Madara wastes no time addressing his impromptu teammates as they depart from their base. "Ignore Blondie's orders; we will not follow them."
Before either of his two teammates can object, Madara elaborates, "Think about it, it is unlikely that either team will retrieve a treasure chest in those two hours. Searching for it is a waste of time. The winner of this hunt will be determined by the number of captured enemies, so that is what we are going to do: hunt enemy squads."
Augury blinks, puzzled, but accepts the plan with a shrug. Comeback seems more skeptical but doesn't voice her doubts, reluctantly nodding in agreement after exchanging a glance with her friend.
"Excellent," Madara says dryly. "Now, pay attention. Our team formation is as follows: Augury will initiate fights when we encounter an enemy unless I specify otherwise. Your role is to engage the enemy and ensure you remain uncaptured. If you manage to capture an enemy, that's a bonus, but it is not your primary objective.
Comeback, maintain a safe distance from the fight, use your Boomerangs for support, and avoid getting caught up in the brawl. Focus on aiding Augury. As for me, I will stay hidden as long as possible and attack the enemy from behind while they are distracted. My shorter stature is ideal for this task. Any questions? No? Then, let's move out. Stay close and keep up with me."
Madara takes the lead, setting a quick and steady pace toward the northwest, finally getting to move after a day of waiting.
Their assigned search area is a residential zone at the outskirts of the arena, far from where most of the action will be happening in the city center. It's unlikely the chest is hidden in their area, mainly due to practicality. The tight preparation window makes it unwise to waste time transporting the chest too far from the base, when erecting a line of defenses takes priority. The chest is sizeable after all, having required four members of Team Green to carry it out of their base. Nonetheless, Madara's team will start in their designated zone to avoid initial conflict with other offense squads, but he plans to move toward the city center soon.
As the buildings around them become shorter and more spread out, with green spaces in between, and the border to the enemy half of the city is only a few hundred meters ahead, marked by bright yellow posts, the shrill start signal echoes through the deserted streets, officially initiating the hunt. Madara slows down to address his team.
"I will scout ahead from the rooftops," he informs them. "I will return when I spot an enemy squad. You two keep your eyes on the streets. Stay concealed."
Without waiting for a response, Madara disappears into the nearest alley to his left, using the fire escape to climb to the roof. From this vantage point, he scans his surroundings, his eyes carefully roving over the area. The atmosphere is as eerily quiet as the rest of the city, with no birdsong, distant car noises, or people moving about—just a faint wind rustling leaves and howling through the alleyways.
With a noiseless jump to the next building, Madara moves deeper into enemy territory. The buildings here are relatively short, spanning only three to five stories, limiting his sight into the distance. However, he doesn't need an extensive view because most of the offensive teams from both sides will be concentrated at the border that divides the city in half at the beginning of the hunt.
Madara indeed doesn't have to venture far before spotting the first members of Team Red. They're walking down a nearby street with some caution but not paying much attention to stealth. There are three of them, and he quickly takes note of their appearances before returning to his own teammates: a brawny individual, likely a heavy hitter, another with a sheep-like mutation, and a third who appears unremarkable aside from their short stature.
As he rejoins his teammates, he is pleasantly surprised to see that Augury and Comeback are moving much stealthier and avoiding easy detection as they navigate shadowed alleys. Perhaps they aspire to be underground heroes? It would make sense for Augury at the very least.
Madara descends from his rooftop perch with the grace of a shadow, jumping from windowsill to windowsill like a cat, and lands next to his wide-eyed teammates without making a sound.
"I found three members of Team Red a few streets ahead of us at 11 o'clock," he informs them. "Proceed as planned. Give me a minute, I will circle around and attack from the rear."
With that, Madara vanishes once more, slipping through the sparse shadows of the streets and alleys. Team Red doesn't notice him moving past them a street over, or him sneaking up on them, talking cover behind trees planted at the side of the road.
He settles in to wait, but he doesn't have to. Suddenly, Augury springs out of an alleyway, delivering a vicious kick to the big guy's gut. It's not enough to take him down, but he's momentarily dazed and hunched over in pain. Augury can't capitalize on the situation though, as the sheep-girl instantly engages him in close-quarters combat, while the short one checks on their teammate. Their moment of respite is disrupted when a Boomerang comes flying from an awkward angle, narrowly missing Shorty and Brawny as they dodge to the side.
