Chapter 36 The chase on Island.
Ren and Akari avoided each other after that incident, both unsure how to face one another. The awkwardness lingered between them, unspoken but clearly present.
Ren shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "Well, I can't change what happened. So let's just focus on what's coming," he muttered to himself.
"Hey, you're distracted again," Ino complained, hands on her hips as she pouted.
"Ah, sorry about that. I was thinking about the Chunin Exams," Ren replied, scratching the back of his head.
Ino rolled her eyes. "With your strength? Oh please, you're just going there to bully others."
With Ren's strength, it really was the case. Unless the Nine-Tails broke through the seal during a fight, none of the Chunin candidates could push him seriously.
Hinata looked at them calmly. "Um, can we start?"
They were on the rocky mountain deserted island, the wind blowing harshly around them.
"Well yeah, let's do it," Ren said as multiple shadow clones formed around him.
Hinata placed her hand on Ino, and both disappeared, reappearing a few hundred meters away. Without wasting time, they sprinted as Ren's clones immediately gave chase.
Ino glanced at Hinata, and both nodded. Ino formed hand signs. "Wind Style: Wind Tornado Jutsu."
Hinata followed instantly. "Fire Style: Flame Annihilation." The wind and fire fused, feeding into each other.
A massive blazing tornado formed, its size increasing as the mountain winds fueled it further.
Using the distraction, Hinata and Ino escaped. One of Ren's clones smirked. "That's quite the combo."
Another clone stepped forward. "Water Style: Multi Water Bullet Dragon Jutsu." As he clapped his hands, moisture in the air condensed into multiple water dragons that roared forward.
Within seconds, the flaming tornado was torn apart. The clones moved swiftly using body flicker, deliberately avoiding the use of Six Eyes.
One clone stepped forward and was suddenly trapped in a sealing barrier. "Hmm, quite a good barrier. And she placed it pretty quickly," the clone noted in approval.
The other clones continued searching. One ducked as Hinata's Gentle Fist strike narrowly missed, and she disappeared in a black flash.
"Oh, she almost had me," the clone muttered, noticing the FTG mark on the ground.
Suddenly, his mind blurred for a moment as Hinata reappeared and struck him. The clone vanished in smoke as she teleported away again.
"Wait… that dizziness the clone felt. It's Ino," the remaining clones realized.
From a distance, Ino and Hinata observed quietly. "Tsk, they figured it out earlier than expected," Ino grumbled.
Hinata sighed softly. "They're Ren's clones after all. Ready?"
Ino smirked. "Let's do it."
Both vanished again. A Rasengan struck where they had been moments earlier. "Tsk, they escaped," one clone muttered.
Another rolled his eyes. "If they got hit by that, all their training would've been meaningless."
Hinata teleported to the top of a mountain with Ino. Ino immediately began her preparations while Hinata activated her Byakugan to keep watch.
The wind around the peak began gathering unnaturally, growing stronger with every passing second.
"So they're there. Preparing their final attack?" one clone said as all of them rushed toward the mountain.
"Ino, you ready? They're coming," Hinata asked.
"Give me some time," Ino replied, focusing as sealing markings spread around her.
Hinata locked onto all approaching clones. Senbon appeared in her hands, infused with lightning and wind chakra.
Her arms moved swiftly as the senbon shot forward at blinding speed. Lightning increased their piercing power, while wind enhanced their speed.
The clones dodged as senbon rained down. One detonated suddenly. "Crap, she's using seals on them," a clone cursed.
Another senbon exploded, releasing crackling lightning. One clone was caught in it and dispersed.
"Tsk, fighting Hinata without Six Eyes is really troublesome. You won't even know what hit you," one clone complained.
Earth walls were useless here, as the senbon pierced straight through them effortlessly.
"Alright, enough messing around. Wind Style: Vacuum Barrier."
A wall of vacuum formed in front of the clones as they dashed forward. It was an impossible technique, achievable only through Ren's precise chakra control.
"Done," Ino said.
Hinata created a shadow clone while the real one grabbed Ino and teleported away instantly.
As the clones reached their location, Ino's clone blew a flying kiss while Hinata's clone winked at them.
"Oh shi—"
Before the clone could finish, the seal activated. A barrier trapped all the clones as the air inside was completely removed, creating a vacuum.
The clones were instantly dispelled due to the immense strain. When the barrier collapsed, air rushed back violently, creating a massive explosion.
Shockwaves spread in every direction, cracking the ground and shattering rocks.
Far away on the shore, Akari and Karin watched in horror. Akari's eyes widened. "They're just twelve-year-old kids…"
Karin stared in disbelief. "They're the same age as me? Then why am I so weak?"
Ren appeared with a flash, followed by Hinata and Ino. He looked at Ino silently. "You really are something, creating a vacuum bomb effect from my vague explanation."
Ino raised her chin proudly. Ren was momentarily speechless.
The tornado and vacuum techniques were results of ideas he had casually shared during rest, and they had developed them further on their own.
"Well, you've grown," Ren said seriously. "Hinata, your senbon were perfectly aimed. Any other Chunin wouldn't even know how they died. Even Jonin would struggle to dodge them."
Hinata smiled smugly.
"Ino, your sealing placement was excellent. Hinata's teleportation was quick and precise. You two worked very well together," Ren continued.
Ino and Hinata looked at each other and fist-bumped.
Akari smiled warmly. "You girls are amazing. Even I felt a chill just hearing that explosion."
Karin clenched her fists. "I'll catch up soon. Just you wait."
Ino and Hinata smiled mischievously. "Don't worry, Karin. We'll make sure you do," Ino said with a grin.
Hinata smiled sweetly. "Yes… we'll make absolutely sure."
Karin felt a chill run down her spine.
Ino and Hinata turned to Akari. "Akari-san should be ready to join our training too, since she has recovered."
Akari's face paled slightly. "I'll do my best," she said with determination.
Ren smiled. "Well, the Chunin Exams will be starting soon. Ino, Hinata, you two will be working with me. No showing off until the third exam."
"Sure," Hinata replied.
Ino frowned. "Why can't we just go all out and take care of everything?"
Ren bonked her on the head. "Hey!" Ino protested, clutching her head.
"Don't let your strength make you arrogant, or you can forget training with me ever again," Ren said seriously.
Hinata and Ino froze.
"Tsk, I was just asking. No need to be so serious," Ino muttered, waving it off.
Ren nodded. "You better be. There are people who can kill you even with your current strength."
Ren's expression remained serious. Compared to monsters like Madara and Hashirama, they still had a long way to go.
If anyone heard him, they would have cursed him. Comparing twelve-year-olds to legends who ended the warring era was nothing short of absurd.
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{ Hay Guys I am still unsure whether to just keep Ino and Hinata FL or add more? Well anyways thanks for reading my fic. You can also try my other fic. Hope you keep reading my works. And pls understand i just started writing 2 months ago I'm still not very good writer. If there are some mistakes pls point out i will correct them. }