"So, close combat is my only option," Fu thought, tightening his grip on his short katana. With that decision made, he stepped out from behind the tree, eyes fixed on Inoiki. To his surprise, Inoiki was still staring at the block of wood Fu had left behind with the Body Replacement Technique, seemingly unaware of Fu's real location.
Seeing an opportunity, Fu's instincts kicked in. "Perfect. Time for a sneak attack," he decided. In an instant, he activated the Body Flicker Technique, vanishing from his spot in a gust of wind. He reappeared behind Inoiki, his sword poised to strike. His goal wasn't to kill, but to incapacitate and capture Inoiki alive, as per his mission.
The sword swung down toward Inoiki's back. Fu could almost taste success—his attack seemed flawless. Inoiki didn't even flinch, still focused on the decoy. But just as Fu's blade was about to connect, something inexplicable happened. The sword froze mid-air, completely halted.
Fu's eyes widened in shock. He tried to force the sword forward, but it wouldn't budge, as if held by some invisible force.
"What's going on?" Fu thought, panic creeping in.
From ahead, Inoiki's calm voice broke the silence. "I'll admit, my sensory skills aren't honed enough to detect someone miles away," he said, his back still facing Fu. The sword twisted in Fu's grip, the sharp edge now aimed back at him. "But knowing I'm from the Yamanaka Clan, you really thought you could sneak up on me?"
The blade jerked, making a slashing gesture toward Fu. Realizing the sword was no longer under his control, Fu immediately released the hilt, backing away just in time to avoid being cut. He landed a few paces back, heart pounding as the blade hovered menacingly between them.
"Here's a lesson," Inoiki continued, his voice calm yet edged with amusement. "Even though I can't see everything, I can sense anyone within a ten-meter radius. You're fast, but not fast enough to outmatch my reaction speed."
As Inoiki spoke, he casually manipulated the sword using his Telekinesis, the very ability Fu had underestimated. The blade floated, turning in the air like a puppet on strings, under Inoiki's complete control.
"He's talking too much," Fu realized, but quickly noted that Inoiki wasn't just running his mouth. He was attacking while speaking, his Telekinesis guiding the sword with deadly precision. "He's not just a talker—he's using the distraction to keep me off balance."
Inoiki, clearly enjoying the exchange, smirked. "Villains die from talking too much? Maybe. But who says I can't talk and attack at the same time?"
The sword lunged at Fu once again, leaving no room for hesitation.
The sword sliced through the air like a bullet, aiming directly for Fu's abdomen. Reacting in the nick of time, Fu hastily pulled out a kunai, bringing it up just in time to deflect the incoming blade. Metal clanged against metal as the two weapons collided, and though Fu managed to defend himself, the sheer force of Inoiki's telekinetic strike dragged him backward, his feet sliding across the ground for nearly a meter before he could stabilize.
As Fu steadied himself, his breathing labored and his grip on the kunai trembling, he noticed Inoiki closing the distance. Fu was inching dangerously close to the edge of Inoiki's ten-meter range, the limit of both his sensory abilities and his Telekinesis. But Inoiki, keenly aware of this weakness, wasn't about to let Fu figure it out. He advanced steadily, his leisurely pace concealing the urgency to keep Fu within his sphere of control.
Breathing heavily, Fu could feel the toll of the battle weighing on him. His right hand, still gripping the kunai, trembled from the exertion. He looked up at Inoiki, who was closing in with a calm yet determined expression.
"You know," Inoiki said, a playful edge in his voice, "I've placed an order for some custom-made kunai, but they haven't been delivered yet. So, I'll be borrowing yours for now."
Fu's eyes widened in alarm. He instinctively reached for the pouch on his waist, where his remaining kunai were stored, but stopped short. He knew that any sudden movement would provoke another attack from the sword, which still hovered menacingly between them. He couldn't risk it.
Just as he hesitated, three kunai floated out from his ninja pouch, lifted effortlessly by Inoiki's Telekinesis. The moment they left the bag, the hovering sword lunged toward Fu at an incredible speed. Fu barely managed to block the blade with his kunai, but the floating kunai had already straightened and shot toward him like spears.
With no time to fully react, Fu's defenses crumbled. He deflected the sword, but the three kunai controlled by Inoiki pierced him—two in the shoulders and the third in his back. Pain shot through his body, his face contorting in agony. Yet, Fu didn't scream or make a sound. He was a ROOT ninja, trained to suppress all emotion, even in the face of unbearable pain.
In that moment, Fu knew his mission had failed. He couldn't win against Inoiki, and getting captured would only lead to more problems for Danzo. As blood trickled from his wounds, Fu made a split-second decision. With the last of his strength, he activated the Body Replacement Technique, and in an instant, his body vanished, replaced by a block of wood.
Inoiki's eyes narrowed. He had been talking and taunting Fu, but now, as the block of wood fell to the ground, he realized his prey had slipped away.
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