"You're done, kid!"
The brute pointed his weapon, a savage grin on his lips. Takeshi answered with a mocking smirk, cracking his knuckles.
"Try me."
The nine jōnin lunged at once, their electrified kunai cutting through the air. Takeshi activated the Body Flicker Technique and vanished in a gust of wind, reappearing behind one of them. His fist crashed into the man's temple, slamming him against a wall. The stones crumbled from the impact.
Another ninja hurled a kunai charged with Raiton. The lightning bolt streaked toward Takeshi's side, but he pivoted just in time. The blade grazed his jacket, and the shock numbed his arm. He countered immediately, his elbow smashing into the attacker's jaw with a sickening crunch.
"Surround him!" the brute roared.
The ninjas spread out, forming a web of lightning arcs with their kunai. Takeshi feinted a frontal charge, then dropped low, sweeping an enemy's legs. The man collapsed, and Takeshi drove his knee into the man's sternum, knocking the wind out of him.
A lightning kunai slashed his thigh. The numbness slowed him, but he used the Flicker to teleport ten meters away, dodging another wave of blades.
"He's too fast!" a jōnin spat, throwing two kunai.
Takeshi deflected them with a katana swipe, electricity jolting through his fingers. His counter slashed the man's shoulder, blood splattering the stones.
Another ninja wove hand signs. "Raiton: Lightning Net!"
A web of lightning burst forth, aiming to trap him. Takeshi zigzagged between the sparks, reappearing behind a foe. His blade aimed for the back, but the enemy blocked with his kunai, lightning sizzling through metal.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Takeshi threw three kunai in an arc and feinted retreat. The jōnin tightened their formation, thinking he was open—
Mistake.
He activated the Flicker again and appeared in their midst. His fist crushed an opponent's face, shattering his nose in a scarlet spray. A massive one swung a kunai at his throat. Takeshi rolled, narrowly avoiding the blade that lodged in a wall, and countered with a spinning kick. The hit made the giant stagger, blood trickling from his ear.
The brute, furious, charged with an overcharged kunai. "Die!"
Takeshi blocked, sparks lighting up the square, but numbness spread in his arms. He faked retreat, then Flickered to slash the brute's side. Blood soaked the man's vest, but another jōnin seized the chance to cut Takeshi's back. Pain flared, slowing his reflexes.
"You're finished!"
A barrage of crackling kunai flew toward him. Takeshi created a shadow clone that rushed in, katana raised, while he teleported behind another enemy. His blade slashed the jōnin's Achilles tendon, making him collapse in screams.
The survivors closed in. Takeshi hurled a trapped kunai. The explosion slammed two men against a wall, knocking them out cold.
The leader, unscathed, roared: "Kill him!"
He charged, but Takeshi vanished and reappeared five meters away. Two jōnin attacked in sync, aiming for his sides. He blocked with difficulty, the electricity nearly paralyzing his arms, then slashed one of their thighs.
Another kunai aimed for his heart. Takeshi rolled, the blade grazing his cheek, then sprang behind the attacker. A jōnin intercepted, blocking with a jolt of lightning. Takeshi's arm grew heavy, but he kicked the man in the gut, making him spit blood.
The brute slashed his chest.
"You're pathetic!" mocked a jōnin.
Takeshi faked collapse, luring three enemies in… then activated the Flicker. His blade tore open one man's chest, his fist shattered another's jaw. The third tried to strike back, but Takeshi pierced his shoulder, pinning him to the ground.
Only the brute and three jōnin remained.
"Raiton: Lightning Spear!"
The bolt shot straight at Takeshi. He dodged just in time, but a kunai grazed his thigh, slowing him. Another enemy charged, targeting his throat.
Tired of it, Takeshi sent out one last clone as a distraction, then pierced a jōnin's side before shattering another's kunai with a katana swing. His final punch knocked the man out cold.
Silence fell.
The square was now a battlefield: scattered bodies, bloodstained cobblestones, and smoking weapons. Takeshi, panting, wiped his katana clean before sheathing it.
"Too loud."
Then he walked away, his silhouette fading into the shadows.