81-85

Chapter 81: Drop the Act! 

After accepting the mission, Minato Namikaze, ready to roll out, gathered his things. He then went to find Kakashi, Rin, Obito, and Shindai to give them some important instructions. 

Kakashi and Rin were already up, so Minato caught them just in time. He then woke up a still-sleeping Obito and, with a groggy Obito in tow, headed to the main tent to rouse Shindai. 

Shindai rubbed his sleepy eyes and mumbled, "What's up? Is it time to eat?" 

Kakashi sighed, a little exasperated. "Besides food, can you ever think of another reason we'd come looking for you?" 

Shindai scratched his cheek. "Actually, I can think of other reasons, but I just don't wanna say 'em." 

Because with everyone showing up like that, it could only mean two things: either they were all going to eat together, or they were all going to work together. And Shindai really didn't want to work. 

Kakashi was left speechless by Shindai's honesty. Was he honest, or just cunning? It was hard to tell with him. 

Minato clapped his hands together. "Alright, everyone, settle down. I'm heading out on a mission with Jiraiya-sensei, and we might not see each other for a long time. So, I have a few things I need to tell you all." 

"From now on, you four will operate as a single unit. I've already spoken with Shikaku; you won't be separated and will be assigned to a specific ninja squad to carry out orders." 

"Kakashi, you're always so calm and can rationally figure out the best move in any situation. So, while I'm gone, you'll be leading the team." 

Kakashi nodded. "Understood, Minato-sensei." This wasn't Kakashi's first time leading, so it wasn't a big surprise for him. 

Minato then turned to Rin. "Rin, remember, you're a medical ninja, and you're incredibly important. Having a medical ninja makes combat shinobi feel more confident, knowing they can be healed no matter how badly they're hurt. This security allows combat ninja to fight with all they've got, and you'll be there to provide timely aid when your teammates get injured." 

"Sometimes you can get emotional, but you're their last line of defense. So, your number one priority is to protect yourself, understood?" 

Rin replied, "Yes, Minato-sensei, I understand." 

Next, Minato looked at Obito. "And then there's Obito. Your skills have improved a lot, and I've seen all your progress. Your hard work hasn't been in vain." 

Obito puffed out his chest proudly at Minato's praise. 

Shindai just wanted to groan. Obito was getting all cocky, but Shindai knew Minato was about to drop the "but"! 

"But!" Sure enough, just as Shindai expected, Minato immediately followed up with a "but": "Obito, you tend to act on impulse, and when you do, you might not follow orders. I know sometimes you want to prove yourself, and other times it's for your teammates. However, your impulsiveness could make an already tough situation even harder." 

"The real war is about to begin, Obito. You need to control your impulses. Think things through more. If you don't know what to do, ask Kakashi. You're a team; you have to trust your comrades." 

Obito pouted, his voice low as he agreed, "I know, I'll try to control myself, Minato-sensei." 

"Finally, Shindai..." Minato's gaze shifted to Shindai. 

Before Minato could even say another word, Shindai quickly cut in, "Don't worry, Minato-sama! You know me, I'm the calmest of them all! I would never hold Kakashi or the others back. You absolutely don't need to worry about me!" 

Minato pursed his lips and then, without missing a beat, exposed Shindai. "Stop pretending, Shindai. I already know everything." 

Shindai stared at Minato as if he'd been struck by lightning. 

Snapping back to reality, Shindai let out a dry laugh. "W-what are you talking about? I'm not pretending~" 

Minato sighed. "There's no need to keep up the act, Shindai. Your Magnet Release ninjutsu, your Puppet Jutsu... even if they're not top-tier, they're definitely high-level. You have Jonin-level strength; I already know all about it." 

Shindai instantly glared at Kakashi, Rin, and Obito. It had to be those three who exposed him! He'd been so good at hiding it, so flawless! If it wasn't for those three blabbing, how would Minato possibly know?! 

Kakashi, Rin, and Obito all rolled their eyes simultaneously. It had nothing to do with them! Shindai's disguise was so terrible, even a blind person could see through it. 

Minato spoke earnestly to Shindai. "Shindai, you can't go back to the Hidden Sand Village now. It's clear that they've completely abandoned you. I, along with Obito and the others, Jiraiya-sensei, and the Third Hokage, all really hope you'll join the Leaf Village. Truly join us." 

