Too weak

Even now, Itō Yuying still couldn't believe he had been the first to get knocked out. What happened to being a once-in-a-century genius? Why had he been beaten like a helpless brat? Watching the battlefield ahead, Itō Yuying began doubting himself again.

Ah... my life is so miserable.

The situation on the battlefield didn't look promising either. Hatake Sakumo and Might Duy had long since fallen unconscious. Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō weren't much better off, with more wounds, large and small, than anyone could count. Their opponents weren't faring well either. Two-thirds of them were dead, and the rest weren't far behind.

Seeing this, Ōnoki stopped holding back and sent a Dust Release attack at Hiruzen Sarutobi. Hiruzen dodged quickly, but half his shoulder was still sheared away, leaving his arm hanging by a little skin. Shimura Danzō shouted, "Hiruzen, are you all right?!" Hiruzen replied, "I'm fine. I won't die yet." But the light in his eyes gradually dimmed. Just then, he was stabbed several more times in the abdomen with a kunai. Danzō flew into a rage at the sight and fought his way toward Hiruzen without regard for his own life, suffering severe injuries himself.

"All right, it's over." Seeing that the outcome was settled, Ōnoki secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Itō Yuying was covered in blood and looked close to death, so Ōnoki stopped paying attention to him. Preparing to finish Hiruzen and Danzō off, he walked toward them step by step. "Accept your fate!" Just then, Might Duy opened the first gate and charged at Ōnoki. Ōnoki calmly dodged. "Well, well, well, aren't you a lively little brat? Then die." A knife-hand strike knocked Duy's neck askew, and he collapsed on the spot, motionless.

At the sight, Itō Yuying's heart abruptly stopped for several seconds, and his eyes instantly lost focus. He lay there in a daze, staring fixedly at Might Duy.

"Sorry, my name is Might Duy. I thought there was nobody here."

"Yuying, we're friends from now on."

"Haha, Yuying, let's have a duel of youth!"

"Ah!! I lost again. My lifelong rival, I won't lose next time."

As those scenes from the past came back to Itō Yuying, his tears wouldn't stop flowing. Might Duy was his best friend, and his first friend too. The two of them trained together and played together.

Strength came from somewhere Itō Yuying couldn't explain, and he suddenly sprang up. The ropes binding him snapped instantly. Blue ki swirled around him, and the terrain nearby began to change. Cracks spread out from beneath his feet like a spiderweb. Small stones rose into the air, then shattered upon reaching a certain height. The scene spiraled out of control.

Ōnoki was stunned too, but he immediately charged at Itō Yuying. Yuying vanished from where he stood, and Ōnoki's punch hit empty air. Yuying appeared beside Hiruzen and Danzō, crouched down, and gave each of them a Senzu Bean. Danzō and Hiruzen stared in surprise. "Eat them, quickly. I can't hold out much longer. I'll buy you a few seconds." Then he vanished again. Of the seven remaining Rock Ninja, three were killed by his Destructo Disc. Ōnoki instantly flew into a rage. "You're asking to die!" Using the Body Flicker Technique, he appeared beside Yuying. Before Yuying could even react, Ōnoki kicked him and broke his arm. Yuying sucked in a sharp breath and screamed in pain. Ōnoki threw all caution aside and prepared to finish him off, only to hear the Adamantine Staff extend before it slammed into him, sending him flying far into the distance. Ōnoki looked incredulously at Hiruzen. Hiruzen and Danzō now stood in front of Yuying. "Junior brother, go check on Duy. He might still be alive." "R-really?" "Yes. I can still sense a faint breath of life in him, but there isn't much left." Hearing that, Yuying immediately ran toward Might Duy. "He's alive! Duy's still alive!" Yuying cried excitedly. Then he crushed a Senzu Bean and put it into Senzu Bean Soup.

He fed it to Might Duy little by little. Before long, Duy was full of energy again. Then he burst into tears. "Boo-hoo... Yuying, I thought I was dead!"

Itō Yuying laughed. "With me here, you won't die." His plan had been to revive Duy with the Dragon Balls. It would cost exchange points, but Yuying didn't care.

Seeing this miraculous scene, Ōnoki turned and ran without another word. "Trying to run?" Shimura Danzō gave a sinister smile and used the Body Flicker Technique to chase after him. Hiruzen killed the remaining enemies and caught up as well. The two beat Ōnoki until even his mother wouldn't have recognized him. Danzō used every trump card he had: Vacuum Sphere, Vacuum Serial Waves, Great Serial Bullets, and more. Hiruzen was even more ruthless, unleashing Combined Ninjutsu with all five elements and blasting Ōnoki straight out of the sky. Battered and bedraggled, Ōnoki wanted nothing but to escape. He was certain he couldn't beat even one of them. They were all at the same level; any difference in strength was limited and wouldn't affect the overall outcome. Against two of them, there was no question. If he managed to escape, he could brag about it for years.

Ōnoki accumulated more and more wounds, and his body could no longer maintain flight. Unable to worry about anything else, he fired a signal flare into the sky. Before long, fifty Rock Ninja appeared in front of him. He knew they would all lose their lives here, but he had no other choice. Seeing Ōnoki on the verge of death, two Rock Ninja came forward and carried him away. Ten minutes later, Hiruzen and Danzō finished the battle. Looking in the direction Ōnoki had fled, Danzō said, "He certainly runs fast." Hiruzen said nothing and hurried back toward Yuying. Seeing the two looking somewhat disappointed, Yuying guessed that old bastard Ōnoki had escaped. Now there were only six of them left, including the ambassador.

"Let's go! We'll finish the mission first." After speaking, Hiruzen woke the unconscious Ambassador Kawamura. Danzō hoisted the unconscious Hatake Sakumo onto his back. Sakumo was badly injured, but Yuying had used up all his Senzu Beans.

After a ten-day journey, Ōnoki was finally brought back to Iwagakure. Looking at the unrecognizable Ōnoki, who was barely clinging to life, the Second Tsuchikage said, "I still have some gauze. Wrap Ōnoki up in it too. Use the best medical ninja." "Yes." Then Ōnoki was wheeled into the operating room.

Five days later, Ōnoki finally woke up. The Anbu immediately reported his awakening to the Second Tsuchikage. The Second came to Ōnoki's bedside and looked at him, wrapped in bandages exactly like himself. Mū nodded. "Now you look like your teacher." Ōnoki was speechless too. At a time like this? Then he told the Second Tsuchikage everything exactly as it had happened.

"Something that can instantly restore someone to their prime? Even severe injuries can be healed instantly? Konoha, oh, Konoha, why do you have so many geniuses? As if that weren't enough, you even have Senzu Medicine that can instantly heal injuries. How enviable. Ōnoki, you've only just woken up. Rest for now. Once you're better, I'll ask you about some details." "Mm-hmm." Ōnoki nodded in response.

By then, Itō Yuying and the others had also returned safely to Konoha. Hiruzen, Danzō, and the others went to the Hokage's office and recounted what had happened. After hearing it, Tobirama Senju broke into a cold sweat too.

After returning, Itō Yuying seemed like a different person. He trained constantly, working even harder than before. Too weak. I have to get stronger.