Naruto: Konoha’s Trickster, Starting as the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki

With a flash of the blade, the yellow sand split in half like paper.

The four Sunagakure ninja froze in terror. This joint ninjutsu, something they had meticulously practiced over time, had always been effective. Yet today, it was effortlessly shattered by a single, precise slash.

"Don't just stand there! Who do you think he is?"

"He's Konoha's White Fang! Treat him as if he were the Hokage!"

"Puppet Technique: Eight Waves of Needles!"

Kankichi's voice rang out, tinged with anger. In an instant, four Armor Puppets were activated, their bodies sprouting spikes. The puppets, large and round, resembled pufferfish from a distance. But these weren't ordinary spikes—they were coated with Kankichi's signature poison, making them deadly upon contact.

"Don't let those puppets touch you!"

"Kazuyama, Heiichi, retreat!"

Sakumo Hatake brandished his sword again, moving with precision and speed. Tsukiyuki and Ken Aoyama flanked him without hesitation.

"Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique!"

"Sand's no fun! I'll make my own rock!"

Tsukiyuki's fists became encased in heavy stone. Forgoing elaborate movements, he delivered a powerful punch, sending one of the spiked puppets flying.

"Haha, Tsukiyuki, you're outdoing me!"

"Water Release: Water Wave Hand!"

Ken's approach was more refined. Raising his right hand without performing hand seals, he released a strong jet of water that intercepted another puppet, holding it at bay.

Meanwhile, Kazuyama and Heiichi took the opportunity to retreat.

"Don't let them get away!"

"Send some people after them!"

"Our reinforcements are on the way! Don't be afraid! Stop them!"

"Puppet Technique: Needle Rain!"

As the fleeing ninja made their move, Kankichi sharply tossed one of his pufferfish puppets, sending it in pursuit of Kazuyama and the others.

At the same time, the spines on the puppet's body erupted like a thousand senbon, raining down in the direction of Kazuyama and the others.

"Keep running!"

"Gentle Fist: Vacuum Palm!"

Kōjin Hyūga sharply pivoted, his Byakugan activated, taking in the battlefield with perfect clarity. In the next instant, several shockwaves soared into the air, shattering the spines before they could reach their target. It was the Hyūga Clan's Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm, a rare long-range technique that utilized a vacuum shockwave for devastating strikes when combined with the precision of the Byakugan. Its power was formidable.

"Don't run!"

Behind them, six ninja pursued relentlessly, attacking in unison. Shuriken and kunai flew through the air, many adorned with explosive tags, their threat multiplied by the sheer volume of projectiles.

"Damn it!"

"There are too many!"

Kōjin, who had stepped up to defend the group, suddenly found himself overwhelmed. As he braced for the next attack, a figure appeared behind him.

"Go!"

"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"

A sudden torrent of water erupted from the sand, forming a defensive barrier. The incoming projectiles were deflected, and the explosive tags detonated harmlessly against the wall. The blast sent vapor billowing across the battlefield.

Ken had arrived just in time to support them. Though he hadn't stopped the initial wave, he intercepted the second with precision.

"Ken!"

"No time for chatter! Run! Bring back the kunoichi—that's the mission!"

Kōjin glanced at his teammate's determined face, feeling a pang of emotion. But the mission took precedence. Gritting his teeth, he turned and fled with the others.

"You Sunagakure bastards, I'll take you on!"

Ken drew a kunai, fearlessly engaging the six enemies.

Kazuyama looked back, his heart heavy as he watched Ken stand his ground. The commitment of these ninja to their missions, even at the cost of their lives, stirred something deep within him. It was this very dedication that had earned Sakumo Hatake so much criticism in the original story.

With Ken's support, Kazuyama and the others managed to escape the battlefield. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him as they ran, especially since he was carrying someone. His grip was tight, his focus entirely on not dropping the person.

"The abandoned ruins are just ahead. They're part of the escape route Lord Sakumo planned. We can rest there," Kōjin said, keeping his Byakugan active to scout for danger.

The group nodded and pushed forward, finally reaching the safety of the ruins.

Leaning against a broken wall, Kazuyama rubbed his legs unconsciously. He could fly whenever he wanted, but he wasn't used to running, which left him exhausted.

"I wonder how Lord Sakumo and the others are doing..." Nearby, the Medical-nin Nozuki looked dejected.

"Don't worry," Kōjin said, trying to reassure him. "Lord Sakumo is no weaker than the Hokage himself, and his one-handed swordsmanship is unmatched. A few Sunagakure ninja are no match for him."

Despite his fatigue, Kōjin's admiration for Sakumo was unwavering.

"Alright, enough talking. Let's rest for a while," Kazuyama instructed. "Once we regain our strength, we'll keep moving. We can't afford to get stuck in this desert."

"I'll stand guard first. Kōjin, you'll take over after some time."

The night dragged on, the group unable to shake the drastic shift in their circumstances. Only hours ago, they were preparing for their mission; now, they were running for their lives. Change came swiftly, leaving them no choice but to adapt.

Kazuyama closed his eyes, though he wasn't sleeping. Instead, he focused his chakra, using a jutsu to sense Sakumo's position. His technique linked to Sakumo's kunai, engraved with a tracking seal, allowed him to monitor Sakumo's movements.

Suddenly, the kunai's movement became erratic. Kazuyama's eyes shot open.

"Kōjin! Nine o'clock!" he yelled, startling the group. "Check if someone's coming!"

Kōjin, who had just settled in to rest, immediately activated his Byakugan. Scanning the area, he spotted something.

"Someone! No… Nozuki, get ready! Someone's injured!"

In the distance, Sakumo appeared, sprinting toward them with Ken on his back. As he got closer, the group saw his bloodstained body. However, the blood wasn't his. The injuries on Ken Aoyama, however, were severe—shuriken and kunai embedded in his back.

"Lord Sakumo!"

"Quick, lay him down. I'll heal him!" Nozuki sprang into action. "Tsuchiyuki, wait over there. I'll treat you after I stabilize Ken."

Nozuki quickly got into the flow. As a medical ninja, it was her duty to heal her teammates.

"Lord Sakumo, are you alright?" Heichi asked, noticing Sakumo's grim expression.

Sakumo shook his head. "Nozuki, hurry. There are pursuers on our trail."

The group froze. Pursuers?

"Kankichi and his group didn't stand a chance against us."

"Lord Sakumo took down six of them in minutes. but just as we were about to retreat, that old hag Chiyo showed up."

"Ten puppets! Damn, if I hadn't used that rock to block, I'd be done for."

"And then there were those dark things in the sky—crazy destructive. Even my rock couldn't hold them back."

Tsukiyuki took the water bottle Kazuyama handed him and gulped it down. It was obvious the battle had excited the burly man.

"Something black? Lord Sakumo, is it the Third Kazekage?" Kazuyama's heart sank at the thought of the strongest Kazekage.