Shadow Net!
Taiyi and Shikamaru didn't hesitate. After Nakamura and his team moved out, Taiyi rushed directly at the Wind Release shinobi while Shikamaru intercepted the two puppets.
Their goal was simple: eliminate one target as quickly as possible to create momentum for the rest of the battle. With the Sharingan in play and their enemy unaware of it, the odds tilted heavily in Taiyi's favor.
Just like Uchiha Itachi in the original timeline, raw strength wasn't the sole factor—tactical intelligence and ocular jutsu could tip the scales. Orochimaru, for example, had countless forbidden jutsu, some of which Tobirama Senju himself had likely designed to counter the Mangekyō Sharingan. Even so, Itachi's unique genjutsu, Tsukuyomi, had no known counter in Orochimaru's arsenal. Knowledge and foresight defined survival, and few shinobi could stand against the Sharingan unprepared.
Against Orochimaru, a true contest would be even. Against a mere Chūnin? There was no comparison.
Taiyi's Sharingan had fully matured into a three-tomoe, more than enough to crush the will of an average opponent.
"Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique!"
"Bind!"
The Sand ninja barely caught sight of the spinning crimson tomoe before his body froze, mind ensnared in illusions.
"T-This is… the Sharingan?!" he stammered, eyes wide before locking rigidly in place.
The two hidden puppeteers panicked, attempting to maneuver their puppets to aid their comrade—but Shikamaru acted instantly.
"Shadow Imitation Jutsu!"
His shadow shot forward, stretching and widening until it became a black net that wrapped around the two puppets, pinning them to the earth.
This was no ordinary bind. By pressing them down with his shadow, Shikamaru prevented the puppeteers from activating hidden weapons or surprise mechanisms. He even manipulated a shadow tendril to fetch Explosive Tags from his pouch, sliding them carefully across the ground toward the immobilized puppets.
Meanwhile, Taiyi maintained his genjutsu hold but didn't strike immediately. His Sharingan continued scanning the environment for threats. The delay was intentional—it forced the hidden puppeteers into a dilemma.
Would they break cover, risk exposure, and attempt to free their puppets? Or stay hidden, abandoning their comrade to preserve the mission's secrecy?
Either choice benefited Taiyi and Shikamaru. Exposure meant the puppeteers would reveal their location. Concealment meant losing both a comrade and their puppets.
In the end, the two chose the mission over their ally. Bonds between ninjas of other villages were rarely as emphasized as in Konoha. For them, keeping the advantage intact outweighed saving a comrade.
Moments later, a thunderous boom erupted as Shikamaru detonated his tags, blasting the puppets to pieces. At the same time, Taiyi's blade found its mark, cutting down the immobilized Wind Release user.
The battlefield fell silent.
The two Konoha genin regrouped, carefully scanning their surroundings. They knew the puppeteers were still nearby—chakra threads had a limited range, and unless these Sand ninja knew the Flying Thunder God Technique, they couldn't have gotten far.
Though they appeared to be patrolling, Taiyi's genjutsu concealed Shikamaru's true actions. The Nara's shadow crept into a shallow pit beneath them, feeding in rolled Explosive Tags like a fuse waiting to be lit.
When Shikamaru gave a subtle glance, Taiyi nodded. Their shadows connected and vanished into the pit.
A moment later, fire erupted across the clearing. Multiple explosions rang out, loud enough to rattle the trees. They weren't powerful enough to kill, but the noise was designed to flush out the enemy.
Sure enough, the startled puppeteers, distracted and focused on their puppets' destruction, flinched. Taiyi's Sharingan caught the subtle movements immediately.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
Taiyi spat a volley of fireballs in a wide spread, targeting the suspicious points. The puppeteers had no choice but to dodge—remaining hidden meant being burned alive.
As they lunged in opposite directions, Taiyi's tomoe spun. In an instant, both Sand shinobi were caught in his genjutsu, their bodies freezing mid-step. Without their puppets, their strength was negligible.
When Nakamura returned, he found Taiyi and Shikamaru calmly cleaning up the battlefield.
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