Naruto: One Eye Tenseigan

The sun dipped lower in the sky, painting the forest in hues of amber and gold. Ino led the way, her eyes scanning the dense undergrowth for any signs of traps or movement. Despite her outward focus, a nagging unease tugged at her. Something wasn't right.

She glanced back over her shoulder at Tomaru and Shikamaru, who walked a few paces behind. Their pace was relaxed—too relaxed—but their eyes were sharp. Tomaru's usual carefree smile was there, but it didn't reach his eyes. Shikamaru, meanwhile, was uncharacteristically quiet, his gaze fixed on the trees like he was expecting something.

Ino slowed her steps, letting the two catch up. When they drew even with her, she spun around, walking backward with an arched brow and a playful grin.

"Okay, what's going on with you two?"

Tomaru tilted his head, blinking innocently. "Uh, walking through a forest? Following our fearless leader? Is that not allowed?"

Ino rolled her eyes. "Don't play dumb. Ever since I got back, something's been weird between you two. Did you fight while I was gone? Or are you hiding something?"

Shikamaru groaned, dragging a hand through his hair. "Why does it always have to be something, Ino? Can't we just exist without a grand conspiracy?"

"Not with you two," she shot back, jabbing a finger between them. "Tomaru's been acting all... twitchy, and you're not your usual lazy self. What happened?"

Tomaru's expression turned contemplative, as if giving her question real weight. "You want the truth? Okay, here it is..." He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice like he was about to share a great secret. "We're both just trying to figure out how you managed to go ten minutes without talking. It's groundbreaking."

Ino gasped, clutching her chest in mock offense. "Excuse me? I'll have you know I was focused on the mission! Unlike you two, apparently."

Shikamaru smirked faintly. "It was impressive. We thought you were sick or something."

Tomaru clapped Shikamaru on the back. "Yeah, I told him we should take your temperature, but he said we didn't have time."

Ino groaned, throwing her hands up. "Ugh, you two are impossible! You know what? Forget I asked. Just keep your weird secrets to yourselves."

Tomaru grinned. "Will do, Captain."

Shikamaru sighed, his hands slipping into his pockets. "Troublesome."

—

The forest seemed alive with tension, its dense canopy casting dappled shadows over the trio as they moved deeper into its heart. The test had already proven challenging, each step forward a gamble between progress and peril. Yet, the further they ventured, the more Tomaru's unease grew.

The air was cooler here, damp with the scent of moss and earth. The faint rustling of leaves overhead mingled with the occasional snap of a twig underfoot, each sound amplified in the oppressive silence.

Tomaru led the group, his sharp gaze flickering between the path ahead and the faint chakra signatures that pulsed at the edge of his perception. Beside him, Ino adjusted the strap of her pouch, her eyes darting between the trees with a mix of curiosity and caution. Behind them, Shikamaru trudged along, his slouched posture betraying his usual air of disinterest.

"I'm just saying," Ino whispered, brushing aside a low-hanging branch, "if I end up falling into a pit or covered in mud, I'm blaming you two."

Tomaru didn't respond, too focused on the subtle patterns emerging in the forest's traps. He could see how the seals and tripwires had been deliberately spaced, their placements guiding the team like sheep toward a specific goal.

"You know," Shikamaru muttered, his tone dry, "if you spent less time worrying about your hair and more time watching your step, you wouldn't need to worry about mud."

Ino shot him a glare over her shoulder. "Some of us have standards, Shikamaru. Not all of us are fine with looking like we just rolled out of bed."

Before Shikamaru could reply, Tomaru raised a hand, signaling them to stop. His eyes narrowed as he crouched, studying a faint line carved into the dirt. "Trap," he said quietly, motioning for them to stay back.

Shikamaru knelt beside him, his gaze following the barely visible wire. "Looks like it's rigged to that kunai launcher." He pointed to a small, camouflaged device nestled among the roots of a nearby tree. "Basic setup. Probably meant to slow us down."

Ino crossed her arms. "So? Can you disable it?"

"Disable it?" Shikamaru smirked. "It's not rocket science." He formed a hand seal, and his shadow extended toward the trap, delicately dislodging the wire from its trigger. The launcher fell harmlessly to the ground.

Tomaru nodded, standing. "Good work. But this is just the beginning."

—

Tomaru crouched low, brushing his hand across the disturbed earth. Broken twigs, faint footprints, and displaced leaves told a clear story.

"Looks like someone passed through here recently," he murmured.

Shikamaru stood nearby, leaning against a tree, his hands tucked into his pockets. His posture was lazy, but his sharp gaze swept over the clearing ahead. "If they're still looking, they haven't found it yet. Let's move."

