Gacha Senju: Lucky Perks, Lucky Ladies

Chapter 10: The Real Mission Begins (2)

SNAP!

A branch cracked in the distance. Then another.

Something was coming.

Kiyoshi's mind raced. We walked into a trap. The silence… the missing bodies… it's all part of it.

A shadow flickered between the trees, too fast to track. Then another.

Mikoto stiffened. "There are at least—"

They struck.

A blur of movement, and four figures erupted from the darkness, their presence suddenly snapping into reality like they had been hiding just outside existence itself.

They were fast.

One of them lunged for Kiyoshi. He barely reacted in time, twisting away as a kunai slashed inches from his throat. He countered with his own kunai—metal clashing against metal.

The impact sent a shock through his arm.

Too strong. Too precise. This wasn't just some rogue group.

Kiyoshi's gut twisted.

Three of them were borderline Chunin—dangerous, but manageable.

But their leader?

Jonin. Maybe even elite Jonin.

His blood ran cold.

Mikoto, Ryota, and I... we're Genin.

Kenshiro-sensei is strong, but against an elite Jonin…

The odds were bad.

Their chances of escaping alive were low.

Mikoto and Ryota were already engaged in their own battles.

Mikoto's Sharingan flashed as she barely dodged a strike aimed at her back. Ryota parried two incoming blades at once, his katana ringing like a chime in the night.

Kenshiro was gone.

No—

Kiyoshi spotted him mid-air, dodging an attack from an opponent moving just as fast as him.

Even their sensei was being pushed back.

Kiyoshi barely had time to process that before his own opponent smirked.

"You should have stayed in Konoha, kid."

Then—

He vanished.

No— not vanished.

Moved.

Kiyoshi barely had time to raise his arms before a kick slammed into his ribs, sending him crashing through a tree.

Pain exploded through his body.

Shit—!

He hit the ground, coughing, struggling to breathe.

The enemy didn't hesitate—they rushed him again.

Kiyoshi's mind screamed for him to move, but his body wasn't fast enough.

Then—

A blast of fire erupted between them.

The enemy skidded back, narrowly dodging the flames.

Mikoto landed beside Kiyoshi, eyes blazing.

"You're too slow," she muttered.

Kiyoshi groaned. "Thanks for the save."

"No time. Get up."

Kiyoshi forced himself to his feet, ignoring the pain. He gritted his teeth.

No more playing around.

He formed a hand seal.

"Fire Style: Flaming Palm Technique!"

Flames ignited in his hands, the heat licking at his skin.

Across from him, the enemy shinobi's smirk faltered slightly.

"That's new."

Kiyoshi smirked back. "Yeah. You'll hate it."

---

Kenshiro vs. the Leader

While the Genin fought, Kenshiro clashed blades with an opponent just as fast as him.

The enemy's face was hidden by a dark mask, but his movements were flawless—not a wasted step, not a wasted breath.

Kenshiro narrowed his eyes. "You're not rogue ninja, are you?"

The masked figure didn't answer. Instead, he lunged—lightning crackling around his blade.

Kenshiro barely dodged as the edge of the blade sliced a clean gash across his flak jacket.

He exhaled.

"So that's how it is."

Then—

Kenshiro vanished.

The masked shinobi barely had time to react before Kenshiro reappeared behind him, kunai aimed for the kill.

CLANG!

At the last second, the enemy blocked, spinning away with impossible speed.

Kenshiro smirked.

"Fine. Let's get serious, then."

---

The battle had turned against them.

Kiyoshi's breathing was ragged, his Scorching Palm still flickering weakly in his hands. His opponent's arm was burned, his movements stiffer than before—but he was still standing.

Mikoto's Sharingan flickered dangerously as she parried strike after strike, but her movements were slowing.

Ryota's katana dripped with blood—not just from his opponent, but from the gash across his own side.

And Kenshiro—

Their Jonin instructor was bleeding.

Kiyoshi saw the red staining Kenshiro's side, the way he favored one leg ever so slightly. The masked enemy leader had actually wounded him.

Sensei is hurt. We're running out of stamina. And they're not even at full strength yet.

They needed to get out.

Now.

Kiyoshi's opponent lunged forward again, kunai slicing through the air with deadly precision.

Kiyoshi barely dodged, twisting his body at the last second. His arms burned, his reaction time slower than before.

"Damn it—I'm getting tired."

His opponent smirked, sensing weakness.

"You're out of chakra, kid."

Kiyoshi gritted his teeth. He needed a way out.

He flicked his gaze toward Mikoto and Ryota—both still engaged in battle, both struggling.

Then to Kenshiro—who, despite his wound, still fought like a demon.

If I can just create an opening—

Then it hit him.

Kiyoshi took one step back, raising his hands. His opponent immediately shifted into a combat stance, preparing for another attack.

But instead—

Kiyoshi threw an explosive tag straight into the dirt between them.

BOOM!

A blast of fire and smoke erupted between them, sending dirt flying into the air. The masked shinobi instinctively leaped back to avoid the explosion—exactly what Kiyoshi wanted.

"Kenshiro-sensei!" he shouted.

Kenshiro immediately understood.

"Fall back!" Kenshiro barked, his voice cutting through the battlefield.

Mikoto and Ryota hesitated only for a second before leaping back toward Kiyoshi.

Their enemies started to pursue—

But Kenshiro moved.

With a burst of pure speed, he appeared between the two groups, slamming his hand into the ground.

"Earth Style: Rock Wall Jutsu!"

A massive slab of stone erupted from the ground, blocking their enemies from chasing them.

Kiyoshi didn't wait to see if it held.

He ran.