Super Ninja

The increase in our paranoia affected all of us. We had to be incredibly attentive to the smallest details around us because, in our situation, details meant everything. Among them could be the keys to a successful defense. You might notice something small and detect an impending attack in advance.

The heightened activity of our patrols impacted our ability to train. There was barely any time left for that, which I didn't particularly like, but it was the reality we faced. The perimeter was checked every three hours, with one of the teams heading out to inspect traps and other critical points for our squads.

The archaeologists, however, continued their work. Surprisingly, they even managed to discover something when their assistants unearthed interesting artifacts. When that happened, the items were immediately handed over to the students, who cleaned them before passing them on to the archaeologists for analysis.

As a result, the most exhausted were the assistants, while the archaeologists spent their time drinking tea and making notes in their journals. They also discussed the findings and stored them safely in their mobile homes. Sometimes, I felt like going over to see what they found, but I held back because it would be seen as interference in their work. Why invite trouble?

Honestly, they didn't uncover anything particularly interesting that would catch a shinobi's attention. It was just historical artifacts: jewelry, rusty metal, clothing, and simple bones. If they had discovered books or scrolls, that would have been more intriguing for us, shinobi. But as it stood… nothing of real importance.

"It seems like there won't be an attack," Ayamane said as we stood aside, watching the archaeologists' students pull a small statue from the ground.

"Don't jinx it," I replied.

"Or else… you won't be able to talk to Ten Ten anymore?" she asked, trying to hide a hint of resentment in her voice. "Or what?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked, a bit confused.

"Well, you talk so nicely with her, but you barely pay any attention to Shiko and me," she said sharply.

I shrugged at the accusation, seeing no point in responding to that kind of comment.

"Nothing to say?" she asked. "Huh?"

"And what should I say?" I replied with a slight smirk. "That you're always busy with your own things? Or maybe that when I suggested we get together as a team, go to a restaurant, or just hang out, you always had excuses? Huh?"

Ayamane fell silent. She had done that more than once, so my accusation carried more weight than hers. Besides, I'd be offended too if they always had something else to do.

"You don't understand…" she muttered.

"Don't understand what?" I asked immediately, then decided to play a little manipulation. "That you girls from clans don't see me as your equal in status? Maybe you think it's beneath you to be on the same team as a clanless shinobi… Hmph."

After that, I turned and walked away, ending the conversation. Of course, if they needed help in battle, I would assist. But beyond that, there wasn't any special bond between us. Sure, we had completed many difficult and not-so-difficult missions together, which should have united us, but the way they scattered after each mission didn't help build any team unity. And Captain Kiochi wasn't doing anything to address it.

The captain seemed focused only on our training and education with the goal of making us chunin. For some reason, I used to think he wanted to forge us into a cohesive team. Still, I had noticed something interesting and important.

Captain Might Guy wasn't preparing his team for the genin exams this year. Captain Sarutobi Tetsuya also wasn't rushing it. Of course, you couldn't compare the teams—they operated in very different ways in the shinobi world—but even so, we were the only team among our trio preparing for the exam at such a fast pace. And still, on average, we lagged behind Team Eleven. Shiko and Ayamane were weaker than any member of Guy's team. I, on the other hand, was stronger than each of them.

In general, things were getting too complicated, and if I kept turning these thoughts over in my head, it would only make things more unclear. And I didn't need that.

Shaking off those thoughts, I looked at Ayamane, who was still standing in the same spot. Her face remained frozen in a shocked expression. Had I been too harsh? No, I didn't think so.

Not wanting to dwell on what I had said, I decided to meditate. I didn't want to overthink or overanalyze. The chakra in the nature around me was calm. Nothing indicated any problems. Just quiet serenity and unity.

"Suzuki," Ayamane interrupted my meditation, finally snapping out of it. Her expression must have created a strange picture for the client. Maybe Shiko had helped bring her back to her senses, but I hadn't been paying attention to their conversation. What could they have been talking about, anyway?

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Why did you say that? I mean… do you understand?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Are you curious?" I asked back. "And Shiko? Probably not."

"She's curious too," Ayamane replied.

"So, you want to know, huh?" I asked calmly. It was a simple rhetorical question, and I was ready to give an equally simple, calm answer. "Okay, how many times have I asked both of you to go out to a café? You probably know…"

"Um," she muttered and looked away. "I didn't count."

"You should have," I continued, still calm. "At least five times I invited you. Each time, you refused, citing other things—clan business, personal matters—and not once did you even suggest when you'd have time so we could hang out as a team, somewhere that wasn't a mission. So… how many times have I asked you to train together?"

"Well…"

"Many times," I interrupted before she could finish. "I invited you to train together so many times. And what was the answer?"

Ayamane's eyes darted around nervously. It seemed like some kind of shame was starting to manifest within her, but she still remained silent. So, I continued:

"Exactly… 'we don't have time, we have other things to do.'"

