aircannonsinc Chapter 404 Look behind you!
Chapter 404 Look behind you!
Chapter 404 Look behind you!
On the opposite bank of the river, behind a moss-covered boulder, Ranmaru held his breath.
He leaned against the cold stone surface, his bloodline limit eye technique known as "Red Eyes" emitting an eerie red light.
It wasn't the crimson of the Sharingan, nor the solidified blood color of the Blood Dragon Eye; it was more like burning charcoal.
Ranmaru was born into the Red-Eyed Clan, a family of ocular jutsu that was once on par with the Uchiha clan and was a renowned family during the Warring States period. Now, only the three of them remain.
These red eyes not only allow them to see through objects and sense danger, but also possess the special ability to interfere with the Byakugan. In the era when the Hyuga clan was dominant, this was the only bloodline limit that could rival them in the field of reconnaissance.
Ranmaru is not only the last surviving member of the Red-Eyed Clan, but also a beneficiary of the gene modification project and the bloodline disease research project.
Ranmaru, born in the Star Capital, underwent a genetic modification program from a young age, which not only cured his bloodline disease that accompanied his red eyes, but also greatly improved his originally weak physical condition.
More importantly, under the stimulation of interstitial cells and white blood cells, his red eyes developed new abilities.
For example, right now.
Five blurry figures moved through the fog.
That wasn't a shadow clone, but rather a "semi-physical shadow" that Ranmaru condensed using his eye power and chakra.
The principle is somewhat similar to Madara Uchiha's unique Rinnegan eye technique "Limbo: Border Jail," but it's much less advanced.
It cannot become invisible, cannot stray too far from its own body, and has limited attack power.
Compared to ordinary clone techniques, their advantages are that they can use various weapons, do not make any noise when moving, can interfere with the perception of most sensory ninjas, even those with bloodline limits, and do not transmit pain after being injured.
That's enough to deal with ordinary ninjas.
"The Hidden Mist Technique?" Ranmaru murmured to himself, with a calmness that seemed beyond his years.
"It actually matches my red eyes quite well."
Chojuro originally used this technique to distract the three of them and create a home-field advantage for them.
But now, the dense fog has become a cover for Ranmaru.
Five shadows appeared and disappeared in the mist, surrounding Chojuro and Hinokami from different directions.
Through the "perspective" of the shadows, Ranmaru can clearly see the state of the two people.
Chojuro wielded a blunt sword called Kabuto-giri, and swung his axe and hammer alternately, each attack carrying the power to split mountains and shatter rocks.
But he looked tense, his gaze behind his glasses constantly shifting, trying to lock onto those fleeting shadows.
Meanwhile, Hinaka, riding on the back of the summoning beast, formed hand seals, seemingly preparing some kind of ninjutsu.
But the harassment from the five shadows forced her to distract herself. Whenever she tried to concentrate, a shadow would throw kunai or launch a feint attack, forcing her to interrupt her hand seals.
"Summoning beasts are troublesome." Ranmaru thought to himself: I need to deal with them first.
He controlled one of the shadows, charging head-on at the summoned beast.
The shadow held a kunai in its hand and moved swiftly.
"Left!" Himeka whispered.
The summoned beast raised its left forepaw, and its sharp claws flashed with five streaks of cold light, instantly tearing the shadow apart.
But the shadow did not bleed or scream; it simply turned into a cloud of red mist and dissipated into the air.
Meanwhile, the other four shadows had already taken the opportunity to pounce from the flanks and rear.
"Damn it!" Chojuro roared, swinging his hammer at a shadow.
The hammer pierced through the shadow's body and smashed into the ground, creating a crater half a meter deep.
But the shadow only flickered for a moment before returning to normal, and the kunai in its hand pierced towards Chojuro's throat.
Chojuro had no choice but to retreat.
At that moment, Kurotsuchi's attack arrived.
"Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique!"
Her right fist covered the hard rock as she swooped down from the air, aiming a punch at Chojuro's skull.
Chojuro could only raise his axe to block.
clang-!!!
