(POV: Mysterious Narrator)
The girl's mind raced at an impressive speed. Her opponent was not easy to face, but she realized she had merely underestimated him. This time, she was sure she would win.
"First, I need to save Akuma-san… Without him, I'll be at a disadvantage. This guy is really strong... Come on, Mirla, stay focused!"
She gripped the sword firmly in her right hand. Kenjutsu was her strong suit, and her skills leaned more towards taijutsu and combat with blades.
— "Don't think it'll be easy to take me down, boy!" — she exclaimed loudly, as if trying to maintain confidence in herself.
— "I am as precise as leaves falling at their time. And look..." — Tenmei raised his eyes to the sky — "the wind has stopped."
— "Tch, so much empty talk!" — Mirla muttered as she quickly formed hand seals:
「巳 - 午 - 酉 - 子 - 寅」
(Mi - Uma - Tori - Ne - Tora)
Tenmei remained calm, his eyes shining with clarity. She's using Suiton? That doesn't seem to be her strong suit… but the way she positions herself, the way her eyes scan the environment… She seems more skilled in taijutsu.
In a brief instant, he had already identified her combat patterns and habits. The small initial confrontation was enough to deduce her weaknesses.
— "Suiton: Dōryū Shōkō!" (Water Style: Sedimentation of Currents!) — Mirla shouted, revealing the signature jutsu she seemed to have developed herself.
"A Suiton technique she created? Interesting... Creating an original technique at that age is impressive. But... this is just a distraction, isn't it?"
In the blink of an eye, Tenmei crouched, spinning his body 40 degrees to the left. He propelled himself into the air with great speed, performing a precise somersault mid-air, with one hand already completing a hidden seal.
While the ground around them began to settle and water emerged, spreading with the Suiton, Tenmei responded in kind.
— "Katon: Hōka no Hana!" (Fire Style: Blossoming Flames!)
He exhaled a powerful burst of fire, like flowers blooming in flames. The thermal shock caused the water to evaporate rapidly, creating a dense cloud of steam that briefly covered the battlefield.
The steam curtain lasted less than four seconds, but it was enough for Mirla to lose sight of Tenmei. She squinted, trying to locate her opponent… but the silence and emptiness surrounded her.
"He disappeared..."
A subtle smile appeared at the corner of Mirla's mouth. She had achieved her goal! She never intended to fight Tenmei alone — everything was planned to save Akuma.
— "Kuso! Ano yarō... That guy will pay for this! Mirla, let's deal with him together!" — Akuma exclaimed, furious and frustrated, but more alert than before.
— "Akuma, ochitsuite kudasai... He's dangerous. I can't keep up with his speed." — Mirla's voice was serious, carrying a gravity she rarely displayed.
From a hidden position, Tenmei observed the unfolding situation. The disadvantage was clear; his strong stance was merely a bluff. The remaining chakra in his body was draining rapidly. He furrowed his brow, focused.
(Dou suru ka… I need to act…) — he decided internally. He needed to rescue Haruto and join forces. As skilled as he was, his maximum capability was comparable, at best, to that of some veteran genins — perhaps close to chunin level. At least, that was his personal assessment.
The situation was challenging, but Tenmei already had an idea of what those two were scheming: it was probably just a test, likely a way to assess the new talents that had joined the ninja academy along with him. Mirla and Akuma seemed to be about his age.
— "Omoshiroi na... Looks like my days at the academy won't be so boring after all." — A faint smile formed on his lips, almost revealing the genuine excitement he tried to hide behind his controlled facade.
(Kage Bunshin no Jutsu…) — he murmured to himself, recalling the shadow clone that should have already reached Kakashi and Haruto. This way, reinforcements would be on their way, and he could complete what he had started in the commercial area of Konoha.
Tenmei intertwined his fingers, quickly forming hand seals: Tiger, Snake, Goat.
(Ima wa... jikanda dake da.) Now it's just a matter of time… — he thought, as an enigmatic smile, almost out of context, appeared on his face.
(POV: Haruto)
Tch... That girl is annoying. I'm in trouble now… She's strong, but Tenmei is stronger! I won't lose to anyone until I defeat him.
I strengthened my resolve as a chill ran down my spine. I quickly jumped, rolling to the side, and grabbed a kunai from my pouch. I slashed upward reflexively and heard the sharp sound of impact — a shuriken narrowly missed my face.
— "Oi, oi, that could've killed me, you know? Damn... Aren't we from the same village? Uchiha... You're on my blacklist."
