Chapter eleven: Rising Tensions
Just as the group thought they could finally take a breather, the sound of slow, deliberate clapping echoed from the trees. Everyone turned to see a tall, menacing shinobi with jagged scars across his face, accompanied by a younger ninja who looked eager to fight. Both figures wore dark, tattered cloaks and bore the symbols of a faraway village, long abandoned by the Hidden Villages' alliances.
The scarred shinobi gave them a dangerous grin. "Impressive teamwork… for genin. But I'm afraid your mission ends here. Our employer has a significant interest in this merchant, and we're not leaving without him."
Kakashi's eye narrowed, immediately recognizing the threat level. "Everyone, stay focused. This isn't just some rogue shinobi. He's a jonin-level threat, and we can't take him lightly."
Kurenai stepped forward, a look of concern on her face. "Why would a rogue shinobi of your level be after a simple merchant?"
The scarred shinobi chuckled. "Simple? Hardly. Our client wants a certain artifact in Daichi's possession. He doesn't even know it himself, but he's carrying something that can make our employer very wealthy."
Daichi, who had been nervously watching from behind the team, paled. "Artifact? I-I don't know what you're talking about!"
The scarred ninja sneered. "Doesn't matter. We're taking you either way."
The younger ninja next to him cracked his knuckles, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "I've been itching for a good fight. These 'genin' better not disappoint!"
Kakashi raised a hand. "Team 7 and Team 8, don't let your guard down. Kurenai and I will take on the jonin. The rest of you focus on his apprentice."
Sasuke, eyes narrowed with his Sharingan activated, stepped forward, eager for the fight. Naruto and Kiba joined him, each wearing determined expressions. Shino and Hinata stayed close to Daichi, prepared to intercept any attacks aimed at him.
The apprentice lunged forward, targeting Naruto first with a series of fast, well-aimed kunai. Naruto dodged, deflecting the blades with a kunai of his own, his wind chakra-infused weapon sending small gusts that knocked the projectiles away.
"Not bad, dead last," Sasuke muttered, smirking as he launched a fireball jutsu at the apprentice.
The apprentice dodged, barely escaping the flames, only to be met by Kiba and Akamaru's Fang Over Fang technique, which forced him back. The apprentice stumbled, clearly underestimating the combined strength of the genin.
"Not so tough when you're outnumbered, huh?" Kiba taunted, grinning.
But the apprentice wasn't deterred. He weaved through hand signs and summoned a series of earth spikes that erupted from the ground, aiming to separate the genin and pick them off individually.
Hinata, with her Byakugan active, called out, "Watch out! He's trying to split us up!"
Naruto jumped back, landing next to Hinata. "Good call, Hinata. Let's stick together!"
The apprentice smirked, charging towards Hinata. But before he could reach her, Shino sent a swarm of his kikaichu bugs to intercept, forcing the apprentice to halt as he swatted at the cloud of insects now surrounding him.
"Annoying little pests," the apprentice sneered, trying to shake off the insects.
Seeing an opening, Sasuke dashed in with a high-speed taijutsu attack, catching the apprentice off-guard and landing a solid kick to his chest, knocking him back into a tree.
Kurenai and Kakashi, meanwhile, were facing off against the scarred jonin. Kurenai tried to catch him in a genjutsu, but the rogue ninja recognized her technique immediately, countering it with a dispel jutsu. He then lunged at her with a speed that surprised even Kakashi, launching a barrage of shuriken as he moved.
Kakashi intercepted him, parrying the shuriken with kunai in one hand while using his other to pull Kurenai out of harm's way. "Careful, Kurenai. He's fast."
The jonin smirked. "You'll have to do better than that, Copy Ninja."
Naruto, seeing the two jounin-level fighters clash, clenched his fists. He wanted to help, but he knew he'd have to trust Kakashi and Kurenai to handle the jonin while they finished off the apprentice.
The apprentice, regaining his footing, scowled at the genin surrounding him. "Enough playing around." He formed several hand signs, slamming his palm into the ground. "Earth Style: Rock Pillar Prison!"
Thick stone pillars erupted from the ground, surrounding Naruto, Sasuke, and Kiba, trapping them in a narrow circle. Shino and Hinata, outside the trap, immediately tried to disrupt it. Shino sent more kikaichu towards the pillars, hoping to weaken the earth with his insects' chakra-draining abilities, while Hinata attacked the base of the pillars with her gentle fist strikes.
Inside the trap, Naruto grinned, undeterred. "Hey, Sasuke, let's try something new!"
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"
"Trust me! Just follow my lead!" Naruto quickly made a Shadow Clone, which then lifted him into the air. "I'll create an opening, and you hit him with everything you've got!"
Naruto's clone threw him over the wall of the stone pillars, surprising the apprentice. As he sailed through the air, Naruto performed his wind-enhanced kunai throw, sending the spinning kunai directly toward the apprentice, who dodged at the last second.
The apprentice sneered, but before he could counterattack, Sasuke, who had followed Naruto's cue, launched another fireball jutsu, this time aimed precisely where the apprentice was forced to dodge. The apprentice was caught off-guard, barely avoiding the flames but taking the impact of Sasuke's follow-up punch.
With a final coordinated attack, Naruto and Kiba joined forces, Naruto using his clones to disorient the apprentice while Kiba used Fang Over Fang to deliver a decisive blow that sent him sprawling.
Nearby, Kakashi had observed enough. Knowing the genin were holding their own, he turned his full attention to the rogue jonin, his gaze sharpening.
The jonin chuckled darkly, sensing Kakashi's intent. "You finally ready to get serious, Hatake?"
Kakashi's visible eye hardened. "I'll give you one chance to surrender."
The jonin sneered. "Please. You don't scare me."
Without another word, Kakashi rolled up his sleeve, revealing his Lightning Blade technique. Chakra crackled and sparked around his hand as the air grew tense.
The jonin's eyes widened, momentarily caught off guard. "So, that's the infamous Chidori."
In a flash, Kakashi charged forward, his hand a blur of lightning as he moved faster than the rogue jonin could counter. The rogue shinobi attempted to sidestep, but Kakashi's Chidori struck him, lightning sparking through his body as he collapsed.
Kakashi stepped back, watching as the rogue ninja fell, defeated. The intense crackling of the Chidori faded, leaving a quiet tension in the air as the forest settled back into silence.
Team 7 and Team 8 gathered, watching Kakashi with admiration. Kurenai exhaled, clearly relieved. "Well done, Kakashi."
Kakashi, with his usual calm expression, nodded. "You all did well. Team 8, Team 7—you held your ground against a jonin's apprentice and supported each other through a difficult mission. I'm proud of each of you."
Sasuke looked away, his eyes still focused. "Tch. I could have handled him myself."
Naruto, on the other hand, grinned widely. "That was awesome, Kakashi-sensei! I've gotta learn that move!"
Kakashi chuckled. "Maybe someday, Naruto. For now, keep working on your wind techniques—they're impressive on their own."
The merchant Daichi, visibly shaken but unharmed, took a deep breath. "Thank you… all of you. I had no idea that people were willing to go this far just to get to me."
Kakashi nodded. "From what I understand, it seems you're carrying an artifact of value to some unsavory people. We'll get you home safely, but after this, it may be best to avoid certain trade routes."
With the threat now eliminated, the two teams resumed their journey, successfully completing their mission and delivering Daichi to his destination. As they parted ways, Team 7 and Team 8 couldn't help but feel the impact of their combined efforts—and the lasting impression of Kakashi's powerful Chidori. Each genin, in their own way, felt more prepared and inspired for the challenges the Chunin Exams would soon bring.