The twenty Jōnin did not slow down, their hands moving in a blurred rhythm to maintain a constant barrage. The air grew thick with the smell of scorched earth and ozone as the elites synchronized their chakra.
Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!
Torifu slammed his massive palms into the dirt. A thick slab of stone erupted from the forest floor, groaning under the impact of the techniques hammering the other side.
Water Release: Water Collision Wave!
The massive wave crashed against the defense, the pressure enough to crack the stone. "Keep moving!" Sakumo warned, his white chakra sabre flickering like a ghost as he parried several incoming kunai wrapped in explosive tags.
From the canopy above, the Chūnin ambushers regrouped. They rained down a desperate flurry of wind to fan the flames of the burning forest toward the group.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!
The gusts turned the forest into a furnace. Yoichi saw the opening and didn't wait. His Qi Blood surged into his legs, his silhouette blurring as he activated Phantom Steps. To the Chūnin in the trees, the boy simply vanished, leaving only a lingering afterimage that was quickly consumed by fire.
Yoichi reappeared in the branches, moving with a swiftness that defied the environment. He closed the distance to the first Chūnin in a heartbeat, his fingers stiffening into a lethal point.
Lightning Spear Thrust!
His hand moved with penetrating force, driving through the flak jacket and into the chest with surgical precision. He repeated the motion four more times in a jagged zigzag pattern through the trees.
Each strike was a silent and lethal thrust.
Five Chūnin collapsed from the heights, their hearts stopped before they could finish their signs.
"Five down," Yoichi reported, landing back in a crouch.
"Don't think you're the only one doing work, Yoichi!" Jiraiya yelled.
Jiraiya planted his feet, his posture shifting into the Mahavairocana Mantra. As a hail of stone shards flew toward the group, he didn't flinch.
Radiant Bell Shield!
A translucent, golden barrier erupted around the entire team, the stone projectiles shattering harmlessly against the glowing surface. Jiraiya's endurance fueled the barrier, allowing the others to focus entirely on their next moves.
Dragon Elephant Drop!
Tsunade leaped into the air, her heels coming down with the weight of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna. The impact sent a massive shockwave through the forest floor, shattering the roots where a group of Mist Chūnin were hiding and throwing them into the open.
Twin Fang Assault!
Orochimaru capitalized on the chaos. Using Slithering Steps, he moved like a shadow across the broken ground. His hands became a blur of intense stabbing attacks, his fingers striking with the lethality of a serpent's fangs. With his Eyes of the Umbral Night active, he bypassed every block, finding the exact vulnerabilities in the enemies' stances to end them instantly.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!
The twenty Jōnin pursuers let out a collective roar of frustration. They abandoned the long-range bombardment, realizing the Chūnin were being slaughtered too easily.
The group of twenty elites began to weave more complex, overlapping techniques to trap the entire forest section in a cage of elements.
Four Pillar Bind!
Massive pillars of stone and swirling fire began to close in, forming a cage that threatened to incinerate the team within the forest.
"They're locking us in!" Jiraiya yelled, his hands moving into the Mahavairocana Mantra stance.
Needle Jizo!
His hair grew long and rigid, wrapping around his body like a spiked armor of steel-hard needles. He threw himself against the encroaching fire, his reinforced defense allowing him to scatter the first wave of flames, though the heat began to singe the ends of his silver mane.
"I'll clear the flank!" Orochimaru hissed, his silhouette twisting through the smoke.
Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!
Dozens of vipers erupted from his sleeves, their bodies extending with unnatural speed. The snakes coiled around the legs of the Jōnin attempting to stabilize the barrier's edge, their fangs sinking into throats and wrists. The disruption caused the barrier to flicker, but the twenty elites poured more chakra into the formation to stabilize it.
Yoichi saw the foundation of the barrier, a massive slab of earth acting as the anchor. He felt the surge of his own strength. His Qi Blood roared within his vessels, providing the raw physical power that transcended elemental logic.
"Tsunade! The base of the eastern pillar! We hit it together!"
Tsunade gritted her teeth, her face flushed as she ignited her own Qi Blood, fueling the Dragon Elephant Prajna. "On it! Don't let me down, Yoichi!"