The metal collided with the rock, producing a deafening roar.
The ground beneath Chojuro's feet cracked, and his feet sank half a foot into it.
He gritted his teeth, his arm muscles bulging, and he withstood the blow.
But Black Soil's second blow came right away.
She flipped in mid-air, her left leg slashing down like a battle axe.
"Earth Release: Weighted Rock Technique!"
The weight of the legs instantly increased tenfold!
Chojuro's expression changed drastically. It was too late to dodge, so he could only raise his axe again.
boom!
He was slammed into the ground, half of his body buried.
A sweet taste rose in his throat, and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
"Chōjūrō!" Hisa exclaimed.
She tried to help, but three other shadows had already pounced on her.
One of the shadows swung out a steel wire, which entangled the summoning beast's right foreleg; another shadow jumped onto the summoning beast's back and thrust a kunai at Hinaka's back; the third shadow then launched a feint attack from the front to draw attention away from the beast.
A pincer attack from three sides.
Hinaka gritted her teeth and finally completed the hand seals.
"Water Release·Water Formation Wall!"
A large amount of river water gushed out beneath her, and a circular wall of water rose up, protecting her and the spirit beast in the center.
The attack from the three shadows was blocked by the water wall, and the kunai and steel wire were blown away.
But the wall of water also blocked her view.
Ranmaru had been waiting for this opportunity.
Behind the boulder, his red eyes suddenly lit up.
The fifth shadow, which had been lurking beneath the river's surface, suddenly leaped out of the water!
In its hand, it held a specially made kunai.
The blade of the kunai was engraved with fine runes.
This is a kunai that has sealed away lightning chakra.
The shadow threw the kunai at the wall of water.
The seal was broken the moment the kunai pierced the wall of water.
Sizzle sizzle—!!!
A blinding flash of lightning exploded!
Water can conduct electricity.
The entire water array wall instantly transformed into a giant conductor.
The violent lightning chakra spread along the water flow, instantly engulfing every inch of space inside the water wall.
"ah!!!"
Hinoka let out a painful scream.
Lightning struck her body, causing muscle spasms and nerve paralysis.
The spirit beast beneath her howled in agony, its massive body convulsing violently, its scales charred black and emitting wisps of smoke.
The psychic spell has been dispelled.
White smoke exploded, and the strange spirit beast disappeared, forcibly returned.
Meanwhile, Hinaka fell from mid-air and plunged into the river with a splash, creating a large spray of water.
She struggled to get up, but the numbing effect of the lightning was still there, and her limbs were completely unresponsive.
"Hinoka!" Chojuro said anxiously.
He wanted to rush over to help, but the black soil wouldn't give him the chance.
"Your opponent is me."
Black soil fell in front of him, and his right fist covered the rock again.
"Earth Release: Fist Rock Technique!"
He threw a punch.
Chojuro could only raise his blunt sword, Kabuto-giri, to take the hit head-on.
This time, he couldn't stop it.
boom-!!!
The axe blade dented, and the hammer slipped from my hand.
Chojuro was sent flying backward, tracing an arc in the air before crashing heavily onto the riverbank ten meters away, tumbling several times before coming to a stop.
He struggled to get up, but a sharp pain shot through his chest; at least three of his ribs were broken, and he coughed up blood.
On the battlefield in the middle of the river.
The battle between Xiang and Hozuki Suigetsu has lasted for five minutes.
For a ninja, five minutes of close combat is extremely taxing on both stamina and chakra.
Neither of them showed signs of fatigue.
Hozuki Suigetsu treads on the water's surface, his long sword, Sewing Needle, transforming into a silver streak in his hand, each thrust and slash cunning and ruthless.
His body would sometimes liquefy, causing Xiang's attacks to miss; at other times, it would harden, using the power of the Great Water Arm Technique to meet the attack head-on.
This is a secret technique of the Hozuki clan. The alternating use of the Water Transformation Technique and the Great Water Arm makes him almost invincible in close combat.
But fragrance is not simple either.
