Aburame Shiho, a battle-hardened veteran, naturally didn't hesitate or hold back.
Behind his green-tinted glasses, his eyes shifted, and a decision formed instantly.
When Moonlight Gale swung his blade toward Shiho's right arm, Shiho didn't dodge. Instead, he chose to take the hit, exchanging injury for injury.
Seeing the kunai flying closer and sensing the thickening aura of lethal intent, Gale hesitated, stepping back.
This retreat removed him from immediate danger—but it also gave up the initiative entirely.
Without the advantage, every moment for Gale became a dance with death, each second carrying the risk of grievous injury or worse.
As Gale was pushed back, nearly gravely wounded in the next instant, a kunai shot from beside his ear, aimed straight for Shiho's right eye.
The kunai was almost point-blank. Shiho had no chance to perform a substitution technique. It pierced through him instantly.
Pfft!
No blood splattered—only a wisp of white smoke dissipated.
The kunai, propelled with tremendous force, continued forward, piercing through three massive trees before lodging in a fourth.
Inuzuka Aya had just regained her senses and witnessed the scene: Aozora had thrown the kunai that struck Shiho. She froze in shock at the sheer skill and precision, contrasting it with her own recent performance, cheeks blazing red with embarrassment.
She had dared to call him a tail-ender? If he was the tail, then what was she? A follower riding on his slipstream?
From a distance, Aya hadn't fully felt the deadly impact of the kunai.
Gale touched the cut torn into his face by the passing wind, still shivering from the near-death experience, needing his sword as a crutch to avoid collapsing. He knew instinctively: had the kunai been aimed at him, he would already be unable to breathe.
Receiving the sense of death transmitted from the shadow clone, Shiho touched the nonexistent wound on his brow, paused in silence for a moment, and then reappeared on a branch not far from the three.
"Not bad," he said evenly, "you are slightly better than I expected."
His words were flat, lacking any emotion. Though intended as praise, to Gale and Aya, it sounded like mockery.
Recalling their earlier performance, both flushed with embarrassment.
Aozora, however, showed no delight at the compliment. Instead, he gripped another kunai, scanning for Shiho's next opening.
Watching the trio, Shiho continued: "Greetings are over. Let's continue the fight!"
"Remember, attack with the intent to kill me!"
With that, he stood still, waiting for their move.
After the previous encounter, Aya and Gale quickly recognized who the stronger link was and naturally moved closer to Aozora.
Aya, concerned about appearances, didn't speak up.
Gale proposed, "Looks like Shiho-sensei isn't holding back. Let's test our frontal combat abilities."
"I'll engage in close combat with Aya. Aozora, you take the far distance and throw kunai when the opportunity arises. Agreed?"
Aozora nodded in agreement. Naturally, having a clear role as a ranged ninja was advantageous.
Aya agreed with a nod as well.
Once the broad strategy was set, Gale and Aya decided the order of responsibility in melee combat.
Through all this, Shiho remained motionless, quietly observing from his perch.
After a moment, they finalized their plan.
Aya fed a red pill to her white dog.
Once ingested, the dog's fur rapidly grew, its eyes turned crimson, and in moments, its size swelled to that of a young calf.
She glanced at Aozora, resolute: "Uchiha Aozora, this time I won't hold back. Watch carefully!"
Before she finished speaking, she and the enlarged dog charged forward.
The pill had transformed the white dog from a cute pet into a ferocious mastiff, more vicious than a wolf.
From behind, Shiho's canister released a black cloud, rushing toward the three.
Aozora focused—this wasn't a cloud at all. It was a dense swarm of insects.
Behind the insect cloud, Shiho hurled kunai relentlessly.
Aya and her dog didn't retreat. Relying on her heightened senses and lightning-fast reflexes, they dodged the projectiles, pierced through the swarm, and closed the distance to Shiho.
Within a blink, Aya and her dog were already dangerously close.
The dog leapt backward and launched itself forward, mouth wide open, fangs gleaming.
Aya lagged slightly, gripping the tree trunk with her limbs, eyes locked on Shiho.
Shiho twisted just in time to avoid the dog's bite, only to face Aya's claws head-on.
He was not surprised—well-prepared, he kicked off and retreated.
Immediately, Gale's blade came down in a strike.
Bang!
Gale's strike hit and withdrew, and the dog lunged again.
They clashed repeatedly, exchanging dozens of attacks in rapid succession.
The dog, empowered by the pill, was ferocious. It and Aya coordinated seamlessly, launching relentless attacks on Shiho.
Meanwhile, Gale hung back, waiting for openings to strike with his blade.
The duo and dog's teamwork initially overwhelmed Shiho.
Though it appeared he was on the defensive, Shiho remained composed, taking the opportunity to observe Aozora from afar.
Seeing Aozora circling at a safe distance, Shiho adjusted his stance and defenses.
Gradually, Aozora noticed the dog tiring, forcing Gale to participate more in the offense.
However, Gale and Aya's coordination wasn't perfect, giving Shiho more room to maneuver and counterattack.
Seeing this, Aozora stopped searching for the perfect moment.
He leapt, found the right angle, and hurled a kunai with all his strength.
Shiho noticed Aozora!
But as the kunai flew, he realized it couldn't be dodged. He braced, raising his own kunai to block.
The projectile sliced through the wind, passing between Gale and Aya, aimed at Shiho.
Ahead, Shiho held his kunai horizontally.
Gale, Aya, and Shiho all anticipated the metallic clash.
But the kunai bent mid-flight!
In stunned disbelief, the three watched as it curved lightly, bypassing Shiho's blocking weapon.
Pfft!
Again, no blood—just a wisp of white smoke.
A shadow clone!
Where was Shiho? Or perhaps, who was Shiho intending to strike?
Aozora's eyes widened—he understood instantly.
Shiho had appeared behind him, without warning.