Super Ninja

Quickly leaping to the side, I moved laterally and slid once more. A razor-sharp blade from one of the chunin pursuing me whizzed past my neck. Fury radiated from his eyes. It seemed as if his entire face burned with rage, his head appearing ready to explode.

Grabbing a kunai, I immediately parried the heavy strike of the rogue ninja. His blade, made of high-quality iron, was difficult to block. A regular genin wouldn't have stood a chance—honestly, they wouldn't have lasted this long. I had to match chunin-level speed, block swift and furious attacks, and look for any opportunity to counter.

Jumping back a step, I created a small gap, but the chunin almost instantly closed it, swinging his blade at me. I quickly threw several shurikens, buying myself a brief moment to keep moving and devise a plan. I needed to end this soon.

Spinning the kunai in my right hand, I switched to a reverse grip. Inhaling deeply, I allowed chakra to surge through my body. The chunin let out a sinister grin, his lips stretching into an unpleasant smirk. He attacked again.

As he moved, I created two Illusory Clones, mimicking my movements. From here, it was all about technique. I had fought like this with Captain Kiochi several times, so I had a good idea of what to do.

My kunai clashed with his blade again and again. With a swift motion, I managed to knock his weapon hand aside, giving myself a brief window of opportunity. But none of it worked—he blocked my strike and instantly pressed the attack. My clones disrupted him for only a few moments before he adapted.

The rogue ninja clearly wanted to kill me—I could feel it in every one of his strikes. But I wasn't just any genin. I'd kill him myself; I just needed to find an opening and finish him off.

His next strike came, and I barely dodged it. A few strands of my hair flew off in the process. That was too fast. Using all my strength, I jumped back, flipping in midair while simultaneously launching a kunai.

"Ah!"

I landed and glanced at the chunin from Kumo, clutching his side where my kunai was lodged. I couldn't believe how effective that throw had been—I hadn't expected luck to favor me like this. Dark blood streamed from the wound, making every movement he made agonizing.

Drawing another kunai, I quickly closed the distance between us. The chunin tried to defend himself, but his movements were slow due to the injury. I unleashed a series of fast, precise strikes, each aimed at further weakening his defenses.

My attacks rained down on him like a storm. Every kunai strike sliced through the air, cutting into his flesh with brutal precision. Blood sprayed from his wounds, staining his clothing a deep, dark red. Each blow left deep, mangled scars, as if I were tearing pieces of life from him. His body became a mass of torn flesh, bearing the marks of my fury and unyielding resolve to survive.

Finally, as his resistance faded and he writhed in agony, I made the decisive move. With strength and precision, I drove my kunai straight into his chest, piercing through his ribs and striking his heart. Blood gushed out, forming a warm, sticky pool that coated my hand and dripped onto the ground, leaving dark stains.

The rogue ninja weakened, his body showing the final signs of life. His eyes, once filled with determination and rage, now flickered with the last glimmer of life, slowly fading like the flame of a candle in the wind. His body trembled in weakening attempts to resist, but with each passing second, his movements grew more feeble.

He slowly collapsed to the ground like a broken puppet, devoid of will and strength. His arms fell lifelessly to his sides, and his body hit the cold, blood-soaked earth. His face froze in an expression of surprise and pain—the last traces of emotion he would ever feel. His eyes, once blazing with the fire of battle, dimmed, losing the light of life. They stared blankly into the void, as if glimpsing something elusive in his final moments.

"Phew," I exhaled, still gripping the kunai. My hand remained covered in his blood, now slowly beginning to cool. My heart pounded faster than it ever had before. I wanted to sit and rest, but I knew it wasn't over yet. The rogue ninjas were still attacking, still fighting to reach their goal.

I wiped my hand on the ground, trying to rid it of the blood. Somewhere in the distance, a loud rumble was followed by a shower of debris—dirt, grass, and mud. It seemed Kiochi-sensei was now battling rogue ninjas of jonin level.

Taking a deep breath, I felt the adrenaline begin to leave my body. But I had to keep moving. Darting off, I quickly headed toward Neji, who was in a dangerous situation. Two rogue chunin were fighting him, and they had already managed to wound him.