She waded through the water, her long red hair flying wildly in the battle, her purple crop top soaked with sweat, clinging to her body and outlining her beautiful curves.
But her eyes were always fixed on Hozuki Suigetsu, not with her physical eyes, but with Kagura's inner eye.
The technique of concealing oneself in the mist?
It doesn't work on her.
Kagura's Mind's Eye perceives chakra characteristics, not visual images.
No matter how thick the fog was, she could still "see" Hozuki Suigetsu's every move and every flow of chakra.
Therefore, every sneak attack and feint by Hozuki Suigetsu was anticipated by her.
"Tsk, annoying sensory abilities."
After Hozuki Suigetsu's thrust missed once again, he jumped back, creating distance between himself and Kaori.
He licked his lips, his excitement growing stronger.
"But—that's what makes it interesting!"
He gripped the knife with both hands, tip down, and plunged it into the water.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
It's not spat out from the mouth, but guided through the blade.
The river water suddenly burst open, and a huge water dragon with a diameter of two meters rose from the river surface, opening its huge mouth to devour Xiang.
Wherever the water dragon passed, it carved deep furrows into the water's surface, creating a terrifying spectacle.
But Xiang did not dodge.
She simply raised her right hand and formed a mudra with one hand.
"Diamond Lockdown!"
Five golden chains appeared out of thin air behind her.
Each chain was as thick as an arm, its surface engraved with sealing runes, radiating an aura of power.
This is a sealing technique passed down through the Uzumaki clan's bloodline; it can seal chakra, bind tailed beasts, and suppress everything.
The five chains, like giant, living pythons, crisscrossed and weaved in the air, instantly forming a large net that completely covered the water dragon.
Then, tighten.
Click, click—
The water dragon was brutally crushed, turning into a shower of water droplets that fell back into the river.
Hozuki Suigetsu's pupils contracted.
Sealing technique?
And it's such a high-level sealing technique?
"It's my turn."
Karin said softly.
About a hundred meters from the battlefield, under a giant tree, the dense bushes swayed slightly.
Three heads cautiously peeked out; they were Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, and Akimichi Choji from the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.
The three held their breath, staring wide-eyed at the distant riverbank where mist churned and bursts of light, waves, and the clanging of metal occasionally erupted, their faces showing astonishment.
"How terrifying—" Choji whispered, his chubby face filled with lingering fear. "Those were people from Kirigakure and the Land of Stars, right? That commotion was terrifying! It felt even more intense than when I saw Asuma-sensei sparring with someone last time!"
Ino's face was also pale. She tugged at Shikamaru's sleeve, her voice trembling, "Shikamaru, let's hurry and take a detour! That's none of our business! We need to figure something out, we only have one life!"
As a sensory ninja, she could better sense the violent and chaotic chakra fluctuations coming from the distant battlefield; anyone caught in it would be in grave danger.
-
Shikamaru remained silent.
His forehead was already covered in a fine layer of cold sweat, and his lifeless eyes were filled with helplessness and a headache.
He had been observing since the start of the battle.
Although the battlefield was obscured by thick fog, thanks to Ino's sensory abilities, she was able to sense not only the number of people fighting, but also the opponent's chakra and ninjutsu.
He then verbally conveyed this information to Shikamaru, letting him know that the strength displayed by each party in the dense fog far surpassed that of ordinary genin.
No, it even surpasses many special Jonin.
This is no longer at the level expected of the "Genin Exams".
This is practically a mini-war!
"This is so troublesome—" Shikamaru muttered, his voice hoarse.
His plan was originally perfect: use Ino's perception ability to conduct short-to-medium range reconnaissance, have Choji hold them off head-on, use his Shadow Imitation Technique to control the situation, quickly find an easy target squad to seize the scroll, and then head straight for the tower, minimizing the fighting as much as possible.
Who would have thought that not long after leaving the entrance, they would run into these two monster squads locked in a deadly battle!
"So what do we do now?" Ino asked. "Take a detour?"
"We have no choice but to go around it." Shikamaru nodded, quickly making the safest decision to get away from this troublesome place.
