“If only that movement had been a bit faster...”

The dark street lay shrouded in moonlight. A golden figure, like a fleeting light, zipped past from the eaves above at an incredible speed, solitary and alone.

Recalling the earlier scene, Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, was filled with regret. Regardless of age or physical differences, during the confrontation, he had failed to effectively apply his ninjutsu and tactics, missing the timing for a surprise attack... there were clearly so many areas where he hadn’t done well, yet he had been completely oblivious before.

“Clearly, I was aiming for the Hokage.”

“Yet, had he grown complacent due to minor achievements compared to his peers?”

“How shameful.”

Things shouldn’t have been this way.

The figure clad in black tactical gear rolled onto the ground under the night sky, a single finger pressing against the cold surface as he sensed the chakra continuously spreading into the distance.

Although the previous few reanimation jutsu users had considerable skill, the traces left by their chakra wouldn’t disappear so quickly.

As a high-level space/chakra-sensing ninja, Minato only needed a few small details to keenly detect the abnormal remnants they left in the soil.

The chakra at his feet continued to bloom, and with a body flicker technique that surpassed normal levels, he raced toward the direction the enemy had fled.

As one of the best at body flicker on-site, and to redeem his earlier failure to stop the enemy, Minato didn't even care about the consumption of chakra.

“Boom—”

Suddenly, a deafening sound echoed from afar.

Rising columns of earth and stone surged like a waterfall upward, billowing clouds of mist under the moonlight.

Minato’s expression shifted.

“There!”

He didn’t have time to think further and immediately raised his signal gun, firing a shot into the air.

The sudden bright flash ignited the night, guiding the following troops.

Minato couldn’t afford to wait; he knew the level of strength his opponents possessed. Even the usual Anbu members would have to pay with their lives just to pose a hindrance.

“Whoosh!”

His figure vanished from sight.

At the same time, he was not the only one moving.

Looking down from Hokage Rock, scattered figures like fireflies gathered toward the source of the commotion. The strong from various ninja clans ventured forward, while the scattered Anbu and Uchiha security forces members began to converge.

Further back, there were Uchiha Mayu and others, guided by the Hyuga clan members.

The thorns of Konoha wove into a net, ensnaring all those causing trouble within, tightening... tightening.

......

The minute hand ticked slightly forward.

Under the moonlight,

Sahara Mist stood at the end of the street, quietly gazing at the three in front of him, a kunai flicking between his fingers, his expression calm.

Almost the moment he saw the boy's face, Gray Soil’s expression suddenly turned serious.

His already keen memory allowed him to recall the key information the boy had casually revealed during the day.

Because of Sahara Mist’s age and experience, Gray Soil initially thought this was merely an immature youth in a key position, accidentally disclosing important information.

However, once he appeared here, everything changed.

Gray Soil’s gaze locked onto the boy’s bright blue eyes, his posture guarded:

“Who are you really?”

The smile on Sahara Mist's face faded, his expression becoming serious.

“Does that even need to be said?”

He stepped forward slowly, turning the kunai in his fingers to hold it backward, the blade reflecting flickering light under the moon, his tone cold:

“Of course, I am here to give everything for the village, the most loyal...”

“A Konoha ninja.”

At the moment the words fell,

A tangible glow of chakra erupted beneath the boy’s feet.

His figure transitioned from stillness to rapid movement, suddenly darting across the brief distance of over ten meters between them, appearing somewhat blurred in the eyes of the three Iwagakure ninja.

As the blade swung, a sharp sound broke through the air.

“Clang!”

The intimidating chakra response and incredible speed made Gray Soil instinctively cross his hands in a defensive pose.

However, until that kunai truly collided with his fist, the blade, infused with lightning chakra, tore through his defense, deeply embedding itself into the surface of his heavy fist, blood spilling forth.

His feet, acting as a support point, sank deeply into the concrete, breaking chunks of it apart, like a plow pressing into the ground, retreating half a meter.

Gray Soil finally realized the strength of the boy before him.

‘Huh?!’

‘How could his strength be...?’

There was hardly time to sigh.

“Clang—”

The lightning kunai followed the torn gap, carving a deep wound on Gray Soil’s fist, blood spraying out.

In that fleeting moment, the lean boy used the massive force generated from their collision to float slightly in the air, gently pressing his free left hand against his sturdy forearm, soaring through the air like a swift swallow, tracing a semicircular arc.

The late attack from the shorter Iwagakure ninja missed completely.

On the other side, the taller Iwagakure ninja had already completed a series of hand seals.

“Earth Style: Earth Spear!”

A spear-like formation of earth and stone, imbued with heavy force, erupted from behind Gray Soil, aiming directly at the boy still suspended in the air.

The coordination among the three Iwagakure ninja seemed simple, but the timing was extremely precise.

However, Gray Soil immediately realized where the problem lay.

“Dodge!”

The tall Iwagakure ninja hadn’t yet sensed where the danger was coming from, but his extensive experience and strict battlefield discipline caused him to instinctively curl up and roll the moment he heard Gray Soil’s command.

“Whoosh!”

The lightning kunai shot forth like a bullet, embedding itself deeply into the ground where the tall Iwagakure ninja had just stood, tearing a gash from his left shoulder all the way to his back as he rolled.

Had he not been warned, this strike would have pierced his heart.

However, it didn’t change much.

Sahara Mist’s form paused mid-air, suddenly spinning, his feet landing on a rising diagonal earth pillar.

The immense reaction force launched him like an arrow shot from a bow, hurtling toward Gray Soil, who was roaring in anger.

“Earth Style: Rock Fist Technique!”

A massive fist, entirely wrapped in solid earth and stone, broke through the wind, swinging toward Sahara Mist with a force that ordinary ninjas would find hard to withstand.

At the same time, another hand, secretly clenched at his waist, was already prepared for the next round of moves.

However...

“Boom!”

The rock fist swept through, but all that overwhelming power swung through empty air.

The blurred shadow under the night sky passed straight through the center of the fist, completely lacking the sensation of hitting anything.

A clone?!

Gray Soil instinctively thought of this.

But then, as if he realized something, he suddenly turned his head to look behind him.

Sahara Mist stood quietly there.

Unbeknownst to when he had pulled out another kunai, he quietly stabbed the shorter Iwagakure ninja, who had been hidden from view and was poised to strike, in the neck.

Until the very last second before death, the other party hadn’t even realized what had happened.

In the depths of his gaze toward Gray Soil, there was nothing but confusion.

“Thud.”

The kunai was pulled from the wound, accompanied by a soft popping sound, and blood gushed out like a spring.

The unknown Iwagakure ninja's body fell limply to the ground as Sahara Mist released his grip.

“One.”

Sahara Mist turned his head, looking at Gray Soil, slightly raising his chin, provocatively saying: “If this is all the performance you can muster, it’s still far from enough, you know.”

“Please, make it more entertaining for me.”

“You this...”

“Damn guy!!”

At that moment, Gray Soil fully realized.

If he didn’t eliminate this guy who had intercepted them as quickly as possible, both he and his remaining subordinates would surely die under the encirclement of Konoha.

Thus, Gray Soil could no longer care about the range of his ninjutsu or the remaining chakra in his body; he formed hand seals with both hands.

“Earth Style: Earth Pillar Explosion!”

In an instant, continuous explosions surged forward like a swimming dragon from underground, rapidly spreading towards Sahara Mist.

The violent blast echoed through the entire street.

Dust and smoke billowed.