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"Fire Release: Phoenix Fire Jutsu!"
Ruri utilized dozens of small fireballs as a cover as she surged forward.
Shiraishi and Ayane naturally followed behind her. Among the three, Ruri was the most suitable for leading the charge.
Due to the presence of wind release users among the enemy forces this time, the effectiveness of smoke bombs was limited. At best, they would cause some disruption before being dispersed by the wind.
Creating smoke that could withstand the wind's force required time, materials, and a complex blending process.
Fortunately, the Jōnin skilled in earth release had been initially hindered by Ruri's genjutsu, resulting in serious injuries. This meant that only two ninjas remained unharmed, while the rest were chunin.
In comparison to their previous encounter, the situation was much more favorable.
The dozens of small fireballs caused some confusion as they descended, setting trees ablaze and filling the air with the smell of burnt wood.
The ninjas naturally attempted to avoid Ruri's peculiar genjutsu, as being controlled by it would be disastrous.
Consequently, feinting tactics became their primary approach, as they hadn't yet determined the medium used to trigger Ruri's genjutsu.
Both Shiraishi's group and the Suna ninjas understood that the outcome of this battle would be decided by Sakumo's actions.
The victor or loser on Sakumo's side would determine the ultimate direction of the conflict.
Their role here was to delay the enemy for as long as possible.
Shiraishi sought out a chunin opponent, relying primarily on physical abilities. His speed and strength surpassed that of an average chunin. With the swordsmanship he learned from Sakumo, Shiraishi managed to hold his own.
On the other side, the opponent seemed somewhat relieved to have found a comparable adversary.
If possible, he would prefer not to fight ninjas with Sharingan or Byakugan, especially the seemingly innocent girl with white eyes.
When one of his teammates attacked her previously, she swiftly killed him with a single blow, impaling him through the heart with two fingers. It was nothing like the gentle fist techniques described in textbooks—while it shared some similarities, it had distinct personal characteristics. Being struck by it would be fatal.
Furthermore, the ninja realized he had to be cautious of the opponent's elusive illusions created by Sharingan. Even a Jōnin could fall prey to them. This made the battle with the chunin extremely challenging for him.
"You've managed to hold on for quite a while. Your strength isn't bad," Shiraishi's opponent remarked, displaying the type of attitude that inflated self-confidence when facing weaker foes.
"But... that's as far as it goes when you face me!"
In an instant, the opponent's speed increased dramatically. He circled behind Shiraishi, locking his arms around Shiraishi's neck, making it difficult for him to breathe.
"How about now? Are you..."
Boom!
Shiraishi transformed into a wooden log, with a exploding tag attached to it.
The chunin's eyes widened, quickly retreating.
Boom!
He was sent flying by the shockwave of the explosion, only coming to a stop after colliding with a large tree. Blood stained the corner of his mouth.
Perched on a branch of another tree, Shiraishi smiled and remarked, "Impressive, isn't it? Escaping the explosion of a explosive tag is one of the few unique skills I possess."
"Damn you! How dare you..."
Enraged and humiliated by Shiraishi's trick, the ninja desperately gathered chakra in the soles of his feet, racing toward the tree at high speed, intending to make Shiraishi suffer as well.
"Unfortunately, it's over..."
Shiraishi finished his words just as the ninja's fist was mere inches away from his face. In that instant, a flash of white sword light extended from Shiraishi's back diagonally to the front, like lightning.
The ninja's neck was cleanly severed, and he lost consciousness almost instantly, tumbling from mid-air.
"It seems the situation is under control over there, Sakumo-sensei."
"I don't believe there's anything to worry about here."
Sakumo nodded, satisfied with the performance of Shiraishi and the others.
With continued refinement, they would undoubtedly follow in his footsteps.
After all, the three of them were only twelve years old, and their future held great promise.
The Suna ninja who had been fighting Ruri and Ayane sensed that something was amiss the moment Sakumo appeared.
Simultaneously, he cursed the male and female puppet masters inwardly, realizing that victory had slipped from his grasp even faster than last time, and it had taken only a few minutes.
Their fighting spirit waned abruptly.
"Earth Release:·Earthen Wall!"
Without hesitation, the earth release Jōnin gathered chakra in both hands, using a wide-range earth release ninjutsu.
Boom!
A towering stone wall resembling a city wall emerged, causing the ground to tremble due to its extensive coverage.
Ruri and Ayane climbed atop the massive stone wall, overlooking an empty expanse.
Sakumo and Shiraishi joined them shortly after.
"Ayane, team up with me. Let's get moving!"
"Yes!"
Although it was a brief exchange, Shiraishi and the others understood Sakumo's plan.
Sakumo intended to pursue the most troublesome enemies, and he needed Ayane's eyes to aid him in locating the male and female puppet masters and eliminating them.
From this point forward, it was time for Konoha to launch a counterattack against Suna and hunt down the fleeing Suna ninjas.
Thus, Sakumo and Ayane, as well as Shiraishi and Ruri, began their search.
After some time, Shiraishi and Ruri encountered the humiliated Take. They were accompanied by a dozen or so Konoha ninjas, some of whom had sustained minor injuries but nothing too severe.
The opponent Take had faced earlier was also a Jonin, and there were several chunin present as well.
For a while, neither side gained the upper hand, but with the defeat of the male and female puppet masters, the Suna forces lost their backbone and were forced to retreat.
"Since that's the case, I'll continue the search here. This time, I will avenge my fallen comrade!"
Take expressed his resentment.
He had heard some details about this Suna force that had been roaming the Land of Fire. They had attacked five or six Konoha sentinels, leaving dozens of Konoha ninjas dead or injured. Many had fallen victim to them alone.
If it weren't for Sakumo's team coincidentally resupplying in this area, the entire Konoha ninja contingent at the sentinel would likely have been wiped out.
After bidding farewell to Take and instructing him to lead the remaining ninjas along a different path for the search, Shiraishi headed off.
Should they encounter a formidable enemy, they were to signal for assistance. Even in the event of an emergency, they would be able to provide timely support.
"Oh, by the way, Ruri, I have a clever plan to lure them into a trap."
While running, Shiraishi suddenly burst into laughter.
"What are you scheming now?"
"After all, this is the fastest way to end the battle. And since Sakumo-sensei and Ayane aren't here, I don't have to go to great lengths to hide my true strength."
With that, Shiraishi accelerated his pace, distancing himself from Ruri in an instant and disappearing from her sight.
Ruri stared at the spot where Shiraishi had vanished with her sharingan, remaining silent as if accepting the other's proposed 'method.'
Half an hour later, Shiraishi arrived in a serene and empty forest. Before him flowed a crystal-clear stream where a few fish frolicked.
Shiraishi surveyed his surroundings, picked up a stone with a sharp edge from the stream, and approached a nearby tree with the intent of engraving a mark on it using the stone.
A cold sensation sent shivers down his spine—it was a kunai.
The hand holding the kunai was wooden, and the arm extending from the black sleeve was smooth and hairless, with rounded joints reminiscent of a doll.
A puppet.
"Drop the stone and raise your hands."
A cold female voice commanded.
Shiraishi obediently let go of the stone fragments and slowly raised his hands, a cold sweat naturally forming on his face.
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