65. Big Bird

(Guys, We have the early Bonus, So Give me your Powerstones, Let's Keep the Top 10)

Before the enemy ninja could react, they heard the sound of something being unsealed. They looked up just in time to see a massive water balloon, easily the size of a small house, descending upon them.

SPLASH!

The balloon burst, drenching the Oto ninja in a deluge of water. But this wasn't ordinary water - Sora had mixed in a special paralytic agent, carefully calibrated to affect adults but harmless to children. Within seconds, the enemy ninja found themselves unable to move, collapsing in a heap of tangled limbs.

Sora's clone reappeared, standing atop the shrine's roof with his hands on his hips. "You know," he said conversationally to the paralyzed ninja, "there's an old saying: 'Those who underestimate their opponents because of age or size are doomed to take an unexpected bath.' Or something like that."

He hopped down from the roof, landing lightly in front of the incapacitated enemies. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a village to help defend. Enjoy your bath!"

With that, the clone sped off, leaving behind a group of very wet, very frustrated, and very immobile Oto ninjas.

As the clone made its way through the village, it couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. Not only had it managed to save the civilians, but it had also neutralized a team of enemy ninjas without causing any lasting harm. It was a reminder that sometimes, the most effective solutions didn't always involve direct combat.

Meanwhile, in another part of Konoha, one of Sora's Earth Clones found itself in a rather unusual situation. It had stumbled upon a group of ninja cats - yes, cats - from the Nekozuka clan, who were engaged in a fierce battle with a pack of Oto ninja's summoned dogs.

The clone blinked in surprise, watching as the cats, each wearing a miniature forehead protector, darted between the much larger dogs' legs, using their small size and agility to their advantage. Despite their skill, however, it was clear that the cats were outnumbered and beginning to tire.

"Well," the clone muttered to itself, "I guess this is what they mean by 'fighting like cats and dogs'."

Deciding to intervene, the clone quickly formed a series of hand seals.'Earth Style: Quicksand Technique!'

The ground beneath the dogs' feet suddenly turned to loose, shifting sand. The canine summons yelped in surprise as they began to sink, their large size now working against them.

Taking advantage of the dogs' predicament, the ninja cats launched a coordinated attack. They moved with incredible synchronization, almost as if they were dancing rather than fighting. Claws flashed, tails whipped, and in a matter of moments, the dogs were dispelled in puffs of smoke.

The Oto ninja who had summoned the dogs looked on in shock. "What the- Who did that?!"

"That would be me," Sora's clone said, stepping into view. "I hope you don't mind me crashing your little pet party."

The enemy ninja's eyes narrowed as they took in the small, red-haired boy before them. "A kid? Don't make me laugh!"

One of the ninja cats, a sleek Siamese with piercing blue eyes, leapt onto Sora's shoulder. "Don't underestimate him," the cat warned in a surprisingly deep voice. "This 'kid' just turned the tide of our battle."

The Oto ninja sneered. "Whatever. We don't need dogs to take care of a brat and a bunch of overgrown housecats!"

As the enemy ninja charged forward, Sora's clone couldn't help but grin. "You know," he said conversationally to the cat on his shoulder, "I've always been more of a cat person anyway. Shall we show them what we can do?"

The cat's whiskers twitched in what might have been a smile. "Indeed. Let's teach these uncouth canine lovers a lesson they won't soon forget."

What followed was a display of teamwork that would have made Kakashi proud. Sora's clone used his Earth and Water techniques to control the battlefield, creating muddy pitfalls and slippery surfaces that the agile cats easily navigated but the Oto ninja struggled with.

The ninja cats, for their part, were a blur of fur and claws. They seemed to anticipate Sora's moves perfectly, using the environmental changes he created to launch surprise attacks on the disoriented enemy ninja.

At one point, Sora created a series of earth pillars rising from the ground. The cats used these as springboards, launching themselves at the Oto ninja from unexpected angles. One particularly acrobatic tabby even used Sora's shoulder as a launching pad, somersaulting over an enemy's head before delivering a chakra-enhanced scratch to the back of their neck.

