Sen slowly climbed up the tree trunk he had grown with Wood Release.
The roof tiles creaked beneath his feet, and his soles left black scuff marks through the debris.
He walked up to the enormous curtain of dark purple fire and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand in distaste.
"All right, then."
He curled his lip.
"This crappy dome is pretty dazzling."
Jirobo, who was maintaining one corner of the barrier, wiped the sticky sweat running into his eyes with the back of his pudgy hand.
Looking at the boy standing before him, he couldn't help bursting into coarse laughter.
"Where'd this first-year brat come from? You haven't even hit puberty, and you dare come here to show off!"
"Sakon, you seeing this? Konoha's people are getting more useless by the day. They sent a brat to his death."
Sakon sat at another corner of the barrier, holding a yellowed bone flute.
"Ignore him, Jirobo."
Sakon sneered, his eyes full of contempt.
"This is the Four Violet Flames Formation!"
"Those two ANBU from earlier are cold ashes by now. If he dares touch it, he'll turn into a puddle of sludge in an instant!"
Tayuya chimed in indistinctly around the flute between her teeth.
"Exactly! You little brat, get back to nursing if you know what's good for you!"
"Quit getting in our way!"
Listening to them take turns mocking him, Sen sighed helplessly.
He slipped both hands into his pockets and tilted his head, looking at the four belligerent Sound Ninja brats before him.
"Four idiots with nothing better to do. What are you posing for?"
"Is this big purple dome your little toy?"
Tayuya's expression darkened instantly.
"You little brat! You're dead!"
"Two in one!"
"I'm going to rip that annoying mouth of yours