Iwagakure Ninja and Triple Crane Wings

The first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the treetops, spilling onto Uchiha Iori's face. He jolted awake, drenched in sweat, his breathing ragged.

His body trembled slightly on the bed, as if he had just escaped from a fierce battle.

"What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" Gekko Nobuhiko's voice sounded by his ear, laced with a hint of concern and worry.

Iori turned his head to see his teacher, Nobuhiko, standing by the bedside, his eyes filled with care.

"It's nothing, Nobuhiko-sensei. I'm just going to step aside to relieve myself." Iori squeezed out a smile, trying his best to make his voice sound relaxed.

Subconsciously, he clenched his hand, nearly shouting the words, "Trace on."

But he quickly realized his surroundings and decided to experiment in the woods instead.

He stood up, walked out of the tent, crossed the campsite, and entered a dense forest.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled patterns upon him, soothing his anxious heart.

"Trace on," Iori whispered, his voice carrying a trace of anticipation and nervousness.

Chakra flowed through the circuits in his body, surging from his hand and condensing according to his will.

In an instant, a kunai appeared in his hand, as if generated from thin air.

[As expected, it really is Projection Magic, and the high-completion version of Emiya Shirou's at that.]

Iori's heart surged with excitement; last night's experience was no dream—his cheat had truly unlocked.

Although he currently shared the same limitations as early-stage Emiya Shirou—requiring intense focus and fixed incantations to trigger the projection, along with a heavy consumption of energy—he knew these flaws could be overcome once he mastered the Reality Marble, Unlimited Blade Works.

In this cruel world, he finally felt a sense of security.

As long as he survived the initial phase, he would at least have the power to fight anyone other than Kaguya-hime or Otsutsuki Hagoromo.

[For now, I need to learn the Noble Phantasms Emiya Shirou excels at, master the activation of Unlimited Blade Works, and secure my entry ticket to Kage-level combat strength.]

Iori planned silently in his heart; the gate to becoming a powerhouse had already opened for him.

[Then, I'll head to the Hall of Heroes to see if I can pilfer other Noble Phantasms. The upper limit of my Projection Magic depends on how many Noble Phantasms I can witness.]

Iori's thoughts ran wild like a wild horse, growing more excited with every passing second.

In his mind, he could already see himself wielding holy swords and lances, punching Madara Uchiha and kicking Senju Hashirama.

Suddenly, Gekko Nobuhiko's warning cry interrupted his thoughts: "Enemy attack!"

In the distance, several figures were rapidly closing in; they were ninjas from Iwagakure.

His teammates, Uzuki Kaori and Kurama Takumi, gathered quickly, their gazes vigilant as they rapidly assessed the enemy's numbers and positions.

"Why are you Iwagakure ninjas invading the Land of Grass? Do you intend to tear up the peace treaty?"

Gekko Nobuhiko demanded loudly, his hands making rapid gestures behind his back, signaling Iori, Kaori, and Takumi to observe their surroundings and prepare for potential combat.

"Heh, you Konoha lot occupy the most fertile and abundant lands; of course you want to maintain the current status quo."

The lead Iwagakure ninja sneered, his voice filled with mockery and disdain as he assumed an attack stance.

He was about thirty years old, with black hair, a sturdy build, and a gruesome scar on his face. Judging by his attire and tone, he was likely a Jonin from Iwagakure.

As soon as he finished speaking, the three Iwagakure ANBU Chunin who followed him closed in. Their movements were swift and orderly, and the atmosphere grew tense in an instant.

"Iwagakure's ambition has been laid bare," Gekko Nobuhiko frowned, a trace of worry in his eyes.

"Iori, Kaori, Takumi, prepare to retreat and bring this intelligence back. I will buy you time."

The enemy Jonin's undisguised provocation indicated they were prepared for war, or perhaps they were confident they could easily wipe out his squad—or both.

Although Gekko Nobuhiko was also a Jonin, facing such powerful enemies while protecting three students left him with slim chances of victory.

A sense of resolve surged in his heart; he secretly made up his mind that even if he died in battle, he would secure a sliver of hope for his students.

"Sensei, they won't let us leave easily. Let's fight our way out together!"

Iori said firmly.

The Iwagakure ninjas gave the Gekko squad no room to breathe, and the curtain of battle was swiftly raised.

"Brat, how arrogant! Since you don't want to run, then stay here forever! Earth Style: Earth Rock Dragon!"