As the last of the Oto ninja fell, more unconscious than injured, Sora's clone turned to the assembled cats with a grin. "That was amazing! I've never seen anyone fight like that before."

The Siamese cat from earlier inclined his head in a regal nod. "You weren't so bad yourself, kitten. For a human, you move with almost feline grace."

Sora's clone rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Thanks! Though I have to admit, I'm a little surprised. I didn't know Konoha had ninja cats."

A large Maine Coon cat chuckled, the sound coming out as a peculiar mix between a meow and a laugh. "We prefer to keep a low profile. Humans tend to underestimate us, which often works to our advantage."

"I can see why," Sora nodded. "You guys are incredible! I don't suppose you'd be willing to teach me some of those moves?"

The cats exchanged amused glances. The Siamese spoke again, "Perhaps, young one. But for now, we have a village to defend. Will you join us?"

Sora's clone grinned widely. "It would be my honour!"

And so, in one of the stranger sights of that chaotic day, a small red-haired boy could be seen racing through the streets of Konoha, a team of ninja cats at his heels, working together to take down any enemy ninja they encountered.

As they moved through the village, civilians and fellow Konoha ninjas alike couldn't help but stare in amazement. Some even rubbed their eyes, sure they must be seeing things. After all, it's not every day you see a child leading a squad of ninja cats into battle.

But in a village where giant toads could be summoned and people could walk on water, perhaps a boy teaming up with ninja cats wasn't so strange after all. It was just another reminder that in the world of shinobi, expect the unexpected - especially when Sora was involved.

Back at the village walls, the original Sora was beginning to feel the strain of maintaining so many clones across Konoha while simultaneously battling giant snakes. His chakra reserves, impressive as they were for his age, were not infinite.

Gamahiro seemed to sense his fatigue. "Hey, kid," the giant toad rumbled, "you holding up okay?"

Sora nodded, though his breathing was heavier than usual. "Yeah, I'm good. Just need to catch my breath for a sec."

Before Gamahiro could respond, a new threat appeared on the horizon. A massive bird, easily as large as the snakes they had been fighting, soared towards them. On its back stood a figure with wild, unkempt hair and a manic grin.

"Well, well!" the newcomer called out, his voice carrying easily across the distance. "Looks like Orochimaru-sama left some trash for me to clean up!"

Sora's eyes narrowed as he studied the approaching enemy. The man's hitai-ate identified him as a ninja from Otogakure, and judging by the ease with which he controlled the giant bird, he was likely a summoner of some skill.

"Gamahiro," Sora said, his voice low and serious, "I think we're in for another tough fight."

The giant toad nodded, his webbed hands tightening on the hilts of his massive swords. "Agreed, kid. This one feels different from the others."

As the bird drew closer, its rider let out a cackling laugh. "Oh, this is rich! They left a little boy and an overgrown frog to defend the village? Konoha must be more desperate than we thought!"

Gamahiro bristled at the insult. "I'm a toad, you feather-brained imbecile!"

Sora patted Gamahiro's head reassuringly. "Don't let him get to you. He's just trying to rile us up." Then, raising his voice, he called out to the enemy ninja. "Hey, bird brain! If you're done squawking, why don't you come down here and fight?"

The Oto ninja's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Brave words for such a little brat. Let's see if you can back them up!" With a series of hand signs, the ninja commanded his bird to attack.

***

Guys, We have around 7 days before we are kicked out of the less than 30 days Section, So On that note let's try to aim for the Top 3 before the next Reset.

Goals:-

Every 500 Powerstones for a Bonus Chapter [Ik that It's outrageous but do keep in mind that I am uploading a chapter daily.]

Give me some reviews, doesn't matter if it's short or long, I just need to show ratings in the front page: You will receive my gratitude xD.

Top 3 before the next reset:- +5 Chapters

***

This week's stats:-

Power stones:- 464, 12th Rank in Less than 30 day section(weekly), 10th Rank in Less than 30 day section(monthly), 96th rank in weekly all date section(Hehe)

Also, with this chapter, this fic is very near to 100K words(around 98k)

Congratulations to me and everyone on this journey.