The gates of Konoha stood open behind them. For the first time as a full team they were leaving on something real.
The caravan moved at a steady pace. Two wagons. Four merchants. One guard who looked more nervous than useful. And four shinobi walking alongside them.
Kenta walked ahead, hands behind his head. "This is it? Our first C-rank?" Raik trotted beside him, relaxed. "Feels kinda easy."
Aiko walked near the center, eyes scanning the road. "That's because nothing's happened yet."
Daiki stayed near the rear, watching their blind spots. "Stay alert anyway."
Kenta smirked. "Relax, captain."
Behind them, Shinji walked in silence. The road stretched long through the forest. Wind moved lightly through the trees.
Normal, too normal.
Shinji's eyes narrowed slightly.
Hours passed. The sun climbed higher. The caravan slowed slightly as the terrain shifted.
Kenta clicked his tongue. "Alright, now it looks like a place we jumped."
Aiko didn't dismiss it. "Visibility dropped."
Daiki nodded. "Tight formation."
Then it happened. Not movement, something else, pressure.
Kenta froze mid-step. "What the" Raik growled low, fur rising.
Aiko's breath hitched, her body locked.
Daiki's stance tightened instantly but his legs felt heavier.
Like the air itself pressed down. "This" he muttered.
"Killing intent," Aiko whispered.
It was overwhelming.
The merchants panicked immediately. "What is that?!" "I can't—move—!"
Kenta gritted his teeth. "Whoever this is I hate him already"
Then a voice. Calm. Detached.
From the trees ahead. "So this is the one with the bounty."
A figure stepped out slowly, dark cloak, masked lower face. His gaze didn't move to the caravan. Didn't move to the genin.
It locked directly onto Shinji. "You're worth quite a bit."
Kenta tried to move, but his body wouldn't listen. "Sensei" he muttered.
Aiko's mind raced but her body lagged behind.
Daiki clenched his fists forcing control. But the pressure was suffocating. This wasn't like anything they'd felt before.
Shinji stepped forward and everything changed. His chakra flared and it pushed back. The pressure vanished.
The genin staggered slightly. Air rushed back into their lungs. Kenta inhaled sharply. "What the hell was that"
Their eyes moved to Shinji.
Shinji didn't look back at them. "Stay behind me."
His gaze locked onto the cloaked shinobi. "You picked the wrong target."
He didn't react. "We'll see."
The ground cracked slightly beneath his step. Killing intent surged again
Shinji didn't move.
Instead he spoke. "Don't worry." "I won't let any of my comrades die."
His team heard it. Felt it.
The cloaked Shinobi moved first.
A blur of motion faster than the genin could track.
He closed distance instantly with a strike aimed to kill.
Shinji moved. Just as fast. Their arms collided, impact exploding outward. The ground beneath them cracked violently. Shockwaves pushed through the trees.
Kenta's eyes widened. "They're insane"
Aiko forced herself to focus. "We need to move the caravan!"
Daiki snapped out of it. "Right—Kenta!"
"Yeah, yeah I got it!"
They moved not toward the fight away from it. Protecting the mission.
The cloaked man's arm twisted unnaturally Threads visible beneath his skin as he struck again.
Shinji deflected. Their movements were fast. Neither wasting motion. Neither holding back.
"You're strong."
Shinj looked at him, "those black threads you have."
"Kakazu the bounty hunter?"
"Interesting," Kakuzu murmured.
From the distance Kenta shouted. "Caravan's moving!" Aiko added, "We'll keep them safe!"
Daiki's voice followed. "Focus on the enemy!"
Shinji didn't look back.
Kakuzu stepped forward again. Threads tightening. "Let's see how much you're worth."
Shinji exhaled slowly. The Mangekyō threatening to awaken but not yet. Not needed.
"Try," he said.
And the forest exploded into motion.
The forest didn't recover. Not after that first clash. The ground remained cracked. Trees leaned at unnatural angles.
And in the center of it two monsters stood facing each other.
Kakuzu didn't rush again. His eyes studied Shinji more carefully now. "You're not just a name," he said.
Shinji stood still. "You're not the first to find that out."
Kakuzu's body shifted unnaturally. The seams along his arms split black threads spilling out like living things.
Kenta saw it from the distance. "Nah… what is THAT"
Aiko's eyes widened slightly. "That's not normal chakra control"
Daiki narrowed his gaze. "It's something else."
Kakuzu moved. The threads shot forward fast.
Shinji shifted, dodged the first, deflected the second, but the third twisted mid-air changing direction.
Shinji blocked it with his forearm and the impact forced him back a step. The ground cracked beneath his foot.
"So you can hit me," Kakuzu muttered.
Shinji's eyes sharpened. "So can you." He vanished.
Reappeared inside Kakuzu's guard with a direct strike to the chest.
Kakuzu's body bent then stopped.
Shinji's eyes flicked.
Kakuzu's hand shot forward threads wrapping around Shinji's arm instantly.
Shinji twisted breaking free before they fully locked
He stepped back.
Reassessing.
"You're cautious," Kakuzu said.
"You're predictable," Shinji replied.
From the distance Kenta slammed a crate onto the wagon. "Move! Move!" The merchants scrambled, panic still in their movements.
Aiko moved alongside them, keeping watch. "They're circling the fight radius, keep them tight!"
Daiki stayed at the rear. Eyes locked on the battlefield. "Sensei's being pushed."
Back in the clearing Kakuzu's body shifted again. The threads pulled back then expanded. Spreading outward from his back, masks. Chakra built around them
Shinji's gaze hardened. "So that's how it is."
Kakuzu's voice remained calm. "You're not the only one with tricks."
One of the masks opened its mouth, and fire erupted.
Shinji moved instantly dodging out of the main blast. Another mask moved, wind surged. Amplifying the flames. The inferno grew covering everything.
Shinji's movement tightened.
Shinji landed on a branch, eyes tracking everything.
Kakuzu appeared again, a punch enhanced by threads Shinji blocked But the force drove him off the branch.
He landed hard.
Kakuzu didn't stop. Threads lashed out again.
Shinji twisted but one clipped his side. Not deep. But enough.
Kenta saw it. "He got hit!"
Aiko's voice cut in. "Focus!"
Daiki's jaw tightened. But he didn't move.
Shinji steadied himself. He understood it. Kakuzu wasn't stronger. He just had freedom to go all out.
Shinji didn't.
That gap was real, and Kakuzu saw it.
"You're holding back," he said.
Shinji didn't deny it. "I don't need to go all out."
Kakuzu's eyes narrowed. "Then you'll die like that."
The masks shifted again lightning crackled from one, fire built in another, Wind surged to amplify—
Shinji exhaled slowly, this was escalating too fast.
The next attack came a storm of elements. Fire and wind tearing through the clearing, lightning striking from above. Threads closing from every angle.
Shinji's eyes pulsed. The Mangekyō flickered to life.
He moved between attacks. Through openings that barely existed. Every movement precise.
The storm passed, barely missing him.
Kakuzu stopped.
"…Interesting."
Shinji stood there. This wasn't something he could end cleanly. Not without risk. Not without escalation.
Kakuzu took a step forward. "Let's see how long you can keep that up."
Shinji didn't respond, he made a decision. This couldn't drag on. He needed to shift the fight. His hand moved slightly.
Kakuzu noticed. "Finally."
Shinji's voice was calm. "You wanted to see how much I'm worth." "Careful what you ask for."
Kakuzu's stance adjusted. Slightly cautious. "Show me," he said.