The Reconnaissance Operation

"Although we've divided the main and supporting attacks, we need to seize any opportunity we get and take the bells!"

Genma added one final reminder.

Yamashiro Aoba and Shizune nodded together.

"Let's begin!"

Genma turned to face their teacher, Hatake Sakumo.

Shizune immediately leaped backward and vanished into the woods, concealing herself.

Yamashiro Aoba, meanwhile, retreated behind Genma. He happened to be a head shorter than him.

"Go!"

With a low shout, Genma pushed off the ground and charged forward like an arrow loosed from its bow.

He didn't charge straight at Sakumo. Instead, he weaved from side to side, letting Yamashiro Aoba flicker into Sakumo's view behind him from time to time.

Whoosh, whoosh~

When Genma was only five or six meters from Sakumo, Yamashiro Aoba suddenly attacked, hurling three Shuriken at him in a triangular formation.

Genma's body happened to avoid the Shuriken's trajectory.

Sakumo hooked a finger, drawing a Kunai with minimal movement, then casually swung his arm and knocked all three Shuriken away.

But by then, Genma had already leaped into the air and was descending from above.

Boom!

The ground burst open, leaving a huge crater as dust billowed everywhere.

Behind his sunglasses, Yamashiro Aoba's eyes widened. "That strength—it's incredible!"

Was this really the kind of strength a nine-year-old Genin should have?

Amid the dust, Hatake Sakumo held an arm in front of his eyes. His eyes lit up. "That kind of strength... Tsunade's Strength of a Hundred?"

Sakumo had been Genma's teacher for two years. They often sparred during training, but those sessions focused solely on Taijutsu and swordsmanship. Genma had never used Strength of a Hundred, so Sakumo had no idea his student had mastered such power.

Before the dust had even settled, three Genmas burst out from within it, attacking Sakumo from different directions.

The one in the middle went for his lower body, the one on the left swept a kick toward his kidney, and the one on the right brought a high kick down toward his head.

Genma was going all out against his teacher, as if he meant to kill him.

Sakumo raised a knee to block, then followed with a hooking kick, forcing back the Genma attacking his lower body. At the same time, he spread his arms and precisely caught the legs of the two Genmas attacking from either side. Grabbing them, he spun to dissipate their immense Strength of a Hundred, then flung them away.

But as soon as Sakumo steadied himself, a wave of scorching heat swept toward him. A huge fireball was already right in front of him.

Yamashiro Aoba had seized the opportunity to use the Great Fireball Technique.

Sakumo shifted sideways like a phantom. The fireball grazed past him without causing the slightest harm.

But after only a brief pause, Sakumo moved again.

Boom!

Another crater burst open in the ground, and three Genmas charged at him once more.

The earth rumbled nonstop. Fists and feet left crater after crater as four figures clashed at high speed.

Yamashiro Aoba stared at the fight without blinking, barely able to contain his shock. Genma... That guy's so strong!

It was only natural for the White Fang of Konoha to be powerful.

But Kazekaze Genma being this strong was hard to believe.

His strength was absurd, and now his speed was astonishing too. He didn't seem like someone who had only just graduated at all.

"Genma is amazing!" Shizune exclaimed quietly from her hiding place in the woods, ready to jump in whenever she spotted an opening.

Unfortunately, while Genma's Taijutsu was certainly impressive and his strength even surpassed Sakumo's, that didn't stop Hatake Sakumo from taking his student seriously.

But Sakumo knew his student's Taijutsu moves too well. Even while facing three Genmas, he quickly found an opening.

Bang, bang~

Two Shadow Clones were struck and dispelled in quick succession. Just as the third Genma was about to be kicked away, Yamashiro Aoba rushed in. A Shuriken forced Sakumo to withdraw and dodge.

As Genma flipped backward, he immediately formed the Tiger Hand Seal.

Demonic Illusion: Spider Binding!

Sakumo, who had just dodged the Shuriken, suddenly froze in place.

