"Judging by their appearance… dark skin, strong build… they're most likely ninja from the Hidden Cloud Village."
Aoki Yoru's gaze sharpened as he observed the two enemies standing before them.
"They're not wearing headbands, but rogue ninja wouldn't dare act so openly inside the Land of Fire. This kind of destruction… it's deliberate."
His voice was calm, but his mind was already racing.
Even in times of peace, the five great nations never truly stopped fighting. Open war might have ended, but shadows still clashed in silence. Sabotaging trade routes, destroying infrastructure, disrupting economic recovery—these were common tactics.
And right now, they had walked straight into one of those hidden conflicts.
Aoki exhaled slowly, steadying himself.
"Kenta. Yui."
The two turned toward him instinctively.
"I'll handle the leader. You two deal with the one wearing sunglasses."
His tone left no room for hesitation.
"Don't fight head-on. Focus on survival. Delay him."
He paused briefly, then added,
"Kakashi-sensei will finish his side soon. We just need to hold out."
Kenta clenched his fists.
"Got it!"
Yui nodded seriously.
"We understand."
Aoki shifted his gaze back to the older ninja—the one he had marked as the leader.
The man radiated pressure, but it wasn't overwhelming.
Strong… but not unreachable.
If it were someone like Kakashi, whose strength he couldn't even begin to measure, Aoki wouldn't hesitate—he would retreat immediately.
But this opponent…
Was someone he could fight.
"Finished discussing your last words?" the middle-aged Cloud ninja sneered.
Lightning crackled violently around his body.
"You can die now."
In the next instant—
The two enemies vanished.
Lightning Release Chakra surged through their bodies, enhancing their speed to terrifying levels. Their figures blurred, leaving afterimages behind as they shot forward.
Aoki's eyes narrowed.
Fast.
Without hesitation, he activated the Body Flicker Technique and moved to intercept the leader.
He had never feared a battle of speed.
"Clang!"
Steel met steel.
Aoki's blade collided with the enemy's chakra-enhanced gauntlet, sparks erupting into the air.
The impact sent a sharp vibration through his arm—but he held firm.
The Cloud ninja's pupils shrank.
A kid… blocked that?
His expression darkened instantly, killing intent flooding his gaze.
"You're a genius of Konoha's new generation, aren't you?" he said coldly. "Then I definitely can't let you live."
Lightning flared even brighter around him.
"If I kill you… Konoha will feel it for a long time."
His figure blurred again—
Faster.
Stronger.
More violent.
Aoki's grip tightened.
He's going all out from the start…
On a battlefield, hesitation was death.
The enemy clearly understood that.
"Boom!"
The two collided again.
And again.
And again.
Their movements became nothing but streaks of light, flickering across the battlefield. Blades and fists clashed in rapid succession, each exchange explosive and precise.
There were no wasted movements.
No unnecessary words.
Only pure combat.
Shockwaves erupted with every collision, tearing through the surrounding area. Trees snapped like twigs, the ground cracked under their feet, and dust filled the air.
From the side, Kenta and Yui couldn't help but glance over.
What they saw—
Was terrifying.
Two figures moving at speeds they could barely follow, colliding like thunder.
Is that… really a Genin fighting?
Even the Cloud ninja began to feel something was wrong.
At first, he had the advantage.
But now—
The gap was shrinking.
No.
It's disappearing.
His expression changed.
Why is his speed increasing?
Suddenly, realization struck him like lightning.
"This brat…!"
His voice was filled with disbelief.
"He's learning my Lightning Release Chakra Armor during the fight?!"
Impossible.
Absolutely impossible.
It had taken him two full years to master this technique under the guidance of the Raikage.
And yet—
This boy was analyzing it… adapting… replicating it—
In real time.
A chill ran down his spine.
"Leimu!" he shouted urgently. "Finish your fight and come help me! We can't drag this out!"
"Understood, Senior!"
On the other side of the battlefield, the ninja wearing sunglasses—Leimu—responded immediately.
Lightning surged around his body.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Fang Dual Tigers!"
His hands blurred through a series of seals.
In an instant, two massive lightning constructs took shape, roaring like beasts as they lunged toward Kenta and Yui.
Aoki glanced sideways mid-battle.
They're in danger—
But what he saw surprised him.
Kenta dodged.
Not only that—
He counterattacked.
