Blood Universe

Konohagakure, Shikamaru's Office

Above the rooftops of Konoha, Shikamaru and Jack of Hearts stood amidst the chaos, the air crackling with tension. Jack hovered menacingly, a faint glow emanating from his chest as he held himself aloft with energy-based propulsion. Shikamaru's mind raced, analyzing every possible move while maintaining his calm demeanor.

Jack: "You're not much without your team, are you, strategist? All brains, no brawn."

Shikamaru: "Maybe. But brains are all I need."

Jack laughed mockingly before thrusting his hands forward, sending a volley of explosive energy blasts toward Shikamaru. The shadow-user leaped to the side, narrowly dodging the attack as the roof tiles beneath him shattered.

Shikamaru: "Tch, too fast."

He extended his shadow, trying to catch Jack's erratic movements, but the villain soared higher, staying out of range.

Jack: "You can't touch me up here, little tactician. Face it—you're out of your league."

Shikamaru clicked his tongue, frustration building. He knew he had to think three steps ahead to have any chance against someone this mobile and aggressive. He scanned the area, noting the angles of the nearby rooftops and the positioning of a few still-intact water towers.

Shikamaru (to himself): "He's too reckless. If I can bait him into overcommitting..."

Jack swooped down, unleashing a concentrated beam of energy. Shikamaru ducked behind a chimney, the structure exploding into fragments as the beam obliterated it. Using the debris as cover, he extended his shadow again, aiming for Jack's legs.

Jack dodged, laughing as he evaded the creeping shadow.

Jack: "This is pathetic! Stop wasting my time."

Shikamaru's expression remained stoic, but inside, he was pushing himself to the limit. His chakra reserves were dwindling, and Jack's energy attacks were unrelenting. Still, he noticed a pattern—Jack always paused briefly after firing his beams, likely to recharge.

Shikamaru: "Gotcha."

He baited Jack by pretending to stumble, leaving himself seemingly open.

Jack: "Finally giving up? Let me put you out of your misery."

Jack dove straight at Shikamaru, gathering energy into a crackling orb in his hand. Just before impact, Shikamaru smirked and tossed a smoke bomb, enveloping the area in thick black fog.

Jack hesitated mid-flight, disoriented.

Jack: "Coward! You can't hide forever."

Within the smoke, Shikamaru's shadow surged forward, connecting to Jack's own shadow in his moment of confusion.

Shikamaru: "Caught you."

Jack's body froze as Shikamaru's Shadow Possession Jutsu took hold. However, controlling someone with that much raw energy was like holding back a raging tide. Shikamaru gritted his teeth, sweat pouring down his face as he struggled to maintain control.

Jack: "You think this will hold me?!"

Jack's energy surged, causing Shikamaru's shadow to waver. Shikamaru quickly manipulated Jack's own energy blast, redirecting it toward the water tower nearby. The explosion sent water cascading everywhere, drenching Jack and making his energy fluctuations unstable.

Shikamaru: "This is where it gets tricky."

The weight of holding Jack became unbearable as the villain broke free, his energy sparking uncontrollably from the water's interference. Furious, Jack lunged at Shikamaru, striking him with a brutal kick that sent him sprawling across the rooftop.

Shikamaru groaned, clutching his side as he tried to get up.

Jack: "Is that all? I expected more from the brains of Konoha."

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed as he planted his hands firmly on the ground, hiding a kunai with an explosive tag under his palm.

Shikamaru (weakly): "You talk too much."

As Jack approached for the final blow, Shikamaru activated the explosive tag, causing the rooftop beneath them to collapse. The sudden drop sent both of them tumbling into the debris below.

Shikamaru landed hard, pain shooting through his body, but he forced himself to his feet. Jack, disoriented and partially trapped under rubble, glared at him.

Jack: "This isn't over..."

Shikamaru (panting): "Yeah... it is."

