The next assignment

Sarada Uchiha stood her ground as she faced the rogue Chunin from the Hidden Cloud Village. It's in her new schedule to fight others to improve herself . Her opponent this time is a master of lightning-based techniques, moved with a dangerous grace, lightning crackling around his fingertips as he unleashed a series of swift, electrifying strikes.

As the rogue ninja's kunai danced through the air, Sarada deftly blocked them with her own blades. The impact of their weapons reverberated through the trees, each clash sending small showers of sparks and leaves flying. Sarada's mind was a whirlwind of strategy and calculation, her thoughts racing as she anticipated her opponent's next move. She needed to finish this quickly.

With a determined glance, Sarada began forming hand seals. Her fingers moved with practiced precision, weaving through the complex patterns required for her jutsu. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" she declared, her voice ringing clear and resolute.

A burst of flames erupted from her mouth, roaring through the air toward the rogue ninja. The intense heat momentarily illuminated the forest, casting long, flickering shadows. The rogue leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the inferno, but the heat scorched the nearby trees, causing their leaves to curl and blacken.

Undeterred, the rogue ninja retaliated with a lightning-enhanced technique. "Lightning Style: Thunderbolt!" he shouted, releasing a crackling bolt of electricity that surged through the air. The sheer force of the attack created a low, menacing rumble that resonated through the forest, and Sarada had to dodge swiftly, the crackling energy just missing her.

Sarada's eyes narrowed as she realized she needed to up the ante. She formed a new set of hand seals, her mind focused. "Fire Style: Phoenix Fire Jutsu!" she chanted. A series of fireballs erupted from her, streaking through the air with pinpoint accuracy. Each fireball sizzled as it moved, leaving a trail of smoke and embers.

The rogue ninja was momentarily overwhelmed by the barrage, his attempts to block or dodge the fireballs failing as they exploded around him. The ground beneath them was scorched and smoking, the air filled with the pungent smell of burning wood and ozone.

Seizing the opportunity, Sarada decided to finish the fight with a decisive move. She channeled her chakra into a powerful technique, her hands moving swiftly as she prepared her final jutsu. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!" she shouted, her voice ringing with authority.

A massive, roaring fireball surged from her, expanding rapidly as it barreled toward the rogue ninja. The forest seemed to ignite in the brilliance of the flames, the intense heat forcing the rogue to raise his arms in a futile attempt to shield himself. The fireball crashed into him with a thunderous explosion, sending a shockwave through the trees and illuminating the entire area in a brilliant, searing light.

When the smoke and debris cleared, Sarada stood amidst the charred remains of the forest, her breathing heavy but steady. The rogue Chunin lay defeated on the ground, his resistance finally overcome.

As she heard a voice say, "You have improved," Sarada spun around decisively, kunai in hand, to find Shisui although he is her owner/teacher (self proclaimed)his sudden appearance was always disconcerting. he seemed to materialize out of nowhere It is difficult to keep track of him, as though he existed on an entirely different level.

Lowering her kunai, Sarada asked, "Yes, so what now?"

Shisui's eyeless face continued to give her an unsettling feeling, stirring her curiosity about how he could be so powerful despite his blindness. She had witnessed his combat prowess only once before, and even then, it had been more of a display of his overwhelming power than a proper fight. Days earlier, after defeating a ninja from the Hidden Stone Village, she had been ambushed by a jonin. As she braced herself for a fatal blow, she had closed her eyes, expecting the worst. When she opened them again, the jonin lay dead, his body slashed by a sword, and Shisui was standing beside him. The speed of his intervention had been astounding; she knew the jonin was a genuine threat, but he had perished without even a chance to resist. That day, Sarada realized Shisui's strength was immense, perhaps even surpassing Konohamaru's or her mother's. Yet the full extent of his power remained a mystery to her.

With his face as expressionless as ever, Shisui responded in his usual detached manner, "We're on the border of the Hidden Grass Village. Although it is small, their agricultural advancements have given them an unexpected influence in the world. They lack a jōnin; their leader is an elite chūnin. Your mission is to locate and rescue a red-haired girl who is younger than you."

Sarada's brow furrowed in confusion "Which girl? There could be more than one."

Shisui's gaze remained inscrutable as he replied, "You will know by looking."

Shisui's presence, often disconcerting due to his unnervingly calm demeanor and the eerie fact of his blindness coupled with immense power, was something Sarada had come to accept. His abilities had saved her life on more than one occasion, solidifying his role as her mentor, albeit an unconventional one. The memory of his swift intervention against the jonin from the Hidden Stone Village replayed vividly in her mind. She had felt the chilling edge of his power when the jonin fell without a chance to react. Turning her attention back to the present, Sarada took a deep breath and proceeded toward the Hidden Grass Village, her mind racing with strategies and possibilities. The forest gradually gave way to the village's outskirts, and Sarada kept her senses alert, scanning for any sign of the red-haired girl.