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The retreat was heavy and slow. Sayo dragged the nearly wrecked "Mirage" stretcher, upon which lay the unconscious Iryō and the remains of a squad once full of life. Every step seemed to exhaust his last bit of strength.
Occasionally, Lucado would briefly awaken from his semi-conscious state due to the bumps. The severe pain tormented his body, but his gaze moved with difficulty, landing on Sayo. In a daze, he seemed to see the Sayo of years ago: that frail, thin boy in the corner of the Puppet Repair Class who struggled with basic chakra refinement.
How could he have grown to this point? The boy who once needed protection now possessed the strength to fight four Uchiha elites. Magnet Release, exquisite puppetry, and vast chakra—Sayo was a rising star, leaving everyone behind. This realization, a mix of awe and a heavy sense of a widening gap, pierced Lucado's heart even through the physical agony of his burns.
However, the battlefield never shows mercy. Just as they approached an open wooded area near the Land of Rivers camp, danger struck. Three figures appeared silently: one slender with sharp eyes, one stout and vigilant, and one with a calm ponytail. They were Konoha's famous tactical combination: the Ino–Shika–Chō trio!
"Sunagakure's wounded?" The Nara ninja (Shika) judged the situation instantly. Lucado, distracted by pain, subconsciously struggled to move, aggravating his burns. That moment of stagnation was fatal.
"Shadow Imitation Technique!"
The shadow under the Nara's feet spread like a living black viper, capturing Lucado's stiffened figure.
"Shadow Neck Bind!"
The shadow connected to Lucado twisted upward, turning into a deadly black noose that wrapped around his throat. A sickening crunch echoed through the clearing. Lucado's head tilted at an unnatural angle; the light in his eyes dimmed instantly.
"LUCADO!!!" Sayo roared with grief. A teammate who had been with him day and night had died so easily before his eyes. Anger and sorrow devoured his reason!
"Mind Body Switch Technique!" The Yamanaka ninja (Ino) attempted to seize Sayo's agitated consciousness.
But Sayo's spiritual power, tempered by two lifetimes and the Natural Energy Body Tempering Furnace, was an indestructible steel barrier.
"Pfft—!" The Yamanaka ninja collapsed, blood spurting from his nose as his spirit was violently rebounded. He was instantly crippled.
"Spider Puppets!"
Sayo's remaining spiders lunged at the Nara ninja. They didn't aim for vitals; they charged and self-destructed, frantically interfering with his shadow control.
"Partial Multi-Size Technique!" The Akimichi ninja (Chō) enlarged his arm, smashing it toward Sayo like a hammer.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Drizzle!"
Sayo waved his hand. Instead of resisting, the iron sand wrapped around the enlarged arm like a python. The magnetic interference disrupted the Akimichi's balance. Sayo fought all three alone, suppressing the famous trio even in his exhausted state.
Seeing their leader unconscious and their formations broken, the Nara ninja shouted for a retreat. They vanished into the forest.
Sayo did not pursue. He staggered to Lucado's side, but the broken neck was beyond any medical ninjutsu. He silently carried the weight of his fallen friend and the crippled Captain Iryō, moving toward the camp. The setting sun stretched his shadow long—a lonely, heavy silhouette in a world defined by the cold cruelty of war.
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