Konoha's Tatsuya

The lush green forest path was bathed in the fading light of the winter sunset as five figures walked silently.

This group was the 31st Squad, escorting Shinno back to Konohagakure. The four members were, Sakawa, Yuuhi, Tatsuya, and their sensei.

Trailing behind Tatsuya was a brown ninken. Since the day Tatsuya had saved him again, Cha-maru had officially become his summon.

Tatsuya hadn't initially planned to form a contract with Cha-maru. After all, it was just an ordinary ninken, its strength was quite average, and its growth potential was limited.

In the world of Naruto, aside from Pain's three-headed dog, there weren't any other ninken that were particularly powerful. This was a stark contrast to Tatsuya's aspiration to have a mighty summoning beast like the Sannin.

But Cha-maru had become attached to him. Once its injuries healed, it had become Tatsuya's shadow, refusing to leave his side no matter how much he tried to shoo it away.

And Ichikawa Shin, the 31st Squad's leader, who had disappeared for several days, wouldn't allow Tatsuya to bring it along casually.

With no other choice, Tatsuya had contracted with it, making it his first summoning animal.

Fortunately, ninjas weren't limited to only one summoning animal, so Cha-maru 's existence wouldn't significantly impact Tatsuya's future ambitions for a more powerful, top-tier summon.

However, the thought of having to support another ninken's food expenses made Tatsuya worry about his wallet. With his current finances, he could barely support his own training.

"It's getting late. Let's rest here for the night. Tatsuya, set up traps around the perimeter!" Ichikawa Shin ordered after walking silently with the group for half an hour. He leaped onto a tree to survey the area, then selected a suitable campsite.

"Yes, sensei!" Tatsuya replied, quickly turning and leaving.

Arriving at the outskirts of the chosen campsite, Tatsuya took out wire and bells from his ninja tool pouch and began setting up warning traps. After this period of learning, he had become very familiar with these basic wilderness survival skills.

This was a matter of life and death, so Tatsuya didn't dare to be careless.

By the time Tatsuya returned to the campsite, Sakawa and Yuuhi Teru had already started a campfire. The four of them sat around the fire, taking out dried rations to eat.

Cha-maru sat quietly to the side. Sakawa and Yuuhi Teru didn't feed him; he only ate food given to him by Tatsuya.

Tatsuya sat down next to Cha-maru, tossed him a piece of jerky, and then started eating his own rations.

The five of them sat around the campfire, quietly eating their dried food, with little desire to talk. After three consecutive days of travel, everyone was a bit tired.

Soon, after finishing their meal, the four members of the 31st Squad each found a tree branch to rest on. Shinno rested alone by the campfire on the ground.

Suddenly, the sound of figures leaping through the air broke the silence of the forest.

By the fire, Shinno, who had been resting against the tree root, gently opened his eyes.

"Be careful!" Ichikawa Shin's urgent warning rang out in the air, and he flashed in front of Shinno.

On the tree branches, Tatsuya, Sakawa, and Yuuhi Teru immediately jumped down, forming a triangular formation to protect Shinno in the center.

Swish… Swish…

In a few flashes, four figures appeared not far away.

In the light of the campfire, Tatsuya saw that all four were wearing ninja combat uniforms and white animal masks.

Anbu ninjas, or Root ninjas?

Seeing this familiar attire, Tatsuya became slightly wary. In Konoha, besides the Hokage's direct Anbu ninjas, only Danzo's Root ninjas dressed this way.

If they were the Hokage's direct Anbu, Tatsuya wouldn't be too worried. But if they were Root ninjas, he needed to be extremely careful.

Compared to the Hokage's Anbu, Root ninjas were known for their ruthlessness; most of them were emotionless, mission-driven machines. Under Danzo's control, Root had secretly committed countless misdeeds in the name of "the good of Konoha."

Tatsuya was deeply wary of these individuals.

"What is your business here, sirs?" Seeing their attire, Ichikawa Shin's guarded expression relaxed slightly, and he asked in a deep voice.

"Ichikawa Shin, chunin, we are under orders to escort Doctor Shinno back to Konoha," the leader of the group, a ninja wearing a white cat mask, stepped forward and said.

"Under orders? Escorting Doctor Shinno is the mission of our 31st Squad. It is against protocol for you to take him. You need orders from the Hokage's office for that," Ichikawa Shin's expression immediately turned sour, and his previously relaxed body tensed up again.

For ninjas, the mission was paramount! Even if there were unexpected changes, the village would provide an explanation; they wouldn't just make someone abandon their mission halfway through.

Seeing this, Tatsuya's heart immediately leaped into his throat.

"It is, of course, the Hokage's order," the white cat-masked Anbu ninja nodded.

"Then please show me the written order!" Ichikawa Shin still didn't back down, holding out his hand.

"Hawk, give it to him!" the white cat-masked ninja instructed the comrade on his right.

The ninja wearing the hawk mask took a scroll and walked towards Ichikawa Shin.

Ichikawa Shin cautiously received the scroll and slowly unrolled it.