Madara takes a moment to observe his teammates in action. Their synergy is evident, clearly having experience fighting as a team. Augury appears quite proficient in close combat, executing his techniques cleanly and effectively, although Madara observes that there's much room for improvement in his footwork. Comeback keeps the enemy trio on their toes, forcing them to stay at a distance with her two Boomerangs, attacking from unconventional angles from behind her friend. They hold their ground admirably despite being outnumbered three to two, but as the element of surprise wanes, they start to be pushed back.
Deciding that he has seen enough for now, Madara slinks up behind the unassuming trio, his hand reaching for the staff on his back. Coming closer, he spots the short member falling back, doing something with their hands. Unwilling to find out what exactly, Madara leaps forward, simultaneously drawing his staff from his back in a downward arc. He lands a hard blow over the short one's head, causing them to go limp and slump to the ground. Before they can even fully hit the asphalt, Madara is rushing past the falling enemy toward his next target.
The buff guy at least seems to have a working pair of ears, turning just in time to block Madara's wide swing with his massive hand, locking the weapon in place midair before it can reach his face.
"I've got you, shrimp! Did you seriously—"
Madara, without hesitation, releases his weapon and dives under his opponent's still-raised arm, aiming for a brutal strike to the kneecap. The joint cracks audibly, and with a cry of pain, the massive frame above Madara crumples like a wet paper towel. He quickly sidesteps and, as his opponent lurches forward, delivers a powerful kick to the temple, rendering him unconscious.
The second member of Team Red thuds onto the asphalt.
"Bulwark! Dark Shade!" The frantic cry draws Madara's attention to the sheep-girl, who is running toward her fallen comrades with a horrified expression on her face. In her panic, she foolishly turns her back to Madara's teammates. Before the girl can reach her friends, there is another thud, and her eyes roll back as she collapses forward. Augury manages to catch her before her head meets the hard ground, a more considerate gesture than Madara's treatment of the other two.
As Augury carefully lowers her to the ground, he spares a glance at the incapacitated members of Team Red. "Damn. You sure didn't hold back," he remarks, but shows little remorse for their condition, which surprises Madara once again.
"Hm," Madara grumbles as he collects his staff. "Search them for keys and take their flags, just in case they wake up in the next two hours."
"I don't think they will wake up anytime soon, man," Augury replies, slightly out of breath from the fight. He does as he is told, starting with the sheep girl, while Comeback jogs over and joins them without a word. However, Madara can't help but notice a heavy and thoughtful glance from the girl.
Their search for keys, as expected, yields no results. "Most of the keys will likely be with the defense team," Madara reasons out loud.
Comeback nods in agreement. "If not all of them."
"Possible. We should keep moving. I don't think anyone heard us, but it is better to stay in motion," Madara says, his gaze shifting to the northeast, towards the heart of Team Red's territory where the chances of encountering an enemy are highest.
Comeback gestures towards the unconscious trio, concern etched into her face. "What about them? Do we simply leave them there?"
Madara dismisses her concerns with a curt wave of his hand. "They will be fine. Their injuries are mild, and a medic team will retrieve them eventually. I will return to the rooftops. Continue as before, you did well."
With that, Madara climbs to the rooftops, leaving Comeback and Augury to follow him on the ground.
As they move east, the towering glass buildings of the city begin to dominate the landscape. Madara briefly contemplates if it would be wiser to stay on the ground with his team, given his current position could hinder him in offering immediate assistance. However, his thoughts are abruptly interrupted when he spots movement in his peripheral vision.
Perched high up, he can't discern details, so he dips his head, allowing his fringe to fall over his eyes and casting them in shadow for a moment. He activates his Sharingan for a quick flash, concealing the fact that he's using his Dōjutsu with his hair. He can't be certain if he's being observed at this moment. The short moment of enhanced vision is enough, however. He spots a group of four disheartened individuals walking toward the arena's exit, notably without a flag on their backs. He vaguely recognizes them as part of Team Green's offensive squads.
Madara's gaze shifts to the area they're leaving from, a little further southeast from their current position near the border to their territory. A slow grin spreads across his face, and he quickly descends from the rooftop to rejoin his team.
"One of our offense teams got captured not far from here," Madara reports bluntly.
Augury raises a curious eyebrow. "Oh?"
"How many enemies did you see?" Comeback asks, her focus intensifying.
