"We're not trash! Don't act like you're the only hero here!" Kiba barked, flashing a fierce grin. "We're partners, remember?"
Hayate exhaled softly, a hint of relief and pride flickering in his eyes. "Yeah… partners, huh?" He smiled faintly, then raised his voice. "Alright then—let's go together!"
"Kiba, take the one on the left. I'll handle the one on the right! Hinata—cover us with your Byakugan!"
"Got it!"
Kunai gripped tight, Hayate vanished in a flicker of light—his Body Flicker Technique activating. In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind the left Grass-nin and swung his blade toward the man's neck.
But this enemy was no ordinary shinobi. Anyone chosen by Orochimaru to accompany him had to be skilled beyond measure. The Grass-nin reacted instantly, drawing a short sword in a fluid motion and clashing against Hayate's kunai.
Clang!
Sparks flew.
"Now's my chance!" Hayate thought—But before he could follow through, the Grass-nin's eyes gleamed. With the dagger pressing against Hayate's kunai, he twisted his body and kicked hard toward Hayate's stomach.
The strike never landed.
Hayate's Body Flicker reactivated in the instant before impact, his form blurring as he reappeared behind his opponent. The Grass-nin, having overextended, stumbled forward with no footing.
Now! Hayate's eyes sharpened. He drove his kunai straight for the man's back—
—but a sudden blur cut across his vision.
Another Grass-nin—the second one—shot forward like a whirlwind, landing a flying kick that knocked Hayate's kunai clean out of his grasp. The man didn't stop, using the momentum to rush to his partner's side.
"Tch!" Hayate cursed under his breath. "There's too much of a gap between Kiba's strength and theirs… he's being toyed with!" Rage flared in his chest as he glanced at Kiba, whose attacks were easily deflected.
The first Grass-nin smirked, spinning his dagger idly. "That Body Flicker Technique of yours—pretty impressive. Guess it's true you're the one who managed to injure Lord Orochimaru."
"Hmph!" Hayate scowled, preparing another flicker. But before he could move—
"Hayate! Behind you!" Hinata's voice rang out.
"Huh—?"
He turned just in time to see the Grass-nin from before leaping high into the air, sword raised, aiming straight for his head.
A shadow clone? When—!?
Reacting instinctively, Hayate released his kunai, hurling it behind the airborne attacker. The Grass-nin had no time to dodge—and then—
Thud!
Another figure suddenly jumped in front of the airborne ninja, taking the kunai straight through the chest.
Puff—!
A burst of white smoke.
A clone! Hayate realized. Then the one in the air just now… was it the real body, or another clone? The earlier resistance might've been a feint… is the real one still hiding?
"Hinata!" Hayate called in a low voice. "Can you see him?"
Hinata's Byakugan flared. "No one else nearby! That one in the air—it's the real body!"
Hayate's gaze hardened. "In that case…"
He thrust out his hand. "Great Spiraling Sphere!"
A radiant golden sphere of condensed chakra roared to life in his palm, spinning with divine force. The ground beneath him cracked from the pressure.
"Go to hell!"
In a flash, Hayate flickered forward—appearing right beside the airborne Grass-nin—and slammed the colossal Rasengan toward him.
"At this range… you can't escape!"
"Lightning Release: Lightning Palm!" one of the Grass-nin shouted, his hand bursting with electric light.
"Earth Release: Earth Wall!" the other added, slamming his palms to the ground.
But the Great Spiraling Sphere was an A-rank technique—pure destructive force compressed into spinning chakra. The hastily raised earth wall crumbled instantly under its pressure.
Boom!
The Rasengan tore through the barrier like paper and struck the Grass-nin full on.
"Impossible—!" The man's eyes widened as his body was consumed by the spiraling force, crushed into the ground with a deafening explosion.
Smoke and dust filled the air.
The second Grass-nin barely flinched. Without a flicker of emotion, he twisted his lightning-charged hand and lunged forward.
"Since that's how it is—!"
Shhhh—!
Hayate turned too late. The man's Lightning Palm speared through him.
"Ugh—Aghhhh!!!" Hayate screamed, blood spraying as the electric current seared through his arm. His right hand went limp, and he fell to one knee, clutching it with his left. Pain exploded through his mind like a thousand needles.
"Brother Hayate!!!" Hinata's voice broke into a sob—not only from his scream, but because the Grass-nin's glowing hand was still driving forward, aiming for his heart.
Pchhk!
The strike landed—but not on Hayate.
Warm blood splattered across his face.
The hand piercing through the air had gone through someone else.
Kiba.
"AHHH!!!" Kiba roared, twisting his body with every ounce of strength left in him. He gripped his kunai and slashed it across the Grass-nin's throat.
Slash!
The enemy fell, eyes wide, as the electric current still flickered from his limp hand, flesh sizzling and smoking.
"Kiba…?" Hayate stared blankly at the arm that had just gone through his partner's body. "Why… why would you—"
"Because…" Kiba coughed, blood dripping from his lips. He dropped his kunai, managing a weak grin. "Because we're… partners."
"NO!"
Hinata fell to her knees, trembling, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Kiba—!"
"Arf…" Akamaru whimpered softly, nudging Kiba's shoulder with his nose.
Kiba smiled faintly, his voice weakening. "Akamaru… Hinata… I'm… so tired. I just… wanna sleep… yeah…" His eyelids fluttered. "I just wanted… to be with you guys a little longer…"
"No… no, no!" Hayate's chest tightened, his vision blurring with rage and grief. Damn it… there has to be a way!
"System!" he shouted in his mind. "Exchange a Life Elixir—now!"
Ding!
"20 Universal Points consumed. Life Elixir obtained."
A small, glowing vial materialized in his palm. Without hesitation, Hayate knelt beside Kiba and pressed it to his lips.
"Drink it. Please…"
The moment the potion touched Kiba's tongue, it melted instantly, releasing waves of vibrant life energy that rippled through his body.
Hayate gently pulled his hand free from Kiba's wound and watched in awe as the gaping hole began to close—skin knitting together, flesh restoring at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"W–what… what's happening…?" Kiba gasped, blinking in disbelief as color returned to his face.
Hinata lifted her tear-streaked face, eyes wide. "Kiba…! You're alive—!"
Hayate smiled faintly, his voice soft but filled with relief. "Heh… since we're partners, I'm not letting you die that easily."
And somewhere deep inside his heart… the image of Suzune's gentle smile flickered—like a warm light guiding him through the storm.