Boom! Boom!
The two shadow clones hit by the fireball didn't even have time to react—only one of them was barely shoved aside by her teammates before being engulfed. Within moments, two Kushina clones were reduced to smoke.
Out from the flaming bush leapt Uchiha Hirohiko, cleaving down mid-air with a powerful axe kick—shattering the last clone before her teammates could help her up.
On the other side, Yukina's Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm smashed into another clone with devastating force, sending her flying. Three more clones collided in the chaos—the first one bursting apart on impact, while the remaining two stumbled from the impact.
Without hesitation, Yukina charged in, her Gentle Fist blazing. Bang!Bang! Two more clones vanished in bursts of smoke.
Almost simultaneously, both Hirohiko and Yukina had taken out two clones each.
In the blink of an eye, Kushina had lost six shadow clones. Combined with the nine that were chasing Chiba, only four squads remained—twelve shadow clones in total, including the real her.
They're trying to destroy all the clones and narrow it down to find me, Kushina realized.
And using Chiba to draw off three squads had left key blind spots in her formation—that's how Hirohiko and Yukina had landed their attacks.
They don't talk much normally, but their teamwork is… incredible.
Kushina's heart swelled with pride.
Because excellent teamwork—even more than power—was the key for a genin squad to overcome stronger enemies.
Their plan isn't bad… but still a bit reckless!
Her remaining formation had now shifted:
One squad stood at the front.
Two others flanked either side.
And directly behind them… was Kushina's own squad, guarding the center.
But just as Yukina and Hirohiko caught their breath, the side squads surged in—trapping them in twin encirclements.
Now, all three students—Chiba, Hirohiko, and Yukina—were completely surrounded by Kushina's remaining clones.
This is it, Kushina thought, watching closely.
Even with their talent, they can't break through three-to-one odds from seasoned shadow clones.
Still… she was proud of them.
They'd fought smart. They'd worked together. They hadn't given up.
And that unyielding will to fight—that was the true mark of a ninja.
But then—
CRACK!
Suddenly, in the middle of the formation chasing Chiba, a spike of stone burst up from the ground—piercing straight through one clone.
Boom! She exploded in smoke.
Chiba!
Kushina's pupils contracted.
That's an Earth Release jutsu!? He can use Doton?
Chiba shot up along the earth spike, dashing past the crumbling clone.
The eight others reacted instantly, giving chase.
From the top of the spike, Chiba launched himself high into the air—his foot gleaming with chakra—and brought down a devastating axe kick that smashed one of Hirohiko's three surrounding clones.
"Hirohiko!" Chiba shouted mid-air.
It was all perfectly timed.
Hirohiko darted forward, just as Chiba landed.
Their hands met in a swift, fluid movement.
"Hup!"
Chiba planted, spun, and threw Hirohiko like a shot put—straight at Yukina's formation.
In midair, Hirohiko flipped, kunai drawn.
One of the clones surrounding Yukina had her back turned—she didn't even realize what was coming.
Thud!
Before the others could react, Hirohiko drove the kunai straight into her back—shattering her instantly.
As the opening formed, Yukina burst through, snatching Hirohiko's arm as she passed, and pulled him upright.
The trio regrouped in a flash, back to back, kunai drawn, forming a defensive triangle like Kushina's own formations.
Twelve clones now surrounded them.
Chiba panted, sweat dripping down his chin—his body trembling as his Eight Gates' third gate (Life Gate) chakra finally wore off.
"You guys okay?" he asked hoarsely.
"I'm still good," Yukina replied, though her tone was strained—her chakra reserves had dropped to twenty percent. That last Vacuum Palm had eaten up a huge chunk.
And for someone her age, to even use the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm, a technique nearly at elite-chūnin or jōnin level, was already a miracle. Most Hyūga couldn't use it even in adulthood.
"Twenty percent," Hirohiko added flatly, breathing hard.
Kushina exhaled.
Despite everything, their teamwork had been seamless—so fluid it bordered on beautiful.
For a moment, she really thought they might escape.
Even now, as the clones closed in, she couldn't help but smile in satisfaction.
But—
Chiba suddenly grinned.
"Alright then… Hirohiko, Yukina. Let's finish this."
"Roger!"
"Okay!"
Just as they answered—
In the clone squad directly in front of Kushina…
Two "Kushina" clones suddenly turned—and punched the third clone in the face.
BOOM! The clone exploded.
Then, without a pause, the two traitor clones charged straight toward Kushina's position.
What?!
Kushina's eyes flew wide.
My own shadow clones—attacking me?!
Her other two clones froze, unable to comprehend what they were seeing—and in that split-second, they were destroyed.
The two attackers grinned, seeing Kushina alone.
Now!
But—
"Too soon!"
Kushina roared and fired off two devastating punches.
BOOM! BOOM!
The "traitors" exploded in smoke.
She snorted. "You thought I'd fall for that?"
Just then, a shadow descended from above.
SMACK!
A hand grabbed her wrist.
"Looks like… you're the real one after all," Chiba said with a smile.
Kushina looked down.
There he was—half-crouched, dust billowing around him from the impact.
He smiled up at her.
She looked past him—
Yukina and Hirohiko had formed a human launching pad, hands locked and braced, having catapulted Chiba across the battlefield.
He planned this.
From the very moment my clone went to search that bush—when he suddenly leapt out and started drawing attention… when he let himself get kicked into the bushes again… he must've swapped in a clone. Two clones disguised as me…
One was Hirohiko's—his chakra could just barely support one.
And the other… had to be Chiba's.
Earth Release. Taijutsu. Clone Technique. And all this tactical precision…
This kid's terrifying!
And the final strike—he knew Kushina would take out the traitor clones herself. He bet everything on that moment of vulnerability—calculated the exact distance—and soared right through it.
He touched her.
Kushina's eyes trembled with awe.
The post-meal exercise… she had lost.
These three weren't just good.
They were extraordinary.
And Chiba—he wasn't just a genius.
He was a once-in-a-generation prodigy.