The Iwagakure Jonin roared, and a giant dragon made of earth and stone erupted from the ground, lunging at Gekko Nobuhiko with the power to crush everything in its path.

"Leave this Konoha Jonin to me; you lot go finish off those brats!" the Iwagakure Jonin commanded coldly.

Gekko Nobuhiko's expression was grave; he knew the opponent's strength could not be underestimated and he had to focus entirely on the fight.

He moved rapidly, dodging the violent attacks of the Earth Rock Dragon, while feeling anxious that he could not spare the attention to look after his other students.

"Yes!" the Iwagakure Chunin replied in unison, then charged toward Uchiha Iori and the others like cheetahs.

"Kaori, Takumi, protect yourselves! I'll come to support you once I finish my opponent!"

Excited red light flickered in Iori's eyes. The strengthening from last night had doubled his power; not only had he awakened his two-tomoe Sharingan, but he had also mastered Projection Magic and Emiya Shirou's combat techniques.

However, Iori couldn't help but worry; Uzuki Kaori and Kurama Takumi were only ordinary Chunin, and their strength seemed inadequate compared to the elite ninjas of the Great Nations.

Whether Iori could arrive in time to support them became a hidden concern in his heart.

Uzuki Kaori's face revealed a trace of worry as she whispered a reminder, "Iori, you must be careful too. The ninjas from the Great Nations are not like the rogue ninjas we have encountered before."

A flicker of determination flashed in Iori's eyes. "Don't worry. As long as it isn't a veteran Jonin, I have no reason to fail. You all need to take care of yourselves as well; you must survive."

He slowly activated his two-tomoe Sharingan, his gaze revealing immense confidence and resolve.

"Trace on."

He chanted in a low voice, and following his words, a pair of black and white swords appeared out of thin air as chakra was rapidly injected into them.

He threw them with all his might, the twin swords tracing a beautiful arc, crossing like wings as they struck toward the enemy's head.

"Let me test out a new technique: Crane wings lack not, my heart remains as solid as rock."

The Iwagakure Ninja quickly formed hand seals. "Earth Style: Earth Wall."

A wall of earth rose from the ground like a shield, knocking the twin swords away.

Dust swirled, obscuring their vision, but the battle between the two sides did not cease because of it.

"Heart and technique reach Mount Tai, strength pierces through mountains."

Iori lunged forward, projecting the twin swords once more to slash at the enemy.

The Iwagakure Ninja agilely dodged to the side and pulled out a kunai, stabbing toward Uchiha Iori's right hand.

"Heart and technique cross the Yellow River, sword intent severs the flowing water."

The twin swords thrown the first time flew back; the Iwagakure Ninja avoided Mo Ye, but Gan Jiang successfully wounded the enemy's left leg.

This strike broke the Iwagakure Ninja's stance, exposing a fatal opening.

With the aid of his Sharingan, Iori quickly seized the opportunity and decapitated him with a single strike.

He turned and rushed toward Kurama Takumi's opponent.

"Life has reached the Li Palace, only the name departs for the heavens."

The twin swords were thrown again, interrupting the attack of the other Iwagakure Anbu, and Kurama Takumi seized the opportunity.

"Genjutsu: Hell Viewing Technique."

The Iwagakure Anbu, not knowing what kind of scene he was witnessing, stiffened completely.

Kurama Takumi took the chance to throw a kunai and kill his opponent.

"Coexisting like crane wings, both heroes meet their end."

Iori turned and leaped, the twin swords transforming into wing-shaped greatswords as he flew through the air, slashing toward Uzuki Kaori's opponent.

The Iwagakure Anbu facing Kaori had just repelled her before turning to form hand seals.

"Earth Style: Earth Wall."

The earth wall rose again, but this time, the power of the twin swords was far beyond what it had been during the first throw.

Iori swung his twin swords, cleaving both the wall and the man into two.

Blood sprayed, staining his body, and Iori knelt halfway down, using Gan Jiang to support his weight.

Breathing heavily, Iori felt as though his stamina and chakra had been drained dry.

This won't do, he thought to himself. I'm too exhausted; the chakra consumption is too high. Next time, I must prepare weapons in advance. The drain from continuous projection is truly more than a human can bear.

In less than ten minutes, Iori had led his teammates to quickly eliminate three Iwagakure Anbu Chunin, achieving a result of two kills and one assist.

However, his chakra and stamina were nearly depleted, leaving him with little combat capability remaining.

Iori hurriedly took a military ration pill, struggling to put it into his mouth as he tried to recover some chakra.

