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The towering trees of the dense forest cast long shadows over the battlefield, but Daichi Uzumaki stood calmly in the clearing. Before him were three Sand shinobi, their confident smirks betraying their belief that the fight would be a swift and easy victory. Daichi, however, knew better. He could feel the power surging through his large chakra reserves. They had no idea what they were up against.

The first of his opponents, a tall man with a deep scar running across his face, held a kunai at the ready. His two comrades, a kunoichi with spiked hair and a stocky man with bandages wrapped around his arms, eyed Daichi carefully, circling him like predators. They underestimated him, and Daichi knew it. The air was thick with tension, but Daichi didn't feel the slightest bit of fear. In fact, a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Three on one, huh?" Daichi said, cracking his knuckles. "You really should've brought more."

The scarred shinobi sneered. "You're outnumbered, kid. Make it easy on yourself and surrender now."

Daichi's smirk widened as he clapped his hands together. "Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he shouted. A puff of smoke exploded around him, and in an instant, five identical clones of Daichi appeared, spreading out in formation.

The three Sand shinobi tensed as the battlefield suddenly shifted in Daichi's favor. Their earlier cockiness vanished as they realized they weren't dealing with a single opponent anymore.

"Clones won't save you," the kunoichi spat, her eyes narrowing.

"They don't need to," Daichi replied coolly.

Without wasting another moment, the scarred shinobi lunged forward, kunai in hand. Two of Daichi's clones intercepted him, their fists meeting his blade with a sharp clang. He grunted, taken aback by the speed and precision of the clones. His kunai slashed through the air, but Daichi's clones moved in perfect harmony, parrying his strikes and forcing him back.

The kunoichi rushed forward, aiming her kunai at one of the clones. She expected it to dissipate easily, but the clone dodged her attack with surprising agility. Before she could react, the clone's fist connected with her midsection, sending her stumbling back. Another clone followed up with a kick to her side, driving her toward the trees.

The stocky shinobi roared in frustration and charged, his fists slamming into the ground with raw strength. The earth shook under the impact, and two of Daichi's clones were dispelled in a puff of smoke. The man grinned, but his triumph was short-lived as Daichi quickly formed another hand seal, replenishing the lost clones.

"You'll have to try harder than that," Daichi said, his voice calm despite the chaos around him.

The battle was already tilting in Daichi's favor. His clones moved swiftly, overwhelming the Sand shinobi with coordinated attacks. Every time a clone was dispelled, Daichi replaced it without hesitation, using his vast chakra reserves to maintain constant pressure.

The scarred shinobi, his breath coming in ragged gasps, growled as he parried another punch from one of Daichi's clones. "How much chakra does this kid have?" he muttered, frustration creeping into his voice.

"Enough to keep this going as long as I need to," Daichi responded, his real body moving fluidly between his opponents.

Forming a quick series of hand seals, Daichi inhaled deeply. "Water Release: Wild Water Wave!" he shouted, sending a torrent of water from his mouth that crashed toward the Sand shinobi, uprooting trees and sweeping debris along with it.

The scarred shinobi leaped into the trees to avoid the wave, while the kunoichi rolled out of its path, barely escaping. The stocky shinobi planted his feet and braced against the wave, but even he was pushed back, struggling to stay on his feet.

"You're tough," Daichi admitted as he surveyed the battlefield. "But not tough enough."

His clones moved in again, engaging the Sand shinobi in close combat. Daichi himself targeted the kunoichi, slipping past her defenses with ease. His fists landed blow after blow, each strike precise and brutal. She attempted to counter, but Daichi was too fast, ducking under her attacks and driving his knee into her gut. She gasped, doubling over, her eyes wide in shock.

"You shouldn't have come after me," Daichi said coldly. Without hesitation, he delivered a final, devastating punch to her throat. Her eyes widened in horror as the blow crushed her windpipe. She collapsed to the ground, choking on blood, her body convulsing as she struggled to breathe. In moments, she was dead.

The scarred shinobi, still fending off two of Daichi's clones, saw his comrade fall and cursed under his breath. He realized now that this wasn't just a fight—they were being systematically hunted down.

"You bastard!" he shouted, slashing wildly at the clones. He managed to dispel one, but Daichi immediately replaced it, and the assault continued unabated.

Meanwhile, the stocky shinobi roared in anger, his fists swinging with reckless abandon. He managed to smash through two more clones, but the effort left him exposed. Daichi darted in, delivering a rapid series of punches to his side. The man grunted, trying to retaliate, but Daichi was already moving.

With a swift motion, Daichi formed another set of hand seals. "Water Release: Water Bullet Jutsu!"

A sphere of water shot from Daichi's hand, slamming into the stocky shinobi's chest. The impact sent him flying backward, crashing into a tree with a sickening crunch. Blood spurted from his mouth as he collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

Daichi stepped forward, his expression unreadable as he approached the fallen shinobi. "This is the end for you."

