Inside the cave, Haruto Saito suddenly opened his eyes, his brows furrowing slightly!
He sensed a presence suddenly appearing within his perception range. This person must have mastered a unique stealth technique, making it so that even Haruto's keen perception could only detect a vague trace.
The presence was extremely elusive, very unstable... but not because the person was unstable—it was because their ability to conceal their aura was too strong, making Haruto's perception of them inconsistent.
"Damn, it's an expert!" Haruto pushed his sensory ability to the limit, carefully detecting. "But, Master Jiraiya is outside. If it's just one person, it shouldn't be a problem... right...?"
Suddenly, Haruto's eyes widened.
Because that presence had vanished!
After a brief tremor, it disappeared into thin air, and Haruto could no longer sense it.
He abruptly flipped over and stood up, crouching beside a stalactite to look outside. He forcefully expanded his perception, his mind highly focused—yet he still found nothing.
It was truly gone!
Haruto's expression changed slightly. He turned his head to glance at Tsunade, who was sleeping soundly. Due to her previous exhaustion, she needed a longer rest—two hours alone wouldn't be enough.
Confirming that Tsunade wouldn't wake up, Haruto's body became shrouded in black mist as he clasped his hands together.
Byakugan, activate!
The world before his eyes turned into a grayscale vision, with his sight penetrating layers upon layers of obstacles. His vision zoomed in rapidly as he scanned the forest outside.
Found it!
He found it immediately!
Because that person was standing right beneath the large tree where Jiraiya was stationed. However, their body appeared distorted, like an unstable mirage—clearly utilizing some secret technique. This must have been how they blocked Haruto's sensory perception.
Raindrops landed on them, also twisting in shape, making no discernible sound.
"Damn it!" Haruto's eyes widened to the extreme. "Teridou!"
It was Teridou!
That bastard was standing under the tree, staring up at Jiraiya, who was crouching on a branch above, completely motionless. Meanwhile, Jiraiya had no awareness of Teridou's presence. Despite being so close, he remained oblivious, still scanning the surroundings with his binoculars.
A chilling sensation crept through Haruto's entire body!
Teridou just stood there, watching Jiraiya intently, as if ready to strike at any moment. Jiraiya only needed to glance downward to see Teridou, but there was no reason for him to suddenly look down without cause.
"The number one assassin of the Rain Ninja..." Haruto recalled this infamous title.
Terrifying beyond belief!
Although Jiraiya's state of mind might not be at its sharpest due to exhaustion, the fact that Teridou managed to position himself right in Jiraiya's blind spot without being noticed already proved his horrifying skill!
Haruto suddenly didn't know what to do!
If he shouted to warn Jiraiya, the noise from inside the cave would draw Jiraiya's attention, but it might also give Teridou an opportunity to strike. Of course, Haruto could also choose to flee—his Black Mist Blink ability would allow him to escape silently without issue.
However, running was not an option!
Tsunade had saved his life multiple times—he owed her!
Teridou stood under the tree, staring at Jiraiya for a while, but did not make a move. That was because he had no absolute confidence in delivering a one-hit kill. Jiraiya seemed unaware only because Teridou hadn't made a move yet.
A warrior of Jiraiya's caliber could instinctively detect sudden danger.
Teridou understood that if he attacked and failed to kill Jiraiya instantly, he would also alert the two people inside the cave. At that point, he would be outnumbered. While the Black Samurai's strength wasn't a concern, Tsunade and Jiraiya together were formidable opponents.
Teridou was confident he could defeat them both—but it would take time. And in a chaotic battle, anything could happen. What if the Black Samurai escaped?
The Black Samurai was the priority—Hanzo wanted the Black Armor!
Teridou knew this very well.
After taking another look at Jiraiya, he withdrew his gaze and turned toward the cave entrance.
Haruto instinctively shrank back but immediately realized something—he could see Teridou because of his Byakugan, but Teridou wouldn't be able to see him back. The cave's natural barriers obstructed vision from the outside.
Peeking out again, Haruto saw Teridou approaching the cave.
His distorted figure moved at a steady pace—neither too fast nor too slow—completely silent. However, he was still visible to the naked eye. If Jiraiya turned around, he would spot Teridou instantly.
This guy's mental resilience was insane!
Despite knowing he could be discovered at any moment, he walked forward with unwavering determination.
"He's coming! He's coming!" Haruto screamed internally, his heart pounding wildly. He knew what he had to do at this moment—shout loudly! That way, Tsunade would wake up, and Jiraiya's attention would be drawn.
But then what?
Tsunade had once said that if she, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru fought Teridou together, their chances of winning would be extremely high—almost a guaranteed victory. But Orochimaru wasn't here now. One person short. And Haruto was self-aware—he couldn't replace Orochimaru's role in the battle.
In this situation... a grim realization struck Haruto—he might just become cannon fodder!
Tsunade and Jiraiya were both incredibly strong. He wasn't!
Thoughts flashed through Haruto's mind like lightning. Teridou was still approaching the cave, his pace limited by the constraints of his stealth technique. Haruto blinked, then quickly retreated behind a stalactite and pounced onto Tsunade.
He unleashed the black mist to its densest form, shrouding not just himself but also Tsunade within it.
Then, he pinched Tsunade's cheek firmly.
Tsunade's eyes snapped open instantly, but Haruto covered her mouth before she could react, whispering urgently into her ear, "Someone's coming to attack us! Shh! Here's what we're going to do..."
...
Teridou stepped into the cave slowly. By this point, Jiraiya, still stationed in the forest outside, could no longer see him. Yet Teridou remained cautious. The moment he entered, he crouched low, moving in a stealthy posture. Using the cover of numerous stalactites, he ensured that even if the two people inside looked out, they wouldn't see him.
The cave was deathly silent.
Teridou crept deeper, showcasing exceptional stealth skills—rolling, leaping, darting forward—all without making a single sound. Exploiting the cave's unique terrain, he took an intricate, indirect path, finally reaching the largest stalactite deep inside.
The cave's layout wasn't ideal for sneaking in—it was too inconvenient, forcing Teridou to take a long, winding route. But since he intended to approach undetected, he had no choice.
Teridou stopped behind the large stalactite. Haruto and Tsunade were seated on the other side of it.
Their slow, steady breathing—faint but discernible—reached his ears.
They were asleep!
Teridou straightened slightly, his distorted form still intact. Step by step, he cautiously moved around the stalactite, becoming even more meticulous with his approach. Finally, he arrived at their side.
Haruto and Tsunade sat leaning against each other, their heads resting together, appearing to be in a deep, peaceful slumber.