The moment Shien spotted the massive Sand Ninja army, his first instinct was to retreat.
But then—he saw a familiar figure among the retreating Konoha squad being chased down.
Honda Taka!
That guy's figure was… hard to miss.
Since chakra was drawn from the body's cells, fat ninja were rare in Konoha—except for the Akimichi clan. From that perspective, Honda's "unique physique" could almost be called a gift from heaven.
"Tch. Fat bastard's luck is really something."
Shien gave a quiet, amused snort.
The guy was as good as dead just moments ago—but fate decided to throw him a lifeline.
Fwoosh!
A fierce blaze roared to life around Shien's gauntlets, thin sheets of fire enveloping his body like a cloak.
Flame Mantle!
The ninjutsu he'd conceptualized—and that even Minato Namikaze had tried to study—was now beginning to shine with its own brilliance.
Though technically ranked as a C-rank jutsu, that was only because it was too easy for Shien to learn. For most ninja, it would be at least A-rank in difficulty.
After all, its prerequisite alone—fire resistance—was enough to stop 99% of shinobi in their tracks.
You had to be able to survive your own flames.
Even Minato couldn't use it. Not because he didn't understand it— But because his slender frame simply couldn't endure such sustained heat. He'd turn into grilled meat before finishing the jutsu.
Once the mantle flared fully to life, Shien took a deep breath—
—and then dove headfirst from his vantage point, arms spread wide.
Leap of Faith!
Wind howled past his ears as he dropped like a fiery meteor, splitting the air with a burning trail.
On the ground.
"You two, run!"
Honda Taka suddenly stopped, turning back toward the oncoming Sand squads. His teammates froze for a heartbeat, then nodded grimly.
This wasn't the time for melodramatic "No, I'll stay too!" nonsense. They knew who was the slowest among them.
He'd make a stand. They'd live to fight another day.
'Shien, Koji… looks like we won't be having another barbecue together after all.'
As the Sand shinobi drew close, Honda's round face hardened with resolve.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A volley of kunai and senbon flashed toward him like a deadly rain.
Honda had passed his Academy exams—but everyone knew his limitations. Dodging a couple of kunai, maybe. Dodging dozens? Impossible.
His pupils dilated as the weapons filled his vision—everything seemed to slow down.
And then—
A flash of red filled his eyes.
BOOM!
A column of crimson flame crashed into the earth like a meteor strike, shattering the ground and blasting the projectiles aside.
"Shien!"
Honda's eyes lit up instantly as he saw the blazing figure standing tall before him.
"Get out of here."
Shien didn't look back, just barked the order.
Honda didn't argue—he bolted.
After all, Shien had lectured him countless times about not being a "pig teammate." Staying behind would accomplish nothing but getting in the way.
Dark Flicker!
Shien's hands blurred as he unleashed several long-range strikes, intercepting another round of kunai.
In the chaos of the battlefield, projectiles were everywhere. More shinobi died to thrown weapons than to ninjutsu—that's why the Academy treated ninja tool training like sacred doctrine.
Flick!
Shien's form vanished in a burst of speed—Body Flicker Technique—reappearing right in front of a Sand chunin.
His flaming right hand clamped around the man's neck, lifting him off the ground as chakra surged through the grip.
Kintsuki: Yang!
A flash of killing intent flared in Shien's eyes.
BOOM!
Fire erupted from within the Sand ninja's body, exploding outward in a violent blast that shattered the air.
The heatwave devoured everything nearby—the true terror of Kintsuki: Yang lay not in its form, but in its fusion of taijutsu and chakra flow, allowing fire to detonate from within the target.
"Watch out!"
"Spread out and flank him!"
"Signal for reinforcements!"
Shouts rippled across the Sand ranks.
Only those who'd truly fought on a battlefield could understand— War was nothing like a duel.
Everywhere came simultaneous strikes, coordinated teamwork, unpredictable counters. A single opponent could turn into a death trap if supported by the right allies.
Shien finally grasped why the future "Madara" was so terrifying—charging alone into tens of thousands and still dominating the battlefield.
"Do you also wish to dance?"
That line suddenly made perfect sense.
He wasn't at that level—not even close—but at least now he understood what "the dance" meant.
Whoosh!
Shien backflipped to gain distance, his hands forming seals in mid-air.
Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!
He didn't even glance back as the explosion erupted behind him. Real men never look at their own explosions.
Then he turned to retreat. Behind him lay the Sand army—staying would mean certain death.
Except—
The temperature around him suddenly spiked.
Even through his own Flame Mantle, Shien felt the searing heat. Which should've been impossible.
"Leaf brat!"
A sharp voice rang out— and a blazing orange fireball the size of a washbasin came screaming toward him.
Danger!
Instinct screamed at him, and Shien dove sideways—
—but the fireball curved in mid-air, tracking his motion like a living thing.
'The hell—this thing can home in?!'
That was his last thought before the world went white.
KABOOM!
The explosion swallowed the clearing in a storm of roaring fire.
And the caster finally stepped into view.
She wore a sleeveless black vest and a short matching battle skirt, revealing her smooth, pale back. Her hair—half ash-brown, half emerald—was coiled up neatly, framing a strikingly confident face.
Pakura of the Scorch Release.
The Hero of Sunagakure had arrived.
In the entire Sand Village, her strength ranked easily within the top five. With her unique Scorch Release—a fusion of fire and wind—she could even contend with Kage-level opponents.
No wonder her single strike had landed cleanly.
"Lady Pakura!"
"Thank goodness!"
"That Konoha ninja's toast now!"
The Sand troops' bloodlust instantly flipped to adoration. Gone were the cold, ruthless soldiers—now they looked like a crowd of fans fawning over their idol.
But who could blame them?
Pakura wasn't just strong—she was charismatic. Beautiful, fearless, radiant. The kind of woman who commanded respect from men and women alike.
Without exaggeration, she was Sunagakure's greatest celebrity—outshining even Rasa in both fame and looks.
But while her subordinates gushed, Pakura's sharp eyes stayed fixed on the center of the explosion. Her brows slowly furrowed.
Because the figure that should've been incinerated—
…was still alive.
"How interesting," she murmured— as a cluster of miniature suns, fiery orbs of condensed Scorch Release, began to orbit lazily around her.
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