"So you're ninja sent to capture me?"
Okubo Kiiya sneered, sweeping his gaze across the three figures charging toward him.
"But sending a bunch of brats like this—aren't you looking down on me a bit too much?"
His laughter was harsh and contemptuous.
Although Chunin were not considered particularly powerful within the Five Great Shinobi Villages, in the wider ninja world they were far from weak. Most small nations didn't even possess proper Chunin-level shinobi.
Okubo Kiiya had survived for years as a rogue ninja. His confidence was not unfounded.
In his eyes, these three children—barely seven or eight years old—were laughable.
The only person who truly concerned him was the calm, silver-haired youth standing some distance away.
Aomizu.
From the moment the fight began, Okubo Kiiya kept part of his attention fixed on him, wary of a sudden sneak attack.
Yet something felt… off.
Aomizu didn't move.
He didn't advance, didn't form hand seals, didn't even draw his weapon.
He simply stood there, watching.
At first, Okubo Kiiya assumed it was a trick.
Then seconds passed.
Still nothing.
The realization struck him like a slap.
"He's… really planning to let these brats handle me?"
For a moment, Okubo Kiiya nearly burst out laughing.
In his mind, Aomizu instantly became an arrogant fool—one blinded by overconfidence.
Fine.
If that was the case, then he would slaughter the three children first and deal with Aomizu afterward.
With that decision made, Okubo Kiiya finally focused entirely on the three charging at him.
And then—
Something was wrong.
The moment they clashed, Okubo Kiiya's expression changed.
Very wrong.
These weren't ordinary children.
Their movements were sharp. Their reactions precise. Their chakra control frighteningly stable.
It wasn't that any one of them was overwhelmingly stronger than him.
It was that all three of them, despite their age, were nearly on his level.
Three near-Chunin-level fighters.
Working together.
His heart skipped a beat.
Impossible.
How could children this young possess such strength?
Had they been training since the moment they were born?
Okubo Kiiya's world view cracked violently.
He had wandered the ninja world for years, killing, pillaging, surviving by his blade.
Yet he had never encountered true geniuses before.
Now, he had.
"This can't be happening!"
With an enraged roar, Okubo Kiiya abandoned his contempt and began fighting seriously.
He was ruthless, experienced, and vicious.
Years of life-and-death battles had honed his instincts to a razor's edge.
For a time, despite being outnumbered, he gained the upper hand.
Yahiko was sent flying by a heavy kick.
Konan was struck in the ribs by a brutal punch, sliding several meters across the mud.
Only Nagato managed to block one of his attacks head-on.
Even so, Okubo Kiiya pressed forward relentlessly, forcing the three onto the defensive.
Not far away, Aomizu watched silently.
He did not move.
This mission was not about victory.
It was about growth.
Unless their lives were truly in danger, he would not intervene.
More importantly, he knew something they did not.
If Nagato used his full strength, this fight would already be over.
"Trying to kill me with just you three?"
Okubo Kiiya shouted arrogantly, kicking Yahiko aside once more before smashing Konan backward with a savage punch.
"Dream on!"
He lunged toward Nagato, intending to overwhelm him as well.
But—
His attack was blocked.
Nagato crossed his arms, chakra surging through his body, absorbing the impact.
"What…?"
Okubo Kiiya stared in disbelief.
Even without using the Rinnegan or ninjutsu, Nagato's taijutsu was abnormally strong.
As a member of the Uzumaki clan, his massive chakra reserves and vitality gave him a natural advantage in physical combat.
Before Okubo Kiiya could recover from his shock, Nagato counterattacked.
The kunai in his hand shot forward like lightning.
Clang!
Sparks flew as Okubo Kiiya barely managed to block.
He immediately leapt backward, widening the distance between them.
Konan and Yahiko launched their ninjutsu at the same time, but Okubo Kiiya twisted his body and dodged by a hair's breadth.
His eyes narrowed.
These brats were dangerous.
Lightning crackled around his fingers.
"Lightning Release: Silver Lightning!"
A silver-white bolt tore through the rain, screaming toward Nagato with terrifying speed.
At that distance, dodging was impossible.
But just before the lightning struck—
It shattered.
The air warped violently.
Nagato had activated Shinra Tensei.
However, he carefully controlled its range, repelling only the lightning instead of launching a full counterattack.
He didn't want to hurt Yahiko and Konan.
The distorted air snapped back into place.
Silence fell.
Okubo Kiiya stared at Nagato, his pupils shrinking.
"What… was that?"
He had no understanding of what he'd just witnessed.
Until he did, he dared not attack recklessly again.
"Yahiko, Konan," Nagato said calmly, "we rushed in too blindly."
"This guy isn't simple."
"We need to coordinate."
Yahiko clenched his fists and nodded.
Konan's breathing steadied as she wiped blood from the corner of her mouth.
They had been blinded by rage.
Now, they were thinking clearly.
Watching this, a faint smile finally appeared on Aomizu's face.
He had deliberately not intervened earlier.
Sometimes, words meant nothing.
Experience taught faster—and deeper.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Konan launched a storm of paper shuriken, forcing Okubo Kiiya to dodge frantically.
At the same time, Yahiko and Nagato completed their hand seals.
Earth Release surged beneath Okubo Kiiya's feet.
A stone pillar erupted upward, throwing his balance off.
Instinctively, he crouched to stabilize himself—
And that was the moment Yahiko struck.
"Water Release: Wild Water Wave!"
A torrent of water slammed into Okubo Kiiya, blasting him off the pillar and smashing him into the muddy ground.
He hadn't even had time to retaliate.
Before he could rise—
Another wave of paper shuriken descended.
There was nowhere to dodge.
If they hit, it would be fatal.
"Die, you scum!"
Konan's voice trembled with fury and hatred.
Fear—pure, primal fear—finally appeared on Okubo Kiiya's face.
No…
I can't die here…
Then—
A fireball screamed in from the distance.
In an instant, every paper shuriken was reduced to ash.
"What?!"
The three children turned sharply.
Even Aomizu frowned.
This wasn't in the intelligence.
Okubo Kiiya wasn't supposed to have allies.
And yet—
A figure emerged through the rain.
A woman.
Tall. Graceful. Lethal.
Her long hair flowed behind her, streaked with green and light brown.
On her forehead gleamed a Hidden Sand Village protector.
Aomizu's eyes narrowed.
He knew her.
Very well.
"Pakura…"
He spoke her name quietly.
"Pakura of the Scorch Release."
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)