Chapter 41: The Rookies' Battle
"You!" Lee tried to wrench his leg free, but the man's hand was like an iron pincer, unmoving. A sharp, grating pain shot up from his ankle. The masked man was applying pressure, as if intending to snap the bone.
Seeing this, Choji immediately swallowed a food pill, his body instantly expanding. "Human Bullet Tank!"
Ino simultaneously tried to interfere. "Mind Transfer Jutsu!" But the moment her chakra touched the masked man, it was repelled by an immense force. A dull pain spread through her chest, and she couldn't stop herself from coughing up a mouthful of blood.
Choji's Human Bullet Tank was also stopped, caught by the masked man's single free hand.
The Root ninja, still holding Lee's leg, spoke with amusement. "Surrender now. Hand over Naruto, and I'll make your deaths quick."
"In your dreams!" Shikamaru suddenly yelled, pulling an explosive tag from his vest and hurling it at the leader. "Choji, Partial Expansion Jutsu on his arm! Ino, use the opening to run interference on the others!"
Choji's right arm instantly expanded to several times its size, slamming down on the arm that was crushing Lee.
BOOM! The explosive tag detonated at the masked man's feet. He grunted in pain, his grip loosening for just a fraction of a second.
Lee seized the chance to break free, rolling back to Neji's side, his ankle already swelling to a deep purple.
"Nice!" Tenten whipped out ten kunai, all tied with wire. "Neji, Byakugan! With me!"
Neji understood, his Byakugan locking onto the figures in the smoke. "One o'clock and ten o'clock! Now!"
Tenten yanked the wires taut. Two masked ninja, who had been in the middle of forming hand seals, were caught off guard and tripped.
Sasuke, who had been lying in wait on the flank, seized the fleeting opportunity. His hands flashed through seals: "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
The searing fireball engulfed the two fallen ninja.
"Don't get cocky!" Shikamaru's eyes suddenly went wide. He'd seen a strange glint in the smoke. "Weapons!"
Dozens of senbon shot from the smoke. The hair-thin needles glinted with a strange purple in the light, aimed straight at the exposed Naruto and Sakura.
"They're poisoned!" Shikamaru yelled.
"Look out!" Hinata jumped in front of them without hesitation, unleashing her ultimate defense. "Rotation!"
Her body spun like a top, creating a high-speed dome of chakra that deflected every single senbon. The needles pinged harmlessly to the ground, and the grass they touched instantly withered. The poison was shockingly potent.
"Thanks, Hinata!" Naruto wiped the sweat from his brow. If she hadn't been so fast, he'd be poisoned for sure.
Hinata stopped spinning, her cheeks flushing. "Y-You're welcome... It's what I'm here for."
"Dammit!" Sakura, seeing her comrades all showing their strength, couldn't hold back any longer. She leaped up, channeling her chakra, and slammed her fist toward where the senbon had come from.
Her fist hit a thick tree trunk. BOOM! The tree snapped in half. The broken trunk, leaves and all, crashed down right on top of the masked ninja hidden behind it.
The ninja, caught by surprise, let out a muffled grunt as his shoulder was crushed. A pouch of senbon fell from his sleeve.
"Sakura! Awesome!" Naruto yelled, seeing the display.
Sakura landed, breathing heavily. A small smile touched her lips. "Hmph. That's just the start! Don't think you're the only ones who can fight. My monstrous strength won't lose to anyone!"
The hidden ninja struggled to his feet, his shoulder clearly dislocated. He glared at Sakura and pulled out another pouch of senbon, but a sudden chill ran down his back.
It was Sasuke. He had silently circled behind him. A kunai was already at his throat.
"Don't move," Sasuke said coldly. "Move again, and this kunai pierces your throat."
The Root ninja froze, not daring to breathe. He could feel the sharp edge against his skin. He couldn't believe he'd been ambushed from behind, right after dodging Sakura. The opponent was too fast to detect.
Sasuke pressed him. "Talk. What's your objective? Why are you after Naruto?"
The man gritted his teeth but refused to speak. He was clearly under orders to die before talking.
Meanwhile, Torune Aburame, observing the battle from a distance, was taking notes in his small book.
"Sakura Haruno. Suspected use of superhuman strength. Destructive power is extremely high, capable of breaking a three-meter-diameter tree in one blow. Chakra is concentrated in the right arm. Suspect special chakra control techniques."
"Hinata Hyuga. Using Hyuga secret art: Rotation. Defensive range approximately two meters, capable of fully deflecting projectile attacks. Chakra flow is stable. Absolute defense is effective."
"Sasuke Uchiha. Exceptional combat instinct. Ambush speed is extremely high. Excels at stealth and concealment. Prioritizes attacking enemy vitals. Prefers a calm, surgical strike style."
His gaze swept over everyone, not even missing Naruto's excited fist-pumps or Shikamaru's quiet, steady observation of the surroundings. The pages of his book filled with dense notes, detailing their jutsu, fighting styles, and even transcribing their words.
Below, Sasuke, seeing the man's silence, was about to apply more pressure when Shikamaru ran over, shaking his head. "Don't force it. These brainwashed grunts won't talk even if you kill them. Tie him up first. We'll take him back to Konoha for interrogation after we deal with the others."
Sasuke hesitated, but withdrew the kunai. He twisted the man's arms behind his back in one clean motion. Shikamaru immediately tied him up.
"Neji, status?" Shikamaru called out.
Neji's Byakugan was still active. "Three more masked ninja to the east, moving this way fast! They're trying to rescue this one! Also, Hidan—the one fighting Kakashi-sensei—he's about to break free!"
"This is a drag." Shikamaru frowned, his mind racing. "Sakura, watch the prisoner and treat Lee's ankle. Hinata, stay on watch with your Byakugan and alert us immediately. Shino, Sasuke, you're with me. We'll intercept the three from the east. Everyone else, regroup with Kakashi-sensei! Take down Hidan first!"
"Got it!" The team moved as one.
Nearby, Torune Aburame watched the well-drilled response and added another line to his book: "Nara Shikamaru. Possesses battlefield command ability. Tactics are clear, prioritizes protecting comrades and securing objectives. Capable of forming rapid response plans."
He closed the book and put it away. It was time to retreat. The test was complete; the objective had been achieved.
These kids... they definitely possess skills far beyond their years.
As for the four men he'd hired... whether they lived or died was no concern of his.