With a swift, decisive motion, Daichi drove a kunai into the man's chest, piercing his heart. The stocky shinobi's body went limp, his eyes glazing over as his life faded away.

The scarred shinobi, now the last one standing, looked around in horror as his comrades lay dead at Daichi's feet. His chest heaved with exertion, and he realized there was no way out. Daichi's clones closed in, their eyes cold and unrelenting.

Desperation took hold, and the scarred man charged at Daichi, screaming in rage. But Daichi was already prepared. As the shinobi drew close, Daichi sidestepped his attack and plunged his kunai into the man's throat. Blood sprayed from the wound as the man gurgled, collapsing to his knees, his hands clutching at his throat in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding.

Daichi watched silently as the life drained from his opponent's eyes. The scarred shinobi collapsed to the ground, motionless.

The forest was quiet, save for Daichi's labored breathing. He stood over the bodies of the three Sand shinobi he had just defeated, his chest rising and falling heavily from the intensity of the battle. His kunai dripped with blood, and his chakra reserves, though vast, were now somewhat depleted. Daichi allowed himself a brief moment of satisfaction. He had won.

But he hadn't realized that the real threat was still out there.

Aiko, the Jonin who had fled the battlefield on her husband's orders, had circled back after losing Sakumo's pursuit. Her husband, Kento, had died buying her time, and now, filled with a vengeful rage, she had one clear goal: strike back. She had watched Daichi fight, carefully hidden in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. Now, with Daichi distracted and worn from the fight, she saw her chance.

From the treetops, Haruto, Shisui, and Sakumo were racing toward Daichi's location. They had finished their own battles, and when they sensed Daichi's chakra in the distance, they knew something was wrong. But as they neared, Haruto's eyes widened. He could feel another chakra signature nearby—one that didn't belong to the fallen enemies.

"Daichi, behind you!" Haruto shouted, his voice filled with urgency.

But it was too late.

From the shadows, Aiko leapt forward, her eyes burning with hatred. With a swift, deadly motion, she drove a shuriken into Daichi's chest, her attack precise and merciless. The sound of the impact cut through the forest like a blade, and Daichi gasped in shock.

The shuriken struck deep, burying itself in his chest, and Daichi staggered forward, clutching the wound. Blood began to seep through his fingers, and he dropped to his knees, his strength rapidly leaving him. His vision blurred, and his breath came in ragged gasps as the cold sensation of death crept into his body.

Haruto, Shisui, and Sakumo were still too far away, racing through the trees with desperate speed, but they knew they couldn't make it in time. Haruto's heart sank, his voice breaking as he called out. "Daichi!"

Shisui's world slowed to a crawl. His eyes locked on Daichi, and for a single moment, he felt everything else fade away. He could see the blood pouring from Daichi's chest, the life draining from his friend's eyes. Daichi, his comrade—no, his friend—was dying before his very eyes. The sheer agony of the moment pierced through him like a blade.

Shisui's heart clenched, and a deep, powerful pain surged through his chest. His Sharingan was already active, but the overwhelming grief and anger coursing through him ignited something deeper. His single tomoe spun violently, fueled by the intensity of his emotions. The pain of watching Daichi, his dear friend, fall in battle triggered the evolution of his Sharingan.

The single tomoe quickly gave way to two, and then, with one final surge of emotion, the third tomoe appeared in both of Shisui's eyes, completing the full Sharingan.

Shisui's vision sharpened, the world becoming painfully clear. He saw every movement in precise detail—the way Aiko shifted her weight, the flicker in her eyes as she prepared for another strike, the way her muscles tensed. But Shisui was faster now. Much faster.

With a flash of speed, Shisui vanished from his position, his body flickering forward with blinding speed, enhanced by his newly awakened three-tomoe Sharingan. By the time Aiko realized what was happening, it was too late.

Shisui appeared behind her, his tanto already drawn. He didn't hesitate. His blade, infused with the clarity and precision of his Sharingan, cut through the air with lethal intent. In one fluid motion, he slashed across her throat, severing it cleanly.

Aiko's eyes widened in shock, her hands instinctively flying to her throat as blood poured from the wound. She staggered, her body convulsing as she collapsed to the ground. She tried to speak, but only a gurgling sound escaped her lips as her life drained away. A few moments later, her body went still, her life snuffed out in an instant.

Shisui stood over her lifeless form, his chest heaving, his three-tomoe Sharingan spinning slowly as he took in the aftermath. His hands trembled slightly, the weight of the moment finally catching up to him. He had killed her with ease, but it hadn't brought him any satisfaction. Daichi… Daichi was…

Haruto and Sakumo finally arrived, skidding to a halt beside Daichi's collapsed form. Haruto dropped to his knees, his hands trembling as he reached out to his fallen comrade. Daichi's breathing was shallow, each breath more labored than the last. The shuriken was still lodged in his chest, and blood soaked the ground beneath him.

"Daichi…" Haruto's voice cracked, his eyes wide with disbelief. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. His friend—his teammate—was dying.