Naruto: The Scientific Ninja

Chapter 48: The Sand Ninja's Attack

Fueled by a large supply of food, Sasuke released several more rounds of shadow clones in succession. The mental feedback from dispelling them was significant, but tolerable, and the influx of food energy quickly eliminated any lingering fatigue. The moon was bright, and he was still full of energy, continuing his practice late into the night.

It was then that one of his clones, having just cast the infrasonic radar technique, detected four figures entering their defense zone. He couldn't be sure of their identities, but judging from their direction of approach, they were either Konoha intelligence or, more likely, Sand Village elites.

Upon receiving the news, Sasuke immediately ordered his practicing clones to advance. Soon, they were within three kilometers of the group. Shadow Clone No. 1 activated its ultrasonic radar for a precise scan, then dispelled itself.

The memory flooded back to the original. Sasuke's gaze turned grim, a cold killing intent in his eyes. "It's a full puppet master team," he confirmed. The radar had shown him four elite Sand ninja, all puppeteers—one special jōnin and three chūnin.

"Tekudō, prepare for battle," Sasuke said, tossing a stone that bounced off the head of his subordinate, who was still practicing in the distance.

"I can't be this unlucky," Tekudō groaned. "Elite Sand ninja in our defense zone again?" He quickly called Ryo and Chōmi to follow their captain. "Captain, what if we wait for the mobile patrol team? Didn't you say Shibi has his insects in our zone? They'll surely come to support us."

"Keep moving forward," Sasuke ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument. "Set up an ambush in the riverside woods ahead." He had already made his decision. Why would he wait for Shibi and the others? This was a potential A-rank mission, a golden opportunity. If he waited for support, he'd have to share the merits.

It was just a small puppet team. While their combat power was not inferior to that of a regular jōnin squad, a special jōnin leader, for all their strength, often had fatal flaws in other areas.

Soon, he led the three of them to the same river where they had fought before, but this time five kilometers downstream. "Tekudō, set the traps," he commanded. This time, the trap wasn't on the other side of the river; it was in the nearby woods. The last time, the river had been their escape route. This time, it would be the enemy's cage. Sasuke's strategy was simple: annihilation.

I have to kill them all before Shibi and the others arrive, he thought, his sonar already perceiving the movement of the parasite insects. Support would arrive in just a few minutes.

Water Style: Hidden Mist Technique!

He quickly formed the hand seals, and a dense fog covered a two-hundred-meter radius. At the same time, he ingested more food, keeping his physical strength and chakra at their peak. His eight shadow clones dispersed, hiding themselves, ready to be deployed at a moment's notice.

Less than five minutes later, the Sand Ninja Puppet Master Team crossed the river and quietly entered the misty woods. The leader was a scar-faced special jōnin.

"Why is there fog?" he muttered, raising a hand to halt his team. After a moment's thought, he decisively ordered a retreat. "No, it's an ambush!"

As expected of a special jōnin, his combat experience was vast. But before they could retreat, simultaneous movements occurred all around them.

"Water Style: Hidden Mist Technique!"

"Water Style: Hidden Mist Technique!"

"Water Style..."

Sasuke ordered his clones to cast five more Hidden Mist jutsus, completely blanketing the entire area in an impenetrable fog.

"Everyone," Sasuke's voice echoed from the haze, "don't you think it's a little too late to leave?"

"Seiran, open a path," the scar-faced jōnin ordered.

A chūnin named Seiran quickly formed the hand seals. "Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!" A huge tornado blew away the surrounding haze, forming a vacuum channel several tens of meters wide. They tried to take the opportunity to retreat, but a large number of kunai and shuriken flew from all directions, interrupting their escape. At the same time, one of Sasuke's shadow clones cast another Hidden Mist Technique, sealing the gap.

"Puppet Mechanism Technique: Rain of a Thousand Needles!"

The scar-faced jōnin, with his rich combat experience, used a killer move from the very beginning. A massive volley of senbon erupted from his position, directly covering a large area. With a puff, the exposed shadow clone was instantly destroyed.

- - - -

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