"Damn it…"
A Konoha chūnin tightened his grip on a kunai, staring at the two Sound ninja grinning viciously in front of him.
Behind him, more than a dozen civilians huddled together, trembling. They didn't dare move. As long as they stayed within the chūnin's reach, they had a chance. If they ran, they'd die first.
The chūnin knew the truth.
One-on-one, he was stronger than either enemy. Two-on-one, while protecting civilians? Impossible.
Every move was restricted. Every retreat cut off.
If this dragged on, everyone here would die.
"So this is it…?" he thought grimly as the two Sound ninja charged again.
The cruel part was that the enemy wanted this. They were deliberately keeping the civilians alive, forcing him to fight shackled. A perfect trap.
And then—
"You've done more than enough. I'll take it from here."
The voice was calm. Cold. Yet oddly reassuring.
"Who—?" The chūnin froze, hope flaring before he could stop it.
A figure appeared in front of him.
Black hair. Young. Fourteen, maybe fifteen at most.
And wearing a jōnin vest.
The chūnin's eyes widened. "Behind you—!"
"No need," the newcomer said flatly. "They're already dead."
The chūnin blinked.
The two Sound ninja were still standing.
Then they fell apart.
Their bodies collapsed in pieces, like broken dolls hitting the ground. Only then did the chūnin notice the long blade in the boy's hand, darkened with blood.
His stomach lurched.
"Evacuation status?" the jōnin asked.
The chūnin snapped to attention. "Sir! Women and children are already secured. Only some adult civilians remain."
"Good. Take them toward the shelter that way," the jōnin said, pointing back the way he'd come. "Medical teams are in place. No enemies left on that route."
"Yes, sir!"
The chūnin turned to ask his name.
The boy was gone.
Only the mutilated bodies remained, proof he hadn't imagined it.
Behind him, the civilians realized they were safe. Some cried. Others hugged each other in relief.
"All right," the chūnin said, smiling despite the pain in his side. "Let's move."
That jōnin was so young…
Was that really him? The one everyone talks about?
Across Konoha, scenes like this played out again and again.
And in the minds of countless civilians, the image burned in the same way.
A black-haired少年 in a jōnin vest.
A strange, long sword in hand.
Every strike lightning-fast. Every battle over before it began.
By the time people reached the shelters, they all asked the same question.
And received the same answer.
Fujimoto Tōma.
Not fourteen. Thirteen.
Konoha's youngest jōnin in a generation. Promoted during peacetime. That alone gave the title weight.
In the shelter, Fujimoto Sana and Yamanaka Ino heard the whispers turn into excited discussions, then into open praise.
When they understood what Tōma was doing out there, both women couldn't hide their pride.
That's my son.
That's my boyfriend.
Pride… mixed with fear.
They could only pray he stayed safe.
Tōma was already chasing his next target.
The Sound ninja ahead of him was bleeding badly, panic written across his face as he fled. Sweat poured down his forehead as he glanced back again and again.
When he finally saw the intact outer wall of Konoha, despair filled his eyes.
Why hasn't support arrived?
He spun around, hands flying into seals.
A crushing wave of sound surged forward like an invisible blade.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough."
This time, Tōma was ready.
The wind exploded outward, shredding the soundwave completely. The enemy was hurled backward and slammed into a building hard enough to crack the wall.
Tōma's eyes flickered.
That was stronger than before.
The breakthrough in his mental state was clearly enhancing both chakra control and technique output.
He didn't hesitate.
The sword flashed.
No miracle occurred.
Tōma wiped the blade clean and glanced once toward the wall. The enemy's last hope had been there.
You're wondering why help never came, he thought calmly. Because I made sure of it.
ANBU had been stationed there. And one particularly dangerous person among them.
This side was handled.
Moments later, two shadow clones dispersed, their memories returning to him.
Multiple targets eliminated.
Village interior threats were nearly gone. Not by him alone. ANBU and clan forces had done their part. If he'd tried to handle everything himself, even with clones, he'd have collapsed from exhaustion.
Even now, his chakra wasn't enough.
He swallowed two soldier pills without hesitation.
No time to conserve energy.
What remained inside the village could be cleaned up by ANBU. His destination was clear.
The main arena.
At the outer wall, the battle had already turned one-sided.
ANBU rained long-range jutsu down from above.
The enemy had planned well. A massive summoned python, larger than the wall itself, had been meant to smash straight through by sheer momentum.
Instead, thick wooden pillars wrapped around it, pinning it completely.
Yamato stood atop the wall, sweat dripping down his face.
Wood Release bound the serpent and reinforced the wall itself, forming a living shield. Fire techniques were drowned out by coordinated Water Release teams. Every angle had been covered.
Good thing I stayed, Yamato thought grimly. If I'd taken that mission…
And he knew exactly who to thank.
Fujimoto Tōma had warned him. Told him to stay. To prepare.
Now Yamato held the line.
When the attackers finally realized the wall was unbreakable, morale collapsed. Retreat followed.
Too late.
Figures emerged ahead of them.
Ninja dogs padded forward.
At the center stood a man with sharp eyes and a feral grin.
"Knew you'd run," he said. "All right, boys. Time to show them Konoha's bite."
"Understood!"
The dogs transformed into human forms, each ninja hurling smoke bombs without restraint.
The field vanished in gray.
"Fang Over Fang!"
Dozens of spinning forms tore into the smoke.
What followed was a chorus of screams that made even seasoned shinobi shudder.
When Tōma arrived at the main arena in a flash of yellow light, his expression finally changed.
The Four Violet Flames Formation stood intact.
Inside, the space was choked with Wood Release.
And outside it—
Jiraiya stood there, hands clasped together, with the two toad sages perched on his shoulders.
Tōma's eyes narrowed sharply.
Why is the barrier still up…?
And why is Jiraiya outside it?
...
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