[T/N: As I am to lazy to go back and change the chapters and did make a translation error with Chimchar the next evolution is Monferno then Infernape. I did play pokemon and know the evolution just mistranslation.]
Feeling the faint killing intent emanating from Torikusa Noeito, Asako's face turned pale.
The strength of a jōnin was far beyond what she could confront head-on, and she had struggled to make it this far to the village gates. She couldn't give up here!
Her eyes darted toward Kushina, standing beside her, and she gritted her teeth as she raised her kunai, pointing it at Torikusa Noeito.
"Kushina, go inside! Leave this to me," she said firmly.
Kushina froze, her eyes clouded with unwillingness.
Why? Why is it always like this?
Hayato had protected her, and now Asako was trying to do the same. But she was a ninja with the strength of a chūnin—she couldn't stand by idly anymore!
"Oh?" Torikusa Noeito tilted his chin slightly, his expression a mixture of excitement and malice. "Not running away?"
His gaze burned with a sick pleasure. Killing these two Uzumaki girls wasn't enough for him; he wanted to torture them in front of the Uzushio ninjas, crushing their hope completely.
"Get away from them!" Uchiha Hayato's voice rang out suddenly, laced with urgency.
"Even as an enemy, I have to commend your courage," said Killer B, stepping in front of Hayato with a hint of regret in his tone. "But unfortunately, you killed one of our Kumogakure ninjas. That means you'll die here."
"Stop wasting time!" Ay snorted, instantly appearing behind Hayato to block his escape. Around them, Kiri and Kumo shinobi closed in, their expressions hostile.
"You two handle Uchiha Hayato!" Tōdai ordered coldly. "The rest of you, attack Uzushio with full force!"
A glint of unease flashed in Tōdai's eyes. He had a bad feeling—if they delayed any longer, reinforcements from Konoha might arrive.
"Don't order me around!" Torikusa Noeito snapped, his gaze sharp. "Nakayoshi, handle the Kirigakure side."
Before he even finished speaking, he raised his blunt sword, its edge gleaming ominously, and brought it down hard on Asako and Kushina.
"Roar!"
A fiery roar exploded through the air as Monferno clasped the sword's blade between its hands, flames erupting from its body and forcing Torikusa Noeito to retreat.
"Kushina," Hayato turned, his eyes steady, "Arcanine is stronger than you think. It wants to protect you, too."
Kushina paused, her resolve hardening as she nodded firmly. "Got it. Arcanine, let's fight together!"
Arcanine leaped to her side, radiating searing heat that made the surrounding enemies take a step back. Its gaze locked onto the opposing ninjas with unwavering focus.
Monferno gracefully leapt back to Hayato's side, standing back-to-back with him.
Within Uzushio, the villagers' anxiety boiled over.
"Chief, we can't just sit here and watch them fight alone!"
"We can't let our friends die in front of us!"
The middle-aged clan Head clenched his fists, suppressing his rage. "I want to help, but what about the civilians in the village? What about the survival of Uzushio itself?"
"We can fight too!"
A defiant voice rang out as a six-year-old boy stepped forward, his expression firm. "The guy fighting is not that much older than me. We can't let him fight alone!"
From outside the barrier, Hayato's calm voice carried through. "Stay inside and stay safe. I came here to ensure you all survive."
His unyielding tone moved the people of Uzushio, even as he stood facing overwhelming odds.
Hayato glanced toward Tōdai, his voice turning sharp. "If any of you dare lay a hand on these two girls, I swear none of you will make it back alive."
Ay sneered, ready to taunt him, but Hayato's next words made him hesitate.
"Are you sure I can't use that jutsu again?"
Tōdai and Ay exchanged uneasy glances, their somber expressions betraying their hesitation.
Killer B furrowed his brow. Unless he could fully unleash the power of the Eight-Tails and kill Hayato in an instant, he wasn't confident in defeating him.
Hayato's sharp eyes flicked toward Torikusa Noeito. "Kushina, I've chosen your opponent. You and Asako, along with Arcanine, can handle him."
He smirked faintly. "Go ahead, attack Uzushio's barrier. We're all just buying time—let's see who lasts the longest."
"Everyone in Uzushio," Hayato declared, "give it everything you've got to protect your home."
Tōdai's jaw tightened as he exchanged a glance with B, begrudgingly agreeing.
"I think you're underestimating me," Torikusa Noeito sneered, gripping his blunt sword tightly.
His sinister smile deepened as he envisioned the despair that would consume Hayato's face when he failed to protect those he cared about. That thought alone filled him with exhilaration.
"Let's take this fight elsewhere," Hayato said with a calm breath, his tone provocative as he met Blue B's sharp gaze. "You wouldn't want to accidentally hurt your own comrades in the crossfire, would you?"
B's eyes narrowed as Ay surged forward, his body crackling with lightning chakra.
"Monferno, activate 'Flame Charge,'" Hayato commanded in a low voice.
The fiery monkey responded with a roar, its body engulfed in raging flames that intensified its speed and power.
Ay closed the gap in an instant, lightning flickering around him as he unleashed a deadly strike. "Enough stalling! You won't fool me anymore!"
"Liger Bomb!"
The dual strikes of lightning chakra closed in on Hayato's neck, seemingly ready to end him in one swift move.
But Hayato vanished in a flash of lightning, a confident smile on his face.
"Why do I feel so alive in battle?" he mused, turning to Monferno with a fierce grin.
"Monferno, let's show them our resolve!"
Flames roared as Monferno charged forward, courage blazing in its eyes, ready to face