The figure was none other than the ANBU who had sought Qianyu out earlier. Code name: "Sunny." A man who didn't look very old.
Since Qianyu hadn't ratted him out in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi, Sunny was returning the favor. The moment news of Qianyu's teammates getting into trouble reached him, he'd rushed out to find Qianyu.
"What's the situation? How did they start fighting? Who threw the first punch?"
Qianyu asked, brow furrowed, as they sped towards the ANBU training grounds.
"One of your new female members had just reported for duty when several ANBU challenged her to a 'spar to prove her worth as a rookie.' She got a bit banged up," Sunny explained. "That kid on your team, the one about your age, got pissed. He took another teammate and went to argue. Things escalated."
Qianyu thought for a moment, his face darkening. "They're targeting me. Friends of those ANBU from before, right?"
"Right." Sunny offered a bitter smile. "I warned you, Thunder. We're all comrades here. We see each other every day. We should be watching each other's backs."
Qianyu snorted. Comrades? A bunch of cowards who shrink from danger the moment it appears. You think you can count on them when shit hits the fan?
"The ones who started it… they probably have some backing, don't they?" Qianyu asked, already guessing the answer.
Sunny nodded. "Yeah. Big clan kids. Hyūga, Inuzuka, Aburame, Akimichi."
"Four against two? Those motherfuckers have no shame!" Qianyu's anger exploded. He didn't care that he was in the middle of the ANBU headquarters lobby. Pure white paper wings unfurled from his back, and he shot towards the training grounds.
"Thunder! You just got reprimanded by the Hokage! Don't be impulsive! Peace! Seek peace!" Sunny shouted desperately at Qianyu's retreating figure, unable to keep up with his flight.
"Don't worry. I know how to hold back."
Qianyu's voice floated back from the distance. Sunny breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew, if you're holding back, then… Wait. Hold back? Hold back?!"
A visible wave of terror washed over Sunny. When this guy "held back," would anyone be left standing?!
…
ANBU Training Grounds.
Four ANBU ninja moved with coordinated precision, trapping Nawaki and Old Man Gen between them, launching a relentless assault. A crowd of onlookers cheered them on.
Anyone who made it into the ANBU was no weakling. And these four were from major clans. If not for Old Man Gen holding the line, Nawaki would have been flattened long ago.
Truth be told, Gen was fighting with one hand tied behind his back. His expertise lay in killing techniques. Holding back against "comrades" cut his effectiveness by a third.
"Phantom Sword Technique: Konoha-Style Weeping Willow!"
But an old master was still an old master. Gen spotted an opening. His blade flashed, coming to rest against his opponent's neck.
"Alright, that's enou— Agh!"
Just as Gen was about to call an end to this pointless fight, the ninja with the blade at his throat narrowed his eyes. He exploited Gen's reluctance to injure, closing the distance in a blur. A cheap shot. No honor.
"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Pressure Points!"
The Hyūga ANBU's hands became a blur, striking several of Gen's major chakra points. The flow of chakra within the old man hit a wall. His body went rigid, then slumped to the ground.
"Old Man Gen!"
Distracted, Nawaki took a full-force hit from the Akimichi's Expansion Jutsu. His ability to fight back vanished. As he fell, Nawaki gritted his teeth against the pain and threw himself over Gen's paralyzed form, shielding the old man with his own body.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The other three had stopped. But the Hyūga ANBU kept going. Fists and feet slammed into Nawaki's prone body.
"You were pretty fucking arrogant earlier! Where's that bravado now?" the Hyūga snarled, face twisted. "I hate pricks like you, clan heirs. Acting all high and mighty every damn day! Shit!"
These hard-headed Hyūga branch family members, when they lost it, wouldn't even hesitate to strike their own main family—just look at Hyūga Neji. Beating up a fallen scion of the Senju? Zero pressure.
The other three ANBU frowned slightly. Their intention had just been to teach these newcomers a lesson. It wasn't like Tsunade would storm the ANBU over a minor scuffle.
But this Hyūga going rabid dog wasn't part of the plan. Not that anyone stepped in to stop him.
The Inuzuka ANBU even looked down his nose and spoke. "Go back and tell that 'Thunder' on your team. Tell him to learn some manners. He should—"
Whoosh!
Before he could finish, a blur shot past his field of vision, headed straight for the Hyūga. His expression shifted to one of shock.
So fast!
The Hyūga pounding on Nawaki jolted in alarm. With his Byakugan's help, he managed to twist his body, barely raising his arms in a cross-block.
"Strong Fist!"