Yoichi's silhouette blurred as he entered Phantom Steps, his body becoming a streak of kinetic energy. He reached the pillar a fraction of a second before her, his fist pulled back as the air distorted around his knuckles.
Mountain Crushing Fist!
Hundredfold Strike!
The two attacks landed simultaneously. Yoichi's shockwave softened the structural integrity of the stone, while Tsunade's technique ramped up the force of her blow with every passing millisecond. The impact was deafening. A massive crater formed at the base of the pillar, and a web of cracks raced upward until the entire eastern section of the barrier shattered into dust.
The backlash of the explosion sent a cloud of debris into the air. As the dust settled, Tsunade stumbled, her knees buckling. The immense drain on her Qi Blood required for the Hundredfold Strike had exhausted her completely. She gasped for air, her skin pale and her hands trembling.
Yoichi reached her before she could collapse. He reached into his pouch and pulled out several Qi Blood Pills, pressing them into her hand. The medicinal scent was sharp and potent.
"Take these," Yoichi said simply. "They will restore your vitality and Qi Blood."
Tsunade swallowed the pills without hesitation. A warm, vibrant surge of energy erupted in her gut, forcing color back into her cheeks and stabilizing her ragged breathing. The exhaustion didn't vanish, but her internal stores were rapidly replenishing.
"Yoichi, thank you," she wheezed, standing upright with renewed focus.
The twenty Jōnin, now furious at the breach, abandoned the barrier entirely. They drew their blades and began a full-tilt sprint through the clearing. Seeing the overwhelming numbers closing in, Yoichi reached for his wrists and ankles. He unlatched the heavy, blackened bangles with a practiced flick. In a single fluid motion, he stowed them into his Space Pouch.
Released from the crushing weight, Yoichi's posture shifted. The air around him began to whistle as if he were cutting through it just by standing still. His presence felt lighter, yet infinitely more dangerous.
"The path is open!" Torifu commanded, hoisting Tsunade up as she regained her strength. "Yoichi, Sakumo, rear guard! The rest of you, run!"
A veteran with a scarred throat raised his hand, his voice cutting through the roar of the flames.
"Squad Alpha, maintain the seal! Do not let the perimeter fail!" he commanded. "Squad Beta, engage! Capture the Uchiha, but do not underestimate his physical strength!"
Ten of the elites remained stationary, their fingers weaving a complex sequence to stabilize a secondary sealing layer. The remaining ten elites drew their blades and surged forward, though their coordination was ragged. A Kumo Jōnin nearly collided with a Kiri shinobi, their distinct styles clashing in the tight space.
"Watch where you're swinging that butcher blade, Mist scum!" the Kumo ninja snarled, his body crackling with lightning.
"Shut up and focus on the target, Cloud brat!" the Kiri shinobi shot back, his mist thickening as he tried to mask their approach.
A Suna Jōnin scoffed, his fans stirring up sand that clogged the Kiri ninja's damp air. "Your clumsy mist is ruining my visibility! Stand aside if you can't handle a child!"
The lack of compatibility slowed their advance. Despite the friction, they were still elites. They surged forward, their eyes locked on the team with murderous intent.
Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet!
A roaring serpent of flame streaked through the air to cover their advance. Torifu stepped forward, his massive frame still enlarged as he inhaled deeply to counter the blast.
Fire Release: Blast Wave Wild Dance!
The two techniques collided in an explosion, the heat turning the forest floor into a wasteland of ash. Despite the successful counter, the strain was visible on the team. Jiraiya was panting heavily, his silver hair losing its luster. Orochimaru moved with a slight hitch, his movements losing their fluid grace as his chakra reserves dipped. They were still in children's bodies, and the constant high-level output was taking its toll.
"Pressure them!" the Mist leader shouted, ignoring the bickering of his subordinates. "They are flagging! Force the Uchiha into a corner!"
The ten closing Jōnin reached the perimeter, their blades reflecting the flickering fire. Yoichi felt his own exhaustion, but his inner vitality circulated fresh Qi Blood through his limbs. He watched the approaching enemies, his vision sharpened by the removal of his weights.
