The serpents surged forward, their water bodies coiling like predatory snakes through the air, fangs bared and eyes glowing with chakra. Their hissing grew louder, deafening, as they closed the distance between them and Shin, mere meters away now.
"Damn it…" Shin muttered, teeth clenched.
Shin's heart pounded. Desperate, he raised his hands, beginning a final set of hand seals—his last resort—
But before he could even finish—
"Wind Release: Breakthrough Jutsu!"
A violent gust exploded in front of him.
The air howled with untamed force as a massive wind tore through the advancing serpents. The chakra-formed snakes shattered upon contact with the gale, their watery bodies breaking apart into countless droplets that scattered in every direction, dispersed so forcefully that they couldn't recombine.
The sudden force of the wind nearly knocked Shin out of the air. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"What…?"
He landed roughly on the ground, sliding back with a grunt. As his boots dug into the dirt, his eyes darted forward—and there, just a few meters ahead, stood a familiar figure.
Ryuuji.
The wind still swirled faintly around him, his right hand lowered, still humming with leftover chakra from his Wind Release technique.
"As much as I hate the idea of working with you..." Ryuuji muttered, not even turning to look back at Shin, "You're right. The only way we're getting out of this with all our limbs intact is if we work together. That guy's way above us."
Shin blinked, stunned for a brief second—then a small, tired smirk curled on his lips.
"Finally..." he said as he stood up, brushing dust off his clothes. "Using that little brain of yours at last, Ryuuji."
Ryuuji scoffed, cracking his knuckles. "Don't make me regret this already."
"Guys, you can count on me as well!" Ayaka's voice rang out as she rushed up behind Shin, her face bright with excitement and resolve.
An amused smile tugged at the corner of Tadao's mouth as he watched the three genin standing shoulder to shoulder.
"Come on, guys! Let's go!" Shin shouted, his blood pumping with adrenaline.
Without another word, all three of them charged straight at their sensei.
"Rushing at me head-on like that?" Tadao said lazily, already forming a new set of hand seals. "You're going to regret this, kids."
"Ayaka! Ryuuji!" Shin called out sharply. "Use your strongest ninjutsu! Together!"
"Yes, Shin!" Ayaka replied, quickly going through hand signs.
"Tch." Ryuuji clicked his tongue but did as he was told, already beginning his own seals. "Why are you acting like you're the leader now?"
"Fire Release…" Ayaka took a deep breath, her chest rising before she blew out a glowing ember shaped like a blooming flower. "Ember Bloom Jutsu!"
A luminous flame blossomed in the air, petals of fire unraveling and spinning outwards like a fiery dance.
"Wind Release: Breakthrough!" Ryuuji added, blasting a concentrated gust of wind straight into Ayaka's jutsu.
The wind and flame collided midair, fusing together in a sudden, scorching explosion that erupted toward Tadao. The blast wasn't massive, but the heat wave it carried roared through the training ground.
"Those kids…" Tadao muttered through the smoke, still smiling, even as the explosion engulfed him entirely.
Shin sprinted straight toward the blast, a wild grin on his face as the heat washed over him.
"Shin, what are you doing?!" Ayaka shouted, alarmed.
"Does he want to die?" Ryuuji muttered in disbelief, watching Shin dive straight into danger.
"Earth Release: Earthen Bump Jutsu!" Shin called out, slamming his hand on the ground. A small mound rose beneath him, and he used it to launch himself into the air, right above the scorched battlefield.
His hands blurred into motion. "Water Release: Sonic Bubble Jutsu!"
A perfect sphere of glistening water formed at his lips. Using his finger, he split the stream as it emerged, creating two separate bubbles. Attaching chakra threads to each one, he sent them spinning downward through the smoke, aiming for the exact spot Tadao had stood.
Hahaha…
The laugh echoed through the smoke, deep and calm.
"Using Water Release against me, kid?"
Before Shin could react, Tadao emerged from the smoke—already midair, right beside him.
Wham!
A fist drove deep into Shin's gut.
His breath exploded out of him as his body was hurled downward like a meteor, the chakra threads snapping from his fingers. The bubbles veered off, detonating harmlessly in the sky with a piercing sonic crack.
Boom—Boom!
Tadao hovered in the air for a heartbeat, glancing down at Shin's fallen form.
"That… what jutsu was that?" he thought, intrigued for just a moment.
But then his attention flicked immediately to the two remaining genin below—Ayaka and Ryuuji.
His lips curled into a smirk.
"Shin—!" Ayaka cried out, her voice laced with panic as she watched him crash to the ground.
But her words were abruptly cut off as a kunai whizzed past her face, slicing her cheek and drawing a thin line of blood.
"Ack!"
Ryuuji's eyes widened in disbelief. He had been staring at Tadao the entire time. He didn't even move! When did he—
His thoughts shattered as, in the blink of an eye, Tadao materialized behind him. Before Ryuuji could even turn fully, a sweeping kick knocked his legs out from under him and sent him crashing to the dirt.
"The test is over," Tadao said cheerfully, his voice light and pleasant as if none of them had just been manhandled.
He stood casually amidst the aftermath—scorched ground, steaming puddles, scattered kunai—with a bright, almost childlike smile on his face.
Ayaka rushed to Shin's side, her eyes wide with worry.
"Shin!"
She knelt beside him, her hands hovering over his bruised body. "Are you alright?" she asked, concern deep in her voice.
"Yeah..." Shin groaned, pushing himself up. Almost instantly, green flames erupted around his body, wrapping him in their warm, healing glow. The injuries across his body rapidly closed, the bruises fading as if they had never existed.
Ayaka sighed in relief.
Shin stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders as he looked at Tadao. "Couldn't you have gone easier on us, sensei?" He shot their teacher a flat look. "You almost broke my spinal cord back there. Just a little more, and I'd have been a vegetable for the rest of my life."
Tadao scratched the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "Oh, sorry about that… I guess I got a little excited." His expression softened slightly as he glanced at the three of them. "It's just… been a while since I met kids as strong as you three. Most kids only know the most basic jutsu and give up as soon as I start testing them. But you three…" His lips curled into a smirk. "You almost made me happy I became your sensei—"
"Come here, you lazy bastard!"
Tadao barely had time to turn before Ryuuji came rushing at him, his fist swirling with sharp wind. But Tadao only sighed, smoothly sidestepping the attack before driving his foot into Ryuuji's stomach.
Wham!
Ryuuji was sent flying, crashing into a tree with a loud thud.
A beat of silence.
Then—
"Hehehe..." Ayaka suddenly started laughing.
A second later, Shin joined in.
Even Tadao chuckled, his usual lazy grin returning.
"What are you fuckers all laughing for?!" Ryuuji shouted from where he lay, groaning and rubbing his stomach. "It's not funny!"
But that only made them laugh harder.
To be continued...
***
***
How was this chapter?
Well, did you all see Ayaka's ninjutsu? It's original of course, like I promised I'll add much more jutsu than the original.
Be sure to check out my original novel Hyperborea!