"Riyi-big-sis!" Teuchi shouted in alarm.
Just as the large hand was about to grab Riyi, a sharp shuriken spun through the air, slicing toward the arm.
A few meters away, Fugaku Uchiha maintained his throwing stance, his small face cold, and the blood-red Sharingan in his eyes spinning with two tomoe.
However, the arm didn't retract. Instead, the strange, stitched-together arm suddenly extended, revealing black threads at the joints.
The arm stretched further, aiming to seize Riyi's neck before she could react.
At that moment—
Boom! A deafening sonic boom echoed, followed by a massive plume of dust and smoke exploding into the air.
The thick smoke instantly obscured everyone's vision.
Nearby, Teuchi quickly raised his arm to shield his face from the gusts of wind carrying sand and debris. Squinting, he kept his eyes fixed on Riyi's direction.
Similarly, Fugaku stared intently into the smoke, his spinning Sharingan never stopping.
In the distance, the scar-faced Grass ninja leader turned his attention toward the commotion, intrigued by the outcome.
If the sensory ninja in his team could capture the most dangerous of the Konoha trio, the losses they had suffered would be worth it.
The strong wind swept through the area, rapidly dispersing the dust and smoke.
As the smoke cleared, everyone's gaze shifted to the center of the commotion.
There, a tall man stood upright, holding Riyi under one arm while casually picking his nose with the other. Beneath his feet, the mysterious masked man lay pinned to the ground.
"So... so cool!!!"
Teuchi couldn't contain his excitement and shouted aloud. A few meters away, Fugaku let out a subtle sigh of relief.
Riyi, now tucked under Rinjin's arm, covered her face with her hands and kicked her legs in frustration.
"Big bro! Stop it! Put me down... put me down now!"
Rinjin completely ignored her protests. He glanced down at the struggling masked man beneath him and flicked the booger he had just picked.
"Kakuzu, we meet again!"
Hearing this, Kakuzu's body stiffened, and the black threads on his body immediately surged in response.
Seeing this, Rinjin smirked and delivered a powerful kick, sending Kakuzu hurtling toward the scar-faced Grass ninja leader.
Midair, Kakuzu spat out a mouthful of blood after taking a heavy blow to his torso.
Moments earlier, two of the hearts he had recently collected had been destroyed before he even had a chance to release them.
Now, only his original heart remained.
Still, losing one heart to be kicked away from the battlefield by this man wasn't the worst outcome.
The scar-faced Grass ninja leader watched as Kakuzu flew toward him. Remaining calm, he sidestepped slightly to avoid the collision, his eyes never leaving the newly appeared Rinjin.
At the exact moment Kakuzu and the scar-faced ninja crossed paths—
Rinjin, still holding Riyi, suddenly vanished.
In the next instant, Rinjin reappeared with a mischievous grin, crouching on Kakuzu's back mid-flight. His arm, crackling with lightning, swung downward in a decisive strike.
A clean cut.
A grotesque head flew into the air.
Still perched on Kakuzu's back, Rinjin smirked and muttered,
"This is... the Flying Thunder God Second Step."
Hearing those words, Kakuzu, now decapitated, felt a chill run down his spine.
Simultaneously, a sense of helplessness washed over him.
Although he didn't fully understand what had just happened, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had been reduced to something utterly ridiculous.
Before he could dwell on it further, a sharp pain erupted at the back of his head. The next moment, his world spun, and he lost consciousness.
Thud!
Kakuzu's face hit the ground, skidding across it and creating a deep trench.
After sliding for over a dozen meters, the chaotic scene finally came to a halt. Rinjin hopped gracefully off Kakuzu's back, still holding a brick in one hand and Riyi under his arm.
By now, Riyi had stopped struggling. She hung limply like a defeated fish, her expression one of utter despair.
Her thoughts were clear: dignity? Completely gone.
As the onlookers stared in stunned silence, their jaws practically touching the ground, Rinjin quickly hid the brick behind his back, offering an awkward smile.
After all, using a brick wasn't exactly considered a "proper" ninja tool.
High above, Tsunade, seated on the massive sword, covered her face with her hands, caught between laughter and tears.
This guy, Rinjin—he was undeniably cool throughout the entire fight. Even picking his nose somehow looked cool!
But that final move with the brick? No matter how you looked at it, it just seemed... sleazy.
Setting the defeated Riyi down, Rinjin formed a single-hand seal, summoning the massive sword from the sky and allowing Tsunade to descend.
"Now, let's head back to rest and reflect on our experiences," Rinjin instructed Riyi before picking up the unconscious Kakuzu. He then turned to Tsunade.
"Little Tsuna, I'm leaving these three kids in your care. I need to make a quick trip back to Konoha."
He hesitated for a moment, his brows furrowing.
After all, while he could travel quickly using the Flying Thunder God Technique, he couldn't guarantee that Tsunade and the others wouldn't encounter danger in his absence.
After some deliberation, Rinjin gritted his teeth, casually tossed Kakuzu aside, and formed a series of hand seals.
Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram!
Summoning Technique!
With a puff of white smoke, a large, ancient scroll appeared.
Seeing this, Tsunade's amber eyes widened in surprise.
"Rinjin... you can use summoning techniques?"
Rinjin nodded sheepishly, grabbing the scroll and flipping it open behind her back.
The first column bore an indecipherable name, while the second read: Yawai.
Carefully folding the scroll to reveal only the third column, Rinjin concealed the first two names and turned to face Tsunade, holding the scroll out with a feigned air of calm.
"Here, sign this summoning contract!"
Tsunade's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Her instincts as a woman kicked in, and she couldn't help but feel that something was off.
"Alright," she replied sweetly, biting her thumb as she approached the scroll.
But just as she was about to sign, her eyes flashed with determination.
"Hand it over!" she shouted, activating her monstrous strength and snatching the scroll from Rinjin's hands.
Fully unrolling the scroll, Tsunade's beautiful face darkened as she read the names.
Realizing what had happened, Rinjin froze, staring dumbly at his now-empty hands. Slowly, he shrank back, offering a sheepish grin.
"I can explain! I didn't mean to!"
Ignoring him, Tsunade pouted and swiftly bit her thumb, writing her name and leaving her handprint on the scroll with practiced ease.
She didn't know what this contract could summon, but she trusted Rinjin.
Seeing Tsunade complete the contract, Rinjin finally let out a sigh of relief. Scratching his head, he added,
"If you're ever in danger, just use the summoning technique to call for help..."
When Tsunade didn't respond, Rinjin frowned and emphasized,
"Did you hear me?"
"Hmph," Tsunade huffed, turning away with a pout but reluctantly nodding.
Rinjin couldn't help but think that she looked quite adorable when she was angry.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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