Naruto: Wood-Wood Fruit

"Whoosh... Whoosh..."

In the dense forest.

Two figures moved swiftly, one chasing after the other.

Before long, under what seemed to be an aimless escape, Tenzo's subtle maneuvering led them to the clearing of the Third Training Ground.

Tenzo came to a halt abruptly, his gaze lingering on the youthful man behind him. 

Even though Kiyoshi had unintentionally damaged the Hokage Rock, which would surely invite the Third Hokage's reprimand, the task assigned by the Third Hokage still had to be completed. 

Perhaps by doing so, he could make up for his mistake.

"Stopped running already?"

With his arms crossed, Kiyoshi chuckled lightly.

"Hmph, I didn't expect you'd dare chase me alone. You're as green as they come." Tenzo's voice, altered to sound husky and low, brimmed with hostility. 

He glared at Kiyoshi with a dark look.

 "Then let's see what the student of one of the Sannin can do, Ishikawa Kiyoshi!"

"If you're set on embarrassing yourself, I don't mind helping." Kiyoshi shrugged, barely bothered by Tenzo's disguise as a foreign shinobi to conceal his identity. 

"I have time to spare, after all."

The life of a ninja is far from noble. Besides the outright fighting and killing, they often perform covert tasks behind the scenes. 

From concealing their identities to taking on other personas, techniques like voice alteration are basic skills taught at the ninja academy. 

Especially for an elite in the Anbu, Tenzo would have mastered this.

"However, don't bother with that half-baked Wood Release. It'll just make a fool of you," Kiyoshi remarked casually.

Though Tenzo did indeed possess Wood Release, the Kekkei Genkai that once belonged to the First Hokage, he was the only known survivor among countless experiments involving Hashirama cell transplants, both official and those secretly conducted by Orochimaru. 

In a way, his survival could be seen as his "reward." Yet, Kiyoshi found little to be impressed by its power.

"Half-baked.?" Tenzo's pride took a hit. He had always taken pride in his Wood Release, despite knowing it was far from the First Hokage's legendary power. Still, he never intended to give up.

Over the years, he had tirelessly honed his skills. 

He didn't aim to be a great shinobi like the First Hokage, but he wanted to contribute all he could to protect Konoha, not to disappoint the Third Hokage's trust and care for him.

A brat barely out of adolescence dared to mock him and his efforts. Even a man as calm as him would be angered.

Recalling how Kiyoshi had toyed with him and damaged the Hokage Rock, Tenzo resolved to teach him a lesson.

"This brat!" 

Meanwhile, in the Third Hokage's office.

Watching them through his crystal ball, Hiruzen, though unable to hear them, could still interpret their conversation through lip-reading. 

His gaze turned curious as he focused on Kiyoshi.

It was apparent that Kiyoshi must have heard about Wood Release, the formidable ability the First Hokage once wielded to bring peace to the shinobi world. 

However, few in Konoha knew about Tenzo's existence. And yet, when Kiyoshi saw Tenzo using Wood Release, he didn't appear surprised at all.

"Could it have been Tsunade?"

However, knowing Tsunade's detachment from Konoha affairs over the years, it was unlikely she'd know of Tenzo's existence.

"Unless..."

A possibility came to mind, and Hiruzen's eyes narrowed in shock as he looked at Kiyoshi. 

"Could it be… no, impossible."

"Wood Style: Great Forest Jutsu."

Right then, fueled by Kiyoshi's condescending words, Tenzo, frustrated and determined to teach him a lesson, took action. 

With a rapid series of hand signs, his right arm sprouted numerous wooden tendrils, surging toward Kiyoshi with ferocious momentum.

But Kiyoshi's expression didn't change. 

Clenching his right hand into a fist, he swung forward without hesitation.

"Boom!"

In an instant, splinters of wood scattered in all directions. Tenzo's eyes widened in shock as Kiyoshi advanced right in front of him, a terrifying punch radiating with intense chakra aimed directly at him.

"Is this Lady Tsunade's monstrous strength?" Tenzo broke into a cold sweat, desperately retreating and forming hand signs. 

"Wood Style: Domed Wall Jutsu!"

"Boom!"

But his supposedly unbreakable wooden shield had barely emerged from the ground when it shattered as Kiyoshi's force tore through it effortlessly, completely unable to withstand his immense power.

In a flash, Kiyoshi delivered a spinning kick, slashing through the air toward Tenzo.

"Bam!" 

Tenzo barely managed to cross his arms to block the kick, yet the sheer strength left his arms numb, sending him flying like a cannonball.

"What terrifying strength!" Tenzo thought, shaken.

Before he could even touch the ground—

"What?" His eyes shrank as Kiyoshi closed in with a flicker of speed, appearing right in front of him.

"So fast—" Tenzo's face turned pale as he tried to counter, but Kiyoshi was faster. His right hand seized Tenzo's head with a firm grip, slamming him ruthlessly into the ground.

"Boom!"

The ground caved in, dust and rocks flying in all directions, leaving anyone who saw it feeling a chill.

Lying on the ground was a headless wooden clone in Tenzo's place.

"A Wood Clone, huh?" Kiyoshi raised an eyebrow with a light smile. "Not bad at escaping."

"Wood Style: Silent Strangle Jutsu!"

Out of nowhere, a massive wooden vine burst from the ground behind Kiyoshi, wrapping around him and holding him tight.

"Whew…" 

A disheveled Tenzo emerged from the earth. 

Seeing the web of cracks on the ground like a spider's web, he wiped his cold sweat in relief. "If I'd let my guard down, I might have really been killed."

"Truly the disciple of Lady Tsunade." He looked in awe at Kiyoshi, now bound by his wood technique, no longer resisting.

Tenzo felt assured of his victory. "In the end, I won."

"And what makes you think you've won?" 

Smiling, Kiyoshi asked, bound but unperturbed.

"What?"

Tenzo's confidence wavered, a feeling of unease creeping over him. His face fell as he performed the Genjutsu Release hand seal.

"Release!"

But—In the blink of an eye, he realized Kiyoshi, supposed to be meters away, was now right in front of him.

With a swift movement, a radiant blue chakra sphere had materialized in Kiyoshi's hand.

He thrust it forward, slamming it into Tenzo's chest with unyielding force.

"Boom!"

"Aah—"

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