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Inoiki flew towards the Oto and Suna ninjas, his eyes narrowing as he focused his psychokinetic powers. With a flick of his wrist, the giant shuriken hovered mid-air, then shot downwards with deadly precision. It spun at an incredible speed, a lethal blur as it honed in on the group of six ninjas below.
One of the Suna ninjas, clearly the leader—a seasoned Jonin with sharp eyes and a commanding presence—immediately recognized the danger. "Retreat!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.
Without hesitation, the group broke apart, retreating in pairs: two pairs of Suna ninjas and one pair of Oto ninjas. The massive shuriken locked onto the first pair of Suna ninjas, the Jonin among them.
As they sprinted through the narrow streets, the Jonin's jaw tightened. He cursed under his breath, his sharp reflexes barely keeping him ahead of the relentless weapon. The shuriken was faster, its razor edges gleaming ominously in the sunlight, and the air thrummed with its menacing whir.
"Damn it!" the Jonin growled, sweat trickling down his temple. "This thing keeps following us. It's like it has a mind of its own!"
His partner, a younger but resourceful ninja, glanced around desperately. "The alley!" he said, pointing ahead. "If we use the Transformation Jutsu, we might throw it off!"
The Jonin nodded, his breath short but steady. "Good plan. Let's move!"
They darted into the alleyway, disappearing from sight. Without missing a beat, they performed the necessary hand signs. In a flash of chakra, their forms shifted. The younger Ninja transformed into an inconspicuous black cat, his tail flicking nervously, while his partner Jonin took the shape of a battered, dented dustbin leaning against the wall.
The alley fell silent, save for the faint hum of the shuriken slicing through the air as it approached.
Would the ruse work? The two ninjas held their breath—well, one of them figuratively—as the deadly weapon drew closer, hunting for its targets with unrelenting speed and purpose.
The giant shuriken tore into the alleyway like a predator honing in on its prey. Hidden in their transformed states, the two Suna ninjas held their positions, tense and hopeful that their ruse would work. But they had overlooked one critical detail—Inoiki hadn't seen them at all. He was tracking their chakra signatures, controlling the shuriken with precision using his psychokinetic powers.
The weapon didn't falter. With unrelenting speed, it slammed into the dustbin—the disguised ninja. A loud, metallic crunch echoed through the narrow passage, followed by a cloud of smoke as the Transformation Jutsu was forcefully broken. In the blink of an eye, the Jonin stood there, exposed, the shuriken embedded deep in his chest.
His eyes widened in disbelief. Blood trickled from his mouth as he clutched at the massive weapon, his strength already fading. "This… can't be…" he murmured, his voice heavy with regret. Moments later, his body fell limp, lifeless and sprawled on the ground.
The other ninja, still in his black cat form, froze in horror. The sight of his fallen comrade jolted him back into his human form, panic etched across his face. He turned to flee, but it was too late.
The giant shuriken dislodged itself from the Jonin's chest with a sickening squelch, dripping crimson. It pivoted in mid-air as if alive, then shot forward once more, stabbing the fleeing ninja square in the back. He let out a strangled cry before collapsing, his body sliding to the ground as his life flickered out.
High above the alleyway, Inoiki hovered, his figure covered in sky blue light aura. He surveyed the scene below with cold detachment, his gaze lingering for a moment on the lifeless bodies of the two Suna ninjas. Satisfied, he descended into the alley, his movements deliberate.
"The giant shuriken served its purpose," Inoiki muttered to himself as he inspected his handiwork. With a flick of his hand, the massive weapon returned to his side. "But it's cumbersome—too heavy and slow for the rest of the hunt. So from here on I will use my special Kunais."
The hunt began in earnest for Inoiki. Inoichi flew in the air and moved like a god of death from one place to another. One by one, he hunted down the remaining four ninjas who had dared target him, killing them with ruthless precision.
But he didn't stop there. Guided by the faintest traces of chakra and the sounds of skirmishes in the distance, he continued his deadly pursuit. Whenever he encountered Suna or Oto ninjas, he eliminated them without hesitation. For nearly an hour, Inoiki's relentless assault turned the tides of battle, his presence a ghostly harbinger of doom for his enemies.
Finally, when the field was quiet and the threat neutralized, Inoiki flew to Konoha's defensive wall. He landed beside the section shattered earlier by the giant snake's rampage, the broken stones a stark reminder of the chaos that had unfolded.
After a few minutes, Ibiki arrived, his face a mix of relief and respect. Standing beside Inoiki, he said, "You did exceptionally well. Thanks to you, our casualties were minimal, and many ninjas are grateful for the lives you saved."
Inoiki glanced at him, his expression calm but weary. "It's my duty as a ninja of Konoha. Don't worry about it."
Ibiki nodded, acknowledging the humility in Inoiki's words. "Understood. Well, I need to handle the aftermath of the battle. I'll leave you to rest."
With that, Ibiki turned and walked away, his footsteps fading into the distance.
Left alone, Inoiki perched on the wall, his gaze fixed on the horizon. The weight of the battle finally settled on him. I'm exhausted, he thought, feeling the ache in his body and the dwindling reserves of his chakra. Less than a tenth of my chakra remains. Most of it was spent dealing with that giant snake and the Oto ninjas at the Chunin exam venue.
He exhaled deeply, leaning back slightly as his mind replayed the events of the day. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. But the way I handled those ninjas in the exam…
His smile widened, and a glimmer of pride sparkled in his eyes. That was flashy. No— he chuckled to himself. That was downright cool. I absolutely enjoyed every moment of it.
For a brief instant, amidst the ruins and bloodshed, Inoiki allowed himself to revel in the thrill of battle and the satisfaction of victory.
A chuckle broke the silence from Inoiki's right side. "What's so funny, kid?"
Inoiki didn't bother turning to face the speaker. "Just remembered something good," he said with a faint smirk. "By the way, you're pretty late, Lord Jiraiya."
Jiraiya stepped closer, his demeanour serious despite his usual playful energy. "I was following traces of Orochimaru," he explained. "Thought I was onto something, but it turned out to be a false lead. A trick." His tone darkened, tinged with regret. "When I realized it, I knew the village was in danger and came as fast as I could. Looks like you handled things here pretty well, though."
Inoiki gave a small nod but remained quiet.
Jiraiya studied him for a moment, then asked, "Why didn't you head back to the Chunin exam venue? You could've been useful there."
"I'm exhausted," Inoiki admitted, his voice low. "I've been fighting for what feels like forever. Besides, there are Anbu ninjas stationed at the exam venue, and people like Kakashi, Guy, and Asuma are there. I trust they can handle it."
Jiraiya nodded, acknowledging the logic in Inoiki's words. "Fair enough," he said. Then, with a sudden sense of urgency, he turned to leave. "Still, I need to check on the old man." Without another word, he sprinted toward the Chunin exam venue.
As Jiraiya disappeared from view, Inoiki tilted his head back, his gaze fixed on the sky. His smirk faded, replaced by a solemn expression. "But you're too late," he whispered to the empty air. "The Hokage is no more."
The words hung there, heavy and unanswered, as the wind carried them away into the silence of the battlefield.
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