Operation: Assess the Depths

"Although we have divided our primary and secondary roles, we must seize every opportunity to snatch those bells!"

Kazekaze Genma added this final instruction.

Yamashiro Aoba and Shizune nodded in unison.

"Let's begin!"

Kazekaze Genma turned to face his teacher, Hatake Sakumo.

Shizune immediately leaped backward, vanishing into the woods in the blink of an eye to conceal her position.

Yamashiro Aoba retreated to hide behind Kazekaze Genma, his stature conveniently a head shorter than his teammate.

"Go!"

With a low shout, Kazekaze Genma pushed off the ground, surging forward like an arrow released from a bowstring.

He did not charge in a straight line, but rather in a serpentine pattern, allowing Yamashiro Aoba to occasionally flash into Hatake Sakumo's line of sight from behind his cover.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

When Kazekaze Genma was only five or six meters away from Hatake Sakumo, Yamashiro Aoba suddenly struck, launching three shuriken in a triangular formation toward Hatake Sakumo.

Kazekaze Genma's movement perfectly avoided the flight path of the shuriken.

Hatake Sakumo flicked his fingers, drawing a kunai with a subtle motion, and gently swung his arm to effortlessly deflect the three shuriken.

At that moment, Kazekaze Genma leaped into the air, descending from above.

BOOM!

The ground exploded, leaving a large crater amidst a cloud of swirling dust.

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

Is this the kind of power a nine-year-old genin should possess?

Within the dust, Hatake Sakumo, who had raised his arm to shield his eyes, felt his gaze sharpen. "This power... is it Tsunade's Strength of a Hundred?"

Although he had been teaching them for two years and frequently sparred with them, those sessions focused on pure taijutsu and swordsmanship; Kazekaze Genma had never used Strength of a Hundred, so Hatake Sakumo had no idea his student had mastered such power.

Before the dust could settle, three versions of Kazekaze Genma burst forth, attacking Hatake Sakumo from different directions.

The one in the center aimed directly for his vitals, the one on the left swept for his waist, and the one on the right brought a leg down in a vertical strike toward his head.

When dealing with his teacher, Kazekaze Genma fought with the intent to kill.

Hatake Sakumo raised his knee to block before following through with a hooking kick, forcing the central Kazekaze Genma back. Simultaneously, he opened his arms, his wrists wrapping around and precisely grabbing the legs of the two flanking attackers. Using their momentum, he spun his body to dissipate Kazekaze Genma's immense Strength of a Hundred, flinging the two clones away.

However, just as Hatake Sakumo steadied himself, a rolling wave of heat swept over him, and a massive fireball appeared before his eyes.

It was Yamashiro Aoba, seizing the opportunity to unleash the Great Fireball Technique.

Hatake Sakumo moved with ghostly agility, sliding sideways as the fireball brushed past him, leaving him completely unscathed.

But after only a momentary pause, Hatake Sakumo moved again.

BOOM!

Another crater exploded in the ground as the three versions of Kazekaze Genma swarmed him once more.

The sounds of impact were constant, with fists and feet leaving deep pits in the earth as the four figures clashed at high speed.

Yamashiro Aoba watched intently, his shock impossible to suppress. "This guy, Kazekaze Genma... he's so strong!"

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

But for Kazekaze Genma to be this strong was simply unbelievable.

His strength was absurdly high, and his speed was now equally astonishing; he didn't look like a fresh graduate at all.

"Kazekaze Genma is amazing!"

Hidden in the woods, Shizune whispered in awe, preparing to seize any chance to assist.

Unfortunately, while Kazekaze Genma's taijutsu was indeed excellent and his strength even surpassed Hatake Sakumo's—enough to make his teacher wary—Hatake Sakumo knew his student's techniques too well. Even while surrounded by three attackers, he quickly found the flaws in their formation.

Pop! Pop!

Two Shadow Clone vanished in succession. Just as the third Kazekaze Genma was about to be kicked away, Yamashiro Aoba struck, forcing Hatake Sakumo to retreat and dodge.

Kazekaze Genma, having flipped backward, immediately formed the Tiger seal with his hands.

"Demonic Illusion: Spider Web Binding!"

