Naruto: The Medical Ninja

Chapter 226: Chapter 223: Hide my cards

The new team-up of Secretary Kaori and Kohinata Mukai had successfully defended themselves against the onslaught of the Jisatsu Squad. The squad had not used any big attacks again, for now.

Kohinata looked at the secretary, and thought, ”Byakugan is useless when she is covering my back. She is also using [ReflexGuard Seal] very well. I cannot reveal Byakugan here; I need to hide my cards for emergencies.”

As Kaori performed a few hand seals, Kohinata, recognising the familiar pattern, followed suit and performed a formation of hand seals of his own.

”[Fire Release:Fire Bird]!” Kaori shouted, unleashing a bird-shaped flame.

”[Wind Release: Wind Snake Jutsu]!” Kohinata shouted, channelling wind into a powerful vortex behind Kaori’s fire jutsu.

Their teamwork prepared this jutsu combination on the spot, leveraging their elemental affinities.

The wind snake consumed the firebird, transforming it into a massive, blazing inferno in the shape of an eastern dragon that swept across the battlefield.

”[Fire Dragon Jutsu]”, both shouted.

Flames and intense heat engulfed the battlefield, forcing the remaining Cloud ninjas to frantically scatter and dodge the overwhelming combined assault.

The focus shifted to Ryu discreetly observing the battle from behind the bushes, his eyes fixed on the unfolding chaos. He was a safe distance away but could still observe the magnitude of the combination jutsu.

”Whoa,” Ryu commented softly to himself, feeling a surge of admiration and respect for their teamwork. ”They are fighting really well for a first-time team-up. I should think about making this team-up a permanent one.”

Ryu watched their synchronised movements—their effortless coverage of each other’s backs. He thought, ”I guess elites and ANBU are a cut above the rest.”

The scene cut back to Kohinata and Secretary Kaori. Amidst the battlefield filled with fire and smoke from the combination jutsu, a Cloud ninja, seeing the chaos as an opportunity, tried to sneak out of the battlefield in the direction of where Ryu had escaped before, hoping to pursue the boy. But before he could get far, he was stopped.

A flying kunai, thrown with pinpoint accuracy from the swirling smoke, struck him in the leg, bringing him down with a cry of pain. Kaori was a ninja with heightened sensory abilities; sneaking away from her was difficult.

All of the enemy ninjas survived the combination jutsu. One enemy yelled at Kaminari, ”We need to eliminate these two individuals first.” If we want to chase the boy. They’re too dangerous to leave with our backs turned.”

At that moment, the [ReflexGuard Seal] around Kaori flickered violently, the hexagonal barriers wavering and momentarily disappearing. It was clear evidence of her chakra running low, the seal draining her reserves with every automatic block and sustained activation. The enemy leader, Kaminari, also noticed it instantly, his sharp eyes narrowing with a mix of satisfaction and anticipation as he observed her exhaustion, realising her vulnerability.

”They’re on their last leg! Kill them now from a distance!” Kaminari shouted.

”Use your strongest jutsu! The barrier won’t be able to hold for long, and they won’t see it coming in the smoke! Mix in a few cold weapons!” He added, remembering the seal’s weakness, and told his members

Following Kaminari’s command, they all stepped back, spreading out to launch a barrage of long-range and mid-range ninjutsu. Those without powerful elemental jutsu threw paper bombs, creating more explosions and smoke, and they also launched shuriken and kunai barrages into the raging chaos.

The renewed assault covered the entire area in smoke and dust. The barrier around Kaori was able to hold for now against the renewed wave of attacks, generating flickering shields, but from the looks of it, it could break away any time under the sustained pressure.

”Hit them again!” Kaminari shouted, pressing the attack, unwilling to let them recover.

Underneath the smoke and barrage of shuriken, kunai, paper bombs, and ninjutsu, the hexagonal barriers surrounding Kaori and Kohinata flickered under the intense assault.

Then multiple barriers around them started dimming and flickering under the intense pressure, signalling that it was only a matter of time before they would break through. Kaori and Kohinata exchanged a glance, silently communicating their resolve to hold out as long as they could against the relentless assault.

Many tiles were cracking, thin lines spreading across the energy constructs, and many were completely shattered, disappearing entirely, leaving momentary gaps.