"Neji! I'm here!" I shouted, grabbing his attention. Neji Hyuga barely blocked a blow from one of the rogue ninjas, narrowly avoiding losing his head as the other rogue came alarmingly close, trying to skewer him with a knife. At the last moment, Neji dodged—the blade slashing through his clothes and grazing his skin.

As I approached, I noticed Neji crouched down. Using him as a springboard, I pushed off his back and landed a powerful kick on one of the shinobi. The man hadn't expected such an attack, and the full force of my kick struck him in the chest, sending him flying several meters. The second rogue ninja quickly attacked me, but thanks to Neji's movement, I managed to dodge, and he countered. The counter wasn't very effective, but it gave us a chance to start coordinating our actions.

"Thanks, Suzuki," Neji said, breathing heavily. "You came just in time. Otherwise, my fate might have been sealed."

"We'll defeat them," I replied, clenching my fist.

"If that is fate," he calmly responded.

Neji was wounded, and his slowed movements made the situation even more complicated. I realized that my role wasn't just to attack but to protect him. Hyuga fought bravely, but each step clearly caused him pain. Fatigue and injuries were wearing him down. I did my best to cover him, intercepting blows and creating space for him to retreat.

The situation was becoming tougher, but since I had the time and opportunity, I knew I needed to make more decisive moves. Gathering chakra and forming a seal, I exhaled:

"Earth Style! Stone Armor Jutsu!"

Instantly, my skin was covered by a dense layer of stone, shielding my body from enemy attacks. This armor allowed me to boldly face the enemy's strikes, which, though powerful, couldn't penetrate my defensive layer. I understood this perfectly. The rogue ninja I had kicked in the chest was already on his feet, glaring at me with deep resentment. He would remember the imprint of my foot for a long time, if not for the rest of his life.

Relaxing slightly, I felt an odd and unfamiliar chakra begin to seep into my chakra system. It was like a faint, barely perceptible whisper of wind enveloping every cell in my body. For a moment, it felt as if a sharp, icy blade had cut through my heart, leaving a painful impression on my consciousness. The sensation was so intense and piercing that time seemed to slow down. But no—it quickly faded. What followed was incredible: a wave of enhancement and renewal surged through my entire body, enveloping every nerve and muscle with invisible energy. The sensation was so unusual and multifaceted that it's hard to describe in words. It felt like a rebirth, an awakening of something dormant deep within my soul, granting new strength and a sense of boundless energy.

With newfound strength, I lunged at one of the rogue ninjas, unleashing the full force of my stone-clad fists. Each punch landed like a hammer, reinforced by the weight and toughness of the stone. The rocks covering my fists began to wear down, cracking and splintering, but I didn't feel a thing beneath the protection of the stone armor.

Neji threw several kunai at the other rogue ninja, keeping him at bay and preventing him from closing in. There were a few explosions, but I paid them no mind. My focus was entirely on demolishing my opponent.

The rogue ninja desperately tried to defend himself, raising his arms in a futile attempt to block my strikes. But it was useless. His defenses were as fragile as glass before the onslaught of an unstoppable storm. With every blow, I could feel his bones crack and break under my pressure. Blood sprayed from beneath his armor, staining his clothes and the ground with dark crimson.

As the relentless fight wore on, his attempts to defend himself became more frantic and erratic. He tried to retreat, but I refused to give him the chance. My punches were relentless and precise, like those of a machine built for destruction. My chakra, now mixed with natural energy from the environment, gave me more power than I could have ever imagined. Somehow, I had begun using it instinctively, and I knew I would need to reflect on that later.

Finally, after what felt like an endless barrage of destructive blows, his body succumbed to the unbearable strain. He collapsed to the ground, his body twisted and broken like a mercilessly abused puppet. With each ragged breath, a mist of blood and pain escaped his mouth. His eyes, once filled with terror and fear, slowly lost their light. They stared into the void, reflecting his deep pain and realization of the inevitable end. His hands trembled weakly in a last, futile attempt to grab onto something, as if trying to cling to the fading remnants of life.

I stepped forward and, with a powerful blow, crushed his head, ending his suffering and sending him to whatever awaited him in the afterlife.

Now, it was time to deal with the second rogue ninja, whose face was shadowed with a grim look, as if he foresaw an approaching storm. Rage and desperation flickered in his eyes. He chewed something quickly, then spat to the side in disgust, assuming a fighting stance, clearly determined to continue the fight. He had no intention of running.

