Chapter 74 CHAPTER 74
"Protect Commander-in-Chief Sarutobi!!"
A loud shout suddenly echoed through the ruins of the camp.
The owner of that voice was none other than...
Guy himself!
The shout was both urgent and loud enough for many people across the battlefield to hear clearly.
The Konoha shinobi were stunned.
That exiled Might Guy was actually trying to protect Sarutobi Sosuke, the very man who publicly humiliated him?
The Sunagakure shinobi were also startled.
As expected!
The commander of Mount Kikyo truly possessed the support of his people!
Even three children were willing to risk their lives for him!
Pakura's expression changed slightly as well.
She suddenly remembered that standing before her were not merely three bratty Genin like Guy.
There was also the supreme commander of the Konoha camp.
Sarutobi Sosuke himself.
Sarutobi Sosuke was even more stunned.
He never expected Guy to say such words at such a critical moment.
He clutched the wound where his arm had been severed.
Whether due to pain or emotion, tears and mucus completely covered his face.
At the moment he heard Guy's shout, an indescribable feeling rose within his heart.
"I publicly called him a coward and a deserter."
"And in this kind of desperate situation, he's still willing to protect me?"
Sarutobi Sosuke suddenly felt his throat tighten.
He wanted to say something.
But his trembling lips could not produce a single sound.
However, in the very next second.
Guy, Ebisu, and Genma all jumped simultaneously.
But they did not jump in front of him.
Instead, they landed behind him!
Sarutobi Sosuke's expression changed dramatically.
Wait!
What kind of protection was this supposed to be?!
They had clearly shoved him to the very front!
This looked more like they wanted him to shield them instead!
Sarutobi Sosuke nearly coughed up blood from anger.
Even Pakura, who had been preparing to attack again, raised an eyebrow after seeing this bizarre scene.
She found the behavior of these Konoha brats completely incomprehensible.
"Was this Sarutobi Sosuke's order?"
"At a time like this, is he still trying to protect Konoha's so called young leaves?"
"What a ridiculous Will of Fire."
Pakura did not continue thinking deeply about it.
At this moment, Sarutobi Sosuke, the so called supreme commander, was fully exposed before her eyes.
His entire body was practically defenseless.
She remembered how she had failed to capture him alive earlier and failed Rasa's order to bring him back.
Her heart immediately tightened.
She had already noticed the dissatisfaction in Lord Rasa's eyes moments ago.
"Perfect. I'll simply kill this commander and make up for my earlier failure."
Pakura's gaze gradually settled onto Sarutobi Sosuke.
She was extremely confident she could kill him.
From everything she observed, Sarutobi Sosuke's strength was pitifully weak.
Although the intelligence described him as a Jonin, whether it was his panic before the Gold Dust Wave or his miserable screaming after being grazed by Scorch Release...
...he had never displayed the strength expected from a Jonin.
"He probably became a Special Jonin because of his Sarutobi Clan background and his talent for strategic theory."
Pakura instantly reached a conclusion while a cruel smile appeared on her lips.
This type of Jonin was the easiest to kill.
Her fingertips twitched slightly.
The three fireballs floating around her adjusted their angles simultaneously and aimed directly toward Sarutobi Sosuke's head.
Facing Pakura's gaze, Sarutobi Sosuke completely panicked.
His survival instinct screamed at him to do only one thing.
Turn around and run.
The farther away, the better.
The farther from this terrifying woman, the better.
"If you dare run, I'll kill you right now."
Guy's cold voice suddenly rang out behind him like iron nails hammered into his spine.
Sarutobi Sosuke immediately became furious and instinctively wanted to turn around and shout, "You dare?!"
But what he met instead were Guy's bloodshot eyes.
There was no impulsiveness in those eyes.
No hot blooded passion.
None of the emotions that should belong to a young boy.
Only cold and icy determination.
And it wasn't only Guy.
Ebisu and Genma beside him were also staring at him with equally cold eyes.
Three gazes.
Like three sharp blades pressed directly against his back.
Sarutobi Sosuke suddenly became afraid.
He knew Guy was not joking.
This brat had stood before a thousand people while being publicly branded a coward and deserter, yet never shed a single tear from beginning to end.
This brat had guarded the Mountain Ridge alone for sixty eight days while killing four separate waves of Iwagakure scouts.
This brat had dared to seize the command whistle in front of everyone at only nine years old.
He was someone who feared nothing beneath heaven.
A little madman.
If Sarutobi Sosuke truly turned around and fled while exposing his back to them...
...Guy would genuinely attack him.
Whether he had the strength to kill him or not did not matter.
He would absolutely do it.
Looking into Guy's eyes, Sarutobi Sosuke became completely certain of that fact.
His legs suddenly weakened.
Not because of pain.
But because of fear.
Then Guy lowered his voice and rapidly whispered words that only the four of them could hear.
"Don't panic."
"If we attack together, it's not like we have zero chance of killing her."
"Don't forget. You're also a Jonin."
Sarutobi Sosuke's expression instantly became extremely complicated.
His heart filled with bitterness.
Was he a Jonin?
Technically, yes.
But exactly as Pakura guessed, he was only a Special Jonin.
Specialized in clan status and strategic theory.
Specialized in being assigned to this supposedly safe camp in order to build his credentials.
His true combat ability merely stood above ordinary Chunin while still below actual Jonin.
He might even lose against elite Chunin.
And now he had even lost an arm.
Meanwhile, what about the enemy?
She was an elite Sunagakure Jonin.
A possessor of the special Bloodline Limit, Scorch Release.
One touch meant death.
A terrifying existence capable of drying flesh instantly upon contact.
How were they supposed to fight someone like that?
Sarutobi Sosuke wanted to speak.
But the words remained stuck in his throat.
Because once again, he met the gazes of Guy, Ebisu, and Genma.
There was no questioning in those eyes.
No room for negotiation.
Only determination so dense it almost solidified into substance.
Three words suddenly surfaced within Sarutobi Sosuke's mind.
Those three words pressed down heavily on his chest until he could barely breathe.
Fight with our lives.
That's right.
Guy, Ebisu, and Genma did not say another word.
But their attitudes had already explained everything.
There was no retreat left.
Behind them was Choza, locked in a desperate battle against Rasa, along with the chaotic battlefield.
Ahead of them stood Pakura, overflowing with killing intent.
The only remaining option was to attack together.
To gamble with their lives.
To bet everything on that single slim possibility of survival.
Pakura watched the strange whispering and confrontation among the four Konoha shinobi.
Although she did not understand what they were planning, her killing intent had already been decided.
"If I don't kill Sarutobi Sosuke, he will definitely risk his life protecting those Konoha brats."
"In that case, I'll kill him first."
Pakura no longer hesitated.
Three Scorch Release fireballs materialized around her once again.
Each was only fist sized and appeared ordinary on the surface.
But they radiated fatal heat.
"Scorch Release: Great Steam Murder!!"
Pakura gave a low shout while thrusting both hands forward.
The three fireballs shot out with piercing whistles.
They formed a triangular formation that sealed every possible escape route around Sarutobi Sosuke.
One targeted his head.
One targeted his chest.
One targeted the shoulder of his severed arm.
Fast.
Precise.
Merciless.
The deadly orange glow rapidly expanded within Sarutobi Sosuke's pupils.
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