"What about the others!"
The two Sand Shinobi lunged at Ino, stabbing fiercely with their kunai.
But their strikes landed on nothing.
They froze for a moment, realizing they had only pierced an afterimage.
There was no one in front of them.
Ino's voice echoed from behind.
"It's you…"
The two whipped around—
Yuichi stood there in a black coat, holding Ino safely in his arms.
His gaze lowered toward her, making Ino's cheeks burn slightly.
When did he appear?
How can a brat move at this speed?!
He had rescued her in the nick of time—so quickly they hadn't even sensed it.
That forehead protector clearly marked him as a Konoha shinobi. From his age, he looked like nothing more than a Genin.
But no matter how they looked at it, his speed was ghostly. Impossible.
Shikamaru's eyes widened at Yuichi's sudden appearance. He finally let out a breath of relief.
It doesn't matter who he is… as long as Ino is safe.
Yet the more he thought about it, the stranger it felt.
Not once had his eyes caught Yuichi's movement. Only when Yuichi stopped, Ino already secure in his arms, did the picture finally connect in his mind.
Same age as me… yet this strength is terrifying!
If Shikamaru had ever witnessed Yuichi's Wood Style, he would have known—the speed was the least frightening part.
"…Are you… Yuichi?" Ino asked, forgetting for a moment the danger around them.
Yuichi nodded. "Hmm. My name is Nagano Yuichi."
Seeing the two chatting in the middle of a fight, the Sand Shinobi's faces darkened.
They dare ignore us? Treat us as if we're not even here?
The two exchanged a glance. Years of fighting together gave them perfect unspoken understanding.
One suddenly dashed forward—swift as a rabbit—straight at Yuichi.
The other circled wide, aiming to flank and trap him.
"Hey! Are you two just going to stand there?" Shikamaru shouted at Ino and Yuichi. "Run while you still can!"
Snapped back to reality by Shikamaru's voice, Ino's face flushed red.
The moment felt too much like a dream—being carried in a hero's arms. She had forgotten where she was.
"Yuichi, put me down! They're Sand Chūnin—don't underestimate them!"
But Yuichi only asked calmly, "Did you see where the shinobi who kidnapped Hyūga Hinata went?"
"Huh?" Ino blinked, stunned. He's asking questions now?! The enemy's about to strike!
The Sand Shinobi sneered.
He's not even ready to fight… still talking in the middle of battle. He's digging his own grave.
"Die!"
Their eyes locked coldly on Yuichi, already envisioning his corpse.
BOOM! BOOM!
Twin explosions erupted almost simultaneously.
The two Sand Shinobi convulsed mid-charge, detonating violently before collapsing to the ground, charred black.
They hit the dirt with a lifeless thud.
Shikamaru's face froze.
Detonation talismans…?
Did he plant them when he saved Ino—without them noticing?
How fast is this guy…?
Not only had he snatched Ino away at the last instant, he'd also marked both enemies in that same heartbeat.
And he's supposed to be a Genin?!
Chōji, who was still down on the ground, gawked in disbelief.
Just like that… he ended the fight we'd been struggling in for so long…
Silence fell over the clearing.
After a long ten seconds, Yuichi looked down at Ino.
"Are you still not going to come down?"
Her arms still clung around his neck. Ino stared up at him with wide, disbelieving eyes beneath her blonde bangs.
Flustered, she let go and hopped to the ground.
She adjusted her clothes quickly, then turned slightly, one hand brushing her temple as she glanced back at him.
"Th-thank you for saving me, Yuichi-kun…"
"Now… do you know which direction the Sand Shinobi who took Hyūga Hinata went?" Yuichi asked again.
"You're going to save her?"
"Yes. This mission was given to me by Lord Lujiu."
"A mission… so that's it." Ino nodded, seeming to understand.
But Shikamaru, drenched in cold sweat, wanted to scream.
Have you all forgotten?! There's still one more Sand Shinobi right here that I've pinned down with Shadow Possession!
Ino pointed. "I'm not sure if it was Hinata, but I saw a large group of Sand shinobi heading that way."
Yuichi followed her direction with his eyes. "Thanks."
"The village's pursuit teams will catch up soon," he added. "Don't worry—everyone captured will be rescued."
And with that—his figure blurred and vanished.
Shikamaru's face twitched as he watched him disappear.
Just Ino, huh? You only care about her, not us? What kind of guy does that…
A moment later, the sound of rustling leaves grew louder.
A large squad of Konoha shinobi appeared all around them.
"Yuichi's speed is unreal—we couldn't catch him at all."
"It's not quite the Fourth Hokage's level, but… doesn't it remind you of Shisui's instantaneous body flicker?"
The shinobi spread out, securing the field. Their eyes settled on the last struggling Sand Shinobi, still bound by Shikamaru's shadow.
…
Meanwhile, Yuichi darted swiftly through the forest.
One moment, he was a hundred meters away. The next, seven or eight afterimages shimmered into view before vanishing instantly.
And then—he was already standing on the trunk of a massive tree, far ahead.
"With the Dead Bone Pulse strengthening my body, I can endure continuous Body Flicker Techniques."
"With Wood Style resilience and the undying vitality of this body, even dozens of flickers in a row won't tear me apart…"
If he could fully awaken the Bloodline of the Dead Bone Pulse, the limits on this overwhelming speed would shrink further and further…