Haruto noticed one of the life cards emitting a faint glow on the shelf, the paper wrinkled and fading — a clear sign that the person it belonged to was in danger.
"This is… Ino's life card!" Haruto's expression changed. Without hesitation, he shot out of the golden egg shop, flying like a meteor toward the direction indicated by the card.
Hokage Building.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood silently before the wide window, smoking his pipe, deep in thought. Suddenly, he saw a bright streak in the sky shooting across the horizon.
"That's…!"
His pipe nearly dropped from his mouth.
That wasn't just a streak of light — that was a person!
Flying?!
"Did that guy Ōnoki sneak into the village?!" Hiruzen frowned. The first person that came to his mind was the Tsuchikage — a certain big-nosed old man known for his flying jutsu.
But just as he was about to order the Anbu to give chase, he realized something.
"That's… the direction of the Golden Egg Shop."
Hiruzen activated his observation technique and narrowed his eyes. "So that was Haruto?"
He chuckled in relief. "I should have known. There's no one in the ninja world with that kind of speed besides him."
Ōnoki, while capable of flight, couldn't match the speed he had just witnessed. Haruto had vanished from view before Hiruzen could even blink.
"Hokage-sama!" Several Anbu members appeared behind him.
"Just now we detected an unidentified high-speed movement leaving the village. Recon is already in pursuit."
"No need," Hiruzen waved calmly. "Stand down. That was the Golden Egg Shop owner."
"Understood!" The Anbu responded quickly and withdrew.
Having visited Haruto's shop before, they weren't surprised by anything anymore. Haruto's strength had already surpassed what could be measured.
Hiruzen let out a sigh of relief.
"It seems bringing him into Konoha's leadership was indeed the right decision."
Somewhere in the capital of the Land of Fire.
A chaotic battle was underway. The open terrain was littered with corpses.
A squad of Konoha ninjas was engaged in a desperate defense, protecting a high-ranking official of the Fire Nation who had visited Konoha to oversee Chūnin Exam preparations.
All of the official's personal guards had been killed, leaving only Team 10 standing — Asuma's squad.
Near the rear of the formation, Ino crouched beside an unconscious Asuma, her hands glowing as she tried to heal his wounds while shielding the Fire Daimyō's emissary.
Shikamaru and Chōji were locked in fierce combat with dozens of enemy ninja.
Despite the enhancements they'd gained from Haruto's golden egg shop — techniques, tools, and power-ups — they were still Genin. Their lack of battlefield experience was evident.
Initially, their unfamiliar abilities caught the enemy off-guard. But after adapting, the advantage disappeared.
Now they were on the defensive.
Chōji, bolstered by Armament Haki, continued to absorb heavy blows, holding the front line. Shikamaru skirted the edges, launching Shadow Possession Jutsu when he could, protecting Ino and analyzing the battle.
"Who are these people?!" Shikamaru gritted his teeth.
Their mission was supposed to be a routine escort. So why were they being ambushed like this?
This was a confidential assignment from the Hokage — escorting the Fire Daimyō's envoy back to the capital after his inspection.
It should've been simple. So why did they fall into a trap?
The enemy had struck fast and hard, injuring Asuma early. Now the three Genin were left to fight alone.
They might have already died, had it not been for the abilities granted by the golden egg shop.
But now their tricks had been seen through.
As Shikamaru hesitated in thought, one of the enemy ninjas broke through his defense, rushing straight for Ino.
"Ino! Look out!" Chōji roared.
He tried to rush to her aid but was slashed across the back for his distraction. Blood sprayed, but he pressed on.
"Damn it… should've brought more barbecue pills…" Chōji grunted, charging forward again.
The enemy, now familiar with his technique, easily dodged. Chōji crashed headlong into a boulder, crumbling it into rubble.
"Urgh… I can't hold on…" He looked at Shikamaru through blurred eyes.
"Sorry, Shikamaru… I'm just slowing you down…"
He collapsed, unconscious.
"Chōji!" Ino turned, panic on her face.
But all she saw was a kunai flying toward her — and Shikamaru screaming her name.
"I guess… this is it…" Ino thought.
Her vines had long since been burned away. The puppet under her control had been destroyed. Her Devil Lipstick was drained. She had no chakra left.
"Shikamaru… Chōji… thank you…"
Her voice trembled.
"…and Haruto… you were really handsome when we first met…"
Two tears traced down her cheeks.
"I guess… we won't see each other again…"
Just as the kunai was about to pierce her heart—
BOOM!
A shockwave rippled through the battlefield. Dust and wind howled.
Ino opened her eyes in disbelief.
A calm, familiar voice echoed beside her.
"Looks like I made it just in time."
End of the Chapter.
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