Reiki and his team hadn't been the only ones laying traps in the forest. Their shadow clones were meant to delay, to bait, and—if possible—to wear down the enemy, and it had worked. The skilled sensor ninja in Guzma's team muttered in frustration, "They didn't leave. They've hidden using clones."
Guzma, known as a slim, calculating figure, smirked. "Well, let's hunt them down then. If we can't handle three kids, we might as well give up being ninjas."
As the ninjas combed through the forest, the group soon encountered Reiki's clones. Kunai flew through the air, attached with explosive tags, detonating around the pursuers with thunderous blasts. One ninja narrowly dodged but found himself pelted by Reiki's clever kunai trap.
"Interesting," he muttered, regaining his footing. "But I've seen these tricks before, kid!"
He lunged again, only for Reiki's clone to vanish, smirking as it taunted, "Don't get cocky—arrogance can be deadly!"
Then Reiki's clone exploded, leaving the ninja injured and seething with frustration. "A clone again!" he spat. All the while, other ninjas were met with the same frustrating fate, each clone slipping away, luring them deeper into the forest.
---
Exhausted and frustrated, Guzma's team regrouped, nursing injuries. One ninja spoke, grinding his teeth, "I've taken out three clones, but where are the real ones?"
"They must've put something on the kunai. My wounds are starting to sting," grumbled another.
But before they could regroup, a new and terrifying presence emerged in the forest. A thick, heavy chakra filled the air, suffocatingly dense and unmistakably dangerous.
"Who's there?!" shouted the sensor ninja, only to feel a sudden slash across his neck. Blood sprayed as he fell, lifeless, before he even registered the attack.
The others gasped in horror, and then they saw it—a red-skinned monster with a hulking build and massive hands. Without hesitation, the creature slammed a hand down, crushing one of the ninjas to the ground with brutal force. Blood spilled, and the ninja's internal organs shattered.
"Run!" one of the remaining ninjas screamed, fleeing with all his might. But the monster was faster. Within seconds, he'd caught up to them, and one by one, the ninjas fell, unable to withstand the onslaught.
---
Farther away, Nozuki's face went pale as she sensed the terrifying chakra. "Reiki, Shisui," she whispered, trembling. "A huge chakra just appeared—it killed all the ninjas chasing us. We need to leave now!"
Shisui nodded firmly, his calmness showing even in the face of such danger. "Let's go, Nozuki. Reiki can catch up."
But Reiki wasn't ready to leave. Determined to investigate, he created a shadow clone to follow his team, then vanished into the forest.
---
Reiki soon arrived at the scene. The forest floor was scattered with the bodies of four enemy ninjas, all critically injured. Even with his composure, Reiki felt a chill at the carnage. "Whoever attacked here was no ordinary shinobi."
With no further threats around, Reiki moved quickly, applying medical ninjutsu to stabilize the four ninjas. He couldn't leave them to die, but he also knew they held valuable information.
After finishing, he whispered to himself, "Whoever that red figure was, they were beyond even my expectations."
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