In Sakumo's mind, he was suspended in the air, bound by a gigantic Spider Web. He couldn't move or use chakra to break free.

A huge black spider with a demonic face crawled toward him, as if about to devour him in one bite.

"Binding Technique? Did Genma create it himself? He actually managed to immobilize me. Looks like Kakashi was right—Genma has the greatest talent for genjutsu!"

Sakumo wasn't the least bit flustered. Instead, the corners of his mouth lifted, pleased with his student's performance.

Seeing Sakumo standing completely still, Yamashiro Aoba was delighted. Right beside him, he immediately reached for the Bell at Sakumo's waist.

But Genma sensed something was wrong.

"It's a clone!"

Genma immediately shouted a warning. "Careful, that's not the real one!"

Yamashiro Aoba, who had just grabbed the Bell, was startled. Then the Bell in his hand and the Sakumo before him both burst into smoke and vanished.

Just after warning Aoba, Genma felt his legs tighten. Looking down, he saw a pair of hands reaching out of the earth and gripping his calves.

Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!

Genma was dragged underground until only his head remained above the surface.

"Genma!"

Yamashiro Aoba turned around and immediately moved to attack Sakumo and rescue him.

Shizune, still concealed in the woods, was getting anxious too, but she held back instead of rushing out.

"Aoba, wait."

Genma called out to stop him, then asked with a smile, "Teacher, you're not the real one either, are you?"

"Which means you aren't the real one either," Sakumo replied.

Poof!

Genma answered with action.

His clone vanished, and his real body emerged from the first crater.

Yamashiro Aoba breathed a sigh of relief, then thought, Genma and the teacher both used clones during the first attack. Genma's real body hid in the crater, while the teacher's hid underground. If this one is the real one...

If it isn't, where is the real one hiding?

His gaze darted around, growing more wary by the moment.

His chakra reserves wouldn't let him use Shadow Clones carelessly. If he got caught, it would be over.

"Genma, I'll find the teacher's real body."

Yamashiro Aoba spoke, then raised his hands to form a seal.

"Got it!"

Genma nodded, then charged at Hatake Sakumo again.

He wasn't entirely sure whether the teacher in front of him was the real one.

Besides, Hatake Sakumo wasn't limited to swordsmanship and Lightning Release. He was an all-around ninja who had mastered nature transformations in all seven chakra natures.

Genma drew a Kunai and wielded it like a sword.

It was a specially made Kunai, heavier than usual and better suited to helping him bring his Strength of a Hundred to bear.

Hatake Sakumo likewise wielded a Kunai like a sword.

After they exchanged blows, he immediately understood his student's intent.

Sakumo had taught Genma swordsmanship, but with Strength of a Hundred behind it, it became something else entirely. It was especially difficult to deflect the force of their sword clashes.

Clang, clang, clang~

Their Kunai clashed again and again, sparks flying.

Yamashiro Aoba, who had been sensing their surroundings, suddenly turned around. "Found him!"

His eyes were fixed on a large tree. Someone was hiding behind it.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~

This time, Yamashiro Aoba threw Kunai. Two of them had Explosive Tags attached.

He changed the Kunai's direction by making them collide mid-flight, aiming for the target behind the tree.

Rumble!

The Explosive Tags detonated behind the tree, sending up billowing clouds of dust.

Yamashiro Aoba looked up and saw Hatake Sakumo hurtling out of the rising dust.

He formed Hand Seals, intending to use the Great Fireball Technique, but realized he wouldn't have time. He could only abandon the attempt and retreat, avoiding Sakumo's attack.

Sakumo was fast. After his first strike missed, he immediately caught up to Yamashiro Aoba, and the two began fighting at close quarters.

"His strength is nowhere near Genma's, but his technique is pretty good."

Sakumo assessed him as he attacked.

On top of that, Yamashiro Aoba had mastered the Great Fireball Technique and Sensory Ninjutsu. His abilities were already far beyond those of an ordinary Genin.