"We genuinely see you as our comrade. While I'm away on this mission, I want you to seriously think about it. When I return, I hope to receive your answer." 

"Before that, I also hope you can fight alongside Kakashi, Obito, and Rin, and stick with them through thick and thin. Can you do that, Shindai?" 

Minato looked at Shindai with an intense gaze. 

Shindai felt overwhelmed by Minato's piercing stare. Now that his true strength was known to Minato thanks to Kakashi and the others, there was really no point in pretending anymore. 

Even though his strength was exposed, his undercover identity wasn't! Although that undercover identity was now useless, it meant he'd won at least one thing! His infiltration was flawless! 

Shindai nodded and agreed. "Alright, I understand. Minato-sama, I promise you." 

Minato broke into a bright, sunny smile and ruffled Shindai's hair. 

Minato gave his final instructions: "When you're on missions, be extremely careful. Don't underestimate your enemies or let your guard down. Always maintain a high level of vigilance and focus, and be fully prepared for any challenges or difficulties that might arise." 

"At the same time, observe and analyze your mission environment in great detail, making sure every single thing is handled properly to avoid getting hurt, failing the mission, or suffering unnecessary losses due to carelessness." 

"And remember to stay calm and rational. Even when facing sudden situations or pressure, you need to be able to make the right judgments and decisions quickly, ensuring your own safety and the successful completion of the mission." 

Kakashi, Obito, Rin, and Shindai all responded in unison, "Yes, sir!" 

Minato let out a long breath and said with a smile, "I believe you can all do it. Alright, I need to go now. See you next time." 

Minato left the tent and met up with Jiraiya at the entrance of the encampment. 

"Did you tell them everything?" 

"Yep, all set." 

Jiraiya stretched, looking out into the distance. "Then let's head out!" 

Jiraiya and Minato then departed the encampment to carry out their mission. 

Chapter 82: Heading to the Logistics Outpost 

Not long after Minato Namikaze left, Kakashi received a notice: all the ninja who had come from the Land of Hot Water to support the Land of Grass were to assemble immediately. 

Kakashi led Obito, Rin Nohara, and Shindai to the open space in the camp to gather. 

Because Shindai had been staying at the Land of Hot Water's camp for quite a while, and the incident where Tsunade had thoroughly beaten Jiraiya and Shindai had made Shindai quite well-known, many people recognized him as someone who followed Minato Namikaze and had a good relationship with both Jiraiya and Minato. 

Being stared at by so many people made Shindai feel uneasy all over. He stuck a little closer to Obito, standing right behind him. 

Feeling Shindai pressed against his back, Obito felt uncomfortable. "Hey, Shindai, don't stick so close to me! It's super hot today!" 

Shindai pouted and said, "I don't care, I'm sticking to you!" 

Kakashi and Rin looked at the strange Shindai, puzzled, wondering what was wrong with him this time. 

Obito turned his head to look at Shindai and noticed that he was very nervous, his eyes darting around, looking flustered. He immediately understood why. 

Obito exclaimed in surprise, "Are you having a social anxiety attack?" 

Shindai retorted stubbornly, "Be careful, or I'll sue you for slander! I'm not socially awkward at all. I'm just... just not used to being in crowded places." 

Obito sighed in exasperation, "If we cremated you, all that would be left is your mouth." 

Even though he made a sarcastic remark, Obito didn't say anything more and let Shindai continue to cling to him. 

Before long, Shikaku Nara appeared in front of them. 

Shikaku spoke very formally for a few moments and then briefly explained the situation of the Leaf Village ninja in the Land of Grass. 

In summary, it was severe. 

"Next, you will be dispersed among the various outposts. I will now announce which outpost you will be assigned to, and you will depart for your assigned outpost immediately in one hour." 

Shikaku began to call out the names. 

"...Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Obito, Nohara Rin, Shindai, the four of you will head to the logistics outpost in the northwest!" 

Shindai hadn't expected Shikaku to call his name. So, he was a Leaf Village ninja now? 

But, hadn't Minato said just before he left that he hoped Shindai would give him an answer when he returned? 

Wasn't this like acting without permission? 

Shindai asked quietly, "What does 'logistics outpost' mean? Are we just going to stay there and do support work?" 

