Naruto: I Became a Sword Saint in Konoha Chapter 64 64: Konoha's Sword Saint [64]

Hoshiyomi's suggestion was unanimously accepted. The group ventured deeper into the forest, searching for prey to serve as dinner.

Before long, Lobo—still perched on Hoshiyomi's shoulder—let out a sharp, urgent bark. Sensing sothing, the others slowed their pace.

Hoshiyomi scratched Lobo under the chin. "Did you sll sothing?"

Lobo barked again, nodding insistently. Though Hoshiyomi could only make out bits of aning, the tone was enough to alert them.

Orochimaru dropped to the ground, listening closely. "Sothing large is approaching—fast."

Hoshiyomi and Sakumo drew their blades—White Fang and Mikazuki—while Jiraiya and Tsunade pulled kunai or molded chakra into hand seals.

Heavy footsteps thundered. Then, a massive figure burst from the trees: a fully grown wild boar charging toward them, its curved tusks gleaming ominously in the sunset.

"Scatter!" Hoshiyomi shouted.

They spread out just in ti. Sakumo and Hoshiyomi surged forward, slashing at the boar's hind legs with brutal precision. Blood erupted as the boar howled in pain and collapsed.

Tsunade and Jiraiya rushed in, aiming for its exposed belly, but the boar kicked wildly. They leapt aside as it attempted to flee.

As it scrambled to its feet, Orochimaru activated Earth Release: Earth Spear—a thick earth spike erupted from beneath the boar, impaling it mid-stride. It squealed briefly before falling still.

Relief swept through the group. They high-fived in celebration of their first successful team effort.

Watching from a distance, Torifu smiled. "Nice work. Even without formal teamwork training, you ca together well—better than back in the day."

Homura offered a curt nod. "It's only because that boar was weak."

Torifu jabbed back: "Okay, Mr. Serious. No wonder you're still single."

Homura's glare made Torifu bite his tongue. Then a distant bark echoed.

"Look," Torifu said, pointing. "Your first scroll—and it's probably the hardest to get."

"Yeah," Homura agreed, "our informant said they rigged this one with a trap."

anwhile, Hoshiyomi and the others were prepping the boar for dinner when Lobo barked again—this ti trembling.

"Co on, Lobo," Jiraiya coaxed. "Don't be a scared little wolf. Look—the boar's dead." But Lobo backed away, fearful, until Hoshiyomi coaxed him close again.

Jiraiya, amused, said, "He's a ninja beast, but he's got more sense than us humans. Why are you stepping back? Is sothing behind ?"

Orochimaru trembled with cold sweat. "Uh… idiot, co here."

Jiraiya froze. "Don't tell sothing's behind ?"

Hoshiyomi nodded. Jiraiya turned pale. "Don't look back—RUN!"

Hoshiyomi flung a chunk of at behind Jiraiya. In that instant, a massive growl reverberated—and a giant brown bear lunged forward, snapping up the at.

Panic seized Jiraiya. Dropping his plate, he darted to join the group. They huddled together before he dared glance back: a towering brown bear—over ten ters long, nearly six ters tall on all fours, dwarfing Lobo—stared at them hungrily, its neck adorned with a scroll marked with the number "3."

The scroll they'd been searching for.

Jiraiya swallowed hard. "That boar… was just a fee for our lives. We have to get that scroll."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "You really want to slug it out with that thing?"

Orochimaru smirked. "No. Look—the bear's stupid. Hoshiyomi lured it with that at. We don't need brute force—we can use our heads."