056 Reborn as the Third Kazekage

As the former leader of the militant faction in Kirigakure, Reno Shimizu was no reckless hothead who panicked at the first sign of trouble. Nor was he a muscle-bound brute who let his fists do the thinking. A tactician at heart, he recognized a classic trap: the strategy of leaving one route open to bait an ambush. Without hesitation, he concluded that the western foothills were a death trap.

Thus, instead of fleeing in a disorganized rush with the rest, he quietly gathered four trusted subordinates and concealed themselves in the shadows, observing the battlefield.

Sure enough, within moments, firelight flared from deep within the dense forest ahead. The sharp crackle of exploding tags shattered the night, followed by the clang of clashing weapons, the roar of jutsu, the splintering of trees, and the agonized screams of men. Though the cacophony seemed to drift farther away, the intensity only grew, signaling the chaos of battle unfolding in layers.

"We can't go that way! The entire route is trapped. Whoever set this up is a master strategist—staggered ambushes, layered defenses… It's safe to assume this entire area is rigged. There's no way the five of us can break through."

Reno tightened the bandages around his wounds, ensuring no blood trails would give away their position. After a brief moment of contemplation, he pointed toward the left side of the forest.

"We take this way."

"But... there's no path that way," one of the younger shinobi hesitated, earning sharp glares from the others. Another smacked him over the head, making it clear that questioning their leader was not acceptable.

Reno, however, remained unfazed.

"Exactly. Because there's no path, no one will expect us to take it. Don't worry—I've been stationed here for nearly three years. I know every tree, every rock. Beyond this thicket, there's a narrow game trail carved out by wildlife. It's just enough for the five of us to pass through unnoticed."

With that, he leaped onto a tree branch.

"Be cautious. Konoha may have set traps. We'll advance in turns, keeping distance, and minimize traces. I'll go first."

With a second leap, he vanished deeper into the canopy. His four men quickly followed without further hesitation.

Once I get out of here and regroup with the others… Konoha, I swear I'll make you pay for this! Reno clenched his fists, his mind burning with vengeance.

...

"They're really going at it over there, huh?" Daichi muttered, listening to the distant clash of battle.

"Yeah, meanwhile, we're stuck here with nothing. Feels like we're wasting our time. If I knew it'd be this dull, I'd have stayed in the village and let my master teach me a few new moves," Hidan grumbled.

"Idiot, your master is here too. He's at the forward command post."

"Oh, right!"

"Both of you, shut up," Akasuna Hideki snapped. The two instantly fell silent.

Something wasn't right.

"Suzuya, did you set the tripwires?"

"Yeah. If anyone comes this way—"

Before he could finish, a sudden rustling in the trees sent birds scattering into the night sky.

That was the signal.

Birds don't fly at night unless they've been startled—and this was close.

"They're here!" Hideki tensed, slipping into combat stance. The three younger shinobi quickly abandoned their chatter and focused on the treeline ahead.

The sound of leaves shifting and branches snapping grew louder. Moments later, a figure stumbled into the moonlit clearing—a shinobi wearing a Kirigakure forehead protector. Then another. And another.

Hideki didn't attack immediately. Instead, she remained still, silently counting.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Five of them. No more. No less.

"Suzuya! Signal! Hidan, Daichi! Plan Three!" Hideki commanded.

A streak of green light shot into the sky.

Reno's head snapped upward.

"Damn it! Ambush! Scatter!"

The Kirigakure shinobi instinctively tried to break formation—but it was too late.

From the shadows, six puppets emerged.

Two blocked the front.

Two cut off the rear.

Two flanked the sides.

Meanwhile, Hidan and Daichi took positions at the northeast and northwest corners, sealing off any escape routes. Only Hideki and Suzuya remained hidden, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Outnumbered but uncertain of their opponents' abilities, Hideki opted to hold position and stall for reinforcements rather than risk an immediate assault.

"A puppeteer?! Sunagakure..."

Reno drew his sword, eyes scanning the situation.

Two brats. Not the puppeteers.

Six puppets.

That meant one or two hidden controllers.

"Stay calm! That signal was a distress call—they're expecting backup. There are only two visible enemies, and just one puppeteer. If we take them down quickly, we can break through! Follow me!"

Blade in hand, Reno charged straight at Daichi—the shortest among them.

Daichi smirked and flipped backward.

"Boil Release!"

A thick, acidic fog erupted from his mouth, hissing as it scorched the grass. The Kirigakure shinobi dodged instinctively. One burly ninja surged forward.

"Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"

A massive surge of water roared forth, swallowing Daichi's mist and sweeping toward him.

Before it could reach him, a golden-armored puppet stepped into the torrent, its legs rooted like an ancient tree, unaffected by the raging current. Daichi landed gracefully on its shoulder, flicking kunai at the advancing enemy.

A Kirigakure shinobi batted them away with his sword—only for a massive staff to come crashing down from above. He tried to dodge, but a crystalline dragon wrapped around his legs, locking him in place.

"Aaaah!"

The staff smashed down, splitting his skull instantly.

"There's another one?!" Reno's gaze darted around, his instincts screaming.

"No time! Hold your breath! Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"

Reno spewed forth a tremendous sphere of water, expanding rapidly and engulfing the battlefield in a massive aquatic dome. It grew with terrifying speed, swallowing even the hidden Hideki and Suzuya.

At the dome's center, Reno's sharp eyes tracked the rising air bubbles.

There!

"Water Release: Five Feeding Sharks!"

Five enormous water sharks burst forth, streaking toward Hideki and Suzuya's hiding spots.

Hideki cursed under her breath.

I was trying to catch a small fish—why the hell did I reel in a damn sea monster?!

Puppeteers had a well-known weakness—their own combat skills often lagged behind their creations. Unlike monsters like Chiyo or Sasori, most were vulnerable without their puppets.

Normally, Hideki kept one for self-defense. But with so many enemies, she'd deployed them all to support her team.

And now, the enemy was coming straight for him.

Before the sharks could reach them, five crystalline dragons roared forth, colliding head-on.

Suzuya's Crystal Release had arrived.