However, just as Ichikawa Shin opened the scroll to examine it, the unexpected happened!

Ninja Art: Super Beast Scroll - Snakes of the Grass.

The hawk-masked ninja quickly formed a hand seal, instantly activating a ninjutsu.

A puff of white smoke erupted, and several water snakes shot out from the scroll, tightly binding Ichikawa Shin's body and limbs. One of the snakes struck directly at the vital point of Ichikawa Shin's neck.

Partial Expansion Jutsu!

Not far away, Tatsuya, who had been secretly on guard, didn't even think. His chakra surged rapidly, and his hands instantly elongated and enlarged.

Judging from the actions of these four ninjas, they were definitely Root ninjas. Only Root, under Danzo's command, would act so recklessly!

His right hand intercepted the water snake just before it could bite Ichikawa Shin's vital point, and his left hand grabbed the snake's body that was constricting Ichikawa Shin.

Break!

Tatsuya gritted his teeth, and with a forceful exertion, the bodies of the several water snakes immediately burst, turning into ink that flowed down Ichikawa Shin's body.

Tatsuya's quick reaction completely caught the three Root ninjas off guard. Before they could react, Tatsuya had already helped Ichikawa Shin escape.

Wind Style: Wind Cutter Jutsu!

The instant his body was freed, Ichikawa Shin formed hand seals, and a wind-style ninjutsu was immediately released.

A fierce wind erupted in the forest, slashing like blades towards the opponents.

The four Root ninjas didn't move. The leader, with the white cat mask, placed his hands on the ground, and a wall of earth quickly rose.

Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!

Countless wind blades cut into the earth wall, leaving deep gashes.

"Run!"

Taking advantage of their defense, Ichikawa Shin quickly ran to the slightly exhausted Tatsuya, grabbed him, and shouted to Sakawa and Yuuhi Teru.

The four members of the 31st Squad quickly retreated, and the ninken Cha-maru followed.

Facing four Root ninjas, the 31st Squad's strength was simply not enough to defeat them. To save their lives, Ichikawa Shin decisively led them to retreat. As for the mission, they would demand an explanation from Root once they returned to the village.

"Tatsuya, you did well!"

After retreating a considerable distance and confirming that the four Root ninjas weren't pursuing them, the 31st Squad finally stopped. Ichikawa Shin looked at Tatsuya and said.

Beside him, Yuuhi Teru and Sakawa also looked at Tatsuya with complex expressions, a mix of admiration and envy. In that critical moment, Tatsuya had been able to decisively and swiftly act to save Ichikawa Shin. They admitted that they were inferior in terms of this rapid reaction ability and greatly enhanced strength.

Compared to the formerly laid-back Tatsuya, his current ability to use the Partial Expansion Jutsu had exceeded their expectations.

"Ichikawa-sensei, what about our mission?"

Hearing this, Tatsuya didn't show any pride, his face solemn as he asked in a low voice.

A single Partial Expansion Jutsu had nearly drained his chakra; he was still too weak!

"Don't worry, they are also ninjas of the village. Although I don't know why they suddenly interfered with our mission, they will definitely give us an explanation," Ichikawa Shin reassured him.

However, the anger and shock in his eyes couldn't be concealed. As a chunin, Ichikawa Shin had clearly felt the killing intent from the Root ninja who had attacked. If Tatsuya hadn't promptly used his family's ninjutsu to rescue him, he might have died at the hands of these Root ninjas.

The ruthless and unrestrained actions of the Root ninjas made Ichikawa Shin's heart chill.

Once he returned to the village, he would definitely report them to the Hokage.

The four members of the 31st Squad found a hidden place to hide, planning to take a detour and accelerate their return to Konohagakure the next day.

"What a remarkable kid! Doctor Shinno, please come with us!"

Back at the campsite, after forcing the 31st Squad to retreat, the four Root ninjas didn't pursue them further. The white cat-masked ninja muttered something while looking at the direction Tatsuya had fled, then approached Shinno.

Danzo's orders were to bring back Doctor Shinno unharmed; they had no intention of pursuing the fleeing 31st Squad.

"Who sent you?" Shinno, who had been standing by the campfire and witnessing everything, looked calmly at the four Root ninjas.

The Root ninja with the white cat mask couldn't help but narrow his eyes; Shinno's reaction was somewhat unexpected. Someone who could be personally invited by Danzo-sama was indeed no ordinary person.

Thinking of this, the white cat-masked Root ninja said, "Doctor Shinno, please rest assured. It was Orochimaru-sama who was concerned for your safety and specifically ordered us to bring you back to the village."

"Orochimaru? Let's go!"

Hearing this, Shinno's expression changed slightly, and he muttered softly. After hesitating for a few seconds, he didn't refuse and followed the four ninjas away.

The relationship between Shinno and Orochimaru was complex, involving both cooperation and mutual vigilance. Orochimaru was one of Konoha's renowned Sannin, not only powerful but also with an utterly unfathomable mind. Shinno had to be extremely cautious when dealing with him.