Akimichi Choza was stunned, but then realized he had been stunned from the very beginning, because Locke's shadow had covered the entire camp, creating quite a commotion.
"You…"
Choza opened his mouth wide as if he wanted to eat Locke. When Locke noticed, he just gave a casual "Haha":
"You know, I've always been able to eat a lot, so it's only natural that my shadow range is longer."
"?"
Before Choza could react, Locke had already detected the Kumogakure ninja lying in ambush two kilometers away. He dove into the shadows and teleported across the distance, quietly hiding in the dense shadow of a large tree near the stream. But the scene by the stream was shocking.
The bodies of several Konoha shinobi lay twisted in the shallow stream. The cold water was dyed a blinding crimson, winding into the distance, staining the clear water with intermittent red silk. The strong smell of blood mixed with the water vapor, spreading on the cool breeze.
The stream was surrounded by Kumogakure's elite, one after another. A jonin approached the Third Raikage, A, his voice full of contempt:
"Lord A, the ones we just attacked were only genin from Konoha who came to fetch water. There was no discipline at all. It seems the overall level of Konoha's reinforcements isn't much higher. They pose no threat to us."
"That's not to say this unit isn't high-level, but rather that this unit is made up of recruits just about to head to the battlefield. Perhaps its leader really is an old acquaintance of mine."
With those words, he swept his gaze over the Kumogakure elite beside him and gave the order:
"Form up. Quickly eliminate this unit. If you don't finish by the designated time or if there are casualties, return to the village and accept punishment yourselves!"
"Yes!"
Seeing this scene, Locke's heart tightened. Looking at their breathing patterns—the weakest among the Third Raikage's group were veteran chunin, and there were many jonin.
Why was the Third Raikage here on the border between the two countries at this time? Wasn't he supposed to be besieged by Onoki with ten thousand ninja for three days and three nights?
Knowing too little about the three wars, Locke had no choice but to slip back to Choza's side. Facing Choza's anxious expression, he dropped a bombshell.
"Two kilometers away, I saw seven or eight Kumogakure elite ninja—and the Third Raikage."
Choza was stunned for a moment, then quickly reacted, asking in disbelief:
"Who??? The Third Raikage???"
Locke nodded again. Akimichi looked at the personnel in the camp, then at Locke before him, and forced himself to calm down.
Most of the people he had brought were newcomers who had just graduated early from the Ninja Academy, with only a small handful being veterans who had returned after being wounded and had actually seen battle.
Moreover, they had rushed at full speed, arriving much earlier than originally planned. The personnel sent from the front line to receive them weren't due to arrive for over an hour.
Even worse, the Third Raikage alone was enough to wipe them all out. And those who could stay by his side had to be Kumogakure's top elite.
No wonder there had been rumors recently about the Third Raikage's whereabouts. It had all been a deliberately set smokescreen—he was planning another covert attack?
This time, was his target Konoha or Iwagakure?
Thoughts raced through Choza's mind. He turned to look at Locke, and his heart suddenly tightened.
No, none of that mattered anymore.
"Locke, kid."
"Master Choza, what's on your mind?"
Choza placed his palm on Locke's shoulder, looking into his eyes with a blazing gaze, his tone extremely serious:
"From now on, you will take my place. Lead them to break through. However many can get out…"
As he spoke, a flash of determination crossed his eyes, and he added:
"I will stand in their way."
But contrary to Akimichi's expectations, Locke didn't immediately question him. After a brief pause, he proposed a different plan.
————————————————————————————————————————————
"No."
The dark-skinned Kumogakure ninja lurking in the shadows, preparing for the hunt, had his gaze fixed on the Konoha ninja in the camp. His brow suddenly furrowed, sensing something strange in his heart. After that pineapple-headed boy had walked through the camp, the Konoha ninja had lost their previous relaxation. The breathing of many had become noticeably tense, their expressions strained.
Oh no—they're afraid of being discovered!
As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he hesitated no longer. He drew his ninja blade and shot toward the camp like an arrow, roaring an order to his comrades:
"Do it! They've found us!"
But the moment they were about to move, the shadows beneath their feet suddenly came alive, extending several dark, sticky tentacles. In an instant, the tentacles wrapped around their limbs and torsos with incredible force, binding them tightly, unable to move an inch.
"This is the Shadow Imitation Technique!" a Kumogakure ninja shouted in shock and anger.
On the other side, the three Konoha shinobi saw that the enemy was under control and immediately leaped out, shouting sharply to the genin and chunin behind them:
"Run! Don't look back! Going back is a dead end!"
"Damn it! Stop them!"
Seeing this, the dark-skinned Kumogakure shinobi roared in alarm, calling to the remaining comrades.
But when he raised his eyes and scanned the surrounding hiding spots, his heart suddenly jolted—he realized that all the comrades hiding in the shadows had been caught in the Shadow Imitation Technique, unable to move so much as a finger.
Yet in just a few breaths, the Konoha ninja in the temporary camp had fled without a trace. Only the pineapple-headed boy remained standing in place, the black shadow spreading around him firmly locking down the captured Kumogakure ninja. His expression was so calm it showed not a single ripple.
The dark-skinned ninja cursed himself in his heart for being a sensory type, while simultaneously marveling that the Hidden Leaf Village was worthy of being the former strongest ninja village. This Shadow Imitation Technique was simply unfathomable.
However, with a few flashes of lightning-release, the Third Raikage A appeared with his two bodyguards. The ninja blade, charged with lightning-release chakra, cut through the tentacles.
But as he cut, the Third Raikage A showed a surprised expression. The feeling of the Shadow Sewing technique was clearly not ordinary—much tougher than he had expected.
His bodyguards also helped everyone present break free from the shadow's control. Glancing at Locke in the center of the camp, the ashamed men rushed toward the direction the Konoha ninja had fled, without looking back.
Locke stood as if nothing had happened, looking at the two-meter-tall Third Raikage, and suddenly spoke:
"It seems shadows aren't such a big problem after all."
The Third Raikage crossed his arms and immediately stood before Locke, confirming that he was not a shadow clone. After verifying that, he admired in his heart:
"I didn't expect the Nara clan to produce a genius like you. With such courage and boldness, I might let you go today."
Locke smiled, stepped toward A, straightened his waist, a hint of challenge in his eyes, and asked:
"So, what's the price?"
"The price is that you must betray Konoha, offer up your Shadow Imitation Technique, and become a man of Kumogakure."
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