Yuichi's eyes widened in terror, cold sweat dripping down his face. At the last second, he bent his body backward, barely dodging the fatal strike.
"Not bad," the masked ninja sneered. "Good reflexes."
His left hand flicked forward, aiming another kunai directly at Yuichi's chest.
But just as the blade was about to pierce its target, another kunai came flying straight at the attacker's face.
The masked ninja was forced to abort his strike, quickly knocking away the incoming projectile.
It was Kurenai who had thrown it, hoping to save her comrade.
However, the moment she made her move, the masked ninja's lips curled into a sinister smirk. It was a trap.
The instant Kurenai attacked, he flickered behind her, pressing a kunai to her throat.
"Game over," he whispered mockingly. "This is the difference between a Jonin and a Chunin. Let me give you some advice—next time, don't pick a fight with someone out of your league."
With that, he slashed his kunai mercilessly.
Yuichi and Sasaki screamed.
Blood splattered…
…But something was wrong.
The masked ninja's expression twisted in shock and pain.
The world around him distorted, and before he realized what was happening, he found himself tied to a massive tree, unable to move.
Looking down, he saw a kunai buried deep in his own chest.
"Genjutsu…?" He coughed up blood, disbelief flashing in his eyes. "Impossible… How could I fall for such a simple illusion…?"
Before he could finish his sentence, his body slumped forward—lifeless.
The illusionary tree disappeared.
Kurenai stood still, her hands in a sealing gesture.
"Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death," she said coldly. "This is the price of arrogance."
"Noo!"
"Noo!"
The remaining masked ninjas cried out in shock.
Only their leader remained calm, though irritation flickered in his eyes. "Pathetic fool. Couldn't even handle a single woman."
"You bitch! We'll kill you!" The remaining three attackers roared, forming hand seals in rapid succession.
"Water Release: Wild Water Wave!"
A massive surge of water crashed toward Kurenai and her allies.
"Move!" Kurenai shouted as they leaped to avoid the attack, landing atop the water's surface.
However, before they could catch their breath—
"Lightning Style: Lightning Dragon jutsu!"
A bolt of lightning struck the water.
Electricity surged through the battlefield.
Screams filled the air as Kurenai, Yuichi, and Sasaki convulsed violently before collapsing into the water.
For Chunin-level shinobi, resisting a Jonin's lightning technique was nearly impossible.
The water receded, revealing their limp bodies sprawled on the ground.
"Earth Release: Rock Pillar Prison!"
The ground beneath them softened, swallowing their arms and legs before solidifying again.
They were trapped.
"Finish them!" the leader commanded.
"Got it!"
"Earth Release: Rock Pillar Spears!"
Sharp stone spikes erupted from the ground, shooting toward the immobilized trio.
Yuichi and Sasaki barely had time to scream before they were impaled.
Blood splattered across the dirt.
Kurenai watched in horror as her comrades' lifeless bodies slumped forward.
The remaining spears shot toward her.
She closed her eyes.
Is this the end…?
But at that moment—
BOOM!
A powerful shockwave exploded outward, shattering the incoming stone spears into dust.
Kurenai flinched.
Opening her eyes, she saw a broad, muscular figure standing before her, shielding her from harm.
"Eh…?"
She blinked in confusion.
Then, the man turned slightly, flashing her a confident grin.
"You okay? I'm here to play hero."
Kurenai's jaw nearly dropped.
Before she could react, another voice echoed from above.
On a large tree branch nearby, three figures had appeared.
A tall, bearded man let out a sigh of relief. "Looks like we were a little late… but at least nothing terrible happened."
Beside him, a man with thick eyebrows and a bowl-cut hairstyle clenched his fists excitedly. "Who is that guy? He looks so strong! And his muscles… Ah! This is the true spirit of manliness!"
The third figure, a silver-haired man with a face mask, pulled out a small scroll, scanning its contents. "If I had to guess, I'd say that's Son Goku… The one Lord Third warned us about."
The three were none other than Asuma Sarutobi, Might Guy, and Kakashi Hatake.
"That's him?!" Guy's eyes sparkled. "I need to challenge him to a match!"
"If you don't want to get beaten up, I suggest you don't do that," Kakashi said flatly.
"Ha! Don't worry about me!" Guy gave a thumbs-up, flashing his signature grin. "A real man never fears a challenge! Even if he's strong, I can grow stronger through battle! That's what youth is all about!"
Meanwhile, Goku turned toward the trio, a knowing smirk on his lips.
"Good thing I got here first. Would've been a shame if you guys stole my hero moment."
Kakashi adjusted his headband. "He noticed us. Let's move."
The three leaped down, landing beside Goku.
Asuma rushed to Kurenai's side. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," she reassured him.
Goku, however, wasn't too happy about his presence.
Damn, this guy's competition, he thought.
Without hesitation, he casually pushed Asuma aside.
"Move it, man. Let me handle this."
Asuma frowned. "Hey—"
Ignoring him, Goku placed one hand on the ground.
Immediately, the earth beneath Kurenai softened, releasing her from its grip.
Then, with a single motion, he lifted her up by her arms—like pulling a carrot from the ground.
As if that wasn't enough, he waved his hand, sending a soft, white glow over her injuries.
