Suguru looked into the eyes of the shinobi before him.
'This guy's bloodlust is real.' He licked his lips, tempted to devour his chakra at that exact moment. However...
'I don't want any more of Danzo's attention.'
Behind the animal mask, the shinobi's gaze was cold and calculating. Although many in this profession had such a gaze, this one ran deep. He was a shinobi of root.
Suddenly, the shinobi's body burst into flames. Chakra erupted from a few of his tenketsu, enveloping himself in an aura of blazing fire.
He swiftly abandoned his tanto and struck out with his limbs. Flames danced and fluctuated, creating a terrifying display.
It was the Nintaijutsu that the Hokage had supplied to his Anbu forces. Accordingly, it seemed like Danzo also gained access to this technique.
Upon teaching the Blaze Battle Body to his Root underlings specialized in Fire Release, their combat capabilities had skyrocketed.
Thus, the Root shinobi began his relentless attack, aiming to end the measly chuunin before him in an instant.
Suguru's eyes flashed when he saw the technique.
'Hm?'
He moved to dodge the three fists that flew straight for his face. Various thoughts ran through his head.
—Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The sound of fluttering flames resounded like the wings of a dragon.
A few burns appeared on Suguru's cheeks. However, there were no expected lethal blows. The Root shinobi's eyes widened.
'Huh?'
How was his speed inferior to a chuunin?
'Impossible,'
He struck again. First with his leg, then with a flaming elbow, and then with his fist.
However, Suguru weaved into his guard, uncaring of the blazing heat of his jutsu. He was like a snake slithering into his defenses.
"The audacity you have is admirable." Suguru's words were a venomous whisper.
The Root shinobi's shock deepened when he realized that all his moves were dodged without issue.
"I never expected my own jutsu to be used against me so soon,"
Two fingers flew rapidly through the air like fangs.
—Ssuk! Ssuk! Ssuk!
'Gentle Fist!?' The Root shinobi was shocked yet again, 'But he isn't a Hyuga! How?!'
Meanwhile, watching the jounin-level Root shinobi crumple before a mere chuunin, the other shinobi hiding in the darkness gaped. They witnessed, firsthand, the application of Gentle Fist to block the Root shinobi's tenketsu.
However, the user of said Gentle Fist did not even have a Byakugan.
So, how was he able to strike his opponent's tenketsu so easily?
It didn't make sense.
None of them knew one crucial fact.
***
'How bold of you,'
To use the Blaze Battle Body against its creator. It was an amusing sight. After all, as its creator, he knew of one of its greatest weaknesses.
Nay, perhaps it would be better to say that the Blaze Battle Body he had given away to Hiruzen, and therefore Konohagakure as well, had weaknesses built into it.
One of such weaknesses was the exposure of tenketsu upon use.
Suguru's eyes flashed. The hunger that he kept hidden in his body suddenly skyrocketed when he saw the Root shinobi fall to the ground.
His instincts desired sustenance.
Unfortunately, Hiruzen was still watching. Moreover, Suguru was standing in the middle of Konoha.
This was not a place to devour chakra so brazenly. Although he had done it before, doing it too often would become a problem.
Thus, Suguru used the lull in battle to follow Tatsuya. He built up his chakra faster than the other shinobi could react and disappeared before their very eyes.
'Fast!'
They were all surprised that such a young chuunin could move at such speeds. From the instantaneous chakra build-up to the lack of hand signs, Suguru's speed reminded them of the late Uchiha Shisui.
***
It took only a moment for Suguru to catch up to Tatsuya. Suguru's sudden appearance nearly gave the latter a heart attack.
Luckily, Tatsuya recognized Suguru's long silver hair.
"Keep running," Suguru's laidback intonation gave Tatsuya a sense of relief.
—Clang!
The next moment, however, clearly showed that he could not let down his guard at all. This time, not one, but three whole squads of shinobi appeared. The kunai that one of them threw had just barely been blocked by Suguru's own blade.
'Damn!' Tatsuya cursed in his mind.
The three squads were rapidly giving chase, looking like shadows as they flitted across rooftops.
Suddenly, Suguru dropped a few smoke bombs.
—Bang, bang, bang!
Three puffs of smoke engulfed the air. The shinobi squads held their breaths as they rushed through the smoke.
Unfortunately for them...
'That isn't poison,' Suguru grinned.
Instead, it was a horrendous stench reminiscent of a skunk's spray. It stuck to their clothes, absorbed by the very fabric they wore.
When they breathed in again after exiting the smoke, their eyes watered from the rotting stench. Their lungs were bombarded with a smell that they did not dare describe.
Nausea assaulted many of them, causing several to crash into the buildings they had leaped onto.
Noticing the sounds of bodies dropping, Tatsuya glanced behind him.
"Don't look back," Suguru stopped such a careless action. "In fact, don't even breathe for the next minute. Otherwise, you're going to regret it."
Tatsuya nodded in understanding.
The sight of vomiting shinobi was enough proof of what the gas was. Tatsuya wanted none of that.
***
Suguru and a winded Tatsuya arrived at the Hokage's building. Its red paint signified a sense of peace. The gaze that had been observing them disappeared.
Thus, Suguru led Tatsuya up to Hiruzen's office. Once he was there, he knocked thrice.
—Knock, knock, knock!
For a moment, there was silence. Tatsuya held his breath, nervous and afraid.
"...Come in,"
When the reply finally came, Tatsuya sighed in relief. He followed Suguru as they walked through the wooden doors.
***
"Hokage-sama," Suguru bowed, however, his eyes clearly displayed a vague displeasure. "Why was there a need to test us?"
Hearing these words, Hiruzen stood up and walked to the front of his desk.
"I'm sure you know that we've had our suspicions about you, Suguru."
Hiruzen's words were slow. A palpable tension spread through the air, choking Tatsuya in its atmosphere.
"Now, I want to hear it from you. I won't ask any questions. However, know that I will be judging you today."
Suguru blinked, and his expression experienced a subtle shift.
He took out a scroll and handed it to Hiruzen.
"..."
Hiruzen raised a brow. He was surprised by Suguru's actions, expecting the boy to defend himself. The pressure he exerted should have worked...
"What is this?" Hiruzen asked.
In the end, he gave in and received the scroll.
"The results of my research, Hokage-sama." Suguru's tone was void of emotion, bearing only rational judgment in its deliverance.
"Hm," Hiruzen was tempted to open it. However, he still didn't get the answers that he initially envisioned.
Yet, the scroll felt heavy. It made Hiruzen wonder just what was inside it.
Seeing Suguru remain silent, Hiruzen went back on his words.
"...If I may ask. What exactly were you studying?"
Suguru's answer came as a smile.
"I'm sure you've heard of it, Hokage-sama." He said, "Consider it as a true show of my loyalty."
It was at this moment that Hiruzen noticed the symbol on the scroll. It was the same symbol on Sunagakure's headbands. Suguru's voice seemed to follow his gaze.
"It's my research on Sunagakure's Real Mirage Formation."
Hiruzen's widened eyes were truly worth the price.
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