Naruto : Crimson wood

Everyone returned to their tents to rest.

Renji Takahashi and Shun Hayashi shared a tent, pitched beside Yuna Hoshizaki and Mei Kobayashi's.

"Hey, Renji, are those monsters from the Beast Tamer Department?"

Lying near the tent entrance, Shun spotted several creatures under the moonstone's soft glow.

The monsters were alive, tied securely to nearby trees.

"That's them, most likely."

Renji looked over casually.

They were a few first-level monsters tamed by the Beast Tamer Department during this expedition.

The Beast Tamer Department was a unique specialization.

Unlike fighters or defenders, they didn't wield offensive or defensive powers.

Instead, they relied on spiritual techniques to subdue monsters, turning them into obedient companions and using them in battle.

"I think the Beast Tamer ability is pretty cool. You don't have to fight yourself, and it's low-risk, kinda like the Puppet System."

"Pretty much."

Renji wasn't the least bit envious.

After all, he also had the potential to sign spiritual contracts with monsters.

But what's the point of taming first-level beasts?

If he was going to have spirit beasts, they'd be at least second or third-level monsters—anything lower wasn't worth his time.

"Let's sleep early. We're heading home tomorrow."

Renji stretched, wrapping himself tightly in his blanket.

Sleeping in the wild was miserable.

He didn't want to stay here a second longer than necessary.

"Alright..."

Shun also burrowed into his blanket.

Something's Wrong

Just as Renji closed his eyes, the ground suddenly trembled.

"Shun, did you fart? The whole ground's shaking."

"No way, my farts aren't that powerful!"

But the tremors grew stronger and stronger.

"Wait... something's wrong."

Renji's eyes snapped open.

At that moment, Qingyun, the Executive Department captain, shouted outside like thunder:

"Everyone, wake up and assemble—now!!"

His voice rumbled through the camp, startling everyone awake.

"What's going on?!"

People stumbled out of their tents, groggy and annoyed but unable to disobey Qingyun's orders.

Renji and Shun quickly threw on their gear and ran out.

Outside the camp, Qingyun and the other Executive Department officers were already gathered.

"Hoshikawa, scout the area!" Qingyun ordered.

Hoshikawa nodded, leaped between the trees, and climbed to the highest branch.

With the faint moonlight illuminating the forest, his sharp eyes spotted something terrifying.

In the distance, dust clouds billowed, and countless dark shadows charged forward, flattening trees as they came.

"Beast tide—less than two kilometers away!" Hoshikawa's voice rang out, grave and urgent.

The moment he spoke, the atmosphere froze.

"Beast tide?!"

"Why is there a beast tide here?!"

As the name implied, a beast tide meant tens of thousands of monsters charging together.

Such tides usually only appeared during major wars or when monsters attacked human cities.

Every beast tide was a disaster of death and destruction.

"Teacher Sumiya, evacuate the students! Notify Azure Dragon Academy!" Qingyun barked.

"Yes, sir!"

Professor Shizuka Sumiya's face turned pale but resolute.

"Everyone—retreat immediately! Move!!"

The students panicked but followed Professor Sumiya, fleeing as fast as they could.

But suddenly, from the direction they were retreating, a swarm of creatures erupted from underground.

In the faint moonlight, sharp fangs gleamed as giant rats burst from the earth.

Second-level monsters—Corrupt Rats!

Without anyone noticing, over twenty Corrupt Rats, each the size of a lion, had tunneled under their base and ambushed from behind.

"Squeak!!"

The rats let out piercing shrieks and lunged at the fleeing students!

"Blood Wind, Black Water—attack!" Qingyun shouted coldly.

In a flash, two figures charged forward.

Hayate "Blood Wind" Kuroda, wielding dual daggers, dashed through the rats like a whirlwind, his blades slicing deep wounds and splattering blood everywhere.

"Dark Torrent!"

From beside him, Kurokawa "Black Water", raised a hand.

Dark water surged from the ground, forming countless sharp water arrows that pierced the rats like a storm.

The two of them wiped out nearly half the Corrupt Rats in seconds.

But even more rats kept crawling out from underground.

"There's no escape this way. Professor Sumiya, break out from the left flank!" Kurokawa called calmly, cutting down another rat.

"The beast tide's 1,000 meters away!" Hoshikawa reported, his voice echoing from above.

"Go left!" Qingyun commanded decisively.

"This way!"

Professor Sumiya rallied the group and led them toward the left.

"Fight and retreat at the same time!" Qingyun ordered, following closely.

A Desperate Retreat

Blood Wind and Black Water forced the Corrupt Rats back momentarily, then sprinted to rejoin the main group.

Hoshikawa remained above, tracking the beast tide's movements.

"They're targeting us directly!

Distance: 700 meters... 600 meters...!"

During the retreat, only Hoshikawa's voice cut through the pounding of feet and the terrified breathing of the students.

The forty students were too scared to speak.

All they could do was run for their lives.

"Renji... are we gonna die?"

Shun's voice trembled.

"Shut up, don't jinx it!" Renji snapped.

But deep down, his heart was heavy.

There was no way they could survive a beast tide through strength alone.

If the monsters caught up... they'd all be wiped out.

"Five hundred meters... four hundred meters... three hundred meters!"

The rumble of the approaching beasts was deafening now, shaking their souls.

The four Executive Department officers stayed at the rear of the group.

They could easily outrun the students—but they didn't.

If they abandoned the students now, these kids wouldn't stand a chance.

A Last-Ditch Defense

"Professor Sumiya, about 1,500 meters ahead, there's a defensive formation—the 'Crescent Moon Array.' Its core is built around a huge boulder. You know how to activate it," Qingyun explained quickly.

"I know!" Sumiya nodded firmly.

"Two hundred meters!" Hoshikawa shouted.

"This beast tide is massive. Please protect the students, no matter what happens."

"Understood!"

"One hundred meters!!"

At the exact moment Hoshikawa called out, the four Executive Department officers stopped running.

They turned, weapons drawn, and faced the oncoming beast tide head-on.

"Don't stop! Don't look back!!"

Professor Sumiya's voice rang out, urgent and sharp.

"BOOM!!!"

A thunderous explosion erupted behind them.

Flames lit up the night sky.

The roars of countless monsters filled the air.

No one dared to look back.

They just ran with all their might.

The Stone Forest

In just three minutes, the students finally reached their destination—

a massive, towering stone forest.

Jagged rocks rose like blades from the earth, casting long shadows in the moonlight.

It was their last hope for survival.

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