Super Ninja

I remained still in the tent, waiting for the situation to unfold. I had all my gear on—hadn't taken it off—so I could handle him with ease if necessary. And for some reason, I was certain I'd need to.

"You're a real freak," Shiko sneered.

"Hahaha!" he laughed, his voice rough. "No need to rush, beautiful. We've got plenty of time for some delightful conversations. By the end, you'll be begging me to entertain you."

"Fat bastard," Ayamane retorted, her voice laced with disgust. "You won't make it through the night. I'll ram my kunai down your throat and twist it, watching the blood pour out of you."

"Oh, you're hilarious, short stuff!" he scoffed. "Hahaha! By the way, where's the third member of your team? I'd gladly let him watch everything I'm going to do. I bet he's dreamed of it himself. Hahaha!"

He sounded like a pervert, maybe even a wannabe predator. His words didn't faze me—I had a plan. The moment he moved, I'd strike from behind. Sure, I could step out and take him down without all this shinobi finesse. But with us still being watched, this was likely part of the Chunin Exam. Either way, I'd finish him off, and the proctors could hold it against me if they wanted.

"I'm going to wear you out till dawn, and then… you'll beg for it, but I'll slit your throats and walk away," he declared in a dreamy tone.

Could we start already and quit the talking? I was tired of waiting in the tent, ready to go. Nature energy had been coursing through me for a while now, primed for action. I sensed him focus, preparing to move. The girls must have picked up on it too.

"It's time to end this!" he shouted, lunging forward. Shiko and Ayamane were ready, fully aware I was poised to jump in at the first opening.

In sync, they leapt aside, diverting his attention and leaving his back exposed. This was my golden chance. I dashed forward, instantly closing the gap.

A prisoner stood before me in a tattered gray uniform, stretched tightly over his massive, bloated body. The number on his back stood out against the grime and wear. His size made me wonder how he'd gotten so fat in prison. Despite his bulk, he was surprisingly quick and agile.

As I closed in, he began to turn, preparing to block. I spun mid-air, channeling all my energy and chakra into my leg, and smashed it into his blocking arm. The impact sent him flying several meters, crashing into a boulder that cracked under the force. Despite the blow, he looked almost unharmed; his stone armor had activated at the last second, now crumbling to reveal faint scratches on his skin.

Wasting no time on conversation, I lunged at him again. He tried to react but couldn't match my speed. Still, he was skilled: stone layers appeared on his body wherever I aimed my blows. "He's good with this technique," I thought. Maybe even better than me. His attempt to grab me failed—I dodged easily.

"I've spent ten years perfecting the Stone Skin Jutsu," he snarled, his pig-like eyes filled with hatred. "And you won't be the one to break it."

I didn't respond, moving in once more. Chakra surged through me, blending with nature energy, giving me even more speed. I still had my weights on, which I could remove for an extra boost, but I didn't see the need just yet.

He charged at me, an animalistic scream escaping him, teeth clenched, eyes blazing with rage. I moved like a dancer on the edge of a blade, evading his brutish blow as ancient seal symbols danced on my palms.

"Water Style! Water Bullet!" The deadly blue sphere shot from my hand, slicing through the air toward him.

He didn't have time to react. My technique struck him in the knee, tearing flesh and muscle like paper. The water, infused with chakra, became a destructive projectile, leaving a bloody crater in its wake. Broken bone fragments and the torn joint were exposed for a moment before blood filled the wound, soaking the ground in a sticky, crimson mire.

"Aaaaaaa!" His desperate, piercing scream sliced through the silence. The prisoner collapsed, clutching his mangled knee as blood spurted out, pooling beneath him. His face twisted in agony, eyes brimming with tears.

"Is that all you've got?" My voice was cold, devoid of sympathy. He couldn't answer, writhing on the ground, fighting the unbearable pain. "Ayamane, immobilize him."

She gave a curt nod. Like a living creature, her shadow darted toward the prisoner's wounded body, forcing him to lie still. No more screams, no more desperate attempts to rise. Silence consumed everything around us.

"Much better," I muttered. "Alright, fatso."

I had no respect for him. If he were simply fat but decent, maybe it'd be different. But he was both fat and a rapist. With scum like him, conversation is short and to the point. Zip, head off, and a bloody Picasso on the rocks.

"I hope you'll be as chatty now as before," I told him. "If not, don't blame me."

