Chapter 75:- Mock battle

As dawn broke, Kenshin, Akane, Maki, and Kana were already gathered at the training grounds. The sky was painted with hues of orange and pink as they stretched and prepared for the upcoming challenge.

Yuki arrived shortly after, her usual confident expression in place. "Morning, you guys. I hope you're ready."

Kana, looking a little less nervous after the pep talk the previous night, gave a half-hearted salute. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Yuki smirked. "Good. You're going to need it. Your opponents are already here."

From behind her, Asuma Sarutobi walked in with a cigarette between his lips, followed closely by Team 10—Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji.

Asuma's laid-back demeanor belied the strength of his team. They were casual, but the way they moved suggested confidence.

"Yo, nice to meet you guys," Asuma greeted, glancing over Kenshin's group. "I hope you've got a good strategy worked out."

Kana smiled nervously but didn't respond, her mind already racing as she sized up their opponents. Kenshin noted the brief eye contact between her and Ino—just a polite nod from Ino, nothing too remarkable.

Kenshin's mind, however, buzzed with thoughts. 'Shikamaru Nara… He's troublesome. He could predict all of our moves if we're not careful. Kana better not make this too straightforward, or he won't even have to break a sweat.'

Akane, meanwhile, took a step forward, clearly focused. "Shall we get started?"

Asuma nodded. "We'll give you guys a few minutes to get into position. We're ready when you are." His calm, relaxed tone was almost infuriating to Kenshin, but he knew that confidence came from years of experience.

Once the battle began, the teams separated, taking their positions across the field. Kenshin took to higher ground, activating his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan to observe the battlefield from a distance.

Akane positioned herself in the frontlines, ready for close combat but holding back her own Mangekyo Sharingan, while Kana hung back slightly, trying to strategize.

Almost immediately, Shikamaru spotted the simplicity in Kana's positioning, and Kenshin could see it too. 'Too predictable, Mom,' Kenshin thought, mentally noting how Asuma was already adjusting his team's formation based on Kana's layout. 'Simple tactics won't work against a genius.'

Sure enough, Kana's first attempts to coordinate a full-frontal assault quickly fell apart. Asuma anticipated the moves and adjusted, forcing Kana to pull her team back to regroup.

Frustration flickered across Kana's face as she called for a quick huddle. "Okay, clearly this isn't working. They're reading me too easily, cause I'm too dumb to actually think of something good." she admitted, glancing at her teammates. "I think I need help with this. What do you guys suggest?"

Kenshin crossed his arms and gave a small shrug. "Well, the problem is that you're trying to lead like a traditional team when we're not."

"Team 10 works together because they complement each other's weaknesses, but we're more individualistic." He continued, while Kana nodded, understanding his reasoning. "Trying to coordinate us like that just gives them an easy target."

Kana blinked, processing the idea. "So… we don't need a strategy? Then why on earth did I do all that studying?"

Akane nodded in agreement. "Kenshin's right. Instead of trying to predict their moves, we should force them to adapt to us. Maki and I can take out Choji quickly if we focus on him first. We'll take them out one by one."

Maki grinned, cracking her knuckles. "We've got this.

And that leaves Asuma, Shikamaru, and Ino for us," Kenshin added, glancing at Kana. "You and I will have to handle them."

"Asuma is a seasoned Jonin so he'll be a problem, but as long as I disrupt Shikamaru's shadow paralysis with my chains he won't be much of an issue in close combat." Kana added, her adamantine sealing chains appearing from her back.

"That is sick!" Maki commented, clearly impressed by the chains. "But you're right, Kana-san. Or should I say sensei?. Ino isn't a close fighter so if you don't give her time to use mind transfer then she's also a non factor."

Kana nodded. "Alright, we'll split up the fight. Let's go with that."

The battle resumed, and this time, the shifts in tactics were obvious. Akane and Maki charged toward Choji. They used their superior speed and close-combat skills to keep him on the back foot, preventing him from using his full strength.

Meanwhile, Kenshin and Kana moved together, targeting Asuma, Shikamaru, and Ino. Kenshin watched for openings with his EMS, while Kana used her adamantine chains to defend against shadow possession attempts.

The battle became more evenly matched, but despite their efforts, Team 10's coordination held strong.

'Asuma isn't going all out, as expected of a seasoned Jonin. But nevertheless, Shikamaru is still a threat if he get motivated. And Ino isn't doing much.' Kenshin thought, engaging Asuma in close combat alongside Kana.

Just as the fight reached its peak, Ino saw an opening. She quickly weaved her hand seals, casting Mind Transfer Jutsu aimed at Kenshin. The jutsu connected, and Kenshin froze in place, his body under Ino's control.

Or so she thought.

Inside Kenshin's mind, Ino found herself in a strange room, unlike anything she'd ever seen before. The walls were metallic, and the space was filled with strange lights and controls, almost like the control room of a ship—though she couldn't recognize the technology.

Before she could react, a voice echoed through the room.

"Ino Yamanaka, man, you're incredible. I didn't think anyone could break in here with just Mind Transfer Jutsu. It's almost like, you transferred your soul and not just consciousness."

Ino spun around, her eyes wide with shock. "W-What is this place…?" Ino's breath hitched as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. "Where… am I?"

Kenshin appeared in front of her. But this one was different, his black hair and dark aura even more unsettling up close.

He smiled warmly, but the oppressive energy he emitted made her skin crawl. "You're inside his mind—our mind, I suppose. This is where I reside. A place the other Kenshin has no knowledge of."

Ino narrowed her eyes. "You… You're a separate personality?"

Kenshin shook his head. "No. We're two equal souls, cohabiting the same body. But only one of us can be in control, and as you've already met, that idiot is usually in the driver's seat."

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