," Hyūga Kei confirmed, his Byakugan seeing the chaos from a distance. "That's why we're not rushing in. If we join the fray, we might only make things worse for Tōka-sama and Masaki. They're skilled enough to handle it and find a way out. Our job is to be ready to treat them when they get back. Risa, be prepared."

"Understood," Senju Risa nodded.

"But can we really just stand by and watch?" Inuzuka  Shigeru muttered, frustration clear in his voice. As a ninja, every instinct told him to act, to do something to help his comrades.

"Ōnoki, could you use that technique of yours, Dust Release, to take down Ginkaku? Its power should be enough to do it," Sarutobi Konosuke suggested.

Ōnoki shook his head. "Dust Release is powerful, yes, but Ginkaku is too fast. I'd need him to be held in place to aim accurately, and even then, I'd have to completely surround him with the technique."

Sarutobi Konosuke knew it was impossible. Who could possibly restrain a monster like that? Perhaps the First Hokage could, but he wasn't here. Even Senju Tōka and Fumori Masaki couldn't pin Ginkaku down long enough.

As the group observed the situation, Ōnoki's words about Dust Release lingered in their minds. Though they were allies now, they knew the day might come when they'd face each other in battle. Konoha ninjas kept a mental note of Dust Release's limitations, particularly its slow speed.

"For now, the best thing we can do is stay out of their way," Hyūga Kei said, his voice firm. "If we interfere, we might put them in more danger."

Everyone watched the food storage area with bated breath. They knew that while Tōka and Masaki had the skills to survive Ginkaku's assault, there was no guarantee they would emerge unscathed.

Despite his confidence, Hyūga Kei was still uneasy. His Byakugan allowed him to see everything, including Ginkaku's frenzied attacks and the way Tōka and Masaki narrowly avoided them. Each close call made Kei's heart race, but time and again, Tōka and Masaki's skill and teamwork saw them through.

As the battle continued, Kei gained a new level of respect for Senju Tōka and Fumori Masaki. Tōka, an experienced ninja from the Warring States era, and Masaki, a disciple of the Second Hokage, proved their worth in every move.

Finally, Ginkaku, having lost sight of his targets, turned his wrath on the unfortunate Kumo ninjas nearby. Kei exhaled a long-held breath. "It's over. Tōka-sama and Masaki have made it out."

At these words, Inuzuka Shigeru and the others cheered, while Ōnoki remained composed, though he, too, felt relieved. Fumori Masaki had earned his respect, and the thought of him dying would have been unfortunate.

The team rushed to meet Tōka and Masaki. When they saw the two approaching, they were shocked. Both were covered in wounds, many of which looked as if they had been seared by intense heat. Tōka, in particular, was in bad shape, leaning heavily on Masaki, her face smeared with blood.

Senju Risa immediately moved to treat them, but Masaki stopped her. "Not here. Let's get to the woods first."

"But..." Risa hesitated, glancing at Tōka's severe injuries.

"Listen to him," Tōka whispered, her voice strained with pain. Even speaking was a struggle, and the act made her wounds throb. Senju Risa nodded quickly, and the group moved to the woods.

Once they were safely among the trees, Masaki gently laid Tōka down. "Please, Risa," he said urgently.

Senju Risa nodded and began treating Tōka, while Masaki retrieved bandages and ointment, applying them to his own wounds. He motioned for the others to help wrap up the injuries.

"Will they be okay?" Hyūga Kei asked, his tone serious. "The wounds caused by Ginkaku seem to be tainted with the tailed beast's chakra. Our Hyūga clan has a special medical technique that might help. It could prevent the wounds from worsening."

"Please, go ahead," Masaki replied, grateful for any help. He wasn't aware that the Hyūga clan's Gentle Fist had such applications. The clan's history was ancient, said to stretch back thousands of years, and their techniques must have evolved significantly over time.

Hyūga Kei carefully pressed several points around Masaki's wounds. Masaki felt a surge of chakra enter his chakra channel, unblocking the pathways that had been disrupted by the Nine-Tails' chakra. He marveled at the ease with which Kei's chakra flowed through him—if he'd tried to do this himself, it would have been far more difficult.

Masaki then turned his attention to Tōka, watching as Risa's medical ninjutsu slowly began to heal her wounds. Despite the treatment, her recovery was slow. Masaki asked Kei, "Can you help Tōka-sama as well?"

"No, I'm afraid not," Kei replied, shaking his head. "Your body is strong enough to withstand the technique, but Tōka-sama's injuries are too severe. If I tried, I might damage her meridians even more."

Masaki fell silent, his thoughts returning to the battle. Tōka had used her genjutsu to create openings, but the toll it took on her was immense. She had repeatedly condensed her chakra, trying to influence the crazed Ginkaku, but with limited success. When that failed, she had stepped in to take the brunt of the attacks, something a genjutsu specialist would rarely choose to do.

He knew Tōka had done it because of the promise she made to Rimi —to ensure Masaki's safe return. She had put her life on the line to create an opportunity for him.

Looking at the unconscious Tōka, Masaki silently prayed for her survival. She still had to meet his and Rimi's child, after all.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Tōka's breathing slowly steadied, though she remained unconscious. Senju Risa sighed in relief. "She's stable for now. With proper medical care at the camp, she should recover."

Masaki exhaled deeply. "That's good. Let's head back. The mission was a success, and no one died. Even though some of the warehouses weren't destroyed, Ginkaku's rampage should have taken care of that."

In the end, the mission was indeed a success. They had even captured an important figure from Kumo, a fact Inuzuka Shigeru had almost forgotten amidst the chaos.

As they prepared to leave, Masaki noticed the unconscious Sora. To be safe, he asked Hyūga Kei to seal her chakra points. Even if she was pretending to be unconscious, she wouldn't pose any threat.

The group moved cautiously but steadily back to the Konoha camp, ensuring that Tōka's condition didn't worsen. Thankfully, they encountered no resistance; Kumo was likely preoccupied with the aftermath of Ginkaku's rampage.

Their mission was complete, and though the scars would remain, they had succeeded against overwhelming odds.