"Ah! Run! It's Ninja! It's Ninja!"
A ragtag group of hoodlums tore down the muddy road, panic etched across their faces. Their desperate footsteps splashed through puddles left by the previous night's rain, scattering droplets into the misty air. Behind them, Uchiha Izumi and her teammates pursued with steady precision. The young Konoha ninja moved like shadows, each blow striking with calculated force. One by one, the criminals were disarmed, thrown to the ground, and bound with rope.
When the last man was tied, the group dragged their captives toward the village square. The air smelled faintly of damp earth and woodsmoke as villagers gathered, murmuring among themselves.
The Village Head, a stout man with weathered skin and a long gray beard, hurried forward. His face lit up in relief as his eyes swept over the captured troublemakers.
"Thank you so much," he said, bowing deeply. "Konoha's ninja are truly amazing. Without you, these men would have caused even more suffering."
Sarutobi Muraki, their leader, smiled politely. "No, we should be the ones thanking you—for trusting in the protection of Konoha. Please, if more troubles arise, do not hesitate to bring missions to our village."
The Village Head chuckled heartily. "Yes, yes, of course! Hahaha…"
A small group of soldiers from the Land of Rain's daimyo soon arrived to take custody of the criminals. Izumi stood off to the side, arms crossed, watching as the prisoners were hauled away.
Akimichi Jiro, one of her teammates, tilted his head curiously. "Teacher, why aren't these soldiers just dealing with the hoodlums themselves?"
Muraki folded his arms. "That's their internal matter—it has nothing to do with us. Our role is to fulfill the mission we were given, nothing more."
"But," Jiro continued, "why didn't they just call the Hidden Rain Village ninja? This wasn't a hard mission—just chasing a bunch of thugs."
Muraki stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I heard Hidden Rain Village sealed itself off recently. I don't know the details, but it's likely related to political unrest in the area."
Izumi covered her mouth with one hand and let out a small laugh. "I have a feeling these hoodlums will be back sooner than they think."
"Ah, come on," Yamamoto Kawa scoffed, rolling his eyes. "They've all been captured. How are they supposed to come back? You think they're ninja or something? You're losing it, Izumi."
"Fine, fine," she replied with mock seriousness. "You're right. My brain's broken." She looked away, clearly not interested in arguing.
Muraki raised his voice slightly. "Enough. Our mission is complete. Whatever happens after this is no longer our concern. We should return."
---
Several days later, on the road back toward Konoha, the team's easy pace was interrupted by the sharp, distant sounds of battle—metal clashing, jutsu detonating, and the faint roar of fire.
Muraki lifted a hand, signaling silence. The group darted off the path, slipping into the cover of nearby trees. Moving with practiced stealth, they crept forward until the combat came into view.
Through the misty rain, they saw a group of Hidden Rain ninja—identifiable by their gas masks—locked in fierce combat with a single female ninja. What stunned Izumi most wasn't the disparity in numbers, but the fact that the woman's entire body seemed to be made of paper.
Izumi's eyes widened. "Konan…" she whispered in disbelief.
A slow smile spread across her face. "I've been wanting to learn that Ninjutsu for a long time, Miss Konan."
Her Sharingan spun to life, the tomoe sharpening her vision. Every flicker of movement, every flutter of paper, was recorded in perfect clarity.
Muraki's gaze narrowed. "Amegakure ninja," he murmured, assessing the scene.
The Rain ninja were in bad shape—cuts and burns marked their uniforms. One of them shouted in frustration, "Damn you! You're like a ghost that won't go away! After all this time, you still won't leave us alone!"
Konan's voice was calm, almost cold. "You murdered my friends. No matter where you run, or how long you hide, I will find you. And I will kill you."
From her back, great wings of paper unfurled. With a sweeping motion, thousands of razor-sharp paper sheets erupted into the air, swirling toward her enemies like a deadly blizzard.
"Earth Release! Earth-Style Wall!" one Rain ninja cried, slamming his palms into the ground. A thick wall of rock surged upward, intercepting the paper storm.
