Chapter 39: Being Targeted
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With solemn expressions, they all looked at each other before going their separate ways, returning to their own tents and rallying their troops, already familiar with the plan.
While the assassination squad, led by Kato Dan, moved ahead towards Suna's main camp. Katsuro and Sakumo remained behind, ready to respond to any unpredicted and sudden skirmishes or guerilla attacks made by Sunagakure shinobi.
News had soon arrived to the Kazekage that Kato Dan was part of the main force, eliminating many of the high-level Suna ninja using his Spirit Transformation Jutsu. While this temporarily gave the Konoha side the advantage, it also allowed Suna to gain information on the Jutsu. The Sand shinobi had already predicted Kato Dan would continue his harassment, and devised a plan before the battle had started. Knowing that Dan's soul couldn't operate too far from his physical body, the Kazekage sent his own squad of scout shinobi ahead of the main unit, to find the body of Kato Dan, so that he and squads of other selected shinobi could hunt and eliminate him.
Dan was a pivotal ninja in Konoha's army on the Suna front, and taking him out would make it much easier for Sunagakure to take back their advantage, without having to worry about sudden assassinations, which would give them enough comfortability to act freely and overwhelm them with the sheer strength of the Kazekage, Rasa, Puppeteer Corps and their trump card - the One Tails.
A series of skirmishes between the Leaf and Sand shinobi forces followed throughout the day, in the forests and land of Amagakure. Relentlessly, each side kept sending group after group of shinobi of different skills and calibre, but there was no end in sight. Sunagakure had more shinobi, while Konoha had an overall higher skill level of shinobi. Kato Dan stood at the centre of every Konoha unit, leading their side, and was one of the main reasons for the Konoha forces at the border being able to secure victory. Like an untouchable spectre on the battlefield, Dan 'cut down' and 'sliced' through enemies, effortlessly. Low level Shinobi would simply collapse to the ground with their spirit crushed, like a puppet with their strings cut or they would suddenly attack their comrades with their bodies being possessed.
However, it was no simple breeze for the Konoha forces.
While the Konoha assassination squad moved ahead, the unit of scouts sent by the Kazekage, to find Dan's body, also made ground, while avoiding all the fighting, so as to not be spotted by Konoha shinobi. They searched behind every bush and inside every possible structure.
Eventually, fortunately for Suna and unfortunately for Konoha, the Suna scout unit soon came across a secluded cave, hidden deep within the Amegakure forests. It had taken hours of searching within the radius, but eventually, after silently peeping inside and concealing their chakra, the scouting Sand unit caught sight of their target.
Laying down and eyes shut, was Kato Dan. The Suna shinobis' eyes widened. To their annoyance, 2 entire squads of Konoha shinobi dutifully stood, in a ring, around Dan's body. The Sand scouts wanted to kill the body of Dan immediately, thinking of their comrades currently fighting.
However, the elite Konoha group protecting Dan's body, consisting of 2 Elite Jonin, 4 normal Jonin and 2 Chunin, some of who were sensory types, quickly noticed the Sand shinobi creeping up on them, with desire to kill. Immediately, the sensory ninja signaled to the rest of the group of the intruders.
Realising they had been spotted, the Suna shinobi cursed, and dashed back towards their base. They had to relay the information of the whereabouts of Dan's body back to the Kazekage, even if it cost them their lives.
Without a moment to lose, one of the Leaf shinobi squads chased after the Suna shinobi. They couldn't let the Kazekage and Suna find Dan's body - not at a pivotal time in the war like this. They too cursed, at their own inability to notice the Sand scouts sooner. Now, Konoha's chance at taking over the Suna front was in jeopardy.
Rapidly firing off Jutsu, throwing shuriken and kunai, and simultaneously chasing through the trees, the Konoha shinobi unforgivingly hunted down the Suna shinobi, right behind them. Meanwhile, the Sand scouts also tried to throw back their own shuriken and kunai while fleeing, in an attempt to throw the Leaf off their tail.
One by one, the Sand shinobi fell out of trees and their bodies thudded on the ground, as the Leaf's various Jutsus and weapons caught up with them. Blood flew through the air, and Jutsus scorched and slashed at the Suna scouts, until only one remained. That single scout was the last survivor - the one who would be able to change the course of the war at the Suna front.
Desperately, the Konoha shinobi threw all their remaining Jutsu and kunai they had left, until they were left with no more weapons and depleted chakra, however their efforts were fruitless - losing so much energy inhibited their ability to hit a precise target. Meanwhile, the last Suna scout was able to speed up, leaving them behind, and disappeared into the forest ahead.
Before long, the shinobi reached the main Suna camp and immediately rushed to the Kazekage's tent. Without waiting for someone to allow him through, the shinobi burst into the tent with no hesitation, blurting out all the information he had been able to obtain. All of the high-ranking Sand shinobi and leaders in the room cheered and congratulated the last remaining scout for his efforts, also acknowledging the efforts of the deceased Sand scouts that had alongside him, and promised to honour their deaths.
With that, the Kazekage immediately summoned his special assassination squad, and they instantly darted forward into the forests of Amegakure to the coordinates which the scout had provided.
In the meantime, before returning to the cave, the Konoha shinobi who had been chasing after the Sand scout quickly dispersed, trying to let the leaders at the camp, the other squad who was left in the cave, and Dan know that his physical body's location had been exposed.
It was a race against time.
While Dan's spirit raced back to re-enter his body and escape, the Kazekage and his elite squad dove through the forest. Dan in his spirit form was already slower than his physical form, but regardless, the Kazekage and his handpicked assassination squad were also much faster than the average shinobi.
It seemed like Dan wouldn't be able to make it in time. The 2 squads back at the cave weren't nearly enough to even stop or slow down the Kazekage alone, much less another entire squad of specialised Jonin and high-level Chunin. Even while knowing this, they prepared themselves for what was to come.
Back at the Konoha camp, word had spread. Everyone was in panic. If Dan was killed, then the Suna front would suffer a significant blow.
That was until, the word reached the Senju Patriarch, and Sakumo told him to act. They had to consider that this was merely a distraction, meaning someone had to stay to protect the main camp. It would be in line with their plan for Katsuro to go - not only could he save Dan, but could also show a limited level of strength to make the Kazekage underestimate his strength.
The urgency of the situation meant that only Katsuro could make it in time, and therefore he would have to hold back the Kazekage and his squad - virtually alone.
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