I calmly repeated what they had been telling me all this time. Ayamane turned crimson with embarrassment. Could my words have an effect, and maybe something would finally change within our team? I wasn't sure, but it would be nice.

"Do you understand now?" I asked her. "How else could I interpret this?"

"Yes," she answered, lowering her gaze. It seemed like she really was starting to understand… or at least I hoped I was interpreting her expression correctly.

"So, what do you say to a team barbecue after this mission?" she asked.

"Why not," I nodded in agreement. "I don't mind spending some time with my teammates."

Ayamane seemed to recover a little after our conversation. I noticed that she passed all my words on to Shiko, which made her think as well. I hoped that after this, things would improve within our team, and we could work better together with a deeper understanding of one another.

The excavation of the burial mound continued. The only days when there was little work were those with a light, cool rain. If it started drizzling in the morning, it sometimes lasted until noon, gradually turning the ground into thick, heavy mud. After such days, the assistants and students would end up covered in muck from head to toe. Naturally, this didn't boost morale or increase their desire to work. The only ones who managed to avoid all this were the archaeologists and their waitresses. To be honest, I suspected those waitresses served more than just at the tables. I didn't eavesdrop on what happened inside their mobile homes, but the rhythmic movements, faint moans, and satisfied morning faces hinted at a more adult form of relaxation for the archaeologists.

At the same time, I finally got the feeling that the situation with the scouts Ten Ten and I discovered at the very beginning would soon resolve itself, one way or another. I didn't know where this feeling came from, but it was strong enough that I couldn't just brush it off. So, I began to prepare myself mentally for whatever was about to happen.

The hardest thing for anyone is waiting for an attack. You start imagining yourself in the attacker's shoes, trying to predict their next move. That would be the right approach if we knew who the enemy was. But I knew nothing about them, so I could only consider general probabilities.

This tension couldn't continue much longer. Everyone was on edge, anticipating a possible attack—even the captains. They didn't appear particularly tense, but their eyes told a different story.

Neji kept his Byakugan active almost constantly, resting for only a few hours. This allowed us to monitor everything happening around us from a considerable distance, ensuring no enemy could approach undetected. During the few hours when the young Hyuga slept, we were all ready to repel an attack. If the enemy knew there was a Hyuga in our team, the best time to strike would be when our "eyeball" was resting. But during those times, I was on watch.

Captain Kiochi had quickly noticed my sensor abilities, which I demonstrated while meditating on nature chakra. As a result, I was assigned to monitor the surroundings when Neji was resting.

Then, on a fine sunny day, it happened.

The warm sun had finally replaced the gray, heavy clouds, bringing a bit of warmth and driving away our depressive thoughts. Neji had gone to rest in his tent while the rest of the team remained alert, ready to face any potential threat.

Immersing myself in meditation on nature chakra, I opened my "third eye" and began observing everything around me. The archaeologists and their assistants continued to excavate the mound, seemingly unconcerned with what we were doing. Sensei had warned them about what might happen, but they didn't seem too worried and continued their work. Still, I thought that when things truly got serious, they would drop their tools and hide quickly… At least, I hoped so.

At the edge of my senses, I detected twenty chakra sources approaching us at high speed. The situation didn't look good. These sources were mostly at the level of chunin and jonin. I didn't know who they were, but they had sent a formidable force against us.

"I sense them!" I said, coming out of my meditation. "Five teams. They're heading towards us… from that direction."

I pointed in the direction where I had felt them.

"What level?" the captain asked immediately.

"Chunin and jonin."

"Tch," the captain clicked his tongue. "Prepare for battle. Everyone knows what to do."

"Hai," the genin responded in unison.

I adjusted one of the swords I had recently bought and prepared for the fight. I quickly returned to meditation, trying to sense them again. They had already crossed the first half of my sensory range and passed the perimeter. Additionally, I noticed another group of five genin, led by a very strong jonin, following close behind.

"They're already close," I said, coming out of meditation again. "Another team of five genin and a jonin is trailing them."

"Now that's unpleasant," the captain exhaled.

At that moment, Might Guy pulled out his nunchaku and began slowly spinning them, as if warming up. Neji, whom Lee had woken up, was also coming to his senses, gulping down a few energy pills that the Akimichi from Sarutobi's team had in stock.

"I see them," Neji said, activating his Byakugan. "They're already approaching."

"Hah, we're ready," Might Guy declared, spinning his nunchaku like windmills before freezing in place and closing his eyes. A broad grin spread across his face, more like the snarl of a beast.

The attacking shinobi quickly emerged onto an open area where there was almost no cover. One of them formed a series of hand signs, and a giant earth dragon rose from the ground. It surged toward us, intending to bury us under a pile of rocks and grind us up like a meat grinder.

"Hah!" the captain exhaled, clasping his hands together.

The next moment, the ground beneath our feet trembled, and a powerful stone wall erupted from the earth as if it were exploding from below. Its size was impressive, towering into the sky and rivaling, perhaps even surpassing, the dragon in magnitude. The wall twisted and grew like a living creature, filling all the space in front of us.