Though injured and exhausted, Shikamaru prepared himself for the next step, knowing this fight was far from done.

s the dust settled from the collapsed rooftop, Jack of Hearts emerged unscathed from the rubble, his sinister grin widening. Shikamaru, clutching his ribs and struggling to stand, knew he was at his limit. Blood trickled from a cut on his forehead, and his shadow jutsu reserves were nearly depleted.

Jack: "Still standing? I'll give you credit for your stubbornness, but this is the end."

Jack raised his hand, energy crackling violently as he prepared a devastating final blast. Shikamaru's mind raced, searching for any sliver of a plan, but his options were gone.

Jack: "Let me show you what happens to pests who think they can outsmart me."

The energy in Jack's hand condensed into a blinding orb, and he hurled it toward Shikamaru with terrifying speed. Shikamaru braced himself, knowing there was no escape.

Suddenly, a blur of motion intercepted the attack. Kiba Inuzuka, bruised and battered from his recent battle in Kirigakure, lunged forward alone. Despite his tattered clothes and bloodied form, the fire in his eyes burned brightly as he slammed into Jack of Hearts' attack with raw determination.

Kiba: "You're not touching him, freak."

The deflected blast crashed into a nearby wall, sending debris flying. Shikamaru stared in disbelief, recognizing the pain etched into Kiba's face and the emptiness where his loyal partner once stood.

Shikamaru: "Kiba... you shouldn't be here."

Kiba (gritting his teeth): "Don't tell me what I should or shouldn't do. Akamaru gave everything for this village, and I'm not letting his sacrifice mean nothing."

Jack growled in frustration, the interruption enraging him.

Jack: "Another pest. Fine, I'll kill you too."

Before Jack could attack, another volley of flames struck him from behind. He whirled around, shielding himself with energy, only to see Moegi Kazamatsuri, her body wrapped in bandages and her face pale from her recent injuries.

Moegi: "You'll have to get through me first."

Shikamaru, barely standing, let out a heavy sigh of relief.

Shikamaru: "Moegi... shouldn't you still be recovering?"

Moegi: "And let you die here? No chance."

Jack snarled, his frustration boiling over as he attacked with renewed fury.

Jack: "You're all just delaying the inevitable."

Kiba and Moegi exchanged a glance, understanding their dire situation.

Kiba: "You take the left; I'll keep him busy up close."

Moegi: "Got it."

Jack launched a barrage of energy blasts, forcing the two to separate. Kiba darted forward, evading each strike with remarkable agility despite his injuries. Moegi countered with bursts of flame, forcing Jack to defend himself from multiple directions.

As the fight raged on, it became clear that their strength was waning. Jack managed to land a crushing blow on Kiba, sending him crashing into the ground. Moegi, struggling to summon more flames, narrowly avoided a follow-up attack.

Shikamaru, watching from the sidelines, clenched his fists.

Shikamaru (thinking): "Kiba's fighting like he has nothing to lose... and Moegi's barely holding on. I need to act."

Forcing himself upright, Shikamaru extended his shadow once more, his mind racing for a solution.

Shikamaru: "Kiba, Moegi! On my signal, fall back to my left!"

Kiba groaned, staggering to his feet.

Kiba: "You better have a plan, genius."

Shikamaru's mind raced, calculating the next steps as the battle escalated. His body was weary, but his mind was sharp, always searching for that fleeting moment of opportunity. Jack of Hearts was unpredictable, but Shikamaru knew he could outthink him, if he could just get the timing right.

Shikamaru (thinking): "I've got one shot. I can't waste it."

He watched Kiba, who was pushing through his injuries with the tenacity of someone who had lost too much, and Moegi, who was barely able to keep up the pressure with her dwindling chakra reserves. They were both holding on by sheer willpower. But Shikamaru knew they couldn't sustain this for much longer.

Shikamaru (aloud): "Kiba, Moegi! On my signal, fall back to my left!"

Kiba looked up, his face a mix of exhaustion and resolve, but he managed a grin despite the odds.

Kiba: "You better have a plan, genius."

Moegi nodded, though her face betrayed her exhaustion.

Moegi: "Just say the word."