— "Ara, ara... What a shame. You escaped, little scaredy-cat." — she said with a teasing smile.
— "Damn it! Don't underestimate me!" Kuso! Who does this girl think she is?
I threw my kunai tied to a string. When I cut it, the soft sound echoed in the air. She fell right into my trap. Hehe... Let's see if you're still so confident after this.
(POV: Mysterious Narrator)
What a childish plan… Does he think I can't see it? This boy really is adorable.
With agility, I moved away from the shuriken trap zone.
— "Hm? What? A chain trap? I didn't think he was capable… Wasn't this boy supposed to be a fool? How can he think this far ahead?"
— "Heh... You underestimated me, fool. I'm not that easy to catch." — Haruto smiled, victorious.
Suddenly, a firm hand grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked him violently, throwing him backward. From a blind spot, a kunai with an attached ofuda surged toward him. The explosive tag pulsed with flashing light.
The blast was deafening. The girl smiled slightly, though frustration flickered in her gaze. Another rat appeared to interfere… Are her friends losing? Impossible! But time was running out. If she didn't accelerate the plan, she would be at a disadvantage. After all, a mere student can only be strong to a certain extent.
— "Hey, little leaf, you almost hurt my friend here." — someone said with a strange smile, as if hiding something deeper.
— "Haruto! Leave her to me. Head east and don't stop. You'll find our reinforcements there. I think it's time to balance this fight." — His expression turned cold and monotonous, like a lake without ripples.
Is it possible? Tenmei-kun is going to fight seriously? Ah, I want to see, I want to watch! Damn it! Ah, right... I need to get help.
— "Ah, yes. Leave it to me, Tenmei. I'll be back to rescue you soon." — Haruto assured, determined.
As Haruto disappeared among the trees, Tenmei cast a quick glance from the corner of his eyes, keeping the girl in constant view, never losing sight of her for an instant.
— "Weren't you going to attack me? What's causing your hesitation?" — he asked with mild curiosity, almost disinterested.
— "Attack? I think if I did that, I'd be wounded before I could blink. Don't toy with me!" — the girl replied, her gaze shifting from playful to serious, like the moon hidden by dark clouds.
Tenmei smiled. She was within range. One move would be enough. He could feel the chakra aligning in his body, every muscle prepared.
(Shunshin no Jutsu) — the body flicker technique, known to many ninjas who move faster than the eye can follow. Tenmei had nicknamed it the "fast feet technique." Now, all that was needed was a moment. A brief movement, and everything would be over.
— "What a shame... I thought I could catch you quickly. After all, I don't have much energy left," — he said playfully, but with a hint of disappointment, or at least that's how it seemed.
Merlin furrowed her brows deeper, as if thinking quickly. This boy had shown up earlier than expected. We underestimated his strength... But there's no immediate danger yet. Against an opponent of equal or higher level, any opening could lead to a disastrous defeat.
Especially in front of someone like him. But... I sense something strange. Does he seem unstable? Maybe it's a Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, the shadow clone. This won't last long... I need to defeat him soon.
— "Kore ga tanoshii deshou ne... This is going to be fun," — she murmured, nervous on the inside, or at least that's what it felt like.
With an agile gesture, Merlin began performing hand seals while retreating. She had some information about Tenmei: he was extremely skilled in taijutsu, and that was his fatal weakness.
Hm? Looks like I was right. An elemental ninjutsu user... And she's quite skilled. It's going to be difficult to defeat her. With the chakra I have left, at most, I can slow her down.
Tenmei formed simplified earth-style seals, his fingers moving with precision at an impressive speed — about five seals per second.
— "Doton: Doryuheki! Earth Style, Mud Wall Jutsu!" — I exclaimed.
— "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu! Fire Style, Great Fireball Jutsu!" — the girl shouted.
With a deafening roar, the battle began. Another Merlin appeared stealthily behind Tenmei, her blade sliding toward him, aiming to stab him swiftly in the back.
— "Tsukamaeta! Got you, arrogant boy!" — she said confidently.
However, Tenmei just smiled. A kunai hanging from his belt was wrapped in an explosive tag. Merlin's eyes narrowed.
With a powerful explosion, rubble and flames were flung in all directions. Merlin, who was still controlling her flames, was forced to interrupt her attack and retreat quickly. For a moment, she felt a chill run down her spine, now fully aware of the boy's plan.
— "Using chakra like that... It looks like he caught me," — she murmured with a helpless smile. — "What a cunning boy."
Merlin looked at the remnants of the brief battle, still trying to process what had happened.
To be continued...