The leering man known as 'Third Brother' stiffened mid-smirk, his face contorting into a mask of pain and shock. The space around him warped, and he found himself bound to the rough bark of a massive tree. Looking down in disbelief at the kunai buried deep in his chest, his mind reeled. An illusion? How... how can a shinobi of my caliber fall to a mere genjutsu? He slumped forward, his resentful gaze fading into emptiness as the illusory tree dissolved into nothingness.
"Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death," Kurenai stated coolly, her hands held in the final seal. "It is no simple trick. Your arrogance was your undoing."
"Third!"
"Damn it!"
The remaining masked men cried out in shock. Their leader merely scoffed, his voice dripping with contempt. "Useless. To be bested by a woman."
"You bitch! I'll kill you!" The three other masked shinobi roared in unison, their hands flying through a sequence of seals.
"Suiton: Mizūha no Jutsu!" A torrent of water surged forth, crashing toward Kurenai and her two remaining comrades like a flash flood.
"Scatter!" Kurenai shouted. The three chūnin flickered away, landing precariously atop the crest of the rushing wave.
Before they could stabilize, a cold shout cut through the air, making their blood run cold. "Raiton: Raikōha!"
A snarling dragon of pure lightning plunged into the water below. Instantly, the entire pool became a deadly conductor of electricity. Arcs of blue-white energy danced across the surface, and Kurenai and her comrades screamed as violent spasms wracked their bodies. They lost all control, tumbling helplessly into the electrified water.
In moments, they lay paralyzed on the sodden ground, smoke rising from their uniforms. The gap between chūnin and jōnin was a chasm, and a direct-hit ninjutsu was often insurmountable. Kurenai, a genjutsu specialist, and her two outmatched comrades stood no chance.
As the water receded, the enemy shinobi pressed their advantage. "Doton: Doryōsō!" one of them barked. The earth beneath the three Konoha ninja softened into quicksand, swallowing their limbs before solidifying like concrete, trapping them utterly.
"Fourth! Finish it! I sense chakra signatures approaching from the treeline!" the leader snapped, his eyes narrowing toward the forest.
The ninja called Fourth nodded grimly. "Doton: Tsuchi no Yari!" He slammed his palms to the ground. A forest of sharp, stone spears erupted from the earth, shooting toward the immobilized trio with lethal speed.
"ARGH—!"
Two agonized screams tore through the clearing as Yūichi and Shūzō were impaled by multiple stone lances, their roles in this story brought to a brutal end. Their bodies, positioned slightly ahead of Kurenai, inadvertently shielded her from the initial volley.
But it was a fleeting defense. Flesh and bone were poor armor against the onslaught of earth. Watching the next wave of stone spears hurtle toward her heart, Kurenai closed her eyes. Is this... it?
A sudden rush of air, a presence where there was none before.
A tall, powerfully built figure materialized in front of her. With a dismissive flick of his wrist, an invisible shockwave rippled out, shattering the incoming stone spears into harmless dust.
Sensing the change, Kurenai's eyes flew open in confusion. She stared, dazed, at the broad back now shielding her. Her reverie was broken by his next words, delivered with a tone so cavalier it made her want to roll her eyes despite the situation.
"You okay back there, Miss? Your knight in shining armor has arrived."
---
On a thick branch nearby, three figures watched the scene unfold. A bearded young man let out a held breath. "We're late... but it looks like we're just in time to not be needed."
A bowl-cut man with pronounced eyebrows vibrated with excitement. "Who is that man?! Look at those magnificent muscles! Such passionate, youthful vigor! That is the very essence of manliness!"
The silver-haired, masked man beside them pulled a small portrait from his vest. Comparing it to the figure below, he frowned slightly. "That's him. Son Goku. The one the Sandaime warned us about. He's already left the village." The trio were Konoha's rising stars: Sarutobi Asuma, Might Guy, and Hatake Kakashi.
"That's the guy even the Hokage is wary of?" Guy's eyes sparkled with competitive fire. "Then I simply must challenge him to a bout of youthful sparring!"
"If you value your bones, I'd advise against it," Kakashi said dryly, not taking his eye off Goku.
"No problem at all!" Guy flashed a brilliant, toothy grin and a thumbs-up. "A true man does not fear a powerful rival! He seeks them out! Growth through passionate struggle is the essence of youth!"
Down below, Son Goku glanced casually toward their hiding spot and offered a faint, knowing smile. "Phew. Good timing. Almost had my heroic moment stolen."
"He's already made us," Kakashi noted. "Let's go."
In three simultaneous shunshin flickers, they appeared beside Goku and Kurenai.
"Kurenai! Are you hurt?" Asuma moved toward her, concern etched on his face.
"I'm fine," Kurenai replied, though her voice was tight with residual pain and her body was still half-buried.
Goku felt a twinge of irritation. A potential rival, he mused. He casually shouldered Asuma aside. "Stand back, you're in the way of the rescue." Placing a hand on the hardened earth, he willed it to soften. Then, with a firm grip under her arms, he pulled Kurenai free as easily as lifting a radish from soft soil. With a gentle wave of his other hand, a milky-white light enveloped her. The burns and bruises marring her skin vanished instantly, leaving her healed and bewildered.
---
On the other side of the clearing, the remaining enemy shinobi conferred in hushed, urgent tones.
"That white light... a healing ninjutsu? And he broke through Fourth's Doton like it was nothing..."
"The one with the silver hair and mask... that's the Copy Ninja, Kakashi. And the loud one in green is the 'Blue Beast,' Might Guy. The bearded one must be Asuma Sarutobi. Boss, the tactical situation has deteriorated."
The leader's eyes narrowed, calculating the new variables. A mysterious powerhouse, plus three of Konoha's elite jōnin. The odds had shifted drastically.
"Hmph. Reinforcements have arrived. Our objective here is compromised. We retreat. For now."
In a series of practiced movements, the four masked figures melted back into the forest, leaving behind only the body of their fallen comrade and the tense silence of the clearing.
---
Author's Note: ChubbyChaebol here! Thanks for all the support on this story! I'm currently speedrunning toward chapter 100, after which the pace will settle into a more regular rhythm. Bonus chapters and mass updates will be fueled by your engagement—comments, reviews, Power Stones, follows, etc. Just a heads-up!
Also, Shout-out to Darknesswithoutend! He's the only confirmed supporter at this time, (Though I know many of you are sideline supporters, I'm still thankful...)