Jack, hovering high above, laughed maniacally as he prepared another blast, clearly intent on ending the fight once and for all.

Jack: "You really think you can defeat me? How pathetic."

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed. He had to move quickly. He extended his shadow one last time, pushing himself harder than ever before. His chakra reserves were almost empty, but the opportunity had come. He waited for Jack to make his move.

Shikamaru: "Now!"

With a quick signal, Kiba and Moegi darted to the left, drawing Jack's attention momentarily as he prepared to unleash his devastating blast. The split-second distraction was all Shikamaru needed.

He focused all his remaining chakra into his shadow, weaving it expertly around Jack's own shadow just as he fired his blast. In that instant, Shikamaru used the momentum of the blast against Jack, redirecting it into the ground with a precise shift of his shadow.

The force of the blast sent shockwaves rippling through the air, but the explosion was contained, aimed downward instead of at the trio. Jack of Hearts screamed in frustration, his body shaken by the redirected blast.

Jack: "You think this will stop me?!"

Shikamaru, breathing heavily, took advantage of the momentary confusion, sending another, much larger surge of shadow to bind Jack's feet to the ground.

Shikamaru (smiling faintly): "That's the plan."

Jack struggled, his energy crackling as he fought to free himself. The more he struggled, the more Shikamaru's shadow tightened, ensuring that every movement only drained his energy faster. Jack's confidence was quickly turning to desperation.

Moegi and Kiba regrouped at Shikamaru's side, ready for the next move. Moegi, though exhausted, managed a weary smile.

Moegi: "You're holding him, but for how long?"

Kiba: "This better be it, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru's eyes remained focused as he continued to manipulate Jack's shadow. He could feel the villain's power waning, his energy weakening as the struggle continued. It wouldn't be long before Jack's defenses faltered.

Shikamaru: "Long enough."

Shikamaru stood still, his shadow gripping Jack of Hearts tightly. The villain struggled, but he knew it was futile. His arrogance no longer had the power to sway the outcome. Kiba and Moegi stood beside him, their eyes hard and unwavering.

Moegi: "Shikamaru, what now?"

Kiba, already moving forward, his voice low and steady, answered before Shikamaru could. "We end this. Now."

Shikamaru gave a sharp nod, his expression unchanging. He wasn't one to waste time on hesitation. Jack was a threat, and there was no place for mercy in a world this dangerous. The decision was already made the moment Jack had been captured.

Kiba's fists clenched, his energy crackling as he moved in. He didn't need orders. He had seen Jack's destruction firsthand. This was a long-overdue reckoning.

Jack's glare remained defiant, but he could already feel the weight of the shadows closing in.

Jack: "You think—"

Before he could finish, Kiba was on him. The fist hit with precision, the force of the blow cutting through Jack's words, sending a shockwave through the air. Jack's body recoiled under the impact, but his resistance was already fading.

Without a word, Moegi stepped in, her chakra flaring as she sealed Jack's movements with a single hand gesture. The seal spread across his chest, cutting off his last attempt at escape. His body froze, unable to move or speak.

Shikamaru's shadow grew tighter around Jack's throat. No struggle, no chance for escape.

The silence of the moment was thick. Kiba stood back, eyes cold, while Moegi's gaze never wavered from the target. There was no second-guessing. No room for hesitation.

With a final, swift motion, Shikamaru's shadow tightened around Jack's neck, and the villain's defiance turned into a choked gasp. He struggled, but it was over. His body went still, and his eyes dulled.

Shikamaru released his hold, watching as Jack of Hearts crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Kiba didn't even look at the body. "Good riddance," he muttered, already turning to leave.

Moegi nodded in agreement, her face as calm and composed as ever. "Another threat removed."

Shikamaru took one last glance at the fallen enemy. His gaze was distant, as if already moving past this fight to whatever came next.

Shikamaru: "Let's move out. There's more to do."

No celebration. No remorse. The mission was complete. They were professional ninjas. And this was just another task done.

Shikamaru (through a speaker): All Konoha personnels and reinforcements, armed yourselves and prepare. We are at war!