SHIKADAI'S SKIN shivered.
Sensations of multiple chakras clashed together in a chorus of prickling storms.
Leaves began to hiss in annoyance, and shadows drawn by lingering fires crawled across Eiyūnogi's wooden body.
The ruined puppet blanketed Shikadai defensively, her teeth chattering beside the boy's ear.
Himawari shifted into existence next to this young puppeteer.
Her byakugan seemed to glow in the growing dark; white and featureless eyes narrowed at the scene before embattled genin.
"He's using shadow clones. Three of them, including the real Menda. Each one seems to have equal chakra." Himawari reported sternly.
Smart. He's already accounting for her dojutsu.
"We need to stay together, that much is clear." Mitsuki said neutrally, his quiet voice somehow audible above the cracking flames.
"He'll be trying to separate us."
Shikadai could almost hear the smile in Mitsuki's speech.
Mitsuki readied himself beside Reizei-
The genin formed a basic formation that circled Shikadai and Eiyūnogi.
Shikadai's gaze left the trees, focusing instead on the encroaching killing intent that crept from adjoining woods.
"Menda is resourceful," Shikadai began.
He flexed both hands, chakra strings attaching to Eiyūnogi.
The control I have over her will be limited somewhat..
Thoughts raced through Shikadai's mind between the sounds of popping oak.
"Should we run?" Reizei asked.
"We couldn't, even if we wanted to." Sarada stepped forward.
"He wants to fight. He won't let us go." She finished.
The Uchiha's expression suddenly changed, surprise written over black eyes while ducking into a turn.
Shikadai's own eyes widened-
Mitsuki craned his head to the dark side of the forest.
"He's coming..!" Himawari altered seconds before the sound of sandals rushing across bark met them.
Flurries of leaves broke from Shikadai's right-
Menda pounced deftly onto timber. He then launched himself from it, sinking into a bouquet of leaves from lower standing trees.
Just then-
Movement!
Shikadai kicked himself off the ground.
He flicked thin fingers taut, eyes catching a thread of shadow angling for his body.
"One from your right, Shikadai! They're focusing on you!" Himawari yelled-
Shikadai's ears rang, dazing him middair.
I can't mo-
Shikadai bit down on his tongue, drawing blood.
Focus! No sense acting like that right now!
Shikadai righted himself, falling into the inferno below.
Eiyūnogi flew upwards and above him, grabbing Shikadai by the collar then swirling him in a semicircle-
And narrowly saving him from two spears of shadow summoned from branches that rattled around their battlefield.
Shikadai then felt Mitsuki's arms curl around both shoulders.
Mitsuki tossed him towards a nearby tree.
Shikadai landed upon it sideways, watching Mitsuki's shadow pass overhead while fingers slowly reeled Eiyūnogi in.
The puppet crawled upon its remaining limbs with spiderlike grace, thin hair beating across a leathery forehead.
Shikadai breathed heavily.
Controlling Eiyūnogi while maintaining a shadow pocket for Usen was draining.
Menda's jutsu is too unpredictable to just let Usen rest somewhere nearby.
I also don't think we can spare anyone to spirit him away from here to recuperate..
There was no other choice.
I have to keep this up.
Shikadai sighed.
…Menda's mobility alone is impressive.
He's smart too.
Lighting only one side of us. He's not just getting shadows, he's manufactured the perfect hiding place to launch his jutsu!
Shikadai grinned violently.
But the sound of further movement broke Shikadai's momentary trance-
"They're all advancing towards you, Shikadai!" Himawari bellowed- she bounced through trees, before finally hurtling into the forest's canopy.
Shikadai and Mitsuki's teammates joined their sideways perch, all of them focused on Himawari and Menda's almost invisible exchange.
Then-
The Uzumaki girl fell from above.
She hit the forest floor harshly-
Himawari instantly flexed her body into a spin, pushing off of the ashen ground-
Only seconds before a fork of webbing stabbed itself where a leg had been seconds earlier.
Himawari snarled angrily, somersaulting into a stand.
"I can see the real you! You're starting to slip, Menda! Your chakra.. it's fluctuating!" Himawari charged once more-
She stopped.
Her byakugan widened as she threw her face upwards to Shikadai.
"Shikadai! The real one is-"
Menda's cloak fell across Shikadai's bewildered expression.
He's.. he's faster than I anticipated!
Shikadai slid backwards across the oak, cutting his strings with Eiyūnogi.
Mitsuki took up Shikadai's former space, stomach expanding as wind built up within the genin's cheeks.
Mitsuki's head jolted upright, honing in on Menda before a torrent of wind buffeted from Mitsuki's lips.
Menda slid backwards, crossing his arms-
A shadow leapt beside Menda's shoulder.
Reizei's silhouette hung above Menda as if a ghost-
The mist genin spun his kunai into a bandaged hand, stabbing it downwards for Menda's back.
Menda rolled into an evading jump that butted him into Sarada's charging run. He grabbed her arm, pulling her ahead-
Only for Sarada to steal the momentum of his strength. She swung Menda by his own collar-
Sarada's grasp began to melt within a cascade of buzzing insects.
Shikadai's nerves buzzed in alarm.
Transformation..! Not even one of the shadow clones!
Where is he-?!
Shikadai's attention was suddenly drawn back to the forest floor.
Menda stood half a meter across from Himawari. A lone shadow connected the two genin, while a gnarled dusk-colored hand covered Himawari's mouth.
Her byakugan were wide with fury, screaming warnings that her team were deaf to.
He made it seem like I was his target.
Realization chilled Shikadai's blood as it pumped inside his ears.
He might've even predicted that I instinctively would act assuming such, despite me knowing Himawari was the one he should take out first!
A flash of intense heat swam across Shikadai's skin. He was thrown backwards off of the tree, tumbling to the burning ground.
Globs of chemical flame rained down from above, while a portion of the forest's canopy steadily fed firess that blazed with a renewed vigor.
Sarada crashed to the mossy floor, rolling into the trunk of a half-burned tree some meters away.
She winced- holding a red hot brand that scabbed the young Uchiha's right shoulder.
Mitsuki was beside her in seconds, gathering Sarada into his sleeved arms.
Think..!
Reizei thumped against the oak that loomed above Shikidai.
Mitsuki glanced over to them plainly-
And in the next moment, landed alongside Shikadai within a burst of air.
"Can you stand?" Mitsuki asked.
Sarada nodded, allowing Mitsuki to help her to her feet.
"He's not going for Hima's wristbands." Sarada grimaced, reaching into a pack at her thigh.
Sarada produced a small vial of healing ointment, hastily applying it on her wound.
"He's drawing this out… cornering us." She finished.
We'll use that to our advantage.
The blood within Shikadai's head thrummed. He ran a tongue across the top row of his teeth, green eyes darkening as he spoke.
"He's going to keep hemming us in. The key to this is Himawari. If we let him get comfortable near her…"
Sarada nodded.
"We can find a way to disrupt his jutsu. There's another thing too…earlier, he had a spider crawling around on him. Now, he doesn't."
Shikadai agreed within himself before answering.
"I noticed that too. He's been using webbing intermittently- and out of view. It seems somehow Himawari can't even see it."
Sarada lowered her head, a stern smile forming on dried lips.
"Menda.. is a lot stronger than I expected. Even with all of us…we're-"
Sarada immediately fell silent, ducking just as a sprayshot of webbing slapped against oak.
She turned.
"Reizei!"
Shikadai's eyes followed Sarada's alarm-
Menda sprinted towards Reizei's flank, cloak following behind him like a tail.
END OF CHAPTER