Needles appeared in my hand, and without a second thought, I jabbed them into his muscles, forcing him to freeze up periodically. Ayamane deactivated her technique and folded her arms. Shiko watched the motionless, bloated body of the prisoner intently, her face showing no expression.

"Shiko, want to try something out?"

"Of course," she replied, forming a few hand seals as she stepped toward him. Holding the concentration seal, she bent down, closed her eyes, and placed her hand on his head. "Mind Transfer Jutsu."

For a moment, she was as still as a statue. The prisoner remained motionless too, though his eyes rolled back slightly, his pupils darting around as his muscles twitched. This technique looked anything but pleasant. The pain he must have endured was likely indescribable. I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of this jutsu. If I wasn't mistaken, Mind Transfer Jutsu could severely damage the mind and, without special equipment, could even be lethal. I wondered if Shiko might actually kill him with her technique.

After three minutes, she emerged from his consciousness, her face pale. Without hesitation, she walked up and kicked him hard between the legs, then again and again, as if venting her anger and disgust. I didn't interfere. Only when she had calmed down a bit and approached us did I ask:

"So, what's the verdict?"

"This scum's a rapist," she spat, disgusted. "I feel like I've bathed in filth."

She rubbed her hands and arms as if trying to wash off some imaginary dirt.

"Well, we'll decide what to do with him next," I said. "What did you find out?"

"His name is Kenchi Toga. He was jailed for mass rape. Used to be a shinobi of Konoha," she continued, glaring at him with revulsion. "He loves using his own custom drugs to get what he wants. Recently sentenced to execution. They offered him a shot at freedom if he joined the Chunin Exam."

"Ah," I murmured. "So he's part of our exam."

"Yes," Shiko nodded. "He was promised freedom and a chance to escape if he managed to kill a team of Genin during the exam. They also gave him some documents he was supposed to carry."

"What documents?" I asked.

"He doesn't know," Shiko replied. "He figured they were some kind of authorization papers."

"Hmm," I murmured, glancing at his twitching body. "Did you do something to him?"

"Nothing special," she answered with a sweet smile. "Just hit the consciousness centers that control fear perception."

"Ah," I responded. "Will you teach me how you did that?"

"Sorry," she said, shaking her head. "It's a secret technique of my clan."

"Alright then," I nodded. "Let's check out the papers he's carrying?"

"You search him," Shiko replied immediately. "I have no desire to touch him. I feel disgusted and revolted."

"Fine," I shrugged. "Ayamane, can you immobilize him again?"

"No problem," Ayamane sighed, having listened closely to Shiko's account.

Her shadow extended once more, connecting with the prisoner's and freezing him in place like a statue. His face smoothed out, calming slightly—it seemed the effects of Yamanaka's technique had worn off. No problem for me.

I quickly searched him and found a few syringes filled with a strange, orange, acidic liquid. These must be the drugs Shiko mentioned. Swiftly and discreetly, I tucked them into my pocket. I'd ask him about them later—not that I needed the drugs myself, but knowing about them could prove useful.

Then I found the papers Shiko had mentioned. I set aside the rest of his belongings—rope, handcuffs, and a few small weapons. They weren't of much interest to me, though they might come in handy in battle. Finally, I tied him up firmly, leaving no chance for movement.

"Here, I got the papers."

Opening them, we found a full map of the area, complete with marked paths leading directly to our destination. Important points were also highlighted, including a route to the Hidden Village and a few other locations.

"Now that's a catch," Ayamane murmured. "A complete map."

"Indeed," I agreed. "Now we don't have to worry about not knowing how to reach our destination."

"Exactly," Nara nodded. "So, what does the map say?"

"According to the map, and if I remember our location correctly," I said, pointing to where we roughly were, "it'll take us about three days over rough mountain terrain to reach our goal."

"Not bad," Shiko remarked. "I suppose our chances of running into chakra-beasts and other Genin will increase as we get closer."

"Yes, they will," I nodded. "The gathering point is on a separate mountain, with three paths leading up. That's what the map shows."

"Got it," Shiko said. "What are we going to do about this… rapist?"

"I want to ask him a few more questions," I said. "I'm not particularly tired, so you two can rest."

"Perfect," Shiko nodded, a hint of satisfaction in her voice. "I could use a break from what I saw in his mind."

I only shook my head, refraining from commenting. There was no point. Shiko and Ayamane climbed into the tent, while I went over to the prisoner, who looked worse for wear. He'd lost a lot of blood. When I tied him up, I had cut off the blood flow to his leg, but he'd already lost quite a bit before that. Such is life.