A second later, the dragon's head crashed into the stone with thunderous force. The impact was accompanied by a deafening roar, reminiscent of an earthquake. The wall shuddered and cracked as though it might not withstand the powerful assault. Shards of stone flew in all directions, creating a cloud of dust and leaving deep scars in the ground.

"Let's go!" Might Guy shouted, his grin widening in satisfaction.

With incredible agility, he spun his nunchaku, creating an almost impenetrable whirlwind around him. His movements were so fast and decisive that it seemed as if the nunchaku had come to life in his hands, becoming an extension of his body. With the grace and power of a leopard, he rushed forward, straight into the heart of the enemy.

Lee and Neji immediately followed their captain. Lee, full of determination and focus, dashed into the fray with the speed and precision of an arrow shot from a bow. Beside him, Neji, with his Byakugan activated, moved with cold precision, already prepared to strike down the first opponent in his path. Whether he would or not, I didn't know… We'd see.

Ten Ten hesitated for a moment, as if assessing the situation, and her gaze met mine. I nodded to her, conveying confidence and support, signaling that we would be united in the battle and everything would go well. That small gesture gave her the confidence she needed, and she moved resolutely into the fight, ready to back up her comrades.

Ten Ten immediately tried to catch up to the boys but couldn't keep pace. She would have fallen behind anyway… but maybe that was for the best. A second later, the wall the captain had created crumbled into dozens of large stones. Figures, hard to identify at first glance, emerged from the dust. But they were definitely not Konoha shinobi.

One chunin quickly launched several dozen shuriken at us, which were instantly shrouded in smoke and grew larger. Ten Ten, standing in their path, swiftly drew a scroll and unfurled it. In an instant, a large quantity of iron shot out from the scroll, overwhelming the shuriken with sheer numbers.

In the next moment, Guy crashed into the attacker. His strike was so powerful that even from a distance, I could feel the shinobi's bones turn to mush. After a hit like that, there's no getting up. Lee had already removed his weights and was now dodging five chunin, who were intent on stopping and destroying him.

"Alright, Team Twelve, you're the last line of defense," Captain Kiochi said. "Team Thirteen, let's get to work!"

"Yes, captain," I responded loudly. Shiko and Ayamane looked at the situation with a mix of shock and surprise. It seemed they hadn't expected such intensity. I had to shout at them: "Snap out of it!"

That worked, and they finally began to grasp the reality of the situation.

"We need to help Team Eleven," I told the girls. "Help Ten Ten, and I'll assist Lee. Afterward, we'll all support Neji."

"Yes, Machine," Shiko responded, more confidently.

I threw off my weights and grabbed them in my hands. With a sharp movement, I rushed toward Lee. He was fending off five chunin, still unharmed. That was good—it meant we had a better chance of dealing with the enemies.

Jumping forward at maximum speed while spinning my body, I appeared next to a chunin who didn't expect it. He didn't even have time to block my strike. The weights hit him square in the head. A second later, he crashed into the ground, leaving a small crater where his skull once was. Blood, bones, and brain matter mixed into a gruesome mush. Grabbing the weights, I hurled them at another chunin who was about to attack Lee. They hit him directly in the side.

"Lee, I'm coming!" I shouted as I charged at another chunin.

"Suzuki!" Lee called back, grinning widely as he dodged another shinobi's blow.

"Let's do this! We've got this!" I yelled to him.

At that moment, Might Guy flew past us, with two jonin in hot pursuit. He was fighting so intensely that I could barely track his movements. I would have liked to watch more closely, but I had my own battle to focus on.

The chunin I stopped was looking at me with suspicion, and even a bit of contempt. On closer inspection, I noticed the crossed-out Kumo symbol on his hitai-ate. Rogue ninja… or maybe mercenaries from the Hidden Cloud. I drew my blade and charged. There was no time to waste.

The chunin drew his sword and spun it, charging at me. That was his mistake! I wasn't about to engage in a prolonged swordfight with an opponent likely more skilled with weapons. A quick movement—a subtle shift in my stance—and my blade slashed toward him.

He immediately deflected my strike, parrying it with his sword. But as our eyes locked, I formed a hand seal.

"Genjutsu!"

A second later, my chakra was inside his head. The chunin froze, struggling to shake it off. I had only a few moments before he would snap out of it. But just then, Might Guy appeared behind the chunin. He spun his nunchaku and, at incredible speed, brought them down with such force that they nearly split the chunin in two. And the blow hadn't even been delivered with a sharp weapon, but with nunchaku.

The speed and strength required to deliver such a blow! Then, Guy vanished again. The last thing I noticed was his skin, slightly reddened.

I turned away from the corpse and immediately hurled a few kunai at another chunin who was pressing Lee. He needed help—things weren't looking good, with several remaining chunin still targeting him.

Nearby, a large fireball erupted, shooting off into the distance and crashing against a stone wall.