Shinju stared speechlessly at Jiraiya, who was still indulging himself in pleasure.
So the safety of his disciple wasn't as important as his current enjoyment, huh.
Shinju didn't want to look anymore. He turned and left.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya, lying in the arms of a woman, silently watched Shinju's retreating back.
It wasn't that he didn't care about Shinju—he knew very well that in the entire shinobi world, only a handful of people could actually touch Shinju.
Ordinary assassins were nothing more than whetstones to sharpen his blade.
...
Outside, Shinju used the Flying Thunder God and instantly teleported to Naruto's side.
If the enemy's target was him, then there was no guarantee Naruto—who had been traveling with him—wouldn't also be targeted.
And Naruto carried the Nine-Tails within him. If "Akatsuki" made a move while things were chaotic, it would be a huge problem.
At this moment, Naruto was buying takoyaki. When Shinju suddenly appeared, he looked at him in surprise.
"Yo, Shinju, why are you dressed up like you're heading to war or something?"
"But that armor looks pretty cool. Can you get me a set too? (´◊ω◊｀)"
Shinju took out the summoning scroll tied to his back.
Inside the scroll, he had already prepared a set of equipment for Naruto.
He formed a hand seal and brought out Naruto's armor.
"Put it on."
Naruto's eyes lit up at the sight of the armor in Shinju's hands.
"You actually bought me one too?! Awesome! ( *ˊᵕˋ)✩︎"
Without caring about the strange stares of passersby, he immediately put it on.
And just like that, two kids in armor appeared in the middle of the street.
From the shadows, Kumogakure's assassins continued watching Shinju. ¯\(ツ)/¯
"Captain, those two brats don't seriously think armor's gonna protect them from us, right?" one whispered cautiously.
"They're still young. A little naïve, nothing unusual," the squad captain analyzed.
Another, more wary ninja muttered,
"But he's only thirteen and already mastered Sage Arts and Wood Release. You think a kid like that's naïve?"
The captain sighed. "This child's talent is truly extraordinary. Unfortunately, his very existence is a threat to our village. He must be eliminated."
Just as they spoke, one of the lookout ninjas stiffened.
"Captain! They're gone!"
The captain frowned helplessly.
"Again with the Flying Thunder God? That technique is such a nuisance—blink and he slips away."
But the scout quickly corrected him.
"No, they didn't teleport. They're heading out!"
"Oh?"
Behind the mask, the captain's expression turned delighted.
By international agreement, shinobi weren't allowed to drag ordinary civilians into their battles.
Inside a town, their movements were heavily restricted.
But now Shinju was voluntarily heading for the outskirts, practically handing them the opportunity to strike.
The captain gave a sharp order.
"Everyone, move!"
"You go ahead and set up the formation! Seal off his Flying Thunder God! Opportunities like this don't come twice!"
...
On a plain outside the small village.
Shinju and Naruto emerged from the forest and stopped.
The next instant—
"Bzzzz—"
A purple-red barrier shimmered into existence, enclosing them in a rectangular space!
This was the formation prepared by the assassins specifically to counter the Flying Thunder God.
Inside this barrier, ninjutsu power and all space-time techniques were restricted.
As soon as the formation was complete, the Kumogakure assassins leapt from the shadows.
"Captain, we did it!" one shouted excitedly.
They were Kumogakure's special assassination squad.
Raikage had known the mission was difficult, so only elite shinobi were chosen—each at least jōnin-level!
Since receiving the mission, they had secretly infiltrated Konoha, waiting for the right chance.
They had trailed Shinju ever since he left with Jiraiya.
Now, at last, the strange little boy was trapped inside their formation!
"Do we take them alive or dead?" asked the ninja maintaining the barrier.
The captain gave the order.
"That red-haired boy dies. The blond one is Konoha's Nine-Tails jinchūriki. Bring him back alive!"
"Understood!"
The four maintaining the formation shouted in unison.
Crackling bolts of Lightning Release suddenly filled the barrier!
Facing the storm above, Naruto and Shinju panicked.
Then—
Boom!
A thunderclap split the sky.
Bolts as thick as a man's arm struck Shinju and Naruto dead-on!
Both kids were instantly paralyzed, bodies twitching from the shock.
One of the assassins frowned.
"Captain… something's off. That red-haired kid's trained the Eight Gates. His body's ridiculously tough. How'd one strike freeze him like that?"
The captain had doubts too, but explained anyway.
"This Four Lightning Sealing Formation was improved by our village's barrier masters. It not only blocks chakra and space-time techniques, it unleashes lightning on par with an A-rank jutsu."
"With four elite jōnin fueling it, even a monster physique can't shrug it off. He should be paralyzed for sure."
But just as he finished, another assassin's eyes went wide in horror.
"Captain—look!"
"Don't panic, you're Kumogakure's elites! Compose yourselves!" the captain barked before turning to look.
Then his pupils shrank sharply.
Because inside the formation, Shinju and Naruto's armored bodies… had turned into chunks of wood.
The assassins froze. --003d͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪ ‧̣̥̇),ヽ( ຶ▮ ຶ)ﾉ!!!,∑(°Д°)
"Damn it—it's a Wooden Clone!" the captain roared.
"Wooden Clones aren't like ordinary Shadow Clones—they're almost indistinguishable from the real body! No wonder we didn't notice!"
Realizing they'd been tricked, the captain quickly ordered a retreat.
But at that very moment, a voice rang out from the forest behind them.
"Wood Release: Wood Dragon!"
Crash!!
A colossal wooden dragon, forty to fifty meters long, erupted from the trees, charging straight at the assassins!
"Rumble!"
The dragon plowed through them, scattering their formation in chaos!
From the woods, Shinju pressed the attack.
Clapping his hands together, he shouted—
"Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!"
BOOM!!
A towering wooden giant, just as massive, rose from the forest.
On its head stood Shinju and Naruto, as the giant strode step by step toward the assassins.
The captain gritted his teeth at the sight, rage boiling inside.
All his years as a ninja—and he'd been outwitted by a child!
"Retreat! Everyone, retreat!!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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