"Well, buddy," I addressed him. "How about a little chat? What do you say?"

"Mmm-mmm-mmm," he groaned through the cloth in his mouth, eyes darting around but revealing nothing useful. "Mmm-mmm-mmm!"

"Don't strain yourself," I advised, pulling out a syringe filled with the drug. "You know what this is, right? What do you think will happen if I inject it into your vein?"

I dragged the sharp needle lightly along his arm, pausing over a prominent, dark-blue vein. The prisoner continued moaning, staring at me with fear-filled eyes.

"Or maybe you'd rather answer a few questions?" I said, moving the needle aside. "Well? Will you answer?"

"Mmm-hmm-mmm," he groaned, attempting to nod.

"A good choice," I said. "I was starting to think I'd get a chance to test what these meds do. But it's nice to see you're willing to cooperate. I hope you're not lying, because if you are, I'll make this night a living hell for you. Understand?"

"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm," he groaned, eyes wide. "Mm-hmm-hmm."

"Good boy," I exhaled. Captain Kiochi and Hatake Kakashi were watching me from a distance. They shouldn't hear what we discuss. And if they did, I wouldn't want them learning the recipe for these drugs… if they're even what he claims and not something else. I also wanted to learn about his techniques, specifically how he could activate Stone Skin on certain parts of his body so skillfully. "Now, then… what kind of drug did you use? Keep it quiet; I'll remember. Let's not disturb my teammates. Got it?"

"Mmm," he nodded.

"Good."

I removed the gag and began listening to his explanation. Of course, I didn't fully trust him—he might be feeding me fake or misleading information. But I nodded and listened carefully, occasionally prompting him with questions. Remembering the recipe wasn't difficult, though the process sounded complex and convoluted.

"One question," I asked. "Were you a pharmacist?"

"Something like that, yes," he nodded, showing me his tongue with some sort of seal on it. I didn't recognize the seal but nodded as if I understood. I'd need to ask someone about it later.

"Alright," I murmured. "Then let's move on to your technique. Tell me, how did you manage to get Stone Skin to appear only on specific areas?"

"Chakra manipulation," he replied instantly. "Stone Skin is part of the chakra. If you stop its formation early, you can control where the technique appears."

"That simple?" I asked, surprised. "Not bad. Anything else you know?"

"I don't know," he replied. "Maybe you could let me go? Please?"

"We'll need to think about that," I replied. "You must have some stashes… Care to tell me?"

"I don't have any stashes," he answered. "I opened the last one when they let me out of prison."

"What if you think about it?" I prompted. "Anything come to mind?"

"No," he shook his head.

"Alright then," I said. "Can you tell me what that seal on your tongue is? I've never seen one like it."

"This seal…" he began, but his words stopped as his eyes widened in horror, mouth frozen in a silent scream. Suddenly, I felt a sharp spike of chakra in the air, like a storm about to break. I leapt back instantly, bracing for whatever was coming, my heartbeat quickening with the thrill of imminent danger. Adrenaline surged through me.

Pffft.

It wasn't just a sound; it tore through the night's silence, strange and muffled, like death whispering its arrival. The next moment, his head separated from his body as if sliced by an invisible blade. Blood spurted from his neck, spraying in ghastly arcs, while his body lay lifeless on the ground. A strange cloud of smoke emerged from the site of the explosion, shimmering briefly before dissipating like a ghost fading into the night.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu."

I created a shadow clone and sent it ahead to inspect the body. If the corpse exploded, better to send a clone to gather the intel.

The clone bent cautiously over the lifeless body, gently touching the cold skin, turning it over. The movement triggered another gush of blood from the neck, cloaking the body in a dark, red shroud. Then the clone kicked the headless body several times, each kick splattering blood in grim droplets, painting bleak, shapeless patterns on the ground.

"Take it somewhere and destroy the body," I instructed calmly.

The clone, showing no emotion, hoisted the body as though it were merely a lifeless doll, tossing it over its shoulder. It disappeared into the darkness, leaving only bloody stains behind.

After five minutes, a faint yellow flash appeared in the distance, like a brief flame flaring and extinguishing. Quiet and almost imperceptible, it was perfectly visible to a focused eye. The clone's information reached me through our invisible link, confirming the task was complete. The body had been destroyed, its ashes scattered to the wind as if it had never existed. Perfect.