Chapter 5: Unscheduled Interruption and Unexpected Displays
The air around Hinata Hyūga seemed to hum with polite bewilderment. Izumi's "beautiful, all-seeing spring" compliment had landed with the subtle grace of a thrown kunai. She bowed slightly, a faint blush still dusting her cheeks. "Thank you, Izumi-san," she managed, her voice soft. "Your... observation is kind."
Before Izumi could stammer out another tree-related pickup line, Kushina was suddenly at his side, her arm linked through his. Her smile was wide, almost blinding. "Izumi-kun is just full of compliments for talented kunoichi, isn't he?" she chirped, her eyes sparkling, but with a subtle warning for him to get it together. "He's always saying how impressive the Byakugan is! We were just discussing, actually, how valuable such clarity of vision would be for Konoha's future."
Hinata's gaze shifted between them, her initial surprise giving way to a more guarded, though still polite, expression. "Indeed. The Byakugan is a core asset of the Hyūga clan."
["Host's current partner: excellent damage control. Suggest cementing the connection with an invitation. Casual setting recommended."]
"Oh, absolutely!" Izumi blurted out, remembering the System's prompting. "We were just heading to Ichiraku for some more ramen – would you care to join us, Hinata-san? My treat."
Hinata hesitated, glancing towards her training grounds. "I... I appreciate the offer, Izumi-san, Kushina-san. But I should continue my practice."
Just as Izumi was about to fumble for another line, a shrill, piercing scream cut through the peaceful afternoon. It was followed by a cacophony of shouts and the splintering crash of wood from the market district, less than a block away. The sudden shift in atmosphere was palpable; the casual chatter of villagers ceased, replaced by a tense silence.
"What was that?!" Kushina snapped, her playful demeanor vanishing instantly, replaced by a warrior's intensity. Her hand instinctively went to a kunai pouch.
Izumi's Enhanced Visual Acuity flared. He didn't just hear the sounds; he saw the chaos unfolding in vivid detail even through the intervening buildings. A hulking, grotesque figure, seemingly made of mud and warped roots, was tearing through the market stalls, its single glowing eye sweeping for targets. It was clearly a rogue ninja, or perhaps a summon, corrupted by some dark jutsu, and it was indiscriminately attacking civilians.
"Something's attacking the market!" Izumi yelled, already moving. "Looks like some kind of earth-style monster!"
Hinata's Byakugan snapped on, confirming his words. Her face tightened with resolve. "I see it too! Civilians are caught in the crossfire!"
Without another word, all three shinobi sprang into action. Izumi, with his newly awakened Senju Physique, felt a raw, invigorating power surge through him. He was faster, stronger, his movements more fluid and efficient than ever before. He shot ahead, Kushina a blur of red beside him. Hinata, though slightly behind, was already forming hand signs.
They burst into the market square. The creature, perhaps a rogue earth-style user fused with some kind of grotesque plant golem, was monstrous. Its limbs were thick, sinewy roots, its body a mass of compacted earth and wood. It swung a massive, makeshift club of shattered timber, sending villagers scattering and stalls erupting into splinters.
"Stay back, civilians!" Kushina roared, pulling out a handful of explosive tags and flinging them towards the monster's legs, forcing it to stagger.
Izumi didn't hesitate. This was his chance to test his power, to use it for what it was meant: protection. He slammed his palms onto the ground. Chakra flowed, raw and green, into the earth.
"Wood Style: Four-Pillar House Jutsu!" he roared, but instead of just a house, massive, gnarled wooden pillars erupted from the ground around the monster, not forming a cage but striking at its limbs, forcing it to reel back. It wasn't the refined technique of Hashirama, but it was potent, brute force, backed by his incredible chakra reserves.
The creature shrieked, a sound of grinding stone and tearing timber, and swung its club wildly at Izumi. He dodged, the sheer force of the blow pulverizing the ground where he'd stood moments before.
"Izumi-san, above!" Hinata called, her Byakugan activated, pinpointing the monster's weak spots. Her gentle fist struck, a precise blow to a vital chakra point in the creature's back, causing a minor fissure in its earthy hide.
"Good hit, Hinata-san!" Izumi acknowledged. He slammed his hands together. "Wood Style: Wood Golem Jutsu!" he tried, but it wasn't a full golem. Instead, a massive, crude wooden fist erupted from the ground beneath the monster, uppercutting it with immense force. The creature bellowed, thrown off balance, and its arm, where Hinata had struck, began to crack.
Kushina, ever the strategist, saw her opening. "Now, Izumi-kun! Finish it!" She channeled chakra, her Uzumaki chains briefly flickering into existence around her, binding one of the monster's legs.
["Host's current partner: exceptional support. Finalizing blow will yield experience points. Recommend 'Wood Style: Cutting Sprigs' for clean execution."]
Izumi didn't need the System's prompting. He felt the sheer, raw power of his Senju Sage Mode begin to subtly flow, drawing in natural energy even without formally entering the state. He focused. From the ground, sharp, spear-like wooden branches shot upwards, piercing the monster's vulnerable points, the cracks Hinata had made, and the areas Kushina's tags had weakened. The creature spasmed, letting out a final, gurgling roar as the wooden spikes erupted through its form. Its body dissolved, crumbling into mud, roots, and chunks of shattered wood.
A heavy silence descended upon the market. Civilians, who had been cowering, slowly emerged, staring wide-eyed at the wreckage, and at the last Senju standing amidst it, breathing heavily, but unharmed.
Kushina rushed to Izumi, throwing her arms around him. "Izumi-kun! That was amazing! You actually used Wood Style! And it was... terrifyingly good!"
Hinata approached cautiously, her Byakugan deactivated, her expression a mix of awe and bewilderment. "Izumi-san... that was Mokuton. Are you... a descendant of the First Hokage?"
Izumi managed a weak smile, still catching his breath. "Something like that. A very, very distant one, apparently." He glanced at Kushina, who gave him a discreet, approving nod.
["Host's performance: Excellent. Public display of power: highly effective for clan prestige. First impression on Hyūga target: Positive. Chakra Doubling timer: Initiating."]
Izumi's eyes widened, his blush returning with a vengeance. He mentally shrieked at the System, but it was too late. He could feel the familiar surge, his chakra reserves swelling, doubling from their already enormous capacity. He nearly staggered.
"Are you alright, Izumi-san?" Hinata asked, noticing his sudden pallor.
"Just... a bit of chakra exhaustion," Izumi lied smoothly, trying to compose himself. He looked at the wreckage, then at Kushina's triumphant grin, and finally at Hinata, whose admiration was clear. This was going to be a wild ride. The action was already here, and the "many children" part felt more imminent than ever. His destiny, complete with a perverted System and an overly enthusiastic girlfriend, was truly beginning.