-----Shikaku P.O.V.-----
Shikaku watched Shunsui's sword turn shape in front of his eyes. The transformation was smooth and unnatural. 'Unusual ability for a sword, but not that rare,' Shikaku thought. 'If I am not wrong, Uzumaki blacksmith-made swords could do the same with the help of their fuinjutsu.'
Inoichi gave him a quick signal with his eyes. The enemies were almost on them. Shikaku did not waste time. "Ino-Shika-Cho formation 32," he said clearly. "Kids, do not interfere until you are attacked or until we give you the go ahead to engage"
The three genin nodded and stayed back, watching carefully. Guy looked eager but held his position. Genma gripped his senbon tightly. Shunsui stood quietly with his transformed blades ready.
When the first shinobi appeared from the trees, it seemed their suspicions were right. They were Iwa shinobi. 'Iwa really wants to get the aid of the Land of Claws,' Shikaku thought. 'By building an alliance with them, they share borders and could get more trade, more money, and also a safe border.'
As the first Iwa shinobi came into view, the man's eyes widened. He took notice of the six shinobi, especially the three adults. Recognition flashed across his face. He immediately turned and bolted away, shouting, "Retreat! It is the Ino-Shika-Cho of Konoha!"
But before he could move further, he felt himself stuck and unable to move. He looked down to see a kunai with chakra flowing into it and a fuinjutsu tag attached to his shadow. Then a large hand appeared in front of him and smashed him through several trees. The impact was brutal. The man flew like a broken doll and crashed into the forest floor, unconscious.
The rest of the Iwa shinobi who had arrived looked at their fallen teammate and knew that escaping was not an option. Their faces hardened. They turned their attention to the three kids standing behind the adults.
"Focus on attacking the kids," one of the Iwa jonin ordered. "They would have to defend them, those tree-huggers. We would find an opportunity when they are busy protecting them."
Another Iwa shinobi warned, "Stay away from shadows. Shikaku Nara would be able to reach all of us and stop all of us at the same time."
They ran toward the Konoha team from each direction. The eleven remaining enemies moved with coordinated aggression. Choza stood in front of the genin like a living wall. His right hand expanded to giant size as he muttered, "Partial Expansion Jutsu."
The Iwa shinobi took out their weapons. One of them sneered, "Does not matter how big your hand is. Your skin is still human and weak to weapons." He was about to strike the giant hand with his kunai, but he suddenly froze. Shikaku had used the shadow created by Choza's larger fist to reach the man and immobilize him completely.
Another Iwa shinobi was crushed by Choza's huge fist. The impact created a small crater in the ground.
Shikaku knew that it was almost too easy. But his doubts were cleared by Inoichi, whose voice he heard in his mind.
Inoichi said in his mind, 'I have identified them as mostly Iwa chunin and genin. This must be some scout party trying to find any Konoha team that is trying to go to the Land of Claws and report to the other team so that we could be eliminated. One of them is a sensor, but since I have been hiding our chakra, they could not identify us until we were a lot closer.'
'Then let's not let them report it to their other teams,' Shikaku replied mentally. 'And they would be perfect to test Choza's team. Give them the go ahead to join the fight.'
'It is time to watch the ability that Choza talks so much about. A reality-changing ability,' Shikaku thought.
Inoichi was with the kids to protect them in case the Iwa shinobi were elite ones and managed to get through Choza and Shikaku.
Shikaku was about to turn to Shunsui to see what he was about to do, but he was shocked to see Shunsui appear out of the shadow of an Iwa shinobi and stab him from behind.
"Kageoni… Sorry, I just couldn't resist. He was such an easy target. He was just standing there looking clueless," Shunsui said, embarrassed, as he popped up from the enemy's shadow like a ghost rising from the ground.
The Iwa shinobi gasped in pain and collapsed. Shunsui pulled his black scimitar free with a smooth motion.
All the enemy shinobi's eyes widened in surprise. Someone decided to attack Shunsui with a kunai, but it passed through empty air as Shunsui appeared next to Choza, stepping out of his sensei's shadow. Shikaku thought, astonished, 'Shadow teleportation… what game allows him to do this?'
The Nara genius felt a rare spark of genuine surprise. He had spent his life mastering shadow techniques, yet this boy was using shadows in ways even he had not fully explored.
'Shadow teleportation is something a member of our clan was able to do back in the warring clans period but no one has shown the ability to use it since then.' Shikaku thought
And then Shunsui disappeared again and appeared next to another Iwa shinobi's shadow. The Iwa shinobi, now on guard, turned to protect himself, but it was too late. Shadows erupted from his own shadow and wrapped around his body like living chains. The man struggled but could not break free.
Shikaku thought, 'Shadow stitching jutsu… I see he is able to control the shadows like a Nara but without any hand signs. I need to figure out what the game is and what the rules are to take advantage of this.'
------Author Notes---------
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