Obito explained to Shindai, "No way. If that were the case, they wouldn't have called our names. The logistics outpost is behind the front-line outposts. That means our next mission will most likely be to transport equipment and supplies from the logistics outpost to the front-line outposts." 

Shindai thought about it. It was better than fighting directly on the front lines, at least. 

After announcing all the names, Shikaku concluded, "In one hour, everyone will proceed to their respective outposts. Don't delay. Dismissed!" 

Shindai and the other three returned to their tent to pack their things. 

Looking at the bed in his tent, Shindai felt a bit of regret. 

All that effort for nothing. 

But then he thought, at least he got one night's sleep, so it wasn't a complete waste. 

If he had built it and hadn't even slept one night, that would have been a waste. 

Shindai patted his bed. "I'll sleep on you again when I get back. Bye-bye~" 

After packing, Shindai met up with Kakashi and the others. 

Kakashi was their leader now. He asked, "Do you all have everything? Double-check. Once we leave, we can't come back." 

Obito and Rin both started checking their backpacks. 

Shindai patted his backpack confidently. "I've got it all covered~" 

Kakashi sighed, emphasizing again, "Whether you think so or not, check again!" 

Shindai grumbled and opened his backpack, checking each item one by one. 

"How could I have forgotten anything? I brought everything I could... Eh, where's my Kannazuki scroll? Oh, right, it's by my pillow!" 

Kakashi's deadpan stare arrived late but surely, as he watched Shindai turn around and run back to his tent. 

Shindai successfully found the scroll under his pillow. 

He had fiddled with Kannazuki a bit last night, sealed it into the scroll, and then just casually stuffed it under his pillow. 

Shindai returned with the scroll, put it in his bag, and patted his backpack again, still just as confident. "Totally got it~" 

Kakashi rolled his eyes, ignored Shindai, and asked Obito and Rin, "How about you two? Got everything?" 

Obito and Rin nodded simultaneously. "Yeah, we're all set." 

"Then let's go!" 

Following the map, Kakashi led Obito, Rin, and Shindai towards the logistics outpost they had been assigned to. 

They traveled until late at night, and the four of them finally arrived at the logistics outpost. 

The logistics outpost held a lot of supplies. It couldn't just be openly established on the ground; that would make it an easy target for the enemy. 

If the logistics were gone, the front-line outposts wouldn't have any resupply, and they could very well be paralyzed. 

The battlefield changes in an instant. If they had to travel from the main camp to resupply the front lines, the battle might be over by the time the supplies arrived. 

The existence of the logistics outpost was like a transfer station, ensuring that the front lines could be resupplied as quickly as possible. 

The base of the logistics outpost that Shindai and the others were assigned to was built underground. 

It was an underground base dug out by Leaf Village Earth Style ninjas. 

On the surface, a team of Leaf Village ninja was patrolling and guarding the area. 

Kakashi led Shindai and the others to contact the patrolling ninja team. After verifying their identities, a Leaf ninja led them into the underground base. 

Upon entering the base, they were met with rows and rows of large wooden boxes. 

These wooden boxes were filled with supplies: kunai, shuriken, explosive tags, and various medical supplies for emergencies. 

The captain of this outpost was a Special Jonin named Takei Katsuhiko. 

Takei Katsuhiko was very happy to see Kakashi and his team. "Finally, reinforcements! This is great." 

Obito asked curiously, "Is it that short-handed here?" 

Takei Katsuhiko nodded in response. "Of course, we're very short-handed. Because we're in charge of logistics, there aren't many ninja here, only 20 in total. The Sand and Stone ninja sometimes send people to cut off our supply lines to the front, so we're likely to be attacked. 

Our last five-person supply transport team was attacked, and no one returned. We've experienced several attacks before, so out of the original 20, only 11 of us are left." 

Shindai's mouth hung slightly open as he stared at Takei Katsuhiko in shock. 

At first, he thought logistics would be safer than the front lines, but it seemed pretty dangerous too. 

Kakashi said to Takei Katsuhiko, "Captain Takei, the four of us will follow your orders from now on." 

Takei Katsuhiko said seriously, "Yes, with you here, a lot of pressure will be relieved. Otherwise, we'd have no one left to deliver supplies. As it happens, there's a batch of equipment and supplies that needs to be sent to the front lines. Once you've inventoried it, you can set off immediately." 