"They're coming," Yoichi said, his voice a low rasp.
He activated Phantom Steps, his body moving with such velocity that he left a trail of distinct afterimages. He closed the gap with the first Jōnin, a Kumo specialist, his hand forming a piercing point.
Lightning Spear Thrust!
The Jōnin's eyes widened, but his experience saved him. He twisted his body mid-air, allowing the strike to graze his flak jacket instead of piercing his chest. The kinetic force of Yoichi's unweighted speed still sent the man tumbling backward. The Suna ninja nearby hesitated to help, a sneer visible on his face before he finally threw a volley of kunai to force Yoichi back.
Yoichi flickered to the next target, his movements a blur of lethal efficiency.
However, these were Jōnin.
Every strike he launched was met with a desperate parry or a high-speed replacement technique. He forced the ten Jōnin to halt their pursuit and focus entirely on him, but their mutual distrust made it hard for them to pin him down.
"He's too fast! Close the formation, you idiots!" the Mist elite snarled, parrying a strike that whistled past his ear.
"Don't tell me what to do!" the Kumo ninja barked, even as he was forced to step back from Yoichi's pressure.
Behind Yoichi, the rest of the team used the opening to put distance between themselves and the sealing squad. Tsunade was upright now, the Qi Blood Pills working through her system, but she still leaned on Torifu. They were breaking for the denser part of the forest, the gap widening as Yoichi stalled the disorganized elite front line alone.
The rival Jōnin continued to bicker as they lunged forward, their lack of cohesion creating a messy and overlapping offensive. A Suna ninja's sand gust inadvertently snuffed out a Kiri ninja's Hidden Mist, leading to a string of curses that echoed through the trees.
"Your desert trash is blinding me!" the Kiri Jōnin roared, nearly swinging his sword into his ally's ribs.
"Then stay out of my range, fish breath!" the Suna shinobi snapped back, though he was forced to roll away as Yoichi's afterimage flickered past him.
Yoichi saw the opening created by their internal friction. He didn't push his luck against ten elites while his own team was flagging. He dug his heels into the scorched earth, his Qi Blood surging one last time to propel him backward with a massive burst of speed.
"Retreat! Into the depths of the forest, now!" Torifu bellowed, his voice carrying the weight of a seasoned commander.
The team didn't hesitate. Released from the burden of the barrier, they poured their remaining strength into their legs. Yoichi's unweighted speed allowed him to act as a physical engine for the group, his presence providing a slipstream that helped the exhausted Sannin maintain their pace. They moved like a single shadow, rapidly putting hundreds of yards between themselves and the disorganized pursuers.
"Don't let them vanish into the thicket!" the Kumo leader yelled, his feet crackling with lightning as he sprinted after them. "If we lose them in the deep woods, the Raikage will have our heads!"
"Move, you useless lot!" the Mist commander barked at the sealing squad. "Break the seal and join the pursuit! Now!"
The ten Jōnin in the rear abandoned their complex hand signs, the half-formed sealing barrier dissipating into sparks of wasted chakra. They drew their weapons and joined the chase, a group of twenty high-level shinobi now unified by the fear of failure.
Their exhaustion was masked by a relentless, cold fury as they leaped through the canopy to bridge the gap.
The forest became a blur of dark green and grey as the group sprinted deeper into the ancient forestry. Despite their exhaustion, the Qi Blood Pills gave Tsunade just enough strength to keep her own pace, her feet hitting the ground with a rhythmic thud. Behind them, the sounds of snapping branches and whistling wind grew louder as the twenty pursuers refused to slow down.
Yoichi drifted to the rear of the group, his eyes scanning the path. The removal of his weights made every jump feel like flight, but he could feel the collective fatigue of his teammates. The Jōnin were gaining again, their superior stamina as adults allowing them to slowly eat away at the advantageous distance the children had built.
"They're still right on our heels!" Orochimaru hissed, his Eyes of the Umbral Night catching the glint of steel through the dense leaves directly behind them.
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Thanks to Snowwwww, Daemonic_Dragon, Kacey_Jackson, and doomslayer24 for the power stones! Thanks! I appreciate it so much!