Red Nara

The steel needles found their victim, stabbing into the arm and side of one of the attackers, who was being attacked by one of the jonin guards. Akira sped up and found himself next to the nearest opponent, and stabbed his bare heel into the center of his torso, catching a glimpse of the faceless mask on the shinobi who was literally folded in half.

After sending a couple more senbon from his pouch, Akira was about to switch to the remaining assailant when he felt the chakra sources rapidly approaching.

- More coming," one of the chunin exclaimed, breaking contact and bouncing the enemy backwards.

The jonin, who was about to help his partner finish off the remaining shinobi, stopped and in one leap was on the wall of the brothel and quickly ran up to the roof of the three-story building, taking a strategic height.

- Six," he reported briefly, casting a quick glance at his superiors.

Akira already knew that very well himself, so as soon as the shadows jumped down from the neighboring roof, he threw senbons from both hands and hurried to be on the wall, dodging the return gifts.

The six new enemies landed in front of their wounded comrades, clutching kunai in their hands, but one of them nearly fell, losing the ability to stand properly on his left leg. A metal spoke protruding just above the shinobi's knee clearly indicated the cause.

For a few moments, everyone froze in place, assessing the enemy, four against six, not counting the three wounded, but a window on the third floor and a trio in full gear jumping out of it broke the balance.

Finding that the numerical advantage was no longer on their side, one of the attackers threw something in front of him, and at the same moment the street was filled with smoke, forcing the guards below to climb to the roof.

Sensing the chakra of the enemy shinobi, Akira threw the senbon several more times, but when he found that they had picked up the wounded and were rapidly retreating, he stopped.

- They're leaving," the sensor reported, and all the guards jerked forward as one.

- Halt! Let them go," the brothel owner raised his hand.

- Boss? - The strongest jonin, who had been appointed head of security, turned to him, bewildered.

- We're just being tested," Akira replied, "Besides, if they had thrown a few kunai with explosive seals as cover instead of a smoke bomb, the Scarlet Lodge would have suffered for sure.

- But they might come again with three teams at once," the second jonin grinned, looking in the direction of the fleeing enemies, "and then it would be much harder to fight back, especially without damaging the street and the building.

- No one is going to kill the chicken that lays the golden eggs," Akira said, "it was a show of force and I suspect that three teams is not the limit.

- Except that it didn't work on us and they had to retreat," the first jonin snorted derisively as he twirled the kunai around the ring and relaxed, "what are we going to do, boss?

- Wait for the negotiator, they showed their strength, we fought back, now we'll negotiate," Kanpeki Ningyo grinned annoyingly, anticipating a hemorrhoid.

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