Shindai's face scrunched up. They had just arrived; weren't they even going to get a break? 

Chapter 83: Transporting Supplies 

No sooner had Shindai and the others arrived at the logistics outpost than they were immediately tasked with delivering a batch of supplies to the front lines. 

Takei Katsuhiko quickly inventoried several large boxes and then sealed them into two large scrolls. 

Takei Katsuhiko instructed them, "The location of the outpost you're delivering to has been marked on your map. You must deliver it by the morning after tomorrow at the latest. If you're attacked and can't protect the supplies, destroy them immediately! They cannot fall into enemy hands!" 

Kakashi nodded. "Understood. Then we'll be going." 

Kakashi took the initiative to carry one of the large scrolls on his back, and then Obito shouldered the other. 

Since there were guys present, and Rin, as the girl, was a medical-nin, it was only natural for them to do the heavy lifting. 

As for Shindai, asking him to carry it would definitely lead to a whole lot of complaining. 

Kakashi looked at Obito, Rin, and Shindai behind him. "Let's go." 

The four of them set off immediately under the cover of night. 

During their journey, Kakashi explained, "Don't let your guard down. You all heard what Captain Takei said. We're highly likely to encounter an ambush by Sand or Stone ninja. Stay alert! Shindai, use your Third Eye from a high vantage point to constantly observe the surroundings." 

At times like this, Shindai definitely wouldn't be his usual carefree self, especially since it concerned his own safety. 

Shindai used his Sand Iron to condense and form an eye that floated into the sky. His left hand pressed against his left eye, transmitting the visual information to the eye he was touching, allowing him to observe the surroundings. 

They traveled until noon the next day without any incidents. The journey was surprisingly smooth. 

Reaching a riverbank, Kakashi stopped. "Let's take a short break. Shindai has been using his ninjutsu since last night; he must be tired." 

"It's not 'must be tired,' it's 'super tired,' okay?!" 

Shindai dispelled his Third Eye and immediately sat down on the ground. 

Actually, saying "super tired" wasn't that accurate, as the Third Eye didn't require much chakra to maintain. 

However, he was indeed tired. Even though the chakra consumption was small, using the Third Eye continuously for a long time added up. 

Kakashi took out the map and glanced at it. "At this pace, we should be able to reach the front-line outpost tonight." 

Hearing that they wouldn't arrive until night, Shindai's face instantly fell. "Huh? It's only noon now. There's still half a day left?" 

Kakashi put away the map and said, "We're already moving at a fast pace. We should arrive at the front-line outpost around 8 or 9 PM. Generally, enemies don't attack during the day, and the closer we get to the front-line outpost, the less likely it is that enemies will intercept supplies. So, Shindai, you just need to use your Third Eye intermittently to observe the surroundings from now on. 

However, we still can't let our guard down. Let's continue forward cautiously. We'll rest for ten minutes and then continue. The sooner we deliver the supplies to the front lines, the sooner we can relax." 

Shindai sighed. 

It was really tiring, especially mentally. The constant worry about enemy attacks kept him tense. 

Just thinking about having to spend the next few days like this made Shindai feel a wave of despair. 

He missed the bed in the camp that he had only slept in for one night. 

Ten minutes seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Before Shindai could properly rest, they had to get going again. 

Shindai followed Kakashi and the others, sighing as they continued their journey. 

But they were also lucky. This supply run went very smoothly, and they arrived at the front-line outpost a little after 8 PM. 

Upon reaching the front-line outpost's camp, Shindai was stunned by the scene. 

The camp was full of injured soldiers, and not far ahead, a battle was raging. Flames soared into the sky, indicating a fierce fight. 

Many ninja were also preparing to leave the camp and head to the battlefield. 

Seeing the injured in the camp, even more and more severely wounded than those at the Leaf Village camp in the Land of Grass, sent a chill down Shindai's spine. 

If it was like this in the camp, then the battlefield ahead must be even more horrific. 

Kakashi, Obito, and Rin's expressions were also grave. 

Kakashi had already found the ninja in the camp responsible for receiving and distributing supplies. After handing over the two scrolls filled with goods, Shindai and the others had completed their mission. 

After completing the mission, they needed to return to the logistics outpost immediately, as there might be more supplies waiting for them to deliver. 

The return trip was even smoother. There were no attacks, no accidents of any kind. 

