In the dense forest of the Land of Birds, Tengen, carrying Anko, darted through the trees, the three Iwa-nins hot on their trail.
The gap between them was shrinking.
Tengen breathed a small sigh of relief, no jounin among them. But these weren't ordinary chunin either.
Among Iwagakure's ranks, they were likely elite chunin, handpicked by Han, the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, to investigate the Third Kazekage's disappearance.
Tengen could handle one, maybe. The other two? Out of reach.
Jurin and Anko stood no chance against them.
These weren't Missing-nins but trained operatives from one of the five great villages, far tougher than the rogues they'd faced before.
Even against Missing-nins, Jurin could only manage an average chunin.
Elite chunin like these were beyond him. His Uchiha pride burned, but he wasn't suicidal.
Anko was the weakest of the trio. Tengen carried her to keep her from falling behind, as her speed would've doomed her to capture.
"Even with someone in his arms, he's faster than me." Jurin glanced at Tengen as they fled. Was this Tengen's true strength?
A prodigy rivaling Kakashi.
"This won't do." Tengen thought, his peripheral vision tracking the closing Iwa-nins, his brow furrowing.
At this rate, they'd be caught. He could escape alone by abandoning Anko and Jurin, relying on his skills.
But… a faint smirk curled his lips. If it came to it, he'd burn both Senzu Beans to take these three down.
"Tengen, put me down. Save yourself." Anko said, her voice firm in his arms. She knew if this continued, all three might die at the Iwa-nins' hands.
And Orochimaru's battle with Han was an unknown.
"What're you saying, Anko? I'm not leaving you to run off alone." Tengen said.
"Tengen." Anko's eyes shimmered with a mix of gratitude and turmoil.
Then, visible only to Tengen, the system's panel flickered to life. He needed to know what this HD signal held.
An HD video could yield something game-changing, potentially sparing his Senzu Beans, his lifelines.
Who knew when he'd get another?
Even another Dragon Ball video wouldn't guarantee the same loot; that world's rewards were too vast.
"Naruto video." Tengen noted, his gaze sharpening. "Extract now."
He hoped for something useful to tackle the pursuing ninjas.
A Mangekyo Sharingan, perhaps, could wipe them out.
[Ding! Obtained Elite Chunin Experience Pack.]
Tengen used it instantly.
A surge of potent chakra coursed through him. Ninjutsu and taijutsu techniques flashed in his mind, as if he'd lived them himself.
His chakra's growth boosted his physical prowess, his body strengthening.
This, in turn, amplified other abilities, like his Armament Haki.
The Elite Chunin Experience Pack wasn't the best, but it wasn't poor. It could turn the tide.
Tengen's combined skills now rivaled an ordinary jounin, though only just, and only with every trick unleashed.
The gap between chunin and jounin was vast.
Even as an elite chunin, Tengen faced a challenge, but these three Iwa-nins were within his grasp.
[Ding! Mission activated: Kill the three pursuing Iwa-nins. Reward: One-half standard Dragon Ball video fragment.]
"Another Dragon Ball fragment mission." Tengen said, a cold smile forming. He'd held onto the fragment from killing Suna-nin, waiting for another standard piece to fuse them.
"Now I've got no choice but to kill you." He said, his voice icy.
One against three. The odds were clear.
Tengen stopped, setting Anko down. "Jurin, take Anko and go. I'll handle them."
"Are you insane?" Jurin froze. Three elite chunin stood behind them.
"Don't worry. I'll catch up. If we keep running, they'll overtake us." Tengen said calmly.
"Let's go, Anko." Jurin turned to her.
"Tengen, I'm staying." Anko said urgently. She believed Tengen's stand meant certain death, and she'd rather die with him.
"Anko, what're you talking about? You'll only get in my way. I'd have to protect you, splitting my focus. I said I'll catch up." Tengen said evenly.
"Tengen." Anko bit her lip. His words didn't sting; she knew he meant well. Her staying would only hinder him.
"Hurry." Jurin urged, glancing back as the Iwa-nins closed in.
"Tengen, you better survive, or I'll hunt you down in the afterlife." Anko said, turning to follow Jurin as they fled.
"That's more like it." Tengen's watching them go.
"Two got away. I'll chase them." One of the Iwa-nin startled moving to pursue.
A whirlwind of force swept toward him.
"Leaf Great Whirlwind!"
Boom!
The ninja was knocked back.
"Who said you could leave?" Tengen's elite chunin chakra surged around him.
***
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