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The two remained quietly concealed in a secluded corner under the dense trees, as if patiently waiting for their prey like predators.
"Flap!" "Flap!"...
Suddenly, there came the sounds of bird wings flapping in the distant forest.
Upon hearing this sound, the two young Konoha ninjas tensed their bodies slightly, their eyes coldly fixed on the surrounding woods.
"Swoosh!" "Swoosh!"...
Several shadows were swiftly moving through the distant forest.
Hiding in their concealed corner, Hidan, with his red eyes, noticed the enemy entering an area that was perfect for launching genjutsu. He narrowed his eyes and swiftly formed hand seals.
"Illusion Technique!"
Hum—
As his genjutsu activated, several of the Sand Ninjas who had entered the area suddenly sensed something was amiss.
"What is this...!?"
"Bad news! We've fallen into an ambush! It's the enemy's genjutsu!?"
One of them, seemingly the Sand Ninja team leader, spoke grimly, then immediately formed hand seals to dispel the genjutsu. However, his usual method for breaking genjutsu didn't work.
At this moment, the genjutsu started to take effect.
"What is this place!?"
Several Sand Ninjas stared in astonishment at the scenery that had suddenly turned into a night-time mountain ridge. They exclaimed in surprise.
"It's an environmental illusion! Don't make hasty moves!"
The Sand Ninja team leader in front of them glimpsed at the panicking Sand Ninjas behind him and spoke with a low voice.
He then looked around with a vigilant expression and pondered in his mind.
This kind of genjutsu!?
If we don't find the caster, we probably won't be able to escape from here! Where could the caster be!?
At that moment, a young and cold-blooded ninja with crimson eyes slowly appeared in front of the Sand Ninjas from the shadows.
When his blood-red eyes met the eyes of the Sand Ninjas, they all showed shock and couldn't help but exclaim.
Even the Sand Ninja team leader looked serious, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead. He gritted his teeth and managed to produce a heavy sound.
"Konoha... Shura...!!"
Facing the Sand Ninjas, Uchiha Shino appeared cold and emotionless. The crimson Sharingan in his eyes watched the Sand Ninjas, and he spoke with an icy tone.
"Now that you're here, leave your lives behind..."
Hearing his words, the Sand Ninjas instantly broke into a cold sweat.
"Swoosh!"
Uchiha Shino's tall figure vanished from its original spot.
Seeing this, the faces of the Sand Ninjas instantly changed.
"Stay vigilant all around!"
The Sand Ninja team leader shouted.
Upon hearing his words, the Sand Ninjas calmed down slightly and immediately formed a back-to-back defensive formation, ready for the upcoming attack.
"Earth Release: Subterranean Voyage Technique!"
"Whoosh, whoosh..."
A mature Sand Ninja among them suddenly formed hand seals, and his body slowly melded into the ground.
He could observe the movements of the enemy above ground while remaining safe below.
However, the moment he descended into the earth and looked up to observe...
A fast-moving shadow came directly towards him!
What!?
Just as the Sand Ninja's heart was filled with terror, the attack arrived!
Uchiha Shino's hand seemed to be enveloped in a brilliant blue lightning aura as he slammed it into the ground.
"Lightning Release: Divine Gavel!"
Boom!
A violent shockwave caused the ground to collapse as if struck by a giant hammer, with an entire layer of earth sinking down within a few meters.
Countless splinters of rock sent the remaining Sand Ninjas scattering.
Once the dust cleared, the Sand Ninja submerged into the earth lay mangled, as if trampled by a fearsome giant, their bodies charred and fragmented, lifeless.
Through the thinning haze, a pair of red eyes, seemingly filled with boundless malice, stared at the Sand Ninjas.
"The first one..."
"Next... it's your turn..."
A chilling, icy voice slowly reached the ears of the Sand Ninjas, filling them with sheer horror.
This... this is Konoha Shura!?
How can we possibly deal with someone like this!?
"Ah!"
One young Sand Ninja couldn't bear the terrifying gaze any longer, and the fear of the Grim Reaper pushed him to flee in a panic.
"Kigu! Come back!"
The Sand Ninja captain saw him suddenly leave the defensive formation, and he shouted loudly.
He saw Kigu, his eyes filled with fear and his face in despair, fleeing outside the illusion of the mountain ridge.
As he ran frantically, he shouted incoherently.
"No... no! I don't want this! This demon!! I... I don't want to stay here and wait...!"
At that moment, a shadow suddenly appeared behind him.
With a blurry hammer handle gleaming with a brilliant blue lightning aura, it struck him.
Before he could finish his sentence, he was silenced.
"Boom!"
With a muffled and crackling sound, countless bolts of lightning struck him.
Kigu's body turned into charred, lifeless remains and scattered in an instant.
"Thud!" "Thud!" "Thud!"...
Several pieces of flesh fell to the ground, leaving all the Sand Ninjas horrified.
At this moment, that devilish, icy voice resounded again.
"The second one..."
At this point, the Sand Ninja captain could hardly bear this suffocating fear any longer, and he shouted loudly.
"Attack him with ninjutsu!"
Hearing his words, the Sand Ninjas, who had almost lost their will to fight, suddenly regained some vigor in their eyes and immediately formed hand seals.
Several ninjutsu were directed towards Uchiha Shino.
"Earth Release: Stone Coffin!"
"Earth Release: Earth Spear!"
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"
In an instant, several ninjutsu were launched at Uchiha Shino. However, whether it was the huge stone slab rushing towards him or the sharp, several meters long earth spears shooting from the ground, none could hit his incredibly swift figure.
The shadow moved rapidly amidst various dazzling ninjutsu, charging swiftly towards the Sand Ninjas.
At this moment, the Rock Ninja captain swiftly formed hand seals.
As Uchiha Shino was about to rush toward the Sand Ninjas, his eyes instantly sharpened.
An opportunity!
"Wind Release: Dance of the Blossoming Flowers!"
Countless wind blades resembling flower petals suddenly spread around the Sand Ninjas and expanded rapidly outwards.
"Swoosh!" "Swoosh!" "Swoosh!"...
Konoha Shura!
Let's see how you'll defend against this now!
The Sand Ninja captain looked at the rapidly approaching figure with a serious face, his eyes cold and calculating.
However, Uchiha Shino seemed to pay no attention to the countless flower-like wind blades. He maintained his cold demeanor and continued to charge toward the Sand Ninjas.
"Swoosh!" "Swoosh!" "Swoosh!"...
Suddenly, countless crisp sounds echoed in rapid succession.
To the shock of the Sand Ninjas, Uchiha Shino had actually broken through their encirclement!
He slightly crouched and extended his palm all around him.
"Lightning Release: Divine Thunder!"
As he spoke the icy words, numerous terrifying, brilliant blue lightning bolts instantly spread out from his body in all directions.
"Crackle, crackle!"
The Sand Ninja captain, who was gradually losing vitality within the brilliant blue lightning, looked bewildered before his imminent death.
He recalled the image from before.
Deep-seated doubt would forever remain in his heart.
Those seemingly altered evil eyes...
And the black phantom that had appeared and vanished on Konoha Shura...
What were they, exactly...?