Unfortunately, the second attacker reacted quickly to the change of scenery and stomped on the ground, hitting the boulder with his club, causing the kanpeki ningyo to recoil from the badly wounded and permanently disabled shinobi, dodging the projectile.
The two men circled in a one-on-one battle, exchanging blows and occasionally using elemental chakra for a quick attack, but neither was able to gain the upper hand quickly, though the advantage in the elemental was on the defender's side.
Except, two other jonins from the kanpeki ningyo team were already rushing to the rescue, the kunoichi a little faster and the ronin right behind her, leaving the client's guard to a trio of alerted chunin. Sending out a couple blades of chakra, Hiroshi broke the distance and prepared to act as a team.
- Saki, take the pincers," he commanded a subordinate who had appeared nearby, keeping an eye on his opponent, 'hold on until... Kha!' he said.
When Hiroshi looked down, along with the sharp pain that pierced his chest, he found the blade of a surprisingly familiar tanto piercing the body from the back, right in front of the heart.
Swinging his sword back violently, he almost reached the rebounding kunoichi and pressed his hand against the fatal wound.
- You bitch! - Ryo's clone squeezed the blood out of his mouth as he turned around and took a couple steps forward.
He was unable to do more than that, and fell sideways onto the grass.
- How dare you stab your comrade in the back! - roared the massive samurai, who had run out into the open after her and had seen the moment of betrayal, but was too far away to help the leader in any way.
He horizontally slashed the air in front of him with his katana, sending a sickle of chakra into his enemies.
- It's nothing personal, Akashi-kun, they promised to pay me more than I'll earn here for the whole contract," Saki shrugged lightly, easily dodging the ronin's long-range attack - the effect of their training together - and not thinking about worrying about killing a colleague she'd worked with for over three years and even shared a bed with.
- You took your time, Saki," the big jonin snorted angrily, moving closer to the girl, "that asshole killed and maimed two of our own.
- Hiroshi-kun was too quick, but we'll have to split the money for the order with fewer people," the kunoichi snorted coldly, "let's get rid of this honor-turned idiot and finish off the target, the chunins won't be much of a problem.
- That's right," the enemy jonin grinned.
- Don't think it'll be that easy, you corrupt bitch," Arashi grinned.
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