Tomaru nodded, standing slowly. His eyes met Shikamaru's for a moment, tension simmering beneath their calm expressions. Neither mentioned their earlier argument, but the silence carried the weight of unspoken words.

"Guys?" Ino called, breaking their quiet exchange as she caught up with them. She glanced between Tomaru and Shikamaru, her brow furrowing. "What's going on with you two? You look like you're at a funeral."

Tomaru blinked, then smiled easily. "Not at all. Just discussing Shikamaru's award-winning technique for making everything look boring."

Shikamaru sighed, tilting his head back like he wanted the conversation to end already. "Troublesome."

Ino narrowed her eyes at them but shook her head. "Whatever. Just keep it together—we've got a job to do."

Tomaru gestured toward a faint trail in the underbrush. "Then let's get going."

The trio pushed forward, emerging into a clearing where another team was already gathered. Naruto, Kiba, and Sakura were digging near a large, gnarled tree. Tomaru's eyes narrowed as he took in the scene.

"Naruto, Kiba, and Sakura," Ino muttered under her breath.

Naruto was the first to notice them. He jumped up, pointing dramatically. "Hey! That's ours!"

Kiba grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Looks like we've got competition."

Tomaru stepped forward, his expression calm but resolute. "We're all here for the same thing, but we can't all take it back. How about we settle this the shinobi way?"

Naruto's grin widened, his competitive spirit igniting. "You're on!"

"Ugh, you two are unbelievable," Ino muttered, glaring at Tomaru. "Do you really think this is a good idea?"

"Nope," Tomaru said lightly. "But it'll be fun."

Before anyone could charge, Shikamaru stepped between them, his tone flat. "If we're doing this, let's at least do it efficiently." He glanced at Ino and Tomaru. "I'll take Naruto. Ino, keep Sakura out of this. Tomaru, handle Kiba."

Tomaru adjusted his gloves. "Fine by me."

Ino huffed, folding her arms. "Great. I'll just stand here while you two play hero."

"More like cleaning up a mess before it starts," Shikamaru replied, his voice dry. "I'd rather finish this fast."

Naruto charged forward, his fists raised and a loud battle cry echoing through the clearing. Shikamaru didn't move, his shadow stretching across the ground with practiced ease. It caught Naruto mid-sprint, freezing him in place.

"Hey! Not fair!" Naruto shouted, thrashing against the invisible bonds.

"You can't just stop me before I even start!"

"Life isn't fair,"

Shikamaru sighed, his tone as bored as ever. "You ran straight at me. What did you think was going to happen?"

Meanwhile, Kiba darted toward Tomaru, Akamaru barking as they moved in perfect sync. Tomaru's calm gaze tracked their movements. He shifted his weight, sidestepping their first attack with precision.

"Come on, Tomaru," Kiba taunted, his grin wild. 

"Show me what you've got!"

Tomaru didn't respond. Instead, he watched Kiba's approach carefully, analyzing the way his feet dug into the dirt with every step. As Kiba lunged, Tomaru sidestepped, his movements precise and controlled. He didn't try to match Kiba's speed—instead, he used the momentum of Kiba's attack to slip out of range, forcing the other boy to overextend.

"Too slow," Tomaru said with a faint smirk.

Kiba growled, his frustration mounting. "Oh yeah? Try dodging this! Akamaru, go!"

The small white dog leaped into the air, spinning toward Tomaru like a furry missile. Tomaru's eyes flicked upward, calculating the trajectory. At the last second, he dropped low, sweeping his leg out in a wide arc. The sudden shift sent a cloud of dirt into the air, disrupting Kiba's line of sight.

"Fighting blind doesn't suit you, Kiba," Tomaru said, his voice calm. "Might want to call it a day."

"Keep talking, and I'll make you eat those words!" Kiba shouted, lunging again.

In the background, Ino kept a wary eye on Sakura, who lingered near the tree, her hands fidgeting nervously. "Don't even think about it, forehead," Ino called, her voice sharp.

Sakura flushed, her fists clenching. "I wasn't going to do anything!"

"Good," Ino replied, folding her arms. "Then we can both stand here and watch the boys embarrass themselves."

Naruto, still caught in Shikamaru's shadow jutsu, glared at the lazy strategist. "Let me go, Shikamaru! I've got this!"

Shikamaru sighed, feigning deep regret. "Sorry, Naruto, but I can't let you do something reckless. It'd ruin my whole day."

"Your whole day?" Naruto sputtered. "This is a mission, not a nap schedule!"

Shikamaru smirked faintly but didn't bother responding.

Kiba launched another attack at Tomaru, Tomaru moved to dodge.

"What's with all the dodging? Afraid to fight?"

