- - - - -
Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare.
Proverbs 20:13
- - - - -
*BOOM* *BOOM*
In the forest, the Iwagakure Jonins were tailing a familiar group of people... These people were a squad of Konoha, tasked with retrieving classified data back to the village as per the Hokage's orders.
-----
First of all, what was the scroll?
The scroll holds encrypted intelligence regarding a secret alliance between Iwagakure and another hostile village, posing a significant threat to Konoha and its allies. The information contained within the scroll could potentially reveal strategic plans, troop movements, and other critical details about their joint operations. Konoha's leaders were determined to invade the premises, which was near Iwagakure, and close to the Kannabi bridge, to retrieve the scroll and prevent the enemy alliance from gaining any further advantage over them. Additionally, recovering the scroll would allow Konoha to decipher the encrypted intelligence and devise counter-strategies to thwart their enemies' plans, ensuring the safety and security of the village and its people.
How did Konoha find evidence of it?
Certainly! Here's how the scenario could unfold with the scroll located near Iwagakure, close to the Kannabi Bridge:
Konoha's intelligence operatives intercepted encrypted communications between Iwagakure and their clandestine ally, revealing discussions about a highly sensitive document referred to as "the scroll." Through careful analysis, they determined that the scroll was stored in a hidden facility located near Iwagakure, close to the Kannabi Bridge. This strategic location made it accessible for both Iwagakure and their ally to retrieve the scroll quickly if needed.
Suspecting that the scroll contained crucial information that could pose a significant threat to Konoha and its allies, the intelligence operatives prioritized gathering more information about its contents and location. Covert surveillance operations revealed that the scroll was heavily guarded by elite shinobi from both Iwagakure and their ally, indicating its importance and the potential danger it posed if it were to fall into the wrong hands.
Upon learning the scroll's location and the heightened security measures surrounding it, Konoha's leaders concluded that swift action was necessary to retrieve it before it could be used against them. Despite the risks involved, they authorized a covert infiltration mission to the area near Iwagakure and the Kannabi Bridge, tasked with retrieving the scroll and neutralizing any threats that stood in their way. The fate of Konoha and the stability of the shinobi world hung in the balance as the village prepared to embark on this daring mission.
-----
The squad propelled forth, jumping from branch to branch, evading enemy attacks tactfully. Aiko and Kaede scattered elsewhere, leaving Hayato and Ryohei to deal with the rest...
"Lightning Style: Snake Lightning!"
Hayato declared, twisting his torso behind and releasing the electrical serpent from his fist, obliterating all in his path.
"Earth style: Earth Bullets," an enemy declared as his jutsu rushed toward the Hyuga. However, Ryohei easily intercepted, as he rapidly moved his palms in a rotating motion, dispelling the bullets.
"Eight Trigrams: Palm Rotation," Ryohei declared.
This technique involves the Hyuga user releasing a burst of chakra from their palms in a rotating motion, creating a protective barrier around themselves. The rotation of the chakra disperses incoming chakra-based attacks, such as elemental jutsu or energy blasts.
"What the hell is he doing?!" One enemy ninja yelled!
Ryohei pulled his fist back, before releasing in a punching motion with his palm open, declaring, "Eight Trigrams: Palm Cannon."
Upon release, a robust force of wind was released from his palm, striking the torso, ripping his clothing, and pushing him back who stumbled and crashed into the others behind him.
By concentrating chakra into their palms and releasing it in a focused burst, the Hyuga user can create a powerful energy projectile that can be launched at long range. This palm cannon packs a punch and can deal significant damage to targets from afar.
With his 360 vision, he immediately noticed incoming projectiles, and enemy Shinobi, initiating a frontal assault.
Wearing an ANBU mask, though Ryohei seemed indifferent, a smirk crept up his face.
"Eight Trigrams: Heavenly Rotation," Ryohei declared, forming a vortex of charka around him, repelling all within a meter range.
"ARGGH!"
The 3 people who lunged at him were incapacitated, unable to move.
This advanced technique combines the Palm Rotation with precise movements of the user's body, creating a spinning vortex of chakra around them. The rotation of the chakra disperses and deflects incoming chakra attacks from all directions, providing comprehensive defense.
...
"Water Style: Wave Surge!" Hayato declared, producing a large torrent of water set on engulfing his enemies.
'Not yet,' he mused, weaving additional hand signs; "Lightning Release." The youth released lightning on top of his wave surge.
"ARRRGHH!"
The enemies screamed in agony, engulfed by the torrent of electrifying water.
- What the hell?! They're just kids aren't they?! - A member of the Iwagakure forces exclaimed.
- PRESS ON, NO MATTER WHA- -
Another member ceased from speaking, his decapitated head falling to the ground with a thud.
