Sensing the overwhelming force, Terumi braced for death, while her two Kirigakure teammates watched in terror.
They couldn't reach her in time, and even if they could, they had no answer for such cataclysmic power.
As mere Genin with only slight Chunin-level skill, they were outmatched.
A Jonin might have reacted, but for them, it was impossible.
"Am I dead?" Terumi thought, her eyes shut, awaiting the end. But after a moment, nothing happened.
"I'll spare you this time, Terumi." Tengen's voice said calmly. He had dispersed the attack at the last second. Had it connected, it could have obliterated half the Forest of Death, killing any ninja caught in its path within moments.
Such a display would likely have ended the Chunin Exams for Tengen, triggering a Konoha investigation.
Not that he feared it.
A genius like Tengen knew that Konoha wouldn't dare move against him without evidence. The village's very existence depended on its strength, and Tengen's growing power gave him confidence, freeing him from his earlier caution.
"Tengen, you…" Terumi stared at him, inches away, biting her lip.
As a prodigy of the Kirigakure, she was fiercely proud, but Tengen had humbled her today.
He had defeated her outright.
And he'd done it with brute force, overpowering her kekkei genkai. Other methods, like his lightning-fast taijutsu or genjutsu, could have worked too, but he chose the most taxing approach, crushing her head-on.
Her pride lay in tatters, and now, spared by Tengen, her emotions swirled in a complex storm.
"You're wondering why, right?" Tengen leaned close, whispering in her ear. "Because you'll be my woman. Just not yet."
"What?" Terumi froze, stunned. Before she could respond, darkness claimed her.
Tengen had pressed a point on her neck, rendering her unconscious.
"And the scroll." Tengen was retrieving a scroll from her. Seeing its mark, he smiled; it was the Heaven Scroll they needed.
"Tengen!" Anko, Shizune, and the others rushed to his side.
"What about this Kiri-nin?" Shizune asked.
"Let them go for now." Tengen said with a grin. As the two Kiri-nin approached, he tossed Terumi to them.
They caught her carefully.
"I'm taking your Heaven Scroll as compensation. When Terumi wakes, tell her to remember what I said." Tengen instructed.
"Understood." The Kiri-nin replied hastily.
The battle had shown them the vast gap between themselves and Tengen.
Tengen, a Chunin Exam participant? His Jonin-level strength made his presence feel like cheating.
They couldn't help but fear him; he could kill them at any moment.
Sparing them was a matter of luck. They'd seen their village's ninja slaughtered earlier, so Tengen killing them wouldn't be surprising.
"Let's go." Tengen said, eyeing the stunned ninja.
"Y-Yes…" The two ninja, supporting Terumi, fled with desperate speed, as if their lives depended on it.
They feared Tengen might change his mind.
"Tengen, you scared them silly." Kurenai said, chuckling at their frantic escape.
"But why didn't you kill that Kiri-nin?" Anko asked, eyeing Tengen suspiciously.
"She's a key player for the Kirigakure. If something happened to her in Konoha, it could spark trouble. Besides, do I look like a bloodthirsty maniac?" Tengen said.
"Totally." Anko nodded emphatically.
"Whatever." Tengen said, holding up the scroll. "This is the Heaven Scroll. We've got both now. Let's head to the tower. Shizune, Kurenai, come with us."
"Alright." Shizune and Kurenai agreed, nodding.
They wanted to stay with Tengen.
Soon, the group, now rested, headed toward the central tower. They encountered no significant threats along the way.
Any ambushing ninja or dangers were swiftly dealt with, often by Kurenai, Shizune, or Anko, as Tengen's involvement left little for them to do but watch.
His strength was truly terrifying.
Meanwhile, the Kiri-nin cautiously carried the unconscious Terumi to a secluded spot in the Forest of Death.
They waited for her to awaken.
Without her, the two of them were too vulnerable in the forest, so they needed her to recover.
Some time later.
"Where am I…" Terumi opened her eyes, taking in her surroundings. "The Forest of Death."
"And…" She recalled Tengen knocking her out and stood abruptly. "Tengen, you did that? If you've got the guts, kill me!"
"Uh, Mei." One of the Kiri-nin said hesitantly.
"Oh, why are we here?" Terumi coughed, realizing her outburst.
"Tengen-sama let us go." The ninja explained quickly. "He also said to remind you of what he said before you passed out."
"Before I passed out…" Terumi recalled Tengen's words: You'll be my woman.
Her face flushed crimson.
"Tengen, no way!" She shouted.
"Someone's coming." Terumi said, her gaze sharpening. "Perfect chance to vent."
***
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