Suguru's trip back to Konohagakure would last a few days since he planned on taking his time. After all, enjoying his life was a key factor in never burning out from everything he did.
Humanity was fickle in this regard. It was already astonishing how focused he had been for so long.
Thus...
—Clap. Clap.
Shaking off the dust from his hands after a recent Earth Release Jutsu, Suguru then threw on several Fuinjutsu arrays against the stone mountainside.
After sealing his laboratory and making sure that no random observer would encounter it he then made sure no powerful being would be able to break into its confines. It was always a twofold preparation. Sometimes people encountered things with more luck and less skill, after all.
Suguru descended only when he completed his due diligence, departing from his lab in a series of rapid flickers.
'Amai is going to be on leave for a while,' He thought to himself as he felt the pressure changing with his descent, causing his ears to pop.
Suguru had already informed Amai's customers long beforehand with the excuse that a new product was being shipped from afar, requiring his personal attention.
—And this product was something that would surely awe even the Raikage.
With this promise, Amai's customers were very much pleased, expecting great things from him.
'I really wish I could just sell the Sharingan as is...' Suguru had been hesitating for a while.
However, he had to stop himself. As long as he waited a little longer and added his special Juin-ninshu into the mix, he would have even more fun. Patience was a virtue.
Much like investing in stock.
'I'll use the Chuunin Exams as a source of inspiration,' Suguru felt a small smile tugging at his lips.
It was indeed time to head back.
***
Suguru leapt leisurely through the forests of the Land of Fire, having long descended from the Land of Lightning. Gone were the mountains and steep slopes of stone.
Now, the Konoha-nin had returned to his element, using only the best branches to springboard himself through the leaves.
"Mmmm,"
Breathing in the fresh forest air, Suguru admired the subtle yet glaring difference in oxygen levels between the two countries. Being in the green-filled Land of Fire was rejuvenating.
A flash of inspiration crossed Suguru's mind as he contemplated this fact. However, before his thoughts could proceed, a squad of shinobi moved past him, unaware of his presence.
"Hm..?"
Spotting familiar faces, Suguru tilted his head in confusion. It was Team Guy, injured and exhausted save for their jounin-sensei, who still radiated a glowing green vigor. Cuts littered the bodies of both Tenten and Lee, while bruises peeked through the bandages on Neji's arms.
Glancing at Neji, Suguru noticed that the Hyuga's chakra, in particular, seemed to be dangerously low.
A small smirk began to play on Suguru's lips.
'Yet, why do I hesitate?'
A flash of realization sparked in him just then, eyeing the glowing shinobi. There seemed to be certain entities whose apparent flavors were outweighed by a sense of instinctual dread.
Suguru understood where that wariness came from, having seen the Eight Gates fully unleashed upon a single individual.
'Ah, well, it doesn't matter much as long as my intentions aren't world-ending... right?'
Suguru couldn't be completely sure, given the subjectivity of that something precious.
Thus, he would play his pranks in moderation.
***
Might Guy felt a gaze pass over him as he and his students fled from their pursuers. At first, it had been void of any intentions — purely a glance of curiosity.
It wasn't the piercing leer of their enemies this time. There was supposedly no need to worry about it.
However, this gaze suddenly flashed with malevolence, triggering Guy's instincts and forcing his reflexes. Nearby, Neji's expression turned into one of panic.
"Watch out!" Neji yelled, straining his Byakugan.
A blur of movement collided with Guy. Neji, Lee, and Tenten were expecting a terrifying crack to shatter the tree beneath their sensei's feet. However, even Guy was surprised by the lack of impact on his arms.
He had blocked, fully expecting a heavy blow. The knockback had already been accounted for by his stance, aiming to redirect all the force elsewhere.
However, none of his preparations bore fruit.
All that force was directed in a very different manner than what the shinobi were expecting. Guy felt the pull of gravity reversing. The strain on his body was light, and yet he felt how little control he held over the next moments.
Small limbs were placed firmly against his joints. His feet spun through the air. And finally, his entire weight had been used against him.
"..!"
It happened in an instant.
—Boom!
Just as Tenten blinked, Guy had disappeared from the branches, plummeting straight to the ground. In his place, still reeling from the angular momentum, was a silver-haired child wearing a mischievous grin.
"I guess this is the only time I'll be able to do that,"
Hearing his mutters, the genin of Team Guy froze. There was a twinge of familiarity in the silver-haired boy's tone.
As if he knew their sensei.
—Poof!
Suddenly, a cloud of smoke erupted from the boy's wrist, and a bow appeared in his grasp.
—Poof!
Another burst of smoke signified the arrival of a quiver full of arrows.
"For now, let's sort things out."
With an arrow lodged, the boy set his bow at an angle into the sky, aiming for thin air.
"What are you—"
Tenten wanted to ask, but the boy ignored her and released the string of his bow.
—Whoosh!
It disappeared into the distance, rising and descending in a flattened parabola, heading straight for the space between the eyes.
"..?"
Neji's head whipped in the direction of the arrow just in time to see a person die. A nameless shinobi perished without a glimpse of who killed her.
—Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The twang of the bowstring was a rhythmic note against the silent backdrop of the forest. The whistling of each arrow sought death every time.
However, not all of these arrows succeeded in their missions. The distant shinobi had become aware of their lethal presence, wielding kunai against their metal tips or dodging their clear trajectories.
"Well, that makes sense."
Thus, the silver-haired boy chuckled, licking his lips. Simple archery would never be enough against these numerous but distant foes.
"Let's kick things up a notch."
In his gaze was the clear reason for Team Guy's injuries — a trio of masked jounin with unknown origins.