Naruto I Have an Attribute Panel Chapter 214 204: Watcher’s Gambit and the Sole Survivor

The next morning, before dawn, Taiichi jolted awake as a flood of mories slamd into him. His shadow clone watching the Cloud team had just dissolved itself after seeing them break camp and start moving.

He checked the ti—barely 4 a.m. These Cloud bastards were dedicated. Taiichi washed up fast, grabbed a quick bite, left three fresh clones behind, and vanished from his tent in a swirl of leaves.

He reappeared deep in Wind Country territory. In the distance the disguised Cloud caravan was already rolling out. Taiichi kept his distance, tailing them and waiting for the perfect mont to strike.

The Cloud shinobi were getting cocky. They moved openly across the dunes, splitting up and regrouping without any real attempt at stealth. If Sand had still been sending small scouting parties outside the village, these idiots would've been spotted days ago. But luck—or the war—had kept them clear so far.

Taiichi followed them for another full day, watching them swagger through Sand territory like they owned it. Not a single Sand ninja crossed their path. He was starting to wonder if his own luck was just that bad.

On the third evening, everything finally lined up.

Fukuhara, the Sand Jonin leading a four-man team, had just finished a long mission on the coast and was racing back to the village to join the coming war against Leaf. He was pushing hard, eager to get ho and contribute.

As his squad crested a massive dune, they froze.

Down below, nearly twenty shinobi in Cloud colors were gathering, more still trickling in from different directions. Fukuhara didn't need a second look. These weren't rchants. This was a Cloud strike team operating deep in Sand territory.

His three teammates looked to him for orders.

"If it cos to a fight, I'll buy you ti here," Fukuhara said calmly. "Split up and run. Get back to the village and report everything."

He had already accepted he probably wouldn't survive.

The Cloud team spotted the Sand squad at the sa mont. When they confird it was only four enemies, cruel grins spread across their faces.

"Looks like we get a going-away present," one muttered.

Their leader, Shiryu, gave quick orders. "Troy, take half and wipe them out. Kazuda, take the rest and cut off their escape routes. No survivors."

Fukuhara saw the Cloud shinobi move and knew there was no talking his way out of this.

"Run!" he barked at his team, then flashed through hand seals.

Wind Style: Great Sandstorm!

A howling wall of wind and sand exploded toward the Cloud forces, blinding them. While the storm raged, Fukuhara followed up with a barrage of Wind Style: Great Sickle Weasel blades that ripped through the haze.

The Cloud team reacted fast. Thick earth walls shot up, blocking most of the wind blades. Then they split—so charging straight at Fukuhara while the rest sprinted after the three fleeing Sand chunin.

Fukuhara fought desperately, retreating while throwing small wind jutsu to slow them down. But he was a long-range specialist, not a close-quarters brawler. The Cloud Jonin nad Troy toyed with him, casually tossing lightning orbs while his teammates closed in.

On the far side of the fight, Fukuhara's three teammates lasted less than a minute against Kazuda's group. The first Sand chunin died with a Cloud kunai buried in his chest. The second fell seconds later.

Taiichi watched everything through his chakra sensing from a hidden dune. When the second Sand ninja dropped, he smiled.

Ti to move.

He circled wide, pulled off his Leaf headband, and tied on the Sand one he'd prepared. By the ti he was in position, the last of Fukuhara's teammates had been executed.

Taiichi burst from cover at full speed, roaring in a rough Sand accent.

"Cloud scum! Stop right there!"

The Cloud team turned just in ti to see him flash past their last fallen Sand ninja and drive his short blade straight through one of their own Jonin's back.

The Cloud ninja's eyes went wide. He died before he could even scream.

"Son of a bitch!" Kazuda snarled. "Everyone on him!"

Taiichi didn't wait. He flashed through hand seals mid-run.

Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!

A roaring hurricane laced with countless wind blades tore into the Cloud formation. The two closest shinobi were shredded before they could dodge.

The rest scattered, trying to flank him. Taiichi t them head-on, his short blade glowing bright green with wind chakra. Three clean slashes later, three more Cloud ninja were down.

Only Kazuda remained in front of him now.

The Cloud Jonin's face went pale. He backpedaled fast, hurling lightning orbs while screaming for help.

Taiichi answered with Wind Style: Vacuum Bullets—rapid-fire compressed air shots that shredded the lightning orbs and kept coming. Kazuda barely managed to throw up a pathetic earth wall before the bullets punched through it and ripped him apart.

On the other side of the battlefield, the Cloud captain, Shiryu, had been busy finishing off Fukuhara. He drove his kunai into the Sand Jonin's heart just as Taiichi arrived, screaming in fury.

Fukuhara looked up at Taiichi with a weak, bitter smile before his eyes went dark.

Taiichi's rage looked real enough as he flashed through seals.

Wind Style: Vacuum Serial Waves!

A massive, sweeping barrage of wind blades exploded outward, forcing every remaining Cloud ninja to scramble for cover.

"Earth Style users, now!" Shiryu barked.

Eight Cloud shinobi, including the other Jonin nad Troy, slamd their hands to the ground. Thick earth walls rose in layers, barely managing to blunt the wind barrage.

The mont the attack faded, Cloud forces charged from both sides, trying to swarm Taiichi in close combat.

Bad move.

Taiichi's blade flashed green again. He carved through the first wave like they were paper, then spun and unleashed another Great Breakthrough at point-blank range. Four more Cloud ninja flew backward, bodies torn open by wind blades.

The battlefield went dead quiet.

Only nine Cloud shinobi remained alive—including their captain. Two of their Jonin were already dead.

Shiryu's face twisted with fury and fear.

"Scatter! Run! Regroup at point A!" he shouted, hurling a massive lightning net at Taiichi before bolting into the desert.

Taiichi let a few of them escape on purpose. He chased just long enough to kill the slowest stragglers, then stopped, breathing hard and watching the survivors disappear into the dunes.

He needed them alive.

Soone had to carry the news back to Cloud Village—that Sand had just been attacked by a powerful wind-style user wearing their colors.

The real ga was only just beginning.