"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Uchiha Yoruki formed seals with both hands and spat out a huge fireball from his mouth. He had already been preparing for this jutsu while he threw the shuriken earlier.
Blazing!
The huge fireball instantly divided the battlefield. Even though it was a C-level jutsu, no ninja dared to touch it with their flesh.
However, C was an exception.
Uchiha Yoruki's opponent was also from the Raika clan, but his lightning armor jutsu was not as refined. He could only generate electric currents on his body surface, which bounced off shurikens but couldn't protect him from serious harm.
Initially, he underestimated his opponent. Otherwise, with his strength, Uchiha Yoruki wouldn't have forced him into such a predicament.
Chi Chi!
At the critical moment, the chunin crossed his arms in front of his chest, and the lightning on his body condensed into a partial lightning armor to block the fireball.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Suzuka's figure moved like a ghost. The sword behind her was already in her palm. Though her sword-drawing speed wasn't as exaggerated as Sakumo's, it was still incredibly fast.
Swish!
The sword light slashed down at the only person still wearing a wide black robe—Kuriyama Shinzo.
As a special jonin, Kuriyama Shinzo's reactions were sharp. He retreated several steps, just avoiding Suzuka's vertical slash.
"What? As a traitor who killed his compatriots, you don't dare to show your true face now?" Suzuka said coldly, slashing several more times with chaotic sword light.
"This is the swordsmanship of the Anbu, plus perception ability and barrier jutsu. You are the Anbu witch?" Kuriyama Shinzo's hoarse voice held surprise. A long sword fell from his sleeve, which he used to counter Suzuka's attacks.
"You know too much!" Suzuka retorted. Anbu information was strictly confidential. Even if Sakumo might have guessed her Anbu identity, he couldn't know her specific code name. But Kuriyama Shinzo did.
Kuriyama Shinzo's exclamation distracted the Kumo ninjas for a moment, even Uchiha Yoruki. Minato, however, continued his movements flawlessly, as if he hadn't heard anything.
Minato's kunai missed earlier, but he lifted it again, twisting his wrist and stabbing down. His opponent, who had dodged before, was now in a 90-degree posture. The distraction and Minato's instant burst of speed left him no time to dodge.
Despite being a chunin, he fell back and grabbed Minato's kunai with one hand, preferring to sacrifice his hand rather than have his throat slit.
A feeling of imminent danger made Minato's hair stand on end. He instinctively abandoned his attack.
"Instant Flash!"
Minato burst backward at high speed, but a flash of lightning still cut through his kunai and several trees.
"Boom!"
A thunderous sound echoed as the ground seemed to collapse. Minato realized if he had reacted a moment later, his right arm would have been pierced by the kunai thrown by C.
Sakumo hadn't expected C to prioritize attacking Minato over defending against him. C's real target was clearly Minato.
Sakumo's short sword cut deep into C's left arm. Blood flowed as C kneeled, the lightning armor shattered.
"I haven't been injured in years. You're strong," C admitted, impressed by Sakumo's ability to force him into such a situation with just a short sword.
The two jonin beside C had no chance against Sakumo.
"You're the only one who dares take my sword with your body," Sakumo said. Even though C practiced lightning armor jutsu, it didn't mean his defense was invincible. Although Sakumo hadn't used his full strength, he had broken C's defense.
"Really?"
C grinned, grabbing Sakumo's blade with his right hand. "If you lose your short sword, how much strength will you have left?"
Chichi!
Lightning spread from C's body. Sakumo exerted more force, piercing C's palm, but C refused to let go.
"Come on!"
C called, and the two jonin charged Sakumo. Sakumo released the hilt, encountering such a violent opponent for the first time.
Swish!
Sakumo leaped up, grabbing a tree trunk with his left hand, using his body to gain momentum before rushing back at C. At the same time, he formed a single-handed seal.
"Hatake Secret Jutsu: Thunderstorm!"
Chichi!
The white short sword in C's hand burst with blazing blue lightning. The sound of thunder roared, shocking everyone fighting.
"Bang!"
The lightning exploded, creating a blinding light over two meters in diameter, enveloping C's figure. The short sword was thrown out by the impact, but Sakumo caught it mid-air.
Landing, Sakumo used the ground for momentum and crossed the lightning range, slashing at one of the Kumo jonin. Though not wrapped in lightning, the white light was terrifyingly fast.
Swish!
A white light flashed, and though the jonin dodged a head slash, his left arm was cut off.
"Ah!"
The jonin screamed in pain. C's burnt, blackened figure emerged from the lightning, his speed greatly reduced.
Sakumo anticipated C's rush, moving aside. C glared at Sakumo angrily, his dark face even gloomier.
"You did it on purpose!"
C's furious voice echoed in the dense forest.
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