The pill melted slowly in his mouth; although the taste was unpleasant, the sense of security brought by the recovery of his stamina made Iori stop dwelling on the issue.

"Iori, are you okay? How did you suddenly become so strong?"

Uzuki Kaori hurried over and helped the somewhat weak Uchiha Iori up, her eyes filled with concern and worry.

"Your eyes are already two-tomoe, and what were those swords in your hands just now? Did you summon them with a summoning jutsu?"

Kurama Takumi asked curiously, his eyes flashing with confusion and amazement.

Overnight, Uchiha Iori seemed to have been reborn, as if he had become a different person, leaving him feeling both curious and shocked.

Facing his teammates' questions, Iori quickly thought of a suitable explanation, but his mind was in such chaos that he could only shift the topic for now.

"The battle isn't over yet. Let's go see how the teacher is faring."

His voice revealed a hint of urgency; he knew they could not linger here for too long and had to confirm Gekko Nobuhiko's situation as soon as possible to make decisions for their next move.

Furthermore, although he had confidence in his teacher, he was still worried about his safety.

After all, most ninjas were glass cannons; a single mistake could lead to death.

If even Pakura of the Scorch Release, who could have competed for the Fourth Kazekage, could be stabbed to death by a kunai, what else couldn't happen?

"Right, we have to check on the teacher. The Iwagakure Ninjas might have reinforcements coming, so we need to evacuate as soon as possible."

Kurama Takumi responded, his voice revealing a trace of tension and urgency.

Just as the three were preparing to move, Gekko Nobuhiko ran over from the distance, his appearance allowing the three of them to set their hanging hearts at ease.

"Let's go, retreat together," he commanded briefly, his tone laced with urgency.

Gekko Nobuhiko was astonished by the efficiency with which Uchiha Iori and his team had dispatched their enemies, but he had no time to voice his surprise, merely urging them to withdraw immediately.

"That Iwagakure Ninja is incredibly strong. Although I managed to exploit an opening and wound his leg, I was struck by an Earth Rising Spear in return. I am injured, and I have no certainty of a quick victory."

Gekko Nobuhiko spoke while running.

"I am worried about you all, and I fear the Iwagakure Ninjas may have reinforcements. We must retreat to the border outpost first and bring this intelligence back."

He looked rather disheveled; his left arm hung limply at his side, blood dripping down to stain the ground. As they sprinted, he coughed up blood every so often.

"Sensei, why don't we find a place on the way to bandage your wounds? Your condition is looking quite grim," Uchiha Iori asked with concern.

"Let's just get back to the outpost first. Since the Iwagakure Ninjas have launched a large-scale invasion, there must be more than just this one patrol squad. If we get cornered by other teams, it will be difficult for us to survive."

Gekko Nobuhiko shook his head. The outpost was just ahead, and he led the team through the dense forest, racing toward safety.

"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!" x4.

Suddenly, the ground shook, and four Iwagakure Ninjas burst forth from the earth. Four long dragons composed of mud surged up from the ground, spewing mud bullets from their mouths.

Iori and the others were forced to halt their advance, dodging the sudden assault.

Gekko Nobuhiko's expression darkened as he said regretfully, "Damn it, it's the Subterranean Voyage Technique. They must have received word and circled around to surround us from nearby."

The number of ninjas at the border outpost was already small, and it was now too late to notify the village for reinforcements.

Facing this situation, Gekko Nobuhiko felt pressure like never before.

"Sensei, I will open a path! You all charge through first!"

Iori gritted his teeth, beginning to squeeze every drop of his chakra.

Given his current strength, he could not fully manifest Unlimited Blade Works.

However, a localized activation to unleash a wave of sword rain was barely within his reach.

Iori focused his spirit intensely, steeling his resolve. A third tomoe slowly emerged in his eyes, his Sharingan flickering with an ominous red light.

"I am the bone of my sword."

Iori stepped in front of the group and extended his hand.

Powerful chakra surged from within Iori, saturating the surrounding space as he prepared to summon his world into reality.

"Die! Earth Style: Rock Cannon Technique!"

The Iwagakure Ninjas performed hand seals in unison, and countless stones erupted from their mouths, rapidly expanding as they flew toward Iori.

Released by several ninjas at once, the barrage blotted out half the sky, forming a storm of boulders.

"This ends here! I will not let my comrades die before my eyes!"

As he spoke, several uniquely shaped kunai flew in, resembling tridents.

Wrapped in cloth strips, they were inscribed with the words: Sword of Loving Ninja.