Naruto: Chronicles of a Fire Ninja-Chapter 357 - 353: Bait

The desert night air grew heavy with tension as Kiba's warning growl cut through the silence. Ryota's hands tightened into fists as he, along with his companions, smelled the air coming toward them.

"Three of them," he muttered, exchanging glances with Yomi.

"If they are the same ninja who had stopped us during our escape, then they are Special Jonin level ninja. Although they had Jonin level chakra, it was not as stable, and it just barely met the criteria," Yomi said.

"And considering Kaida's clone was fighting them, they shouldn't be in their best condition as well," Ryota said, having sparred with Kaida on many occasions, he had a basic idea of his strength.

Their third teammate, Hiroki, was already breathing heavily from their sustained run. Yomi noticed his condition and made a quick decision.

"We can't outrun them," she said quietly. "Not with our current speed. They were able to catch up to us, even though they started way later than us."

"Then we have to fight," Ryota replied, his voice carrying a strange mix of fear and determination. "Hiroki, how much chakra do you have left?"

The chunin managed a weak smile. "Enough for one last trick, if that's what you're asking."

Yomi nodded, quickly scanning their surroundings. "Those dunes will work. Ryota, you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yeah." He turned to Hiroki. "You up for playing bait?"

"Better than dying while running," Hiroki replied with a grim chuckle. "Just... make it count."

"You are not going to die, so don't say such stuff," Ryota patted Hiroki's shoulder, and getting a nod in reply, they quickly outlined their plan and separated. Hiroki collapsed against a boulder, deliberately making himself visible while Ryota and Yomi concealed themselves behind the dunes, suppressing their chakra signatures.

Seconds later, three Iwa jonin appeared, their bodies showing burns and injuries from their earlier encounter with Kaida's clone. They spotted Hiroki immediately.

"Well, what do we have here?" the lead jonin sneered, approaching the seemingly exhausted chunin. "Where are your friends, boy?"

Hiroki looked up, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. "Left... left me behind. Said I was... slowing them down." He looked like he had given up his hope to live.

"You expect us to believe that?" Another jonin stepped forward, killing intent radiating from his form.

Hiroki's lips curved into a sudden smirk. "No. I expect you to die."

"Earth Style: Earth Bullet Barrage!"

"Lightning Style: Thunder Strike!"

The combined attacks erupted from behind the dunes, catching two of the jonin off-guard. One took several earth bullets to his already injured side, while lightning coursed through another's body, his previous burns amplifying because of the damage.

Even though they had targeted all three of them, one was alert and dodged the bullets at the last second.

The third jonin understood that they may have fallen into a trap, so he reacted instantly. "Earth Style: Piercing Spear!"

A jagged spear of stone shot through Hiroki's chest before he could move. The enemy leader wanted to reduce enemy numbers as much as he could. Hiroki's eyes widened in shock, blood spurting from his mouth. He was also making hand signs to perform an attack, but they were stopped midway.

"Let's meet in hell," he said as he lost his last breath.

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Ryota and Yomi knew they couldn't save him now. Seeing the death of their companion, Ryota's eyes narrowed, fury replacing shock. "Kiba, now!"

"FANG OVER FANG!"

The spinning vortex of claws and fangs caught the third jonin completely by surprise. The technique tore through his defensive earth wall, which he was able to deploy at the last second, and ripped into his flesh, the already weakened ninja unable to fully defend against the savage attack.

The second jonin, still reeling from the lightning attack, tried to form hand signs to help but found himself unable to do so as attacks started coming towards his direction as well. The worst thing for him was that he couldn't sense Yomi's presence. Her training in sensing techniques had taught her not just how to detect others, but how to mask her own presence perfectly.

"Water Style: Raging Waves!"

"Lightning Style: Current!"

The combination technique struck the disoriented jonin from his blind spot, the electrified water short-circuiting his nervous system. He dropped like a stone, his heart stopped by the precise attack.

The last surviving jonin, though injured by the earth bullets, managed to spot an opening after Ryota's Fang Over Fang technique ended. His tantō flashed out, slicing deep into Ryota's leg. Kiba bit into his hand at the last second, stopping him from enlarging the wound any further, while Ryota stumbled but didn't fall. Through gritted teeth, he formed hand signs. "Earth Style: Stone Spear Jutsu!"

The technique mirrored the one that had killed Hiroki, a cruel irony as it pierced through the last jonin's throat.

As the final enemy fell, Yomi rushed to Ryota's side. "Are you all right?"

"It's not deep," he grunted, though the pain in his voice suggested otherwise.

"Yeah, I can see," Yomi said as she quickly applied a field dressing, her hands steady despite the adrenaline still coursing through her body. "We need to move soon, but first..."

They both looked at Hiroki's body. Without words, they moved to him, Ryota pulling out a storage scroll.

"He knew the risks," Yomi said softly as they prepared to seal his body.

"Yeah," Ryota replied, his voice thick, "but it still feels like shit."

Suddenly, Kiba's ears perked up, and a low growl rumbled in his throat. Ryota's head snapped up, his heightened senses detecting new smells approaching them.

"More of them?" Yomi asked, seeing Ryota's sudden behavior.

Ryota didn't say anything. He could tell by smell that this time the enemy team consisted of 4 ninja. If they were all at the same strength as these guys, then their death was certain, and now with his leg injured, there was no chance of running away either.

"Yomi, Kaida said he would only need 12 minutes to arrive here. We have been running for 4 minutes, so please continue running. I will stall for time for you," Ryota said with a completely serious look.