"None. However, our team was a four-man cell. So, a reasonable guess would be that they fought four, likely more individuals. It couldn't have been a close fight; they had no grave injuries and didn't look ragged. It must have been over quickly," Madara explains.
"They must have faced skilled enemies," Comeback deduces.
"No point in standing around and speculating. Let's check it out," Augury suggests.
Madara hums in agreement. This time he remains on ground level, leading his team southeast in a quick jog, and both of them - especially Comeback - follow him more readily than the first time.
As they proceed, Madara becomes more cautious. They are returning back into their own half of the city, and Madara considers whether it's worth hunting these enemies in the first place. The defense or support team could have taken care of them already depending on their numbers.
As they approach a corner, he hears the sounds of a battle not too far ahead. Madara slows down and takes cover in the shadows, advancing with caution. Turning the corner, he spots a lone figure with a red flag fighting against three of their own, and it appears they are doing so quite successfully. The girl, Madara realizes, is wiping the floor with her opponents.
Smooth strands of white hair billow behind her like a cape, matching her white suit that leaves her muscular arms and tights on full display.
"Oh, shit," Augury curses behind him. "That's Mirko."
Madara raises an eyebrow. "You know her?"
"She has a reputation," Comeback chimes in. "She's known to be a hooligan and was even expelled from her school once. But she has a powerful rabbit-mutation quirk and is a skilled fighter. She's almost guaranteed to become one of the next top ten heroes."
"I see. She is strong, then," Madara remarks, a wicked grin spreading across his lips. "I will take her out."
"Alone?" Comeback whisper-shouts.
"Yes, wait here. I will not take too long. We cannot waste time on one enemy, after all, but if she continues like this, she will become a problem."
"Man, you're nuts," Augury huffs. "We'll leave you to it then."
"Are you serious?" Comeback protests. "She's going to beat him into the ground!"
"Nah, have a little faith in my Intuition. When has it ever led us astray? Besides, you saw what Madara did to the others. He'll be fine."
Comeback frowns heavily at her friend. "If this goes south, I'm blaming you."
While his teammates discuss the situation, Madara remains focused on Mirko. She has reduced her enemies to a whimpering heap on the ground and is about to tear their flags off their backs.
With a nasty grin, Madara decides it's time for a little heroic intervention. He breaks into a full-on sprint down the road, making no effort to be overly sneaky. Ignoring the squeals and protests behind him, he zeroes in on his new opponent.
Mirko's bunny ears twitch. She turns around to spot Madara closing in rapidly, her surprised expression quickly morphs into a feral smile.
With a few quick strides, Mirko meets him halfway, sweeping her foot low in an attempt to trip Madara. However, he grabs his staff, slams one end into the ground, and uses it like a pole to catapult himself over the crouched bunny-girl, landing with a flip behind her.
Madara swings his staff in a downward arc, but Mirko's ears twitch once more, and she manages to roll to the side at the last second, pushing herself into a standing position across from Madara.
"Hoho, you're a fast punk," she snickers, eagerly assessing Madara. "Doesn't matter, though. I'm gonna beat you up!"
She kicks herself off the floor with her powerful legs, turns midair, and darts at Madara feet-first, aiming straight for his head. The bunny is fast, Madara has to admit, but he also observes that her movements are excessive and heavily projected, making them predictable. He evades the attack, by stepping sideways. As Mirko sails by, Madara jabs her in the side with the head of his staff, causing her to flail midair and nearly crash upon landing.
"You little shit!" Mirko growls angrily, skittering to a halt a few feet away. She rushes at him again without hesitation, even faster than before.
Madara is ready for her high kick and drops himself to the floor, jumping to the side as her foot comes crashing down in an axe kick, causing the asphalt to crack where he stood a moment ago.
"Stop avoiding me, you coward!"
Mirko yells, continuing her furious assault, launching a barrage of attacks at Madara. He redirects them with his staff, his arm vibrating every time they make contact, despite him avoiding direct blocks. Madara notes that Mirko's fighting style is extremely legs-focused, with each move carrying an abundant amount of momentum.
One of Mirko's attacks goes through his defense, grazing Madara's shoulder. It nearly pops his arm out of its socket and causes him to stumble a step backward. Mirko immediately seizes the opportunity, grinning triumphantly as she raises her left leg high for a finishing side kick.