Hayato brandished his sword, his sapphire eyes glowing indfferently through his mask, making him seem menacing.
Lightning chakra enveloped his body, granting a boost in speed as he lunged on every tree, killing off the remaining people at light speed with calculated finesse.
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"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" A Jonin shouted.
However, with Hayato's high velocity, he was able to dodge with ease, and slitting his neck a second later.
The Genin fell off the tree, dead.
Glancing into the distance, he muttered, "So the big boss remains."
Ryohei perched beside him; "Yeah. 5 Jonins, it's gonna be hard."
"You 2 really went in huh?" Aiko complimented the duo, clapping her hands with Kaede beside her.
"Well, if we want a chance at the 5 Jonins, you're our best bet sensei," Hayato explained.
"It's best to preserve your strength," Ryohei supported.
"Haha, so I'm the one huh," Aiko smugged, rubbing her nose pridefully.
Smacking her fist, she declared, "Well then, let's go teach them a lesson!"
"Aye," the trio supported.
...
Standing near the exit of the Kannabi bridge, which served as an exit route out of the Land Of Rock, stood 5 imposing figures, bathing under the soft glow of the morning sun. They were the revered Jonins of Iwagakure, and given their status, certainly not one to be trifled with. All 5 donned the standard attire of a Jonin.
Among the 5, one was well known, a powerhouse fighter of Iwagakure, Roshi, the 4 tails Jinchuruki, seemingly in his early twenties.
2 were muscular men;
One with a brown complexion with a scar running down his left eye as his prominent feature.
[Raiko Sakamoto]
The other had a well-trimmed goatee.
[Kenta Ishikawa]
The other 2 were on the lean side;
One with a fair complexion, and spiky black hair, donned in the classic attire of a Jonin.
[Tora Fujimo]
And another who seemed rather older, shorter than the trio, but taller than Roshi. A wisp of grey exited his mouth; he was smoking.
[Daichi Suzuki]
Assuming a defensive stance with his kunai raised, Roshi alerted, "They're coming!"
The other 4 remained callous, as though they had already known.
*WHOOSH* *CLANK*
As speculated, a figure clashed swords with Raiko, a sword pressed against Raiko's kunai!
*BZZZ*
A slight electricity buzzed from the sword, forcing Raiko to jump back.
The swordsman also jumped back, and with the collision dispersed, his features came to light; bearing the insignia of Konoha on his belt, and his yellow hair ruffling in response to the gentle breeze enveloping the terrain, the youth was none other than Hayato.
Raiko's lips parted in dismay as he eyed the individual who had almost killed him, who seemed to bear the silhouette of a... a kid?
"A kid... Just like it said in the reports." Raiko spoke.
Daichi, the aged man, chimed in, "I wouldn't say so... They're around 16 years old."
"True," Raiko admitted.
Feeling a stinging sensation, the muscular man graced his neck, and to his surprise, he was bleeding! A slight slit was evident on his neck, caused by the collision of weapons moments prior.
A nervous smile graced the man's lips before he commented, "I guess when they say Konoha is home of geniuses, it's not an exaggeration."
"WOOOAHHH, RAIKO-SAN, YOU'RE BLEEDING?!" Tora, the spiky haired man in his late twenties, expressed his amazement.
"He almost gotcha, huh? You younguns need to be more careful," Daichi spoke with an air of nonchalance and higher authority.
Raiko turned to Daichi and snapped back, "You've gotta be careful too old man."
*XIIUUUU* *XIIUUUUU*
Multiple projectiles were being flung toward the 5 Jonins, producing a whistling sound as they pierced the air.
The Jonins intercepted easily, their movement minimal and efficient.
Before long, Aiko and Ryohei too emerged from hiding, donned a dog mask and weasel mask respectively.
"Oh, just great, the Jinchuruki of the 4 tails," Aiko pouted, her tone laced with distress, as she placed her hands on her hips.
Weaving hand signs, Hayato declared, "Earth Style: Mud Wave!"
Additionally, the earth seemed to become tangible, stumbling the Jonins.
"He's using Earth Style on our domain? Stupid kid," Raiko spoke, weaving hand signs and smacking the ground with his palm, halting Hayato's technique.
"Well, he is just a kid," Kenta spoke, massaging his trimmed beard.
Clasping their hands together, the Stone Shinobi chanted in unity, "EARTH STYLE: MUD SWAMP!"
The trio were stuck on the ground, their legs slowly sinking in. Aiko placed her palm on the ground, as though attempting to do something, but...
Roshi leaped into the air, weaving signs gracefully...
"Too slow! Lava style: Lava Stream," he chanted. Subsequently, a large torrent of lava exited his mouth, engulfing the glued trio in a scorching torrent of crimson!