Kaori’s chakra was nearly depleted, and Kohinata, too, lay battered and bleeding, his kunai deflecting what escaped the barrier. They knew it was the end already. They braced themselves, waiting for their deaths.

In the smoke and explosion, someone dropped from above in the centre of the chaos. Just as the last of Kaori’s barriers seemed ready to collapse, they were covered by another barrier on top of theirs.This one felt different, stronger, and more stable.

The enemy did not immediately stop the onslaught and continued the barrage for a few seconds, with attacks hitting the new shield with full force. But the new barrier held, unwavering.

When the dust and smoke cleared, the barrier was still there—a larger, multi-layered hexagonal defence encasing the two wounded Leaf ninjas. Despite the cracked and completely shattered energy tiles, the barrier had successfully absorbed the full force of the attack.

After a few more seconds, the barrier disappeared, revealing the duo still standing, battered but alive from the relentless assault.

Ryu was standing behind them. He descended onto the battlefield from above, shielded by his protective [ReflexGuard] barrier that had shielded them.

Ryu thought, ”The barrier was able to hold against that attack. It was a good idea to update the barrier. Old one would have shattered long ago.”

”You two are in bad shape,” Ryu said, his gaze sweeping over their wounded bodies.

Both Kohinata and the secretary were beyond surprised to find Ryu standing there, hale and seemingly unharmed, behind the spot where the powerful barrier had just protected them, but they were not happy about it.

They both risked their lives and fought against overwhelming odds to buy time for Ryu to escape— to get as far away from the danger as possible. And here he was, returned right back in the heart of that danger they had tried so hard to shield him from.

They were currently speechless and angry, staring at the boy standing behind them and surrounded by the enemies.

The secretary found her voice first. ”Why are you back, Boss?” she shouted, her voice strained with disbelief and concern. ”I told you to run away! You should have followed the plan and escaped.”

To which Ryu replied with the most cliché thing he could say, ”Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash!”

Inside, Ryu thought, ”Damn, it was so cringeworthy to say it out loud for real.”

Kaminari, the enemy leader, watched the scene unfold, his initial surprise turning into a cruel smirk. ”I didn’t think you would make our job this easy, kid,” he said, looking at Ryu. ”Walking right back into the trap.”

Ryu returned his gaze with a confident, almost challenging glint in his eyes. ”Easy...?” Ryu responded with a subtle change in his demeanour. ”I am here to make things difficult for you.”

For a few seconds everyone stared at Ryu in disbelief. Then everyone laughed, a harsh, mocking sound that echoed through the trees.

The idea of an academy student like Ryu posing a challenge to a squad of elite Jonin and Chunin was met with uproarious laughter, the enemies finding the situation ludicrous and absurd.

One of the enemies, a gruff-looking Jonin, spoke up through the laughter, wiping a tear from his eye, ”This kid is not afraid to die, is he?”

Ryu’s smile didn’t waver. ”Of course not,” he replied, his voice taking on a strange, knowing tone. ”I have already died once. The second time meeting my end would be like meeting an old friend.”

The statement hung in the air, a strange, unsettling declaration from a child. The enemies exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of how to respond.

Ryu looked back at Kaminari and the others, his eyes hardening. ”You guys messed with my secretary,” Ryu said, his voice carrying an unexpected weight of cold anger.

”Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a good secretary?” He gestured towards Kaori, who was still recovering her breath, wounded but standing. ”One that is efficient, mostly loyal, and,” he paused, ”willing to die for you?”

Ryu’s gaze swept over the Jisatsu Squad and continued, ”And you lot have never had to try to kill such a good secretary.”

His voice dropped, a chilling intensity in his tone. ”I don’t like it when people mess with my people.”

Everyone stared at Ryu in disbelief. And after a moment of silence, everyone laughed again, louder this time, dismissing his anger as a child’s outburst, the bravado of someone who didn’t understand the reality of the battlefield or the kind of people they were.

##PoWeR StOnEs##

Thank you ,Brian Smith, for supporting me on Patreon.

A/N: Sorry if this Chapter filled you with cringes. I first named this cringeworthyat first for that reason. In my defence, I need to use Obito’s dialogue.

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