In an instant, her wounds healed completely.
Kurenai, still processing what just happened, stared at him in shock.
Meanwhile, the remaining enemies paled.
The leader's expression darkened. "This is the guy Lord Third was worried about?"
"Boss… What do we do?"
"We retreat. Now."
"Not so fast," Goku said.
He vanished.
A second later, all four masked ninjas hit the ground, unconscious.
Kakashi, who had activated his Sharingan, narrowed his eyes. He couldn't even follow his movement.
Guy, however, was practically vibrating with excitement. "What speed! What power! What youth!"
He turned to Goku, his entire body radiating enthusiasm.
"You, sir! You are a true warrior! A man among men! A symbol of youthful energy! Please, fight me!"
Goku raised an eyebrow. "You wanna spar?"
"Yes! A test of strength! A duel between real men!"
Goku smirked. "Sure. I'll even let you have the first move."
Kakashi and the others instinctively stepped back. They were just as curious as anyone to see how strong this man—whom even the Third Hokage had warned them about—really was. And since Guy had volunteered to be the test subject, why not watch?
Meanwhile, Bulma and the other women looked at Guy with sympathy.
"This guy actually wants to fight Goku? Did he hit his head or something?"
Oddly enough, Guy seemed even more excited by their reaction. "So, he really is that strong? Excellent! That means this match will be all the more worthwhile!"
Taking a deep breath, Guy assumed his fighting stance. He positioned his left hand behind his back while stretching his right hand forward, signaling his readiness.
"Alright! Here I come!"
With a burst of speed, Guy closed the distance in an instant, launching a flurry of punches and kicks at Goku.
His movements were incredibly fast—worthy of someone who specialized in Taijutsu. His strikes were precise, relentless, and powerful.
But…
Goku didn't move an inch.
With one hand casually tucked behind his back, he effortlessly blocked every attack with the other. His expression remained unimpressed as he dodged and parried with minimal effort.
After a while, he let out a sigh and shook his head.
"Too slow. Not strong enough. What, didn't eat breakfast today?"
Guy's eyes widened. "You're incredible! Looks like I'll have to take this seriously!"
He quickly leaped back and gestured for a momentary pause. Then, he reached for his wrists and ankles, undoing the straps of his weighted gear.
With a loud THUD, the weights hit the ground, causing the earth to crack beneath them.
The air grew heavy.
Goku raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Now this might be interesting."
Guy grinned. "Alright! Let's start round two!"
With his weights removed, his speed increased dramatically. He flickered from side to side, becoming a blur of motion. His attacks came from every direction, unpredictable and fierce.
Yet…
Goku remained as calm as ever.
Even with Guy's improved speed, he still couldn't land a single hit. Goku easily blocked every attack with just one hand, his movements looking almost lazy.
"Alright," Goku said, dodging another roundhouse kick. "You're finally showing some skill. But…"
He casually caught Guy's incoming punch.
"It's still not enough."
The moment their fists connected, Guy felt an overwhelming force suppress him. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn't break free.
Goku released him and took a step back. "Got anything stronger?"
"You're really strong!" Guy exclaimed, his voice thick with excitement. "Looks like I have no choice but to use my trump card! Get ready!"
His expression turned serious as he took a deep breath.
"Gate of Opening—release!"
"Gate of Healing—release!"
"Gate of Life—release!"
"Gate of Pain—release!"
"Gate of Limit—release!"
As the Eight Inner Gates activated up to the fifth gate, a surge of violent chakra erupted around Guy. His hair spiked upward, his skin turned red, and a powerful aura radiated from his body.
It almost looked like an alternate version of a Super Saiyan transformation.
With his speed and strength skyrocketing, Guy became nothing more than a blur—his movements now too fast for the naked eye to follow. The ground cracked beneath him as he launched himself forward. Explosive shockwaves echoed through the battlefield with every step he took.
"Incredible…" Kurenai muttered, eyes wide in awe.
But it wasn't Guy's transformation that shocked her the most.
It was Goku.
Even with Guy's immense power boost, Goku remained completely unfazed. His posture was still relaxed—one hand tucked casually behind his back while the other effortlessly parried every attack.
Guy's fists and kicks struck like a raging storm, each blow powerful enough to shatter stone, but no matter how fast or relentless his assault was, he couldn't land a single hit.
Goku blocked every strike with the bare minimum of effort.
At one point, he even yawned.
"You're still too slow," he remarked with a smirk. "And not strong enough."
Guy clenched his teeth, pushing himself harder. His movements became even more erratic, attacking from every possible angle.
Still, Goku dodged and countered with ease, as if he already knew where Guy was going to strike before he even moved.
Kakashi, who had activated his Sharingan, observed the battle with growing disbelief.
"No matter how fast or precise Guy's attacks are, Goku reacts as if he can see the future… He isn't just dodging—he's predicting every single move…"
Meanwhile, the bound enemy shinobi were frozen in shock.
"T-This guy…" one of them stammered. "What kind of monster are we up against…?"
"For once, I actually feel lucky to be tied up," another muttered, his forehead drenched in cold sweat.
Even their usually composed leader had lost his calm, his jaw tightening as he struggled to comprehend what he was witnessing.