Hatake Sakumo, having just dodged the shuriken, froze in place, standing motionless.

In Hatake Sakumo's perception, he was suspended in the air by a massive spider web, completely unable to move or exert chakra to break free.

A giant, black, demonic-faced spider was crawling toward him, as if to devour him in one bite.

"Binding Technique... did Kazekaze Genma create this himself? To be able to trap me... it seems Kakashi was right. Kazekaze Genma's talent for genjutsu is top-tier!"

Hatake Sakumo felt no panic; instead, the corners of his mouth curled upward, feeling deeply gratified by his student's performance.

Seeing Hatake Sakumo standing motionless, Yamashiro Aoba was immediately overjoyed. Being within arm's reach, he decisively made his move, reaching for the bells at Hatake Sakumo's waist.

But Genma sensed something was wrong.

"It's a clone!"

Genma immediately shouted a warning: "Watch out, that's not the real body."

Yamashiro Aoba, who had just grabbed the bells, was startled. Immediately after, he saw the bells in his hand and the Hatake Sakumo before him burst into smoke and vanish.

No sooner had Genma finished warning Yamashiro Aoba than he felt his legs tighten. Looking down, he saw a pair of hands emerge from the ground and grab his calves.

Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!

Genma was dragged into the ground, leaving only his head exposed.

"Genma!"

Yamashiro Aoba turned around, ready to attack Hatake Sakumo to save him.

Shizune, hiding in the woods, felt a bit anxious as well, but she held back and did not rush out.

"Aoba, wait."

Genma called out to stop Yamashiro Aoba, then asked with a smile: "Teacher, this isn't your real body either, is it?"

Hatake Sakumo replied: "And so, this isn't your real body either."

Poof!

Genma answered with his actions.

The clone dispersed, and the real body stepped out from the first large pit.

Yamashiro Aoba breathed a sigh of relief, then thought to himself: During the first strike, Genma and Teacher both used clones. Genma's real body was hiding in the large pit, and Teacher was hiding underground—if this one is the real body.

If it isn't the real body, where would the real body be hiding?

Yamashiro Aoba's eyes darted around, becoming increasingly vigilant.

His chakra did not allow for the casual use of Shadow Clone, and if he were caught, he would be finished.

"Genma, I'll find Teacher's real body."

Yamashiro Aoba spoke, then raised his hands to weave signs.

"Understood!"

Genma nodded, then lunged at Hatake Sakumo once more.

He was actually not entirely sure if the teacher in front of him was the real body.

Moreover, Hatake Sakumo didn't just know swordsmanship and Lightning Release; he was an all-around ninja who had mastered all seven nature transformations.

Genma drew a kunai, using it as a blade.

Furthermore, this kunai was specially crafted—heavier and better suited for him to unleash his Strength of a Hundred.

Hatake Sakumo likewise used a kunai as a blade.

And as soon as they clashed, he understood his student's intent.

Although he had taught him the swordsmanship, it became different when augmented by Strength of a Hundred, especially since the blade-to-blade combat made it much harder to deflect the force.

Clang, clang, clang~

The kunai collided repeatedly, sparks flying everywhere.

Yamashiro Aoba, who was performing Sensory Ninjutsu, suddenly turned around: "Found you!"

His eyes locked onto a large tree; the person was hiding right behind it.

Swish, swish, swish~

This time, Yamashiro Aoba threw kunai, two of which were attached with explosive tags.

He changed the trajectory of the kunai through mid-air collisions to strike the target behind the tree.

Boom!

The explosive tags detonated behind the tree, sending up clouds of dust.

Yamashiro Aoba looked up, only to see Hatake Sakumo darting out from the rising smoke.

He wove signs with his hands, wanting to perform the Great Fireball Technique, but realized it was too late. He had no choice but to give up and retreat, avoiding Hatake Sakumo's sharp edge.

Hatake Sakumo was fast; after missing his first strike, he immediately pursued Yamashiro Aoba, and the two became locked in close-quarters combat.

"Though his strength is far inferior to Genma's, his technique is quite good."

Hatake Sakumo evaluated as he attacked.

Coupled with the fact that Yamashiro Aoba had also mastered the Great Fireball Technique and Sensory Ninjutsu, his level was already beyond that of an average genin.