"While they're fighting fiercely and haven't noticed us, hurry!"
He hadn't finished speaking.
His pupils suddenly contracted.
A chilling killing intent, like a venomous snake, suddenly attacked from the side and rear!
"Watch out behind you!" Shikamaru's hair stood on end instantly. Almost instinctively, he grabbed Ino with one hand and kicked Choji in the butt with the other. The three of them tumbled and rolled to the side with all their might!
Swish swish swish swish!
Five beams of cold light descended from the sky, cleaving the bushes where they had been lying prone into countless pieces.
The broken branches and leaves fell like rain, the cuts as smooth as a mirror.
If Shikamaru had reacted even half a second slower, their bodies would be the ones being shredded right now.
Shikamaru and his two companions rolled several times before regaining their balance, looking at the attackers with lingering fear.
The attackers stood where they were originally.
A tall, dark-skinned female ninja with short red hair and golden eyes stood where they had been hiding, holding a gleaming ninja sword.
She wore a white vest and dark long skirt in the style of Yunyin, with a headband covering her red hair. Her eyes were sharp, and she exuded an undisguised fighting spirit.
Not far behind her, two other Cloud Village ninjas also appeared on the tree trunk.
One of them was exceptionally tall and strong, with short blond hair, a handsome and sunny face, and a broadsword on his back; this was Atsui. The other had brownish skin, short white hair, a lollipop in his mouth, and a look of laziness and worry on his face; this was Omoi.
"A ninja from Kumogakure—" Shikamaru recognized the other party.
They had seen these three people at a barbecue restaurant before the Chunin Exams.
The members of the Hidden Cloud Village team are said to include two disciples of Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki.
Shikamaru's heart sank; it was truly a case of misfortunes never coming singly!
Just when they were about to avoid the two menacing squads, they were targeted by these three troublesome guys!
"I told you to keep it down. We're too close to those two monster squads. It'll just attract trouble—Karui, you won't listen. You insist on making a move."
Omoi rubbed his neck helplessly, looking at him with a complaining expression.
He had a lollipop in his mouth and spoke somewhat unclearly.
His eyes scanned his surroundings warily, clearly unhappy about being suddenly dragged into this chaotic situation.
"This is troublesome now," Omoi added. "Konoha, Kirigakure, the Land of Stars—they're all together. If they fight, the commotion will be huge, and it'll attract other teams too—"
"Shut up!" Karui turned around and glared at Omoi, her tone fiery.
"What kind of fuss is this! Now that we've spotted our prey, why not go for it? Waiting until they're both exhausted before taking advantage? That's not the style of Kumogakure!"
She turned her gaze back to Shikamaru and his two companions, her ninja sword pointed at them, her fighting spirit blazing: "Hey, you Konoha brats! You're unlucky to have run into us! If you don't want a beating, hand over the scroll!"
Omoi shrank back, startled by the shout, and muttered under his breath, "I was just saying—"
Atsui leaped down from the tree trunk, landing steadily. He drew his large sword from his back, a cheerful smile on his face: "Sorry, everyone, the Chunin Exams are just that cruel. Hand over your scrolls willingly, and we might spare you some pain."
He seemed polite, but the imposing presence of his massive body and the ninja sword made Choji swallow hard. Shikamaru's mind was racing.
Ahead lay the fierce battle between the Hidden Mist Squad and the Star Country Squad.
They were then intercepted by the Cloud Village trio.
Escape seems impossible.
Of the three opponents, Karui is clearly the main attacker, impulsive but with sharp swordsmanship; Atsui possesses astonishing strength and is likely a frontal assault type; Omoi appears carefree, but being able to team up with these two indicates his formidable strength, and he seems to be a tactical or support type.
On our side, Ino's Mind Transfer Jutsu requires preparation time and is easily disrupted, Choji's Expansion Jutsu consumes a huge amount of energy, and our Shadow Imitation Jutsu has a limited control range.
"This is really a big problem." Shikamaru sighed, but his eyes gradually sharpened.
There's no way to avoid it, so we have no choice but to fight!