"There are so many Pains? Looks like they've all mastered the Transformation Technique. Not bad at all," Anko said with a smirk, standing on a thick tree branch.
Her arms were crossed, her sharp eyes tracking the swarm of "Deva Path Pain" charging through the woods below.
"No internal conflict either… so they're actually cooperating," she murmured to herself. "That's new."
Just then, another "Pain" suddenly appeared on the same branch behind her. Anko turned her head, instantly recognizing the subtle chakra flow beneath the disguise.
"Oh? Found me already, huh?" she said.
"Sorry, Anko-sensei," the Pain said — her voice giving her away as Sarada. "Since you and the Sixth Hokage are playing tricks on us… you'd better feel the Pain!"
Sarada lunged forward and threw a punch, but Anko vanished in a blur. She reappeared below, landing gracefully.
"Too slow," Anko teased. "Your attack still lacks killer intent."
"Yes, Anko-sensei! Everyone, let's go! Time to make her carry a bag of rice up a few floors!" one student shouted, rallying the others.
"You little brats think you can imitate Pain's wrath?" Anko laughed. "You're a hundred years too early for that."
She quickly pulled several smoke bombs from her pouch and tossed them.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Thick white smoke engulfed the clearing, swallowing everything in sight.
"Hehe… since you all want to play Pain, then I'll join too," Anko said mischievously. A puff of smoke later, and another "Deva Path Pain" stood among the students.
But up on the branch, Sarada's Sharingan spun to life — three tomoe gleaming crimson. "Found you," she whispered.
"Oh no, Anko-sensei used a smoke bomb!" one of the students shouted.
When the smoke cleared, Anko was gone.
"Damn it, she escaped!" Iwabe cursed.
"No, she's still here," Sarada said sharply, leaping down. "Shikadai, now!"
"Got it," Shikadai replied, weaving hand signs.
"Ninja Art: Shadow Imitation Technique!"
His shadow shot forward, snaking across the ground toward one of the disguised Pains.
"Tch, found out already?" Anko thought, springing backward to dodge—
But before she could, another "Pain" appeared behind her — this one moving faster than expected.
"So fast!" Anko's pupils narrowed as she recognized the chakra. "Sumire!"
"Ninja Art: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!" Anko's sleeves burst open as multiple serpents shot out, snapping toward both Shikadai and Sumire.
But Mitsuki appeared just in time, thrusting his hand forward. "Lightning Release: Snake Lightning!"
A glowing current of golden lightning twisted through the air, striking the serpents and scattering them with a crackling hiss.
Meanwhile, the "Sumire" that Anko had struck exploded into a splash of water.
"It's a Water Clone!" Anko realized.
The real Sumire appeared behind her, hands flying through seals. "Water Release: Water Prison Jutsu!"
A sphere of water erupted from the ground, trapping Anko inside and cutting off her movements.
"Good job, Sumire!" Shikadai shouted, his shadow tightening its grip.
"Working together, reading my movements, setting traps…" Anko chuckled inside the water prison. "You've improved more than I thought."
Releasing her Transformation Technique, Anko smiled warmly. "Alright, alright. You win. Now just hit the button and—"
Before she could finish, dozens of Pains suddenly surrounded her.
"Anko-sensei, accept the Pain!"
They all dove in at once, unleashing punches and kicks.
"Hey! Are you trying to rebel?!" Anko yelled as the blows rained down.
"But Anko-sensei, you said this was real combat! The button's not red yet, so the fight isn't over!" one of the students shouted back.
Anko tried to dodge between strikes, flailing. "Fine, fine! Just—don't hit my face!"
Sumire looked uneasy. "Anko-sensei… I'm sorry…"
Boruto strolled up casually, hands in his pockets. "Whoa, you guys went a little too hard," he said, shaking his head.
He glanced at the battered Anko lying on the ground and sighed. "Alright, that's enough. Next sensei."
The group moved deeper into the forest, morale high — until a familiar figure stepped into their path.
"Shino-sensei!" someone shouted.
"Boruto, you going to handle this one?" Sarada asked.
"Nah," Boruto said lazily. "You guys go ahead. I'll save my energy for Kakashi-sensei."
"Alright then. Sumire, you're with me!" Sarada said.
Sumire nodded. "Right."
"Hey, don't leave all the fun to them!" Iwabe yelled, charging forward. "Everyone, attack!"
"It seems Anko-sensei's already been defeated," Shino observed coolly. "But why did they all transform into Pain?"
He looked past the crowd — at Boruto leaning casually against a tree, watching everything unfold.
"So, you're not participating? Then I suppose I'll have to get serious."
Kneeling slightly, Shino released a wave of Parasitic Destruction Insects, sending them swarming across the forest floor toward the charging students.
"Earth Release: Earth Wall!" Iwabe shouted. A large stone wall erupted from the ground, blocking Shino's view.
At that same moment, the soil beneath Shino shifted.
"Tch—again?!" he realized too late as Mitsuki burst up from below, golden lightning crackling in his hand.
"I won't fall for the same trick twice!" Shino leapt high into the air and unleashed another wave of bugs.
But the Mitsuki he hit vanished into white smoke.
"A clone!" Shino landed just in time to see the wall drop — revealing the real Mitsuki, who fired a lightning strike toward him.
On his flanks, Sarada and Sumire appeared, moving in sync.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Jutsu!" Sarada roared, spewing a blazing dragon of flame.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!" Sumire shouted, sending a surging dragon of water to join it.
Mitsuki's lightning snake shot forward at the same time — three deadly jutsu converging on Shino from different angles.
"Excellent coordination!" Shino exclaimed before the explosion hit.
The combined impact filled the air with a deafening roar — fire, lightning, and water colliding in a blinding flash of steam.
"Did we get him?" Iwabe asked, squinting through the haze.
As the smoke cleared… there was no Shino. Only swarming insects filled the air.
A slow clap echoed from behind them.
"Clap, clap, clap."
Shino stepped out from the shadows. "Impressive. But that was only my Parasitic Insect Clone."
Mitsuki frowned. "He used a clone made entirely of bugs…"
Sarada's Sharingan gleamed. "Shino-sensei's on a completely different level from Anko-sensei."
Sumire whispered, "He's strong… should I summon Nue?"
Mitsuki narrowed his eyes. "Or should I use Sage Mode…?"
And from his tree perch, Boruto just smirked. "Heh. Let's see how long they can last."
...
Author's Note:
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