Upon contact, the glued trio immediately disappeared into a cloud of white smoke.
"Kagebunshin, huh? That was within expectations," Roshi asserted, unsurprised by the development.
"Oy Roshi, careful. We have to attain the scroll remember," Daichi warned at the indication of the scroll in their possession.
Roshi looked back at the aged man, and replied, "If they were to be taken down that easily, then just myself would suffice."
"Yeah, I can see that, that would be rather disappointing" Daichi admitted.
Spitting his cigarette to the ground, he stomped on it, and voiced, "I, too, should take this seriously."
*WHOOSH*
"!"
The Jonins of Iwagakure were alerted of a shadow dashing around the forest, using the trees as concealment. All 5 Jonins turned their heads, unable to follow the velocity of the figure, additionally thinking the same thing; "Fast!"
*PEW* *PEW* *PEW* *PEW*
Bullets of water emerged from the forest, however, the Jonins were easily able to avoid the onslaught, ducking and weaving, and using the weapons at their disposal to counter.
Suddenly, the shadow responsible for the attacks made himself known; he had short yellow hair, donned white baggy attire with colours of blue, and concealed his face with a Kitsune ANBU mask.
Hayato threw shurikens embedded in lightning elements toward the Jonins, additionally weaving hand signs, producing hundreds of replicas, equally as potent!
[Shuriken Kagebunshin]
However, Roshi quickly weaved hand signs, "Earth Style: Mud Wall."
With his declaration, the earth beneath erupted, forming a wall in front of him, however, some of the stray Shurikens made their way toward the other 4 Jonins.
Gracefully leaping into the air, they tactfully somersaulted from the attack.
Toru weaved multiple hand signs, and smacked the ground, chanting, "Earth Style: Earth Dragon Jutsu!"
The Earth beneath erupted, taking a diabolical shape, and soared into the air in the form of a dragon, rushing toward the yellow-haired youth who had no route for escape, inevitably swallowing the youth whole!
However...
"Toru, watch out!"
Kenta exclaimed as one of the Shurikens below Toru shook ever so slightly...
*SHLUK*
The sound of flesh being pierced rang in the ears of the Jonins as one of their comrades was impaled by a sword.
Tora, the one who had released the Earth Dragon Jutsu, found his heart impaled, and at that moment, he lost vitality!
The person responsible had an ANBU mask, with orange, spiky hair tied in a short ponytail, wearing a dog mask. She had transformed into a shuriken beforehand when Hayato unleashed the Shuriken Kagebunshin.
Hayato on the other hand, was eaten by the Earth Dragon Jutsu, however...
*BOOM*
The Earth Dragon exploded, scattering the debris across the terrain!
The youth landed beside his sensei, and they were now in the presence of the 4 Jonins since one had died just now.
"Toru has always been foolish," Daichi spoke, as though sentimental of his comrade's death.
"You can be as foolish as you want with clones, wouldn't you agree," Hayato snapped back.
Daichi's eyes widened, before a smile graced his lips, "Sharp."
The man that Aiko had impaled started to crack, revealing that she harmed no one.
"We know you're all just clones except..." Aiko paused, pointing at the Jinchuruki of the 4 tails. "Except you."
Hayato brandished his sword stylishly, and voiced, "How about we all just face each other head-on and get this over with?"
Kenta smirked, "Someone's eage-"
*BOOM*
The explosion ceased Kenta's speech!
The loud explosion was heard due east, and the Jonins in front of Aiko and Hayato shattered into stone.
Emerging from the east were 4 Jonins, a replica of the former Earth clones, the only difference being these were real people.
"Whoa, to think you found us so easily," Kenta spoke as he dusted his clothing and faced directly at the large dust cloud, in which a silhouette rapidly plunged through the smoke.
*CLANK*
The child-like silhouette wearing a weasel mask, collided Kunais with Kenta, before leaping into the air, and joining his allies. He was none other than Hyuga Ryohei.
And now, all the pieces were in place... With Hayato's team at a disadvantage.
"I apologise. I was unable to get them in one shot," Ryohei apologised.
"No worries, we anticipated that. They are Jonins after all," Aiko waved it off, passing the sword she wielded to Hayato.
Accepting his sword, Hayato continued, "I'd be surprised if that surprise attack actually worked. They're Jonins after all."
Lightning crackled, swirling like a serpent, and taking the shape of a viper around his sword as he took an attack stance.
"So we shall fight," Aiko declared, placing her hands on her knees and leaning forward, her gaze radiating a predatory focus.
Ryohei too, assumed a karate stance, with his left leg stepped forward.
The squad of Konohagakure had no choice. They were surrounded, and they won't back down from this fight.