When Takei Katsuhiko saw Kakashi return with his team, he asked, "How did it go? Was everything alright?" 

Kakashi replied, "It went very smoothly. We encountered no problems and successfully delivered the supplies to our comrades at the front-line outpost." 

Takei Katsuhiko said with concern, "The fighting at the front-line outpost must be intense, right?" 

Kakashi nodded. "It was very intense." 

Takei Katsuhiko sighed. "That front-line outpost you delivered to has a natural ravine, a natural barrier. So, we absolutely cannot let the Sand and Stone ninja break through. If they do, then there won't be any advantageous terrain in the area ahead to stop them. 

Alright, you've worked hard. Take a short break. Let the other comrades deliver the next batch of supplies." 

Even though he said "rest," the base was filled with supplies, and there were no beds or other such living items. Resting meant lying on the ground or leaning against the supply boxes for a while. 

Shindai couldn't possibly set up a bed or anything like that here; it would be too disrespectful. 

Shindai found a corner and sat down, leaning against a supply box. His mind was filled with the images of the injured soldiers he had seen at the front-line outpost's camp. 

Because it was so shocking, Shindai couldn't forget it for a long time. 

War... it really was hateful, completely pointless. 

Over the next week, Shindai and the others delivered supplies three more times, including equipment and medical supplies. 

However, these three trips also went without incident, and they successfully delivered the supplies each time. 

After returning from this last supply run, Takei Katsuhiko told Shindai and the others the news he had just received. 

In short, the Sand Village and Stone Village had fallen out, and the Sand ninja had left the Land of Grass. 

This should have been good news, but it was actually bad news. 

Because without the Sand Village ninja, the Stone Village ninja had no worries about their rear and began a full-scale attack on the Leaf Village ninja in the Land of Grass. The situation was even more severe than when the Sand ninja were there. 

The Sand ninja who had withdrawn from the Land of Grass went to the Land of Rivers, where they were skirmishing with Leaf Village ninja, looking for opportunities to plunder Leaf's resources. 

To alleviate the pressure on Leaf Village, Hiruzen Sarutobi imitated the Sand Village and spread rumors that the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki of the Cloud Village had gone berserk and that the Stone Village might be involved. 

Perhaps in retaliation, the Cloud ninja of the Cloud Village now frequently attacked the Stone Village from the rear. 

This successfully relieved a lot of pressure on Leaf Village. 

Meanwhile, some ninja from the Mist Village had moved into the Land of Waves, their intentions unclear. 

After a day of rest, Shindai, Kakashi, and Rin had another mission today: 

To deliver a batch of supplies to another front-line outpost. 

Chapter 84: Ambushed! 

Shindai and his team of four had just accepted a new supply transport mission. Their task was to deliver a batch of provisions to another frontline position, and they were already on their way. 

"Why isn't it the usual frontline base we go to?" Shindai grumbled as they traveled. "This one's so far!" 

Obito sighed. "No choice, right? Captain Takei already said it. The front we're heading to is getting hit hard. Multiple supply bases are sending stuff their way." 

Rin tightened the straps on her back. Each of them was carrying a large scroll, packed with all sorts of supplies. She let out a sigh. "I wonder how long this war is gonna last." 

Kakashi warned, "Alright, enough chitchat. We're heading into the forest now. Stay alert, Shindai!" 

"Yeah, yeah, I know~" Shindai didn't even need Kakashi to finish his sentence anymore; he already knew what Kakashi was going to tell him to do. 

Shindai created his Third Eye and sent it soaring into the air, then followed Kakashi and the others into the woods. 

The four of them moved through the forest. Besides the sounds of their travel and the occasional chirping of insects, it was eerily quiet. 

"Wait!" Shindai suddenly called out, stopping Kakashi, Obito, and Rin. 

The three of them immediately froze. 

Kakashi asked gravely, "What is it, Shindai? Is there something wrong?" 

Shindai pressed his left eye, carefully examining the images transmitted from the Third Eye. "Something's up. On a tree trunk far to our left. I can't see anyone, but I saw a shadow. It looks a lot like a person's shadow." 

"Can you confirm it?" Kakashi asked. 

Shindai's expression was serious. "That spot's tricky. It's full of leaves. If my Third Eye wants to see clearly, it'll have to go through the leaves, which would put it really close to them. We might get discovered. Should I confirm?" 

