Around noon, Kakashi signaled for the team to stop and rest in a clearing beside a small stream.
Obito tossed his backpack onto the ground and sprawled across a large rock.
"I'm exhausted. Is that guy deliberately walking that fast?"
"Your stamina is just poor." Kakashi stood by the stream, staring at something in the distance.
"My stamina is great." Obito sprang up from the rock. "Want to have a push-up contest right now? I'll definitely beat you."
"This isn't the time for a contest."
"You're just scared."
Kakashi turned and glanced at him.
"Believe whatever you want."
Rin returned from the stream with water and handed the canteens around.
"Kakashi, where will our route take us this afternoon?"
Kakashi unfolded the map and pointed to an area marked with a red triangle.
"Red Rock Gorge. It lies near the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Grass. The cliffs on both sides are too high, so if we're ambushed there, breaking out from the sides will be difficult."
"An ambush?" Rin looked worried. "Isn't that area still technically inside the Land of Fire?"
"Officially, yes. But Iwagakure reconnaissance teams have been appearing around there frequently lately." Kakashi folded the map. "So everyone stays alert during the afternoon march."
"Understood!"
After a brief rest, the four continued onward.
The closer they came to Red Rock Gorge, the more complicated the terrain became.
The trees on both sides gradually thinned out, replaced by jagged rocks and steep cliffs.
"So this is Red Rock Gorge?" Obito looked up at the towering rock walls. "It doesn't look very impressive."
Kakashi slowed his pace.
"The terrain here is extremely suitable for an ambush."
Even Guy put away his usual passionate smile and carefully scanned the cliffs on both sides.
The group fell silent again, with only the occasional sound of wind coming from the distance.
After walking for a while, Obito couldn't help lowering his voice and asking Rin, "Don't you think Kakashi is being a little too nervous? We're still inside the Land of Fire. No matter how bold Iwa is, they wouldn't dare attack here, right?"
Before he could finish speaking, a sharp whistle came from above the cliffs.
Three kunai with explosive tags attached shot down from above, aimed directly at the four of them.
Kakashi immediately threw his own kunai, striking the descending weapons with perfect accuracy and knocking them off course.
Three explosions erupted on both sides of the group.
Immediately afterward, seven or eight figures leaped down from the cliffs.
"Their supplies are the objective." The leader of the Iwagakure squad stood atop a jutting rock. "Everyone, finish this quickly. Leave no survivors."
Kakashi drew his short blade.
"Engage."
Guy moved first.
Almost the instant the enemy landed, he charged to the front.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
His heel slammed into the blocking arm of the first Iwa ninja with a heavy thud.
Obito formed hand seals as chakra surged through his body.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A fireball roared toward two Iwa ninja. Both hurriedly dodged, but the hem of one man's clothing was still scorched by the flames.
"Nice one, Obito!" Guy shouted.
"Of course! I'm a genius of the Uchiha clan—"
Before he could finish, a kunai sliced past his ear.
"Don't waste words on the battlefield."
Kakashi grabbed Obito by the collar with one hand and yanked him aside, while using the short blade in his other hand to block an Iwa ninja's sneak attack.
The battle ended within only a few minutes.
The Iwagakure reconnaissance squad had never specialized in direct combat to begin with. Once Kakashi's speed shattered their formation, they quickly fell apart.
"Retreat!" the squad leader ordered through gritted teeth before leaping toward the cliff wall.
The remaining Iwa ninja followed, dragging their wounded comrades away and disappearing over the cliffs.
Guy was about to pursue them when Kakashi reached out and stopped him.
"Don't chase them. Our mission is to escort the supplies, not eliminate the enemy."
Guy nodded and stopped.
After confirming that all the enemies had withdrawn, Obito dropped onto the ground and began panting heavily.
"Hah... hah... What was that? An Iwa reconnaissance team is nothing special! They were completely helpless before Lord Obito!"
"Your Great Fireball had decent power." Kakashi walked past him. "But you were positioned too far forward and left your right side exposed. If Guy hadn't been suppressing the left flank, that sneak attack would have hit you."
Obito wanted to argue, but everything Kakashi said was correct.
The feeling of being irritated yet unable to deny him made Obito extremely unhappy.
Kakashi checked the seals on the supply packs and confirmed that nothing had been damaged during the fight.
"Reform the formation. We continue moving."
"Wait." Rin picked up her medical bag. "Let me treat everyone's injuries first. Especially you, Guy. You have a cut on your arm."
"This little scratch is nothing." Guy waved his arm. "The blood of youth will never be stopped by a mere blade wound!"
"If it gets infected, that'll be a problem," Kakashi said calmly from beside him.
Guy froze.
Then he silently walked over to Rin and held out his arm.
Rin took bandages and disinfectant ointment from her medical bag and skillfully cleaned the wound.
"Kakashi, do you think those Iwa ninja will come back?"
"Probably not." Kakashi looked toward the top of the cliffs. "A reconnaissance squad's job is to gather information about routes and enemy forces, not fight battles of annihilation."
"But are we still going to use this route?"
"Taking a detour would cost us another full day." Kakashi put the map back into his ninja tool pouch. "We stay on the original route and increase our pace. We must leave Red Rock Gorge before nightfall."
Rin nodded and packed away her medical supplies.
The four moved between the broken rocks and towering cliffs.
The sun shifted from directly overhead toward the western rock walls, painting the entire gorge a dark red.
"So that's why it's called Red Rock Gorge." Obito looked up at the cliffs dyed crimson by the setting sun. "The rocks turn red."
"That's the color of the minerals," Kakashi's voice came from ahead. "The rocks here contain a lot of iron."
"I didn't ask about the mineral composition."
"Kakashi knows a lot of things." Rin followed behind him with a faint smile.
"Hmph. He's just a quiet know-it-all." Obito adjusted his backpack and quickened his pace.
Guy walked at the rear of the formation.
"Kakashi may not talk much, but the way he led us in driving back the enemy was indeed impressive. I admit he is a very powerful rival."
"Guy, saying things like that will only make him more smug."
"I'm not smug," Kakashi replied calmly.
The setting sun shone against the cliffs of Red Rock Gorge, making the entire canyon look as though it were burning.
Obito followed behind Kakashi, his pace gradually slowing.
Every time he tried to challenge Kakashi, he eventually found himself with nothing left to say.
Flaws in positioning, precision of techniques, judgment of enemy movements...
That guy never yelled at him.
He simply pointed out every fact in that same flat, emotionless tone.
Somehow, that was even more frustrating than being scolded.
"One day, I'm definitely going to surpass him," Obito muttered.
"What did you say?" Rin caught up from behind.
"Nothing."
~~~
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