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Before the Oto ninjas could reposition themselves, horror overtook their faces. Around each of them, small vortexes of water began to form, swirling rapidly and locking them in place. In moments, the vortexes expanded, encapsulating them entirely in giant bubbles of water. Trapped inside, the ninjas struggled desperately to breathe.
Their terror deepened as they felt the water surrounding them begin to cool rapidly. The temperature plummeted, and within seconds, the swirling water solidified into ice. Each ninja was frozen in place, encased in massive spheres of crystal-clear ice.
The chilling silence was broken as Inoiki's kunai, hovering beside him with an eerie precision, shot forward. They moved with incredible speed, piercing the heads of the frozen ninjas with surgical accuracy.
If anyone had acted immediately, they might have had a chance to break the ice and free the ninjas before it was too late, allowing them to breathe again. But Inoiki left no such openings. His actions were deliberate and thorough, leaving no room for mercy or escape.
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The battlefield stilled for a moment as the icy spheres stood like monuments to Inoiki's power, the frozen figures inside a grim testament to his efficiency.
Among the onlookers, Baki, Kabuto, Kakashi, and others were visibly taken aback by the display. The precision, power, and sheer ruthlessness of Inoiki's techniques caught even seasoned ninjas by surprise.
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By this time, Baki had already issued urgent instructions to Kankuro and Temari. "Take Gaara and get out of here," he ordered sharply. "He needs to recover. Once he's ready, we'll resume the original plan."
Gaara clutched his head, visibly struggling to maintain control over himself. His breathing was labored, his body trembling as he fought the growing influence of Shukaku within him.
Temari and Kankuro exchanged uneasy glances, their eyes darting between Inoiki, who hovered ominously in the sky, and the frozen, lifeless forms of the ninjas who had dared to attack him. They didn't need further proof of his capabilities—if they stayed and engaged with him, they knew their chances of survival were nonexistent.
Without hesitation, they moved to retreat, supporting Gaara as they made their way out of the arena.
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Meanwhile, Genma approached Sasuke, giving him clear instructions. "Follow Team Gaara," he said firmly.
Sasuke didn't question the order and immediately set off in pursuit.
Baki, who had been keeping a watchful eye on the situation, allowed Sasuke to leave without interference. His reasoning was simple: if he attempted to stop Sasuke, he would undoubtedly expose himself to an opening. Leaving such an opening for someone like Inoiki was a death sentence. Baki knew better than to take such a risk.
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Though Inoiki had killed the ten Oto ninjas in just two minutes, the brief delay was enough to allow Team Gaara to make their escape. However, Inoiki didn't seem concerned. He floated motionless in the air, his expression calm yet calculating. To him, Team Gaara's escape didn't pose any significant threat to the overall situation.
Turning his focus away from the retreating group, Inoiki began to rise higher into the sky. He ascended steadily, his glowing aura casting a faint light across the battlefield below. High above the arena, he paused and surveyed the village, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon.
From his vantage point, Inoiki analyzed Konoha's status, methodically identifying the areas where the village had been breached. The chaos of the invasion was spreading, but Inoiki's calm presence in the sky served as a stark contrast to the turmoil below.
From his elevated vantage point, Inoiki's sharp eyes quickly spotted a breach in Konoha's boundary wall. A massive snake had torn through the defenses and was continuing its rampage, leaving destruction in its wake. To get a clearer understanding of the overall situation, Inoiki activated his sensory abilities to their fullest extent.
His mental reach extended across the entire village, painting a vivid picture of the chaos. He sensed hundreds of invading ninjas scattered throughout Konoha, their movements swift and strategic. The Konoha forces, though strong, were stretched thin and struggling to contain the assault. Many invaders had already split into smaller groups, spreading out and setting ambushes, making them harder to track and apprehend.
With the information in mind, Inoiki began descending from the sky, his glowing figure lowering steadily. However, he didn't land on the ground. Instead, he floated to the level of the spectator stands, where Kakashi and Guy were locked in combat with a group of enemy ninjas.
Hovering nearby, Inoiki called out to Kakashi.
"Mr. Kakashi," he began, his tone calm but firm. "I've analyzed the situation. A large number of ninjas have invaded Konoha. The attackers here are scattered, some even lying in ambush. Honestly, hunting them down one by one would waste my time. Instead, I'll head directly to the breach—the location where the invaders are concentrated. Dealing with them at their source will be far more efficient. What do you think?"
Kakashi, still fending off an enemy, spared a quick glance at Inoiki. His sharp mind grasped the logic of the plan almost instantly. "That's a sound strategy," Kakashi replied. "But be careful—those at the breach are likely the strongest of the lot."
Inoiki gave a faint nod. "Understood. I'll handle it."
Guy, landing a powerful blow to his opponent, added with a grin, "Go show them what you're made of, Inoiki. We've got things under control here!"
Inoiki's lips curled into a faint smile, and with that, he ascended again, heading toward the source of the invasion with unwavering determination.
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In one of the streets of Konoha, two Konoha ninjas were locked in a fierce battle against three Sunagakure ninjas. The odds were clearly against the Konoha ninjas—not only were they outnumbered, but their strength was evenly matched with two of the Sunagakure ninjas, leaving the third enemy as a dangerous advantage.
One of the Konoha ninjas, clutching his injured shoulder, glared at the enemy through gritted teeth. "You Sunagakure scum have gone too far! Betraying us like this—is this how you declare war on Konoha?"
A Sunagakure ninja sneered in disdain, his voice dripping with mockery. "Hmph. That's your fault for trusting an alliance that only exists on paper."
The Konoha ninjas' expressions darkened. Despair crept into their eyes as they realized their situation was growing direr by the second. In contrast, the Sunagakure ninjas smirked, their confidence swelling as they prepared to finish the fight.
But just as hope seemed lost for the Konoha ninjas and satisfaction filled their enemies, three strange-looking kunai appeared out of nowhere. Moving with blinding speed, they pierced the hearts of the three Sunagakure ninjas before they even realized what had happened.
The Sunagakure ninjas staggered, their eyes wide with shock as they crumpled to the ground, lifeless. The kunai floated back through the air, their movements smooth and precise, as though guided by an invisible force.
The two Konoha ninjas, still reeling from the sudden turn of events, followed the trajectory of the kunai. Their eyes widened as they saw a boy hovering in the air, surrounded by glowing kunai that orbited him like sentinels.
"Are you alright?" the floating figure asked, his voice steady and calm.
It was Inoiki.
The two Konoha ninjas exchanged a brief glance before one of them nodded, still clutching his shoulder. "We… we're fine. Thank you. You saved us."
Inoiki's sharp gaze swept over them, ensuring they were no longer in immediate danger. "Good. Stay alert. The invasion isn't over yet," he said, his tone measured but commanding.
With that, he turned his attention towards the giant Snake, wreaking havoc.
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