Kakashi thought for a moment before replying, "Don't confirm it just yet. Let's pretend nothing's wrong and keep moving. If that shadow really belongs to an enemy, they'll have to move too when we do. That way, we can confirm without alerting them." 

"If they really are enemies, there's a high chance our surroundings are already crawling with enemy ninja. Get ready to fight!" 

Shindai, Obito, and Rin nodded. 

Kakashi pulled out a map, pretending to check their bearings, and then continued forward. 

As they moved, Shindai confirmed his suspicions and told Kakashi, "It's definitely enemies. I saw their Hidden Stone headbands. I've found four so far, but there might be more I haven't spotted. They're slowly getting closer to us. They're probably going to make their move any second!" 

Kakashi gave orders. "Slow down and prepare for battle. When the fight starts, hand all the scrolls over to Rin. Rin, take the scrolls and hide immediately!" 

"Understood!" Rin replied. 

The four of them continued to advance, each of them feeling tense because a fight was imminent. 

Shindai kept calling out their positions. 

"They're 500 meters from us." 

"300 meters from us, and I've found another one. That makes five Hidden Stone ninja now." 

"Only 200 meters left!" 

When Kakashi heard "200 meters left," he barked, "Move!" 

Kakashi threw three smoke bombs, engulfing all four of them in smoke. While hidden, Shindai, Kakashi, and Obito handed their scrolls to Rin, who immediately hid in a patch of grass. 

The hidden Hidden Stone ninja immediately realized Shindai and the others had spotted them and started throwing kunai and shuriken into the smoke. However, Shindai, Kakashi, and Obito were long gone from the smoke. 

Kakashi appeared behind a Hidden Stone ninja like a ghost, drawing his short blade and cleanly slitting the enemy's throat. 

Shindai had already summoned Kanna. Kanna's right hand extended a ninja blade, piercing directly through another Hidden Stone ninja from behind. 

Obito, whose strength had increased tremendously, stood on a high tree branch, rapidly weaving hand signs. 

"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!" 

After forming the hand signs, Obito unleashed a powerful, straight-line flame jutsu that was top-notch in both speed and destructive power. The flames struck another Hidden Stone ninja, breaking his bones and setting him ablaze, burning him to death. 

The Hidden Stone ninja, who had intended to ambush them, were instead ambushed by Kakashi, Shindai, and Obito, losing three members instantly. 

They initially thought the battle was decided, with only two Hidden Stone ninja left, which should be easy to deal with. But then, three more Hidden Stone ninja emerged from underground. This was an eight-man Hidden Stone squad, and the leader was a full-fledged Jonin. Even after they had ambushed and killed three of them, five remained. 

There were no Genin among the Hidden Stone ninja here; only Jonin and Chunin. Their objective was to intercept supplies and kill the Leaf ninja transporting them. 

"Earth Style: Stone Spear!" 

Two Hidden Stone ninja simultaneously performed the same Earth Style jutsu. The ground below them transformed into numerous sharp, rock-like spears, which were then hurled at Kakashi. 

Kakashi immediately used the Body Flicker Jutsu to dodge, as the sharp rock spears pierced through tree trunks. 

The Hidden Stone Jonin, meanwhile, had set his sights on Shindai and charged at him. Shindai, unaware that his opponent was a Jonin, controlled Kanna to charge back at the Hidden Stone Jonin, wielding the ninja blade and slashing at him. 

"Earth Style: Rock Fist!" 

The Hidden Stone Jonin's fist was covered in a layer of rock as he slammed it into Kanna's ninja blade. The Hidden Stone Jonin was perfectly fine, but Kanna was sent flying. Thankfully, Shindai's chakra strings were attached to Kanna; otherwise, who knows where it would have gone. 

Meanwhile, Kakashi and Obito were each being pursued by two Hidden Stone ninja. 

Shindai continued to operate Kanna, opening its mechanisms. 

"Kanna: Needle Rain!" 

Kanna's chest opened up, firing a massive number of senbon needles at the Hidden Stone Jonin. 

The Hidden Stone Jonin used Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall, raising a mud wall that blocked all the senbon Kanna fired. After blocking the senbon, the Hidden Stone Jonin began to weave hand signs again. 

"Earth Style: Earth Movement Core!" 

