Ninja Mentor: Pathways to Power

Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Enemy Ninjas (2)

Kenji held his hands to his lips as he and the rest of the students fled through the forest. He knew they were anxious. He was anxious himself but he had to be strong. None of the other kids were with him, he hated to admit it but if Shisui happened to be in their group he would have been many levels less scared.

But no one was coming to save them, at least not before their teacher was able to come and save them– If he would. He grimaced at the thought. He would have to step up and coral their spirits to at least hold out for as long as they can.

None of them knew the sensory ninjutsu but they maintained their roles and had several of the students on the perimeter of their group watching out for the ninja and they were quickly gaining on them.

'They... draw.... Near' A student to his right signed to him.

'Understood' He signed back.

A/N: Consider Leaving powerstones, they really help the story get seen by more people.

He whipped around to face the group. The fear on their faces was palpable. Real ninjas that could only be here to hurt them were on the way, and they were coming fast. He signed quickly 'Set... wires...' Three of the students silently got to work placing thin, almost invisible tripwires all around their position.

'Front group... On... Me' He continued 'Everyone... else... Guerilla.'

He got nods from all around the group, six of the students present hurried to any thick patches of brush they could find. They drew their chakra to themselves and hid in the darkness trying to embody the stillness their teacher had exhibited many times in their training.

The only three – including Kenji, that were waiting in the open to receive the enemy ninja were the ones that had had small breakthroughs in learning the substitution jutsu. They would take on the brunt of the attack and create opportunities for their compatriots to jump out and deal as much damage as possible before retreating once more.

"Draw your kunai, be ready." Kenji said aloud. Their silence was no longer necessary. If the group was able to track them perfectly through the forest then they would only be doing themselves a disservice trying to communicate purely through signing.

As the tense seconds passed, they waited for the ninjas to break through to their area of the forest. The tension in the air crackled like static electricity, every sense heightened as they awaited the inevitable confrontation. The forest, usually abuzz, and loud with life, seemed to hold its breath alongside them. The sound of approaching footfalls grew louder.

Then, without warning, the enemy ninjas burst through the foliage. Their movements were swift, a blur against the backdrop of green. The one leafing the charge tripped over one of the trip wires, The momentary disruption was all Kenji and his group needed.

Launching into motion, he yelled to the two students at his sides. "Now!" He yelled.

He and the others in the front group couldn't use body flicker. But their constant running through the trees and tough taijutsu conditioning made them faster than they would be otherwise.

They rushed to confront the ninjas in front of them, all of them flaring their chakra and by extension permeating the air preparing it for their subsitiotions.

Kenji, with his heart pounding in his chest, launched forward. As one ninja lunged at him with a kunai in hand, Kenji disappeared in a puff of smoke, reappearing behind him as his hand was still outstretched. His attacker, taken aback, barely had time to react before a kunai, thrown by one of Kenji's hidden classmates, grazed his arm.