The figure's punch tore through the air with a sound like a dragon's roar. The Hyūga's face changed. The force transmitted through his arms was monstrous. It blasted straight through his guard, shattering bone and pulverizing organs.
BOOM!
It was like being hit by a speeding carriage. He spun through the air several times before crashing to the ground in a heap. His arms were wrapped around each other like limp noodles. He lay motionless. Alive or dead? Unclear.
"Haaah…"
Only after punching the man to the brink of death did Qianyu retract his fist and let out a long, slow breath.
Just as he'd told Sunny earlier, he always knew how to hold back. As long as they weren't actually dead, he could always patch them up later.
And the worse they were hurt, the better the reward he'd get.
"Well? You wanted to lecture me about manners?"
Qianyu's gaze swept over the fallen forms of Nawaki and Gen. The fury in his heart burned hotter.
He snapped his head towards the three horrified ninja. His voice was ice. "I'm here now. Say it to my face."
"Thunder, we were just—" The Aburame ANBU, the most level-headed of the trio, began to explain.
But his Inuzuka and Akimichi companions had already lost their patience. They charged.
"Enough talking! We'll just take him down too!"
"Exactly! Who does he think he is? So what if he's got some skill!"
He saw his companions charge. The Aburame sighed inwardly. He had no choice but to follow.
"Four Legs Technique: Fang Passing Fang!"
The Inuzuka ANBU channeled chakra to his limbs, dropping to all fours like a beast. He and his giant ninja hound transformed into twin whirlwinds, crashing towards Qianyu.
"Expansion Jutsu: Cannon Fist!"
The Akimichi ANBU's arm shot out, elongating. His clenched fist swelled to the size of a manhole cover. Coordinating with the Inuzuka's assault, it swung lethally towards Qianyu from the opposite flank.
THOOM!
The distance was short. Qianyu had no time to dodge. The attacks from the Inuzuka and Akimichi arrived in the blink of an eye, landing on him simultaneously with a dull, heavy impact.
"Tch. Thought he was something special. That was eas— SHIT!!"
Just as the two thought they'd connected, the dust cleared. They looked. There was no sign of Qianyu on the ground. Only a pile of yellow sand.
"You two! Above you!"
The Aburame ANBU released a dense cloud of insects. With a wave of his hand, the swarm surged upward like a black tidal wave, engulfing Qianyu who had suddenly appeared in the air.
"Gyaaaaah!"
Qianyu's figure was instantly swallowed by the insects. A piercing scream echoed. Paper scraps fluttered down like snow.
"Whew. Good thing you're here, Bugs. Otherwise we'd have been—"
Woof! Woof!
Just as the Inuzuka ANBU sighed in relief and thanked his companion, his ninja hound at his side started barking frantically at the ground beneath their feet.
"No way…?!"
"Bingo. Thank your dog."
Qianyu's figure erupted from the earth. His right hand transformed into a chakra scalpel. Before the Inuzuka's disbelieving eyes, it plunged deep into his chest.
The truth was, the moment the two had attacked, Qianyu had already burrowed underground. He'd left a Sand Clone and a Paper Clone on the surface as decoys.
Qianyu had intended to take out the Aburame first. Who knew the damn dog would sniff him out? Fine. He'd start with its master, then.
"Ghk… Gkh…"
Blood fountained from the Inuzuka's mouth. He couldn't speak. His body stiffened, then toppled backwards.
"You bastard! Expan—"
Seeing his comrade fall, the Akimichi's eyes turned red. He tried to charge. A paper blade pierced his chest a second later.
Shlick.
After dealing with the two, Qianyu didn't linger. He pushed off the ground with his toes, leaping into the air and evading the furious lunge of the ninja hound.
"Lava Release: Scorching Stream Rock!"
Mid-air, Qianyu twisted slightly. He spewed forth a torrent of searing, molten rock of staggering scale. It blotted out half the sky, effortlessly intercepting the incoming insect swarm.
Sizzle… Sizzle… Ssss…
Insects slammed into the wall of magma. They were instantly carbonized, raining down like black snow.
"Where is he?! WHERE?!"
While the Aburame ANBU, eyes bloodshot, frantically searched for Qianyu, his target had already materialized behind him. A knife-hand strike connected with the back of his neck.
Thud.
The Aburame collapsed. With that, all four ANBU who had laid hands on Nawaki and Gen had been dealt with by Qianyu alone. And all of them were in a state of uncertain survival.
The previously raucous training grounds fell into a dead silence.
Qianyu's overwhelming strength and ruthless methods had cowed every ANBU present.
Those who had been jeering and cheering moments ago now shut their mouths tight. Their gazes towards Qianyu were a mix of shock and raw fear.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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