The ground beneath Shindai plummeted, forming a deep pit, and Shindai fell straight down. The Hidden Stone Jonin's attack wasn't over yet. 

"Earth Style: Earth Rising Spikes!" 

Countless sharp rocks erupted from the bottom of the deep pit. Shindai, still falling, felt his scalp tingle. If he hit those, he'd be pierced through and through. The surrounding rock walls were also incredibly smooth, giving him no place to grab onto and stop his fall. 

Shindai immediately began weaving hand signs at lightning speed. 

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wings!" 

The iron sand within Kanna rapidly gathered on Shindai's shoulders, forming a pair of wings. Shindai flapped his wings and flew out of the deep pit, hovering in mid-air. 

The Hidden Stone Jonin looked at the iron sand wings on Shindai's back, his eyes becoming incredibly menacing. 

"So, you're the Magnet Release ninja who helped the Leaf ambush and kill the Hidden Sand's Kazekage, then framed us for it!" 

--- 

Chapter 85: Stacking Up Rage Points 

The Stone ninja Jonin saw Shindai's Sand Iron wings and immediately recognized him as that traitor from the Sand Village, the jerk who had framed their Stone Village. 

Although Onoki and the higher-ups in the Stone Village knew that this was a rumor deliberately spread by the Sand Village, that knowledge was limited to them. 

Apart from those at the top, everyone else believed it to be true. 

After all, if it wasn't true, then why would their Tsuchikage have collaborated with the Sand Village to attack the Leaf Village in the first place? 

Hearing the Stone ninja Jonin's words, Shindai's face instantly darkened. 

Shindai retorted angrily, "What kinda crap are you spouting?! Traitor?! Framing?! You bunch of blockheads were fooled by those Sand Village bastards and didn't even realize it!" 

The Stone ninja Jonin was now radiating killing intent. "Fooled? Ha! You're fighting for the Leaf, and you're still trying to weasel your way out of it. The people of the Sand Village are truly shameless!" 

Shindai was so choked by the Stone ninja Jonin's words that he couldn't even speak. 

Now that he was working for the Leaf, those rumors, in the eyes of these uninformed people, had become the truth. 

Shindai felt like he had swallowed a fly, utterly stifled. 

The Stone ninja Jonin glared at Shindai with hateful eyes. "Boy, remember my name before you die! I'm Pakuto Ki, a Jonin from the Stone Village!" 

Shindai looked at Pakuto Ki in shock. A Jonin?! 

No wonder the pressure he had felt earlier was so immense. 

Shindai glanced at Kakashi and Obito. 

Kakashi, facing two Stone ninja, seemed evenly matched. He wasn't at a disadvantage, but he also couldn't take them down quickly. 

Obito was also facing two Stone ninja, but he was mostly being chased around, finding it hard to counterattack. However, Obito's speed was quite impressive, and the two Stone ninja couldn't catch up to him for the time being. 

It seemed like those four Stone ninja were probably around Chunin level. Neither Kakashi nor Obito could provide him with timely support. 

That meant Shindai had to face this Stone ninja Jonin, Pakuto Ki, alone. 

Crap... I kinda want to bail. 

Shindai looked at Pakuto Ki with a troubled expression and said to him, "Hey, call me a traitor one more time!" 

Pakuto Ki was taken aback. Who would be so low? 

Shindai provoked him, "What's wrong? You scared?" 

Pakuto Ki sneered. "Scared? Brat, do traitors actually feel a sense of honor? Even though I'm not a Sand Village ninja, scum like you who betray their Kage and their village deserve to die!" 

Shindai took a deep breath. Yes! That did it! His rage meter was almost full. 

Now Shindai wasn't thinking about running anymore; he wanted to take this guy down. 

Shindai had made Pakuto Ki call him a traitor precisely to build up his rage points. 

Shindai knew his own limitations. If his anger wasn't high enough, he would probably run away if he couldn't win the fight. 

With his rage meter overflowing, Shindai roared, "Me, a traitor?! The Sand Village is the one that betrayed me! You rock-brained idiots deserve to be used as pawns!" 

Shindai violently flapped his Sand Iron wings, and from the center of the wings, countless Sand Iron feathers shot out, relentlessly sweeping towards Pakuto Ki from all directions. 

"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!" 

