Chapter 27
Chapter 27: 3 vs a Thousand Part 2
The air was cold and windy and the tree's leaves rustled.
Sakura’s sharp gaze swept over the scene near the cave entrance. About thirty men lounged around in various states of alertness—some playing cards, one tending a bonfire, another group was having a drinking game, a small amount of them had the dignity to stand guard, and another relieving himself against a poor, defenseless tree humming a sailor song.
Sakura grimaced inwardly. Lovely.
That tree deserves better, she thought wryly before addressing Zabuza and Haku in a low voice. "There are about a thousand men in total, inside and outside the cave. If we want to get to Gato, we’ll have to eliminate them all. Zabuza, use your Hidden Mist Technique to obscure their vision. I’m a sensor—I’ll locate the shotgun user and take him out first. Haku, you’re from the Yuki Clan, right? I’ll need you to create an ice barrier to prevent anyone from escaping.”
Haku’s eyes widened. “Yuki Clan?”
“You didn’t know?” Sakura asked, glancing at him with a raised eyebrow. “The only clan capable of producing Ice Release is the Yuki Clan. It’s in your blood.”
Zabuza stiffened beside her. His grip on his blade tightened slightly, but he said nothing. Whether Haku was his equal or his subordinate, Sakura didn’t care. She turned to Haku. “Can you do it?”
Haku nodded, his expression resolute.
“Good.” Sakura then turned to Zabuza. “Once we’re inside, we split up. I’ll find Gato and extract any useful information about his operations—banking, contacts, everything. After that, I’ll rejoin you to deal with the mercenaries. I’ll handle the shotgun user and the three ronin first.”
With her plan laid out, Sakura performed the Hiding Like a Mole technique, sinking seamlessly into the earth.
Zabuza watched her disappear, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Is she a mole, or is she a ninja?” he joked, amused by her smooth execution. He ignored Haku’s disapproving glare and raised his hands, forming a series of seals: Ox → Snake → Ram. In moments, a dense fog began to envelop the area, shrouding everything in thick mist.
One of the mercenaries grumbled, the one who relived himself, pulled his pants up, his voice muffled in the haze. “Ugh, I hate this place—it’s always so misty and wet.”
“Shut your mouth, Taro. We’re getting paid, aren’t we?” another replied before his voice abruptly cut off.
“Ito? What happened?” Taro called out, his tone laced with unease. He and the others went on high alert, weapons drawn. But it was too late—they didn’t hear their comrades being cut down one by one by Zabuza’s massive blade.
Inside the Cave
Sakura emerged from the ground like a phantom, silent and precise. Her target: the shotgun-wielding ronin. He didn’t even have time to react before Sakura’s hand shot forward, delivering a surgical strike to his chest. Her fingers pierced through skin and bone with the precision of a scalpel, and in seconds, she held his heart in her hand.
Crushing it effortlessly, she dropped the organ to the ground. Barely a speck of blood marred her as her victim collapsed with a muted thud.
The remaining three ronin stared at her in horror. A Shinobi! One screamed in defiance but froze in place, paralyzed with fear. Another unsheathed his blade and lunged at her. Sakura sidestepped the attack with ease, her movements fluid and controlled. Without chakra enhancement, she slapped the sword aside and twisted her wrist, disarming him in one swift motion. A lightning-fast strike to his neck followed, and he crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
The last two ronin exchanged a panicked glance before charging at her together, hoping to overwhelm her with sheer numbers. Sakura didn’t flinch. She leaped into the air, using her chakra-enhanced strength to propel herself upward, and landed with a resounding crash between them. The impact sent shockwaves through the ground, momentarily stunning her opponents.
She didn’t waste a second. A devastating roundhouse kick sent one of them flying into the cave wall, caving his ribcage in and ending him, her victim growing in his own blood entering his lungs. The other barely managed to raise his blade before her hand mark, embedding itself in his chest. Crushing it like the first one.
Sakura took a deep breath, her heartbeat steady as she surveyed the now-cleared entrance. Face stoic. She moved quickly and efficiently, navigating the dimly lit tunnels with her senses on high alert. Her chakra signature was suppressed to near invisibility, making her presence all but undetectable. Only a skilled sensor could sense her.
Time to end this, she thought, her resolve hardening.
At Gato’s Office
Inside a dimly lit chamber deep within the cave, Gato paced, his stubby fingers twitching as he barked orders at his men. Beside him, a mercenary wearing a spiraling white mask, and a dark cloak littered with red clouds leaned casually against the wall, a smug grin on his face.
The mercenary’s eyes suddenly widened, his grin stretching further. “That’s an interesting chakra signature… ANBU, perhaps?”
The other mercenaries in the room tensed, readying their weapons. If this man was excited, it could only mean one thing: a worthy opponent was coming.
Gato, however, was less thrilled. His voice was a harsh hiss as he turned to the ninja. “You’d better deal with whoever it is. If you screw this up, I’ll make sure you regret it. I hope you’re not as useless as Zabuza!”
The mercenary chuckled darkly, his confidence unshaken. “Zabuza Momochi, Kiris Mist deamon?? Don’t insult me. I’m leagues beyond him. He’s a blunt instrument—I’m a precision tool.”, his eyes beneath the mask narrowed. Gatto couldn't tell if he was insulted or amazed.
Gato growled in frustration, his small, rat-like frame trembling with suppressed rage. He didn’t care how strong this mercenary thought he was—he just wanted this intruder dealt with. Now.
Back Outside
Zabuza wiped his blade clean, the crimson streaks dripping onto the wet ground. He glanced at Haku, who stood amidst the frozen remains of the mercenaries they had dispatched together.
“Let’s finish this,” Zabuza muttered, his tone grim.
Haku nodded, his ice barrier shimmering in the distance, cutting off any potential escape routes.
Inside the cave, the sounds of chaos grew louder as the final battle approached.