Together, Then

"Almost there."

A squad of eight Kumogakure Ninja moved through the forest. Jinpei, the Jonin leading them, stopped.

"Rest for ten minutes."

Jinpei popped a Soldier Pills into his mouth. The rough motion tugged at his wound, making him hiss in pain.

There had been twenty ninja at that outpost, but only his squad had survived by sheer luck.

"Tch. Konoha really does have all the luck."

The Yellow Flash, and then...

Jinpei shuddered as he recalled the figure on the battlefield who had kept unleashing Flame Blade Aura.

Uchiha...

That brat they called Red Blade had unpredictable tricks. So many of Jinpei's comrades had fallen to them.

Good thing Jinpei hadn't faced him. His head would probably be on the ground by now.

Perhaps only the Third Hokage's son or Killer B could take down Red Blade.

He wondered whether those civilians had managed to blow up any Konoha Ninja. If only they'd blown up Red Blade.

Jinpei looked toward the Land of Lightning. Beyond this forest rose its mountains, towering into the clouds.

"Tap, tap..."

Footsteps sounded in the silent forest. Jinpei and his men immediately went on guard.

"Who's there?"

A figure gradually emerged from the direction they had come. Jinpei's pupils contracted. Memories of the battlefield from not long ago rose in his mind like a nightmare, and he slowly named the person before him.

"Red Blade. Homura Uchiha."

With his Three-Tomoe Sharingan active, Homura raised Crimson Sky and pointed it straight at the eight-man squad.

"All of you. Come at me together."

Jinpei didn't dare make a rash move, but his subordinates had less self-control.

"Bastard!"

One Chunin finally snapped and charged Homura with a Kunai, screaming.

Homura seemed frozen as he let the man approach. Only when the Kunai swung toward him did he turn aside, letting it brush past his hair.

Thud!

[Dodge] activated.

Homura swept Crimson Sky upward at an angle and took his head.

Only when his subordinate's head hit the ground did Jinpei react. He roared for the others to surround Homura.

"Don't get close! Use Ninjutsu!"

"Lightning Release: Lightning Light!"

"Lightning Release: Thunderclap!"

They rapidly formed Hand Seals and unleashed a variety of Lightning Release techniques. Bolts of different shapes struck at Homura at once.

But as the techniques neared him, they suddenly slowed. Homura stepped forward and slipped sideways through the gaps between them. Crackling arcs of electricity burst into his hand, and he vanished from the spot.

"Chidori!"

When Homura reappeared, he was behind a Genin. The Chidori in his hand pierced the enemy's chest. He wasn't done. Its lightning flared violently, then shot outward in a straight line.

Chidori Sharp Spear!

The lightning thrust out like a spear, piercing the heart of a Chunin who couldn't dodge in time.

In a single exchange, the eight-man squad had lost three members.

"Ah!"

Their fighting spirit shattered instantly. Two subordinates screamed and fled in different directions. Even Jinpei couldn't stop the hand holding his Kunai from trembling.

Whoosh.

Yan vanished. No one knew who he would target next.

"Run!"

After giving what might be his last order to his men, Jinpei burned through Chakra with repeated Body Flicker Techniques, racing toward the Land of Lightning.

The five of them scattered like frightened prey, with Homura closing in like a hunter.

At times, he hurled Shuriken into their thighs from behind before taking their heads. At others, he appeared ahead of them and drove his blade into their chests. He even bound their hands with thrown steel wire. Under the effect of [Grab], they couldn't cut it with their Kunai and could only watch as Homura brought down his blade.

Before long, Jinpei heard several screams from his men. Then silence.

He looked back. Yan had appeared behind him again, fresh blood on Crimson Sky's blade.

Homura swung Crimson Sky and unleashed Sun Halo Dance. An arc of flame tore through the air toward Jinpei.

Jinpei nearly jumped out of his skin. He stopped and ducked, narrowly avoiding the strike. The flaming arc skimmed over his head and sheared off his bangs.

Yan pressed his advantage, bringing his blade straight down. Jinpei hastily blocked, but the force numbed his hand and left a visible notch in his Kunai.

Was this really the strength a seven-year-old child should have?

Jinpei's nerve broke completely. Homura slashed across again, severing the Kunai Jinpei raised to block. Though Jinpei pulled his hand back in time, the blade still took off his ring finger.

"Ah!"

Jinpei cried out in pain and threw every ninja tool he had. He finally forced Homura back three steps, where he knocked them all aside with his blade.

Seizing the chance, Jinpei formed Hand Seals. Chakra gathered in his hands, and he slammed them against the ground.

"Earth Release: Earth Shore Return!"

A slab of earth rose before Homura like a stone wall, blocking his view.

Yan frowned, created a Shadow Clone, and concealed his real body.

The Shadow Clone gripped its sword with both hands. Flames reignited along the blade as it leaped into the air and swung hard.

"Sun Halo Dragon!"

The flames formed a complete fire dragon that roared as it lunged at Jinpei. The Shadow Clone followed close behind, Crimson Sky angled down for a straight thrust, as though riding the dragon into a charge against the ground.

Boom!

The fire dragon struck the ground first with a thunderous crash. Flames scattered and set the forest ablaze.

Jinpei jumped back and avoided the direct hit, but the searing flames burned his legs.

Thunk.

Crimson Sky swept out of the flames and bit into Jinpei's waist, where his flesh trapped the blade.

But the next instant, the struck Jinpei turned to mud and crumbled into the ground.

"Die!"

Jinpei's real body, who had used Subterranean Voyage during the opening, forced his way up through the scorching earth and drove his Kunai at Homura's Shadow Clone.

Much of his face was already scorched, but at this distance, the strike couldn't miss.

Pop!

The Kunai struck home, but the Homura it hit dissolved into White Smoke.

The wild joy in Jinpei's eyes froze. His rush of adrenaline seemed to vanish, leaving him cold to the bone. Instinctively, he tried to sink back into the earth.

But Homura's real body leaped out from the side. He channeled Lightning Release Chakra into Crimson Sky, and arcs of electricity flashed along the blade as he plunged it into the ground.

"Ah!"

The blade pierced Jinpei's body, and the Lightning Release Chakra disrupted his Earth Release technique.

Half of Jinpei's body protruded from the ground, his right shoulder pinned there by Crimson Sky.

Shhk.

Homura twisted the blade hard. Ignoring Jinpei's screams, he severed his arm.

Jinpei's Chakra was exhausted. Blood kept flowing from his many wounds, clouding his mind. He had no strength left to flee.

Homura's breathing was uneven too. In a single day, he had fought one group battle, chased these Kumogakure Ninja at full speed, and now wiped them out.

He had only a fifth of his Chakra left. His limited Chakra reserves and lack of ranged attacks were his biggest weaknesses right now.

At least he had wiped out the squad. Homura swung his blade, took Jinpei's head, and turned to leave.

[Battle begins! Opponent: A (young adult)]

At the same moment as the system notification, a rough roar rang out:

"Lariat!"