Hinata assumed the Gentle Fist stance, the blood vessels around her eyes bulging, making her expression look slightly ferocious.
"Leave this to me."
Her voice was weak but filled with determination.
"Sorry."
Kiba felt somewhat defeated.
He never imagined he would encounter an enemy capable of eliminating his sense of smell.
With his vision also deprived, he immediately lost most of his combat ability.
At this moment, he was indeed unsuitable for fighting.
He had to retreat outside the range of the mist to ensure his own safety.
But doing so would mean leaving Hinata alone to face four enemies here.
If he stayed, however, he couldn't be of any use.
All he could do now was immediately find Takumi and help him deal with the enemy holding him up.
As for Takumi,
He was indeed surprised when Gozu initially pounced on him.
But soon, he punched Gozu flying with one blow.
What surprised him, though, was that Gozu, despite being sent flying, quickly got up as if nothing had happened and charged again.
He hadn't wanted to kill Gozu earlier, so he deliberately held back to seventy percent power. He didn't expect Gozu to be surprisingly tough.
After two more punches at fifty percent power, Gozu finally lost consciousness.
But Takumi estimated that with Gozu's toughness, he probably wouldn't be unconscious for long.
Moreover, he was more worried about Hinata's situation.
He could already see the pervasive mist spreading; the enemy also had someone capable of eliminating scent.
Kiba was probably helpless by now, with only Hinata relying on her Byakugan to fight the enemy.
But she was outnumbered, and the enemies were stronger than her.
He had to get there immediately to rescue her.
"Considering your loyalty to Guren, I'll spare your life."
Takumi looked down at the unconscious Gozu, then his figure flickered and disappeared from the spot.
He rushed towards the mist at top speed.
Just at that moment, Kiba emerged from the mist.
Turning his head, he saw a figure flash past him.
He abruptly turned and reached out, but the figure was already far away.
"Since Takumi dared to go in, he must be confident enough."
Kiba said this to comfort himself.
But he gritted his teeth, feeling a surge of unwillingness churning in his chest.
Kiba admitted that among their peers, Takumi was extremely outstanding.
While they were still only Genin, Takumi had already become a hero of the village, an Elite Jonin.
Even in the Inuzuka Clan, there weren't many Elite Jonin.
He knew Takumi's achievements wouldn't stop there.
Takumi would likely become the next, or the one after next, Hokage.
Even someone like him, who had only been a Genin for less than a year, understood this.
Most people in the village also understood this.
His unwillingness stemmed from the fact that compared to Takumi, the gap was just too vast.
They were the same age...
It wasn't jealousy he felt.
He was just a bit dejected.
Especially during this mission.
When tracking, the enemy could eliminate scents, rendering his tracking ability completely useless.
When confronting the enemy, they not only eliminated scents but also obscured his vision, leaving him utterly defenseless.
If Hinata hadn't saved him, he would have been seriously injured by that attack just now.
'No, now is not the time to dwell on this.'
Kiba shook his head vigorously, throwing all sorts of thoughts out of his mind.
Takumi might have his own plans.
But he hadn't yet informed Takumi about the enemy's situation. Even though Takumi was very strong, he might still get caught in the enemy's trap and be injured.
He had to find another way to help Hinata, trapped inside, and Takumi, who had rushed in.
Even if he probably couldn't do anything,
It was still better than standing here doing nothing.
"Akamaru, let's go!"
"Woof!"
The two quickly circled the mist, looking for possible weaknesses.
Unfortunately, his sense of smell hadn't recovered yet, or perhaps this area was still within the range of the enemy's ability.
His once-prized sense of smell was now completely useless.
"Wait, how did they see us?"
A sudden doubt arose in Kiba's mind.
He had lost his sense of smell and vision.
Even assuming the enemy hadn't lost their sense of smell, this thick mist should still obscure their field of vision.
So how could the enemy accurately know his position under these circumstances?
Doubts filled Kiba's mind.
…
Despite her brave words about leaving this to her,
Hinata was very nervous at this moment.
Her Byakugan allowed her to see the enemy through the thick mist.
But the enemy could also see her position through means she didn't understand.
She held no advantage; in fact, she was at a severe disadvantage.
In terms of strength, she was completely no match for that strange guy.
Moreover, he was accustomed to fighting under these conditions, while she, honestly speaking, was not particularly used to it.
After just a brief exchange, she knew she was definitely no match for him.
His body was just too bizarre.
Although she could see his Chakra Points, his body could extend, causing the points to shift constantly.
This greatly diminished the effectiveness of her Gentle Fist.
And his bizarre body made her unable to cope.
In terms of combat experience, there was simply too much difference between her and him.
Slap! Slap!
Slap! Slap!
The exchange of fists and palms produced crisp sounds.
Hinata's steps continuously retreated, while his figure moved around her like a phantom.
Bang!
Finally, a punch from an awkward angle struck her abdomen, sending her flying.
"Ugh!"
Hinata slammed hard into a tree, letting out a muffled grunt.
"Weren't you quite brave just now?"
Nurari said with a hint of arrogance, slowly approaching Hinata.
Although they were only a step apart, the thick mist still prevented them from seeing each other's forms.
But for both of them, this didn't hinder their vision.
"A little girl who likes to show off, die here."
Nurari raised his fist and then fiercely swung it out.
His entire arm instantly extended, like a thick, long whip, seemingly about to strike Hinata.
Smack!
A crisp sound was heard, but there was no expected scream.
"What's going on?"
Nurari tugged hard at his arm, but couldn't pull it back. "Who are you?"
His arm was grabbed by someone.
Seeing the person's face, Nurari was stunned. "Weren't you taken by..."
The newcomer was Takumi.
Although his vision was obscured by the mist, with his Observation Haki, it didn't affect him even with his eyes closed.
He had just rushed into the mist when he heard Hinata's muffled grunt.
Without a second thought, he immediately rushed towards Hinata's location.
Arriving at the critical moment, he blocked the enemy's attack.
Just then, the wrist he was holding suddenly turned into a puddle of water, slipping free from his grasp.
"Takumi-kun!"
Hinata opened her eyes and saw Takumi in front of her, her heart immediately filled with joy. "Thank goodness, you're okay!"
"Silly girl."
Takumi shook his head. "And now you still have the heart to worry about me? You're the one hurt worse."
"I'm okay."
Hinata's face flushed red as she spoke.