Madara's smile takes on a devilish edge in the same instant. Mirko's grin vanishes, replaced by furrowed brows as she realizes she made some kind of mistake, but it's too late. Her defense is wide open. Madara plants his feet firmly on the ground and sweeps his staff low, mirroring the move with which the bunny had opened their fight.
Mirko's eyes widen comically as she finally comprehends what's happening, but she's already mid-motion, unable to halt her own attack or evade Madara's. His bo staff catches one of her right foot and sweeps it from under her. Mirko's limbs go flying, and she crashes hard to the ground, landing on her side.
The bunny growls animalistically, furious like a rabid beast. She's back on her feet not a second later, only to stop in her tracks when she spots Madara standing in front of her, twirling a red flag in his hand.
"Seems like you didn't get to beat me up, cottontail," Madara says. "Work on that balance of yours, and perhaps you will manage to stay standing a full minute next time."
He relishes the bright red flush on her face, either from seething anger or burning embarrassment. Putting overconfident opponents in their place is one of his favorite pastimes.
"You're gonna regret this, bastard. Just you wait!" Mirko grits out between clenched teeth, stomping away like a bull in a china shop, thoroughly humiliated. If she is smart, this lesson might serve her well in the future.
"Holy shit," someone whispers disbelievingly behind him.
Madara shoots a disgusted look at the three members of his team sitting on the floor, their faces reflecting a mix of embarrassment and awe. "Don't disgrace yourselves further. Stand up and make yourselves useful."
A few stuttered "yes" replies follow, and the trio quickly stumbles to their feet, their postures more alert and stiff as they try to regain their composure.
"Are you part of the support team, correct?" Madara asks, his gaze fixed on the trio.
"Yes!" one of them stammers, their voices trembling with a mixture of fear and respect.
"Are there any other enemy squads nearby?" Madara asks, his frosty tone demanding a quick response.
"N-no, not as far as we know," another one rushes anxiously.
Madara huffs in annoyance, then turns around and walks away without another word, returning to where his other two teammates are waiting. Comeback is left open-mouthed, her eyes wide with disbelief, while Augury looks smug, like a cat that got the cream and the canary. "I told you it was a good idea to team up with Madara," he singsongs next to his friend.
Madara whacks him over the head with his staff.
"Ow! What was that for?" The boy whines, rubbing his head in pain.
"Stay focused," Madara retorts sternly. "We're going back north, deeper into enemy territory. Their offense teams are too spread out, and we're losing too much time looking for them. We'll head directly toward the enemy base, looking for their line of defense and see if we can pick off any defenders."
"Aye, aye, boss!" Augury salutes, his voice a mixture of sarcasm and determination.
Madara takes off in a run. According to his estimate, the hunt has been going on for approximately 40 minutes, and he hasn't achieved as much as he would have liked. A more direct approach is in order, and he's determined to make the most of the time left.
.
.
They make it half an hour without encountering a single enemy. Madara has to wonder if it's because of Mirko that Team Red decided to leave this side of the area mostly uncovered. The absence of any human soul is conspicuous.
Only when they are nearing Team Red's base do Madara's senses pick up something further ahead. He stops abruptly and ducks into an alley, pulling his startled teammates with him.
"Augury," he whispers, his tone serious. "That library ahead at the intersection, tell me what you see."
The boy looks around the corner, scrutinizing the building Madara described. After a long minute, he turns his gaze back to his teammates.
"Something is off," he concludes.
"So, you feel it too," Madara mumbles thoughtfully, his gaze fixed on the building.
One would have to be blind not to spot the members of Team Red positioned all around and inside the building, but that's not the issue. The issue is how utterly obvious they are about it, Madara spots seven of them at a first glance. They don't even bother to step away from the windows.
"I don't think they are guarding the treasure here," Augury says, a touch of suspicion in his voice. "It could be a diversion, to draw attention away from the actual treasure's hiding spot."
"That's a risky move." Comeback says. "If they are focus their forces here, they won't be able to protect the actual treasure well."
"They don't need to if they manage to attract attention to this place first," Madara explains. "One way or another, it needs to be checked out before one can move ahead further, and by then, the time will be up. Not that it matters, for our goals this place is a goldmine either way. Change of tactics: we will stay together for now and infiltrate from above."
"So, we're going to take this whole place down on our own?" Augury asks rhetorically, excitement flickering in his eyes. "Man, this day just keeps getting better."