Neji and I, wasting no time, charged at him. The rogue ninja, realizing he was in a desperate situation, activated his technique:

"Lightning Style: Ten Discharges!"

Powerful bolts of lightning surged toward us, aiming to stop us immediately, maybe even kill us. I noticed Neji slow down, his leg trembling from the aftershock. I managed to avoid the lightning, but he… He wouldn't be able to defend himself; he didn't have defensive techniques. That meant I had to take the risk. In a split second, I sped up, positioning myself directly in the path of the attack, taking the full brunt of the blow.

My stone armor met the lightning technique with a loud crackling sound as the powerful energy clashed with solid rock. The armor began to crumble under the immense force, but it did its job—I remained mostly unscathed. Almost. The residual energy shook me up a bit. The sensation, to put it mildly, wasn't pleasant.

Neji realized what was happening and started to reposition himself. But the rogue ninja understood perfectly and had no intention of letting me off so easily. Most likely, he saw that Neji was in no shape to continue fighting.

Taking advantage of the moment, the rogue ninja quickly formed a seal and extended his fingers, pointing them directly at me. Confidence of imminent victory flickered in his eyes.

"Lightning Style! Bird's Beak!" His voice sliced through the air like the lightning itself.

I could smell ozone and something burning. The lightning technique, charged with raw energy, shot toward me at high speed, leaving a trail of sparks in its wake and scorching the earth as it flew. I had mere seconds to react.

Focusing, I used an Academy-level technique:

"Substitution Jutsu!"

In the instant before the lightning struck, I swapped places with a wooden log, which burst into flames from the powerful impact. I appeared beside the rogue ninja, ready to counterattack. Catching Neji's gaze, I could almost read his thoughts about the plan.

Using the last of his strength, Neji engaged the rogue ninja, preventing him from launching another attack. I took this opportunity to stealthily approach from behind and, with a strong grip, immobilized him. Without hesitation, Neji made his final, decisive strike:

"Two Trigrams: Dragon's Heart!"

His hand, charged with powerful chakra, pierced the rogue ninja's chest with unimaginable strength and precision, like a dagger slicing through the air. Time seemed to freeze for a moment, only to resume when Neji ripped the ninja's heart from his chest. Blood gushed from the massive wound like a ruptured dam, pooling dark red around him. Streams of blood sprayed in all directions, staining the ground, Neji's clothes, and even the air with vivid crimson.

Drops of blood, like small red beads, covered Neji's face and hands, making the scene even more grim and terrifying. The rogue ninja, now heartless, immediately lost all signs of life, his body going limp in my grip like a marionette with its strings cut. His eyes remained wide open, reflecting the horror of what had just happened to him.

Neji, holding the still-warm heart in his hand, paused for a moment. His face was calm, almost serene. Then, with a tense exhale, he squeezed the heart tightly. Blood and tissue exploded from his fist, as though he had crushed a ripe, blood-red fruit. The remains of the heart fell to the ground with a dull thud, creating a gruesome splatter of dark crimson blood.

I let go of the rogue ninja's body, and it fell to the ground with a heavy, lifeless thud, like a sack of stones. His movements ceased entirely, his body lying motionless as though all life had left him the moment his heart was ripped from his chest. Blood continued to flow, but no longer in a fountain.

Hyuga took a few more steps before suddenly staggering and collapsing to the ground. His fall was slow, as if he was fighting the very air as he descended. Every movement was filled with exhaustion and pain from the battle. He landed face-first into the blood- and dust-covered ground, raising a small cloud of dust and leaving a trail of fatigue and agony.

"Damn!" I exhaled, rushing toward him.

After quickly checking his condition, I realized he was alive but had lost consciousness. It seemed it wasn't as bad as it could have been. The exhaustion from constant patrols and the intense pressure of the last few minutes had really taken a toll on him. I just hoped he hadn't sustained any serious injuries. Still, it was better than death.

"Suzuki!" a familiar voice called out. Sarutobi landed next to me, looking a bit concerned and disheveled. It seemed he had been in a fight too. "How are you guys doing?"

"Could've been worse, Sarutobi-san," I replied. "But we're alive."

