"Kakashi, leave me behind and run! Kurenai Yuhi and Shisui Uchiha's joint team is approaching!"
Yamashiro Aoba spotted the signal flare rising in the sky. Without hesitation, he summoned a flock of crows to scout the area and soon after, he saw them.
A six-man team.
"How many?"
"Six!"
Might Guy clenched his fists.
Damn.
Just the two of them against a coordinated six-man squad?
No chance.
They moved together through the forest. But escape would be difficult now.
"I'll use my secret technique to get us out of here!" Guy growled.
"No," Aoba said quickly. "I'm not as fast or strong as you, and this is only the first ring contraction. The second one will determine everything. Get into the safe zone, then hide. If we survive to the final five, we can still qualify for the next round."
Guy paused. For once, without Obito's chaos, he could actually follow a plan.
He nodded.
But deep down, he knew the situation was grim. Facing Kurenai and Shisui, along with teammates like Ebisu and possibly others like Mizuki or Iwashi, was a losing battle.
Unless…
Unless he opened at least four of the Eight Gates.
But…
His father, Might Duy, had made it clear
"The Eight Gates are for protecting others. You open more than four in an exam like this, and you'll come home to a beating."
Still, the pressure mounted.
"It's Guy! Surround him!" Shisui shouted as soon as he caught sight of the green blur.
He knew exactly what Guy was capable of. As one of jingyi-sensei's disciples, Shisui had learned to identify the biggest threats early.
This was one.
Ebisu hesitated. It wasn't exactly within the exam rules to gang up unfairly, but letting Guy escape might cost them the round.
In the end, only Shisui's unit gave chase. Kurenai's team held off to engage Yamashiro Aoba instead.
Shisui leapt forward, weaving signs for a paralysis genjutsu.
But
Whoosh!
Guy vanished before the genjutsu could take effect.
That speed!
Shisui's thoughts raced. Is this the "secret technique" the teacher mentioned?
It was impossible to catch up. He had no choice but to fall back.
They subdued Aoba easily he was smart, but physically lacking.
Meanwhile, their team had gathered no resources yet, thanks to the earlier clash with Obito and Guy.
Aoba had no scrolls either.
Ebisu frowned, realizing the imbalance in their temporary alliance. In the original configuration, he and Genma could hold off Guy. But this new team?
Not quite.
---
Back at the observation area, the Third Hokage shook his head.
"Yamashiro Aoba is tactically sound, but his strength hasn't caught up. He's not ready for Chūnin."
"And Might Guy?" someone asked.
Hiruzen sighed.
"Fast. Very fast. But other than that… not much of an impression."
"Lord Hokage," chimed in Sarutobi Asuma's uncle, "Aoba and his cohort only graduated six months ago. They're already outperforming many of last year's Chūnin. That's a testament to Jonin jingyi's special training methods."
Unfortunately, such rigorous training couldn't be applied to every Genin.
Too many students.
Too few instructors like Keiichi and Yuhi Mako, who were already overworked.
---
Meanwhile, Shisui's six-man team had developed a brutal efficiency.
Their strategy was clear move in a diagonal sweep across the zone, wiping out teams while converging at the center.
By the time the first contraction ended, only eleven teams remained.
Many were fragments.
Genma Shiranui, Might Guy survivors without their full squads, hiding in the woods.
Unfortunately, many sensory-type ninja were still in play.
---
"Konoha Whirlwind!"
"Burn with me, Youth!"
"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
A series of bizarre battle cries echoed through the trees.
Guy launched an ambush, injuring two enemies in rapid succession before vanishing.
Asuma watched the chaos unfold.
"…What even was that?"
They couldn't catch him. They didn't dare try.
"Asuma," said Kurenai, regrouping with her team, "Let's meet up with Shisui. We need to ensure we reach the next round."
Izumo and Kotetsu were already injured. Any more delay, and they'd lose everything.
But then
Two more elite squads appeared: the Nara Clan team, and another led by Hyūga Hiromon, a talented branch family prodigy.
The two enemy squads exchanged glances.
"Let's eliminate Asuma's team first. If they regroup, they'll be trouble."
Byakugan was already active.
Asuma's gut told her something was wrong.
But retreat?
Not with her teammates hurt.
She stood her ground, covering Izumo and Kotetsu as they tried to flee.
She fought well two kunai strikes and a Vacuum Blade cut down two enemies.
But it wasn't enough.
He circled back to save his team, launching a Fire Style wall to screen their retreat.
Too late.
Hiromon's taijutsu struck cleanly. Asuma's strength plummeted.
---
Back in the observation tower, Jonin instructors grimaced.
"Asuma's gone," jingyi said.
Her squad's awareness wasn't sharp enough.
In this phase, any visible battle drew scavengers. Lone wolves like Guy survived by staying mobile. Asuma's mistake was noble but costly.
---
Elsewhere, Shisui and Kurenai's unit dominated.
They were the first to fully regroup, and their coordination overwhelmed teams in every encounter.
Even when injuries occurred, Kurenai applied medical ninjutsu to stabilize her teammates.
"Yuhi Kurenai knows medical ninjutsu?" Hiruzen blinked in surprise.
"Yes," jingyi confirmed. "Illusionists control chakra precisely. Once they study the theory, they can learn medical ninjutsu quickly."
---
Asuma's stand surprised even the veterans.
She often played the fool, but in crisis, she protected his teammates with resolve.
Back on the battlefield
As soon as Asuma fell, Shisui and Kurenai diverted course, heading to reinforce their allies.
They ignored unrelated enemies. Their focus was razor-sharp.
That kind of cohesion?
A clear product of jingyi's training.
---
"No other team can match them," one Jonin muttered.
"They'll win this phase unless something drastic changes."
Even Might Guy and Hyūga Hiromon's squads couldn't compare.
The Sixth Squad wasn't just strong.
They were unified.
And that made them deadly.