Another quickly followed. "Hmph! We came prepared! Fire Release—Exploding Flame Array!"
The ground around Konan erupted with hundreds of Exploding Tags, which slithered toward her legs like snakes.
From their hiding spot, Izumi's eyes gleamed. Interesting… they're using pre-prepared Exploding Tags enhanced with Fire Release, and manipulating them remotely.
The first explosion detonated with a deafening crack, followed by a chain of blasts. Fire and smoke swallowed Konan's figure.
The Rain ninja laughed triumphantly. "Paper burns, woman! We drew you in and made you touch the ground—game over!"
But their victory was short-lived. Before they could retreat, two of the ninja were suddenly struck from behind by a hail of paper shuriken. The blades pierced their armor with ease, and they crumpled to the ground, dead.
The last surviving Rain ninja's eyes went wide. "A Paper Clone…!"
Konan reappeared, her true body unharmed, paper swirling protectively around her.
Desperate, the Rain ninja formed a Shadow Clone to hold her off while he launched another Fire Release attack. Flames roared across the clearing, but even as the fire devoured some of the sheets, many still pushed through, striking him in the chest.
Steam hissed where the paper had been soaked.
"She wet the paper… damn it…" he choked, before collapsing lifeless to the ground.
Konan barely spared him a glance. She gathered the bodies with her paper, folded them into tight bundles, and took to the air, vanishing into the mist.
---
"Wow…" Jiro breathed. "I didn't think using paper could be that powerful."
"Amazing," Kawa admitted reluctantly. Then he turned to their teacher. "So, who's stronger—you or her?"
Muraki's expression was unreadable. "It's hard to say. Now that I've seen her abilities, I could prepare countermeasures. But remember—information is the most important weapon a ninja has."
"Yes!" the students replied in unison.
Muraki nodded approvingly. "Notice how she knew her weakness and found a way to counter it—wetting the paper to resist fire. You must also understand your own strengths and weaknesses. Only then can you adapt and increase your odds of victory. Understood?"
"Understood!"
"Good. This mission was not in vain. In the coming days, I will teach you more Ninjutsu. Especially you, Izumi—you're still new, so expect to work hard."
Izumi grinned. "It's fine, Teacher. No matter how hard it gets, I can handle it."
Muraki smiled faintly. "We'll see. For now, let's leave before someone notices us."
---
By nightfall, they reached a small market town and secured rooms at a local inn. Lanterns glowed warmly along the narrow streets, and the air carried the scent of grilled fish and fresh bread.
Izumi wandered through the market, picking up snacks and small trinkets. As she returned to the inn, her gaze lingered on the door to the room next to hers. A small smirk tugged at her lips.
Really? Watching me all day wasn't enough? You have to monitor me even while I'm sleeping? These higher-ups are too paranoid about the Uchiha. Honestly, I should call them perverts.
Her unique lineage, a mix of Senju and Uchiha blood, had gifted her with extraordinary sensory perception. Combined with her training in spiritual energy, natural energy absorption, and advanced sensing Ninjutsu, she could easily detect her teacher's presence—even through walls.
Only after the faint trace of his chakra moved away did she finally relax.
She lay back on the bed, a small chuckle escaping her lips. "Well… unpleasant as parts of this trip were, I still picked up a very nice Ninjutsu."
Rolling up her sleeve, she studied her arm. Pale skin shifted, forming intricate patterns. Then, her forearm transformed into thin sheets of paper that fanned out smoothly.
"Perfect," she whispered. "Now let's combine this with my Divine Ink writing ability."
Using a brush and ink, she began inscribing Exploding Tags and other specialized seals onto the sheets. The quiet room filled with the faint rustle of paper and the steady scratch of her pen.
When she was finished, she flexed her arm, the papers folding neatly back into her skin.
"All done," she said with satisfaction. "With this technique, I'm not afraid of most opponents anymore. Thank you, Konan—your Ninjutsu suits me perfectly. I'll put it to good use."
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