With a burst of speed, he evaded the lightning tigers and hurled a kunai forward. An explosive tag was tied to its handle.
He's adapting quickly…
Aoki's eyes flickered with approval.
Yui moved at the same time.
"Wind Release: Cutting Gale!"
Her jutsu collided with the lightning attack, disrupting its trajectory.
"Boom!!!"
The explosion shook the forest.
When the smoke cleared—
Leimu stood there, his sunglasses shattered, his clothes torn. Burns and shallow wounds covered his body.
His face twisted with rage.
"A bunch of brats…!"
To be injured by Genin—
It was humiliation.
Lightning exploded around him again as he charged forward, abandoning caution.
Back on Aoki's side—
He refocused.
Time to end this.
Through continuous clashes, he had already analyzed the enemy's technique.
The structure of the chakra flow.
The amplification of speed.
The way lightning stimulated the body.
I understand it now.
Lightning flickered faintly around Aoki's body.
In the next instant—
He vanished.
"—!"
The Cloud ninja's eyes widened.
Too fast.
A flash of cold light cut through the air.
Aoki appeared behind him.
A deep wound split open across the man's chest, stretching down to his abdomen.
Blood sprayed.
The Cloud ninja staggered, disbelief filling his face.
"That… was… my technique…"
Aoki said nothing.
His expression remained calm.
"Konoha… has produced another monster…" the man muttered weakly.
Then—
His gaze hardened.
"If I let you live… you'll become another Minato Namikaze."
His body trembled.
Lightning surged violently.
He was burning his life force.
"Then I'll take you with me!"
He charged.
This time—
There was no defense.
No hesitation.
Only a suicidal attack.
Aoki's expression sharpened.
This is dangerous.
The man's speed spiked again, driven by desperation. He ignored all injuries, all risks, focusing solely on killing.
Their blades clashed once more.
Then—
The Cloud ninja grabbed Aoki's sword with his bare hand.
Blood poured from his palm.
But he didn't care.
He smiled.
A twisted, desperate smile.
"Die."
Lightning exploded.
But—
In that instant—
His body froze.
The lightning dissipated.
His head—
Slid off his shoulders.
Thud.
His body collapsed.
Behind him, Aoki stood silently.
In front of him—
A puddle of water.
A Water Clone.
When…?
The Cloud ninja's fading consciousness couldn't comprehend it.
Earlier, during the dust-filled chaos, Aoki had already switched places with a Water Clone.
He never underestimated his opponent.
And that caution—
Saved his life.
Aoki turned his head toward the other battlefield.
Kenta and Yui were both injured.
Kenta fought up close, enduring lightning-enhanced strikes head-on.
Yui stayed at a distance, supporting with ninjutsu and precise attacks.
They were holding their ground.
But just barely.
Then—
Leimu saw his comrade fall.
Panic flashed across his face.
An opening.
Yui's eyes sharpened.
Her hands formed seals rapidly.
"Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique!"
Leimu's body froze.
For a moment—
His mind faltered.
Then he sneered.
"Genjutsu? Against a Lightning user—this is—"
Before he could finish—
A blade pierced through his chest from behind.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
Aoki withdrew his blade silently.
Yui lowered her hands, breathing heavily.
Her strategy was simple—
Disrupt his chakra with genjutsu.
Then create confusion using environmental manipulation.
Even a moment's hesitation—
Was enough.
Leimu collapsed.
Dead.
Silence returned to the battlefield.
Kenta dropped to the ground, gasping for air.
"That… was close…"
Blood soaked his clothes.
Yui quickly rushed over.
"Stay still."
Green light glowed in her hands as she began treating his wounds.
Compared to Kenta, her injuries were minor.
After stabilizing him, she looked toward Aoki.
"Kakashi-sensei… should we go help him?"
Before Aoki could respond—
A figure appeared between them.
"Well done."
Kakashi stood there, casually holding his book.
"You actually managed to defeat them."
Aoki glanced at him.
Then rolled his eyes.
He had already sensed it.
Kakashi had been nearby the entire time.
The one fighting earlier?
Just a Lightning Clone.
The real Kakashi—
Had already finished his battle long ago.
As expected of a Jonin.
Aoki sighed inwardly.
We still have a long way to go.
But—
They had survived.
And that…
Was all that mattered.