"Good," he nodded, bending down to check on Neji. If it had been an imposter and not Sarutobi himself, I would've acted immediately. But something inside me—a sixth sense perhaps—told me it was him. It seemed my first natural use of the surrounding nature chakra had changed me more than I initially realized. "I'll take Hyuga back to camp. My genin will tend to him."

"Hai," I nodded. "I'll continue helping out."

"Excellent. You did well."

He hoisted Hyuga onto his back and quickly left. I tried to get my bearings and find Shiko and Ayamane, who were supposed to be helping TenTen. Just as I was about to leap away, I nearly jumped into the middle of a fight between Maito Gai and two rogue jonin.

Maito Gai was skillfully turning them into mincemeat with his bare hands. The rogue jonin could barely keep up with him. One of them flipped onto his hands to dodge the nunchaku, which whistled through the air at waist level.

A genuine grin spread across the face of the captain of Team 11. His clothes were only dusted with dirt—nothing more. It seemed the rogue ninjas hadn't even managed to touch him. They didn't notice me, so I saw the perfect opportunity to help my comrade.

"Earth Style! Stone Spear Jutsu!"

A spear shot out toward one of the rogue ninjas. He wasn't expecting it and didn't have time to react. The sharp tip of the technique struck his side and stayed there, embedded just a centimeter deep. Looks like I had overestimated my strength a bit.

The rogue ninja glanced quickly in my direction, momentarily distracted. This was the perfect opening for Maito Gai.

"You got distracted!" Gai shouted, and like a whirlwind, he attacked. Within seconds, he landed so many strikes I couldn't even count them, each one hitting its mark. Gai finished with a spinning kick, delivering a powerful blow that slammed the rogue ninja's lifeless body into the ground, leaving a crater. After something like that, no one gets up again.

The second rogue jonin moved toward me, intent on avenging his fallen comrade. For a brief moment, fear shot down my spine. His attack was overwhelming, and I could feel the danger—he was trying to kill me.

Dodging like a rabbit, I used every ounce of speed I had to avoid his strikes. But since he was a jonin, it wasn't easy. At the last second, I managed to take cover behind a tree, which gave me a few moments of protection before the jonin's strike felled the tree entirely.

At that moment, Gai, like a green flash of lightning, stormed into the fight, heading straight for the rogue ninja who had been chasing me. The jonin didn't even attempt to block Gai's attack. He had no choice but to dodge, fully aware of the consequences if he tried to block one of Gai's strikes.

Seizing the opportunity, I decided to take a risk. After all, when would I ever get another chance to take down a jonin, being just a genin? My kunai was already in my hand. I made a decisive leap onto the jonin's back, plunging the sharp blade directly into his throat. Blood immediately gushed out, staining my weapon and his clothes a deep red.

With brutality and determination, I pulled the kunai, widening the wound. Blood sprayed in all directions, as if from a severed artery, covering me and the ground beneath us. The jonin tried to resist in his final moments, but with each second, his strength faded as I continued my assault. Gai looked on indifferently, perhaps even with a hint of annoyance.

The rogue ninja collapsed to the ground, desperately trying to cover the gaping wound on his throat with his hands. Blood flowed endlessly from his torn vessels, forming a pool beneath him, quickly spreading around his body, staining the earth a dark crimson. Every movement he made only worsened the bleeding, rendering his attempts to stop it utterly futile.

Blood slowly trickled down his hands, dripping onto the ground in a grim rhythm, marking the final moments of his life. His eyes, wide with fear and pain, stared into the void in a final, desperate plea. Suddenly, his movements ceased, and he froze, gasping out one last breath. Life left his body, leaving behind only a lifeless shell lying in a pool of blood.

Gai, slightly disappointed, clicked his tongue. His expression reflected mild irritation, mixed with a touch of mockery.

"Tch," he muttered. "I was hoping to finish him off with my new technique. Oh well, I'll try it next time."

Feeling a bit guilty for having deprived him of that chance, I said, "Sorry, Gai-sensei."

Gai waved his hand dismissively, brushing off my apology. His gaze had already shifted elsewhere, focused on the next step in his path.

"Forget it," he said lightly. "Now, you go help the girls. I'm heading over to Lee."

"Hai, Gai-sensei!" I responded, feeling the tension of the battle gradually ease. But I couldn't relax yet. Another fight lay ahead, and it could be just as tough.