Tomaru didn't respond. Instead, he kept his focus on Kiba's footwork, noticing the slight lag between his attacks and Akamaru's movements. As Kiba lunged again, Tomaru crouched low, sweeping his leg out in a wide arc. A cloud of dirt kicked up into the air, obscuring their vision.

Kiba coughed, wiping his eyes. "Fighting dirty, huh?"

"Better than losing," Tomaru replied, his tone even.

Naruto, still caught in Shikamaru's jutsu, growled loudly. "Let me go, Shikamaru! I can win this!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Sure you can, Naruto. That's why you're stuck."

"You're the worst!" Naruto shouted, struggling against the shadow.

"I've been called worse," Shikamaru replied, his voice devoid of any real care.

Kiba launched another attack at Tomaru, this time feinting to the left before spinning to deliver a kick. Tomaru anticipated the move, catching Kiba's leg and redirecting the momentum. Kiba stumbled but quickly regained his balance, frustration evident on his face.

"You're good at running," Kiba said with a sneer. "Not much else."

Tomaru smirked faintly. "Maybe. But I'm still standing."

Before the fight could escalate further, Ino whistled sharply, drawing everyone's attention. "Enough! We're wasting time here."

Tomaru lowered his hands, glancing at Shikamaru, who released Naruto from his shadow. Naruto stumbled forward, muttering angrily under his breath.

"This isn't over!" Naruto shouted, pointing at Tomaru. "Next time, I'll crush you!"

"Looking forward to it," Tomaru replied, his tone light but dismissive.

Kiba brushed the dirt off his pants, grumbling to himself. Ino sighed, shaking her head. "Ugh, you two are unbelievable. All this effort for nothing."

Shikamaru yawned, his hands slipping into his pockets. "Troublesome."

---

The clearing fell silent as the dust settled. Naruto sulked near a tree, arms crossed, while Kiba muttered complaints under his breath. Akamaru barked softly, circling his partner in an attempt to cheer him up. Sakura lingered near the edge of the clearing, clearly relieved the chaos hadn't escalated further.

Ino stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at Tomaru and Shikamaru. "Seriously, you two? All this, and we haven't even gotten the scroll yet."

Tomaru dusted off his gloves with an easy grin. "Well, we distracted them, didn't we? That's got to count for something."

Shikamaru sighed, glancing at Naruto and Kiba. "They're not coming back for a while. Let's make this quick."

Naruto shot him a glare. "Don't think you've won yet! I'll fight you again right now if I have to!"

"Sure," Shikamaru replied, waving a hand lazily. "Maybe next time, Naruto. For now, enjoy the dirt."

"Hey!" Naruto shouted, but Sakura grabbed him by the collar, pulling him back.

"Let it go, Naruto," she said firmly. "We'll just regroup later."

Kiba growled, brushing himself off as he shot Tomaru a challenging look. "Next time, you won't get lucky."

Tomaru shrugged. "Looking forward to it."

With that, Naruto's team began retreating into the woods. Sakura glanced back briefly, her gaze meeting Ino's for a moment—a silent truce. Then she turned and disappeared among the trees.

"Finally," Ino muttered, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Now can we focus on what's important?"

Tomaru stepped forward, scanning the disturbed soil near the base of the tree. He crouched low, brushing away loose dirt with careful hands. "Looks like they were close to finding it. It shouldn't take long."

Shikamaru joined him, kneeling opposite. "It's buried just below the surface. Let's dig it up and move."

As the two worked, Ino stood nearby, her sharp eyes scanning the treeline. Despite her focus, she couldn't ignore the strange tension hanging between Tomaru and Shikamaru. Their movements were efficient, but there was an almost mechanical quality to their teamwork.

"Hey," she called, her voice casual but probing. "What happened while I was gone? You two are acting... weird."

Tomaru didn't look up, his tone light as he replied, "Weird? Define weird."

"You know what I mean," Ino said, crossing her arms. "You're both being way too polite to each other. It's creepy."

Shikamaru sighed, brushing dirt off his hands. "Troublesome."

"See? Even that sounded forced," Ino muttered. "Are you two fighting or something?"

Tomaru's lips quirked into a faint smile. "Fighting? Not at all. We're just trying to set a good example for our fearless leader."

Ino's eyes narrowed, but before she could press further, Tomaru straightened, holding up the scroll. "Got it."

Shikamaru stood and stretched, his expression neutral. "Let's get moving before they change their minds."

The group headed back into the forest, the air thick with unanswered questions. Ino trailed behind slightly, her gaze flicking between the two boys. Something had definitely happened—but whatever it was, neither of them seemed willing to talk about it.

"Unbelievable," she muttered under her breath. "They're hiding something."