The three ninjas glared at Ryuji.
He had tricked them; Guy hadn't arrived.
If word got out, three Anbu members being deceived by a child of (age) years would be laughable.
However, the three ninjas couldn't help but admire Ryuji.
His Kenjutsu was impressive, constantly shifting the weapon's orientation to strike the enemy unexpectedly.
What surprised them most was how Ryuji toyed with others' minds.
First, he shouted that the Mighty Guy was approaching. Although the three didn't fully believe it, that was just Ryuji's first step.
Then, he launched an attack using the fearsome shuriken technique, making the Anbu members wonder if Guy had arrived.
With these two simple moves, Ryuji deceived them and saved the three hostages.
"This kid is no joke."
"Not bad. If he grows up, he'll undoubtedly be a tactical master."
"But is he ready for that yet?"
For a moment, the three Anbu members chuckled coldly.
Ryuji was strong, very strong.
But his weakness was also evident.
He cared too much about his teammates.
At that moment, out of the three members of Team 3, aside from Tenten, none even had the basic ability to move.
With these two burdens nearby, Ryuji wouldn't be able to escape easily.
"I'll give you a chance to take your little girlfriend with you," one of the ninjas said with a malicious grin, stepping closer to Ryuji.
Neji Hyuga's face suddenly darkened.
Surprisingly, he, who had always considered himself a genius, was now a burden in his first real battle.
"Ryuji, go! Take Tenten and escape!" Neji shouted with his remaining strength.
Neji knew well there was no hope of victory if Ryuji stayed.
Perhaps, fighting alone, Ryuji could hold off the enemy for a while.
But facing three Anbu members at once was impossible.
Especially with himself as a liability.
At that moment, Rock Lee stood up shakily, one hand on his back and the other extended in front of him.
Rock Lee's body was covered in wounds; blood flowed from his head, and he couldn't even open his eyes fully.
"Ryuji, take Tenten and go quickly, find Master Guy!"
The three Anbu members scoffed.
Find the Mighty Guy?
There were more ninjas near Might Guy's side, so the chances of him arriving were slim.
"Go ahead, no one's going to stop you."
Ryuji snorted coldly and stepped forward.
"As I said, no one gets left behind! Tenten, you go first and bring Master Guy."
Tenten smiled slightly, shook her head, and stood beside Ryuji.
"No one gets left behind, and I definitely won't escape alone. We agreed to practice Kenjutsu together. But seeing how strong you are, Ryuji-kun, I think I'll need you to teach me more."
At that moment, Ryuji finally understood why they called this group the Twelve Powers of Konoha.
It wasn't because they were individually so strong but because, when facing an enemy, the twelve united like an iron fortress.
No matter who the opponent was, none of them would back down.
Ryuji smiled slightly.
If he took Tenten away at that moment, he feared their relationship would sour.
Since he couldn't change the mind of Team 3, he only had one option left: to change the enemy's mind.
"Alright, Tenten, protect Neji and Lee. I'll handle these three."
Tenten was about to stop Ryuji, but seeing the determination in his gaze, the words died in her throat.
The boy before her was willing to bear all the weight to protect Team 3.
In that moment, Tenten no longer felt fear.
Even though she knew Ryuji's chances of winning weren't high, an inexplicable sense of security filled her heart.
As they watched Ryuji approach, the three Anbu members smirked confidently.
They weren't afraid of Ryuji fighting to the end; what they feared was him turning and fleeing.
They knew their main target was Ryuji. The lives of the other three members of Team 3 meant nothing to them.
Even if they killed the three, they wouldn't be able to withstand Ryuji alone.
In an instant, the three Anbu ninjas drew their kunai.
Their carelessness had already cost one of their lives, and the remaining three were injured to varying degrees.
There could be no more mistakes.
Ryuji advanced to a position ten meters away from them and stopped, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"As I said, anyone who touches me will die."
As he spoke, the chakra within Ryuji's body began to rise continuously.
Rock Lee, already exhausted, couldn't help but tremble.
"The Eight Inner Gates!"
The Eight Inner Gates is a Taijutsu that harms the enemy a thousandfold and damages the user just as much.
The further one progresses in the Eight Gates, the more powerful the strength becomes, although the repercussions are equally severe.
"Ryuji-kun is willing to risk his life for us!" said Rock Lee, moved.
Upon hearing these words, Neji Hyuga and Tenten also shivered.
Rock Lee was a simple and honest boy; his words always went straight to the heart.
The weakness of the three had forced Ryuji to give his all.
[Ding Dong! Neji Hyuga's Favorability has increased by three points. His Favorability is now eighty-seven points.]
[Ding Dong! Rock Lee's Favorability has increased by three points. His Favorability is now seventy-five points.]
[Ding Dong! Tenten's Favorability has increased by three points. Her Favorability is now seventy-six points.]
Ryuji paid no attention to the system notifications; instead, he continued increasing his chakra.
"The Eight Inner Gates! How did this boy learn such a powerful Taijutsu?"
"Damn it, Guy must have made him his successor."
"If we kill this kid, Guy will be devastated."
"Stop talking and focus on finding the right opportunity to take him out and complete the mission."
The three Anbu members exchanged glances before brandishing their kunai and charging toward Ryuji.
As they advanced, Ryuji showed no intention of moving, instead continuing to accumulate chakra.
Just as the three kunai were about to reach him, Ryuji declared:
Fourth Gate! Gate of Pain!"
As soon as he said this, Ryuji's chakra instantly doubled.
An invisible wave of chakra spread in all directions, and the three Anbu ninjas were pushed back, tumbling several meters before managing to stand again.
"The Gate of Pain! This boy managed to open the fourth gate! How did he learn such a complex Taijutsu? This wasn't in the intel."
"What am I supposed to know? This is the intel I received yesterday!"
"Damn, he's already at the fifth gate! Quickly, retreat! This kid is beyond what we can handle! We'll wait until he finishes his Taijutsu and then eliminate him."
The Anbu leader began to retreat, but before he took more than a few steps, a figure suddenly appeared in front of them, staring at them coldly.
"Did I give you permission to leave?"
The dark ninja froze from head to toe and was about to say something when Ryuji lowered his hand, giving him no chance to respond.
Though he used the Gentle Fist, Ryuji's palm came down with precise, destructive force, striking the Anbu with all his energy.
"One."
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