This time, Pakuto Ki erected five earth walls, surrounding himself to block Shindai's Sand Iron feathers. 

After Shindai's Sand Iron feathers stopped, there was no movement from behind the earth walls. 

Shindai frowned, feeling that something was off. 

"Magnet Release: Sand Iron Triple-Prism!" 

Shindai used his Sand Iron to create a triple-prism and hurled it towards the earth walls. 

The earth walls shattered with a loud crash, but Pakuto Ki wasn't inside. 

Shindai's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly sensed movement behind him. 

Turning his head, he saw Pakuto Ki making hand signs, his fist the size of a cooking pot, slamming down towards Shindai. 

"Earth Style: Added Weight Rock Technique!" 

Pakuto Ki increased the weight of the rock covering his fist, aiming to enhance its destructive power. 

Shindai quickly formed hand signs. "Magnet Release: Sand Iron Wall!" 

Shindai transformed the Sand Iron wings on his back into a sturdy wall, blocking Pakuto Ki's fist. 

The hard Sand Iron wall was forcibly smashed with a large hole by Pakuto Ki's fist, but it successfully stopped his attack. 

Because the Sand Iron wings on his back had turned into a Sand Iron wall, Shindai began to fall from mid-air. 

Shindai wanted to transform the Sand Iron back into wings so he could continue flying. 

On the ground, he definitely wouldn't be a match for Pakuto Ki, who specialized in Earth Style ninjutsu. In the air, as long as he was careful of Pakuto Ki's sudden attacks, he would have a slight advantage. 

However, to Shindai's surprise, his Sand Iron didn't respond to his control and fell straight to the ground. 

Shindai was completely dumbfounded by this sight. 

But he quickly realized why this was happening. 

It was because of Pakuto Ki's Earth Style: Added Weight Rock Technique. 

After Pakuto Ki punched the Sand Iron wall, he used the Earth Style: Added Weight Rock Technique, greatly increasing the weight of the Sand Iron, which caused it to become unresponsive to Shindai's control. 

Moreover, Pakuto Ki's own weight was now considerable, causing him to fall much faster than Shindai. He landed on the ground first and had already begun forming hand signs. 

If Shindai fell to the ground like this, it would be a disaster. 

Shindai manipulated Kannazuki to rush towards Pakuto Ki, who was in the middle of forming hand signs. 

"Kannazuki: Blade Whirlwind!" 

Blades popped out from all the joints on Kannazuki's body, relentlessly slashing towards Pakuto Ki like a storm. 

Pakuto Ki was forced to interrupt his hand signs, defending against Kannazuki's fierce offensive. 

The portion of Sand Iron stored within Kannazuki was filled with Shindai's chakra, so Shindai could control it effortlessly. 

Now that this part of the Sand Iron had increased weight, Shindai couldn't control it, significantly reducing his combat power. 

Shindai controlled Kannazuki to attack Pakuto Ki. If Shindai wanted to form hand signs now, he would have to stop controlling Kannazuki. 

But stopping the control of Kannazuki to perform Magnet Release ninjutsu would allow Pakuto Ki to either evade or interrupt his hand signs, and it would also leave Kannazuki vulnerable to Pakuto Ki's attacks, potentially destroying it. 

Shindai narrowed his eyes. Well then, it was time to test the results of his training! 

As Shindai controlled Kannazuki to attack, Kannazuki's two pairs of eyes suddenly lit up, emitting a faint red glow. 

Shindai had activated Kannazuki's automatic target acquisition and attack system. 

Kannazuki's two eyes were cameras, locking onto Pakuto Ki and continuously attacking him with pre-set attack patterns. 

However, it still had many weaknesses. Currently, it could only lock onto targets within its field of vision. If the opponent suddenly disappeared from view, Kannazuki would just stand there blankly. 

Also, because it used pre-set attack patterns, Kannazuki couldn't adapt its moves at all. Furthermore, with such intense attacks, the battery might only last for a minute. 

But that was enough time to form a hand sign. 

After falling to the ground, Shindai pressed his hands, which were forming a hand sign, onto the ground. 

"Magnet Release! Sand Iron Tsunami!" 

Shindai poured his chakra into the ground, manipulating the iron contained within the earth to rise up, creating a wave of Sand Iron like a tsunami, continuously rolling and surging towards Pakuto Ki.