"Understood, Captain. Should I send backup?"
"No need," Ryuuto replied. "I'm handling this one alone."
He cut the call, stepped forward—and vanished in a crack of High-Speed Movement.
Meanwhile, Rocket—Experiment 89P13—was strutting around in his stolen high-tech gear like he owned the city. Completely unaware that half the world was tracking him.
As he approached the prison gates—
"Where'd this little runt come from? This isn't a playground."
"Haha! It's just a raccoon. Must've escaped the zoo."
The guards relaxed instantly, smirking at the sight of a furry creature carrying weapons bigger than his torso.
Rocket froze.
Then—
"You idiots are raccoons! Your entire family tree is raccoons!"
His fur bristled. His eyes burned with killing intent.
"Wow. He's got a temper?"
"Forget it. He insulted us—let's skin him alive and make raccoon stew! I've always wondered what it tastes like!"
They cracked their knuckles and approached.
That was the moment the nightmare began.
"Die."
Rocket's voice dropped into a growl. His tiny paws flashed—
Two revolvers appeared like magic, muzzles aimed straight at their heads.
"You think we don't have guns? Try attacking prison guards, you mangy rodent—!"
They raised their rifles, fingers tightening on triggers—
Rocket flicked a finger.
BANGBANGBANGBANG—!
Dozens of bullets fired in an instant.
The guards' bodies jolted like rag dolls, collapsing in a spray of blood. Even the steel gate behind them ended up punched full of holes.
"Hmph. And you called that weapons? Pathetic."
Rocket kicked the mangled door open and strutted into the prison.
"Who's there!? Prison break!?"
Guards rushed from every direction, shields raised, rifles glowing red with targeting lasers. Prisoners pressed against their cell bars, eyes wide with hope and panic.
Rocket didn't slow down.
His weapons turned the hallway into a slaughterhouse. Well-trained guards fell with barely a scream.
"MASTER! Groot is here—free me!"
Inside one cell, Groot—tired, dusty, and miserable—jumped to his feet, face squished against the iron bars.
"Hehe… move aside. Master's here."
Rocket lobbed a mini-bomb.
KABOOOOM!
The cell exploded open. Groot stumbled out, immediately dropping to one knee.
"Groot will serve Master with all his heart!"
"Good! Let's go. This place is boring. Also smells like feet."
As more guards charged at them, Rocket casually turned and fired off a few precise shots—clean headshots, one after another.
He slung an arm around Groot.
Time to leave—
"Trying to escape? Naive. Break in… and stay forever."
A cold voice cracked across the hall.
Groot froze, trembling. Even his bark-like skin paled.
Rocket's ears twitched.
He scowled.
"Who the hell are you!? You dare pick a fight with Rocket?"
Ryuuto stepped out of the shadows.
"You don't need to know who I am, raccoon. You just need to know you won't be alive long enough to care."
Rocket's jaw dropped.
"A RACCOON!? Say it again!"
Ryuuto didn't.
Instead—he unleashed a swarm of insects.
Secret Technique: Cocoon Swarm.
Chakra pulsed out, incubating vicious insect soldiers that filled the room like a living storm. They surged toward Rocket with deadly speed.
"What the hell is this!?"
Rocket whipped out a flamethrower, spraying fire everywhere to burn back the tide.
"Groot! Don't just stand there! Help me!"
"I… I'm scared…"
Rocket's eye twitched dangerously.
"If you don't fight, I'll chop off every branch on your body and use you as firewood!"
"Okay! Okay!! Groot will fight!"
Groot screamed and swung his branches wildly at Ryuuto, barely holding himself together.
Ryuuto smirked.
"You two really are idiots."
Fire Style: Phoenix Flower.
He spat out several blazing fireballs. They streaked through the air, igniting Groot's branches instantly.
Groot wailed.
Rocket screamed.
Ryuuto cracked his knuckles.
Time to end this mess.