Ishiki woke with a spark of excitement crackling beneath his skin.
After unlocking the Genius Helmet the night before, he had mastered three fundamental jutsus at a speed that bordered on absurd. His mind was sharper, his chakra control more precise, and his confidence soared.
Today, he planned to stun Hashirama and Madara with his new skills.
He stepped out of his humble home, sunlight painting the morning in warm gold. He was already imagining the looks on their faces when he demonstrated his upgraded ninjutsu.
But the moment he entered the village marketplace,
His mood was shattered.
The usual lively chatter was replaced with heavy silence and tension so thick he could almost taste it.
A crowd had gathered around a central figure.
A hulking man.A ninja.And beside him,The old Village Chief, trembling.
Ishiki froze.
His heart clenched.
The Chief had helped him countless times, offering food when he starved, shelter when he grieved, and support when he had no one else.
And now… this.
The Confrontation
The ninja's voice was loud, arrogant, cutting through the crowd like a blade.
"I said, bring us your grain. All of it. Today."
The Chief bowed deeply, hands trembling."Please… we barely have enough to survive. Our people are suffering. We,"
The ninja shoved him violently.
The elderly man stumbled into the dirt.
Gasps erupted.
"Enough excuses!" the ninja barked. "The Sarutobi Clan needs supplies. Gather it, or face consequences."
A villager stepped forward, fists clenched."You can't bully us like this!"
Another joined him."We are starving! We have nothing left to give!"
The ninja let out a cold, amused snort.
He raised one hand.
A sharp crescent of wind chakra sliced downward, carving a deep trench in the ground, mere inches from the villagers' feet.
They froze.
"That was just a warning," he said, eyes gleaming with cruelty.
The Village Chief lunged forward, grabbing the ninja's pant leg in desperation."Please, stop! Don't hurt them! Please, Lord Ninja!"
The Sarutobi brute kicked him aside like trash.
Something inside Ishiki snapped.
A burning, righteous fury ignited in his chest.
No, this would not stand.
Not in his village.
Not to his Chief.
Not today.
The Ambush
The ninja stalked away, smug and satisfied with his display of power.
Ishiki's jaw tightened.
He was not letting this bastard leave unpunished.
Quietly slipping away from the crowd, he sprinted through side alleys, looping ahead of the ninja's route.
He reached a narrow forest path.
Perfect.
He dug a shallow trap, a decoy pit, and transformed into a thick bush beside the trail, holding his chakra steady.
Moments later, the Sarutobi ninja arrived, swaggering with arrogance.
He paused.
Then burst into laughter.
"Who is the idiot trying to ambush me? You left your tracks everywhere!"
He bent down to inspect the decoy trap.
This was Ishiki's moment.
He dispelled his transformation in a flash,
WHAM!
His fist slammed into the ninja's ribs with explosive force.
The man was launched backwards several meters, crashing into the dirt.
Ishiki allowed a small, satisfied smile.
My strength has definitely increased.
But before he could land another hit,
A cold edge pressed against his neck.
A kunai.
And a mocking voice behind him.
"You fool."
Ishiki's heart sank.
The "ninja" he struck faded into smoke.
A Shadow Clone.
The real Sarutobi stood behind him, blade at his throat, smirking with predatory cruelty.
"You really thought I fell for such a childish trap? Now you die."
Ishiki smiled calmly.
"No."
The ninja blinked.
"I am a Shadow Clone too."
POOF!
Smoke burst as Ishiki vanished.
The real Ishiki emerged from a nearby tree. He had transformed into a thick branch moments before the ambush.
His fist connected with the ninja's back in a brutal strike.
CRACK!
The Sarutobi ninja crashed into an oak tree, coughing blood.
His eyes widened in fury and disbelief.
"You little! Wind Release: Gale Surge!"
A massive vortex of slicing wind roared toward Ishiki, tearing the ground as it surged forward.
Ishiki's lips curled into a confident grin.
"I've been waiting for this."
He whipped out the Reverse Cloak.
The moment the vortex struck,
BOOOOM!
It reversed instantly, launching the full force of the jutsu straight back at the ninja.
The explosion rattled the trees, kicking up a storm of dust and debris.
Ishiki shielded his eyes and rushed forward.
As the dust settled,
The ninja was gone.
Only scorched earth and droplets of blood remained.
"Damn it… he escaped."
He grit his teeth.
He searched the area, but the trail was already cold.
The coward had fled into the forest, wounded but alive.
Ishiki cupped his hands around his mouth.
His voice thundered through the trees.
"IF YOU EVER COME NEAR THIS VILLAGE AGAIN,YOU DIE!"
His shout echoed far beyond the treeline.
Whether the message reached the Sarutobi ninja or not didn't matter.
Ishiki's resolve had been formed.
This village, his home, would not suffer again.
Not while he lived.
With the fire still burning in his chest, he turned and sprinted toward the Naka River,late, bruised, but more determined than ever to meet Hashirama and Madara.
Today's training will begin with a story.
And Ishiki had one worth telling.