Naruto : My AI System is Really That Powerful

Two days later.

Port of the Land of Hot Water.

Anko stretched her arms with a loud yawn. "Finally. I thought that boat ride was gonna kill me."

Mizuki opened his mouth, then wisely said nothing. After all the beatings he'd taken lately, he wasn't eager to test his luck again.

Jun stepped onto the solid dock, letting out a quiet sigh of relief. "After we deliver the supplies, we head back, right? This mission's been long enough already."

At least the journey had been smooth. No unexpected incidents. No threats.

Tsume was the last to step off the ship. "Back to the village? You think you'll get much rest after a mission like this?" she scoffed.

Mizuki blinked. "Wait… you mean we'll get assigned another mission as soon as we return?"

Tsume looked at him with open disdain. "Obviously. What, did you think being a ninja was some kind of vacation, brat?"

Anko's eyes lit up. "Captain, when can we go to the frontlines?"

Tsume paused before replying, her tone turning grim. "I get it. You graduated early because of the war. But don't be so eager to throw your life away."

Her words hit Jun and Mizuki hard.

Only Anko clenched her fists, clearly unwilling to accept that answer.

"Enough," Tsume said, motioning for them to follow. "The delivery point's half a day inland. Once we hand off the supplies, we're heading straight back to the Leaf."

The Land of Hot Water might've been small, but it was rich in rivers, forests, and natural resources. Its famed hot springs had made it a popular retreat across the entire ninja world.

As they neared their destination, the group finally relaxed.

Even Mizuki, with his bruised panda eyes, started to act like himself again.

"Hey," he said slyly, "you know what this country is really famous for?"

Everyone turned to look at him.

Mizuki smirked. "The hot springs, obviously. I hear the women's baths here make the ones back in the Leaf look—"

BAM!

Before he could finish, Jun's fist crashed into his already swollen eye.

"OW! DAMMIT!"

Mizuki dropped to the dirt, clutching his face.

Jun growled, "Why do you always have to say something stupid?"

Mizuki lifted his head to protest—

FWIP!

Kuromaru suddenly landed in front of them, a single glowing red eye gleaming with urgency. He spoke with a low growl, "Bad situation. Hide. Now."

"What!?" all three exclaimed.

Seeing their hesitation, Kuromaru's fur bristled and he snapped, voice sharp and forceful, "We're under attack. I'm going to help Tsume. If you don't hide—you'll die!"

Without waiting, the ninken vanished into the trees.

Anko dropped the dango from her mouth, immediately reaching for a kunai from her pouch.

Mizuki panicked. "What the hell? We're all the way out here—how can there be enemies now?"

Jun forced himself to stay calm. "Kuromaru wouldn't say that lightly. This has to be serious. He's probably following the captain's orders. We hide, now."

Anko clenched her jaw. "No! We help the captain!"

"No way!" Mizuki snapped. "Did you see Kuromaru's face? If it were just some random thugs, Tsume wouldn't send him to warn us."

Jun nodded. "Exactly. Kuromaru's strong. If he says we need to hide, then we need to stay out of this. At least for now."

Anko's face flushed with anger. "Cowards! What kind of ninja runs from danger?"

Mizuki shot back, uncharacteristically serious, "Did you already forget what Tsume said about you? You think you'll survive the battlefield like this?"

Anko froze.

Jun didn't wait for a reply—he grabbed her arm and pulled her into a thick patch of brush.

Mizuki slipped in from another direction.

The three genin crouched down, backs pressed together, weapons drawn, holding their breath.

Jun's brow furrowed in concentration.

Mizuki was right. They were too close to their drop point for this to be a coincidence. And for Tsume to send Kuromaru instead of dealing with it herself…

The silence was crushing.

Minutes crawled by.

Then came the familiar sniffing sound of Kuromaru. "Come out. We need to leave. Fast."

Anko leapt out first, Jun and Mizuki right behind her.

The moment Jun cleared the bushes, his pupils constricted.

Anko ran forward and dropped to her knees. "Captain, you're—!"

Tears welled in her eyes.

Tsume lay half-collapsed on Kuromaru's back, blood soaking her arm. "I'm fine. I took care of the enemy. Just got clipped by some damn explosive tags."

"The enemy's down?" Mizuki exhaled in relief. "Good. Let's get the hell out of here."

The sight of her blood still made him queasy.

Jun, however, stepped forward, eyes sharp. "Captain… were they from the Hidden Cloud? How many?"

Tsume arched a brow at him. "Sharp one, aren't you? Yeah. Cloud-nin. Must've been a small squad sent to intercept support lines."

"Just a three-man unit. I took care of them."

She wasn't boasting—Tsume was strong. But for her to be injured, they had to be at least a full chūnin cell.

No wonder she didn't want the kids involved.

Jun frowned. "Is it possible there's more than one squad? Maybe we should take a longer route back, even if it costs us some time."

Mizuki clapped. "Damn, Jun. Cowardice turns into wisdom, huh? Good idea. Let's move before anything else shows up."

Jun shot him a look but didn't reply. Instead, he knelt down and began bandaging Tsume's arm.

Anko scoffed. "Seriously? You're all being ridiculous. There's no way we'll run into more enemies."

"No." Tsume's voice cut her off. "We take the long route. If it happened once, it can happen again."

As Jun tightened the bandages, Tsume looked at Anko with steady eyes.

"You should learn from those two. I've seen too many fresh genin die the moment they hit the field. Caution keeps you alive."

Anko didn't respond.

Suddenly, Kuromaru circled in place, growling low in his throat.

Jun froze, the bandage slipping from his fingers. "What—"

WOOO—

Kuromaru growled, voice tense. "More chakra signatures. Close. We move now."

Tsume didn't hesitate—she bit through the bandage with a fang and tied it off. "Let's go!"

Jun reached for his pouch. The cold steel of a kunai slid into his palm.

He inhaled slowly. Focus. No panic. Stay sharp.

Kuromaru's sensory range should exceed most enemies'. If they followed his lead, they'd stay ahead—unless…

Unless the enemy had a sensory-type ninja.

A harsh voice crackled through the trees.

"Heh heh heh… three little Leaf brats and one wounded Inuzuka."

Jun's legs locked in place.

He slowly raised his eyes.

There—on the branch above—stood three shinobi. Each wore a headband bearing the Hidden Cloud's insignia.