Chapter 77: Forced Into Action
In the shinobi world, no one had ever dared to openly claim ownership of a territory under the watchful eyes of the major villages.
Even someone as bold as Orochimaru had to bribe the daimyo of the Land of Rice Fields to establish the Hidden Sound Village, masking it with a legitimate front to gain recognition.
Baishi's declaration shattered these norms, a blatant challenge to the established order of the shinobi world.
This audacious statement left Yuki Orihara momentarily stunned.
However, being quick-witted, she soon grasped Baishi's intentions and coldly retorted, "Don't delude yourself. That's impossible!"
Baishi shook his head. "Whether it's possible or not isn't up to you."
He extended a hand and continued, "You have two choices: voluntarily retreat to the island, or be forced there by me. I'll give you ten seconds to decide."
His tone was calm, almost indifferent, as if he were discussing the weather.
"This is ridiculous! He's far too arrogant!"
A hot-headed Cloud jonin couldn't contain himself, his temper flaring as he said, "He clearly thinks we're nothing! Let's attack together and show him what we're made of! No way he can handle all of us at once!"
Baishi's sharp senses easily picked up on the muttered words, despite the distance and the howling wind.
With a smirk, he whispered, "Seems you've chosen the hard way."
Focusing on the mark he'd left on Daira Kaito during their earlier clash, Baishi activated Flying Thunder God Technique.
In an instant, he vanished from his position.
"Watch out! He's using the Flying Thunder God Technique!" Yuki Orihara shouted in alarm, her voice tinged with urgency.
While Konoha had tried to keep Baishi's mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique a secret, his battles with Iwagakure had exposed this trump card.
"Knowing about it won't save you," Baishi's voice whispered in Orihara's ear.
A chill ran down her spine as an overwhelming sense of dread paralyzed her body. Her blood seemed to freeze, and her limbs refused to respond.
Move! Move! she screamed internally, but her limited physical capabilities left her helpless.
A heavy blow struck Orihara's neck, snapping it with a sickening crack. Her vision faded to black as she collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
"Yuki!"
"You'll pay for that!"
Rage consumed Daira Kaito as he roared, swinging his uninjured left arm at Baishi's head.
Though the attack came swiftly, Baishi disappeared just before it connected.
Kaito stumbled, struggling to regain his balance. Before he could recover, Baishi reappeared directly in front of him, delivering a devastating kick to his chest.
Crack!
The sound of Kaito's ribs fracturing echoed, and he was sent flying through the air, skidding across the water before coming to a halt.
"Yuki!"
"Captain!"
The Cloud ninjas watched in shock. In mere moments, Baishi had executed a perfect assault, dispatching one of their strategists and incapacitating their leader.
Flying Thunder God's instantaneous mobility left them powerless to respond.
Baishi prepared to continue his attack when a sudden flash of lightning appeared before him.
A wave of chakra-laden energy surged into his mind, disrupting the flow of chakra within his neural network.
"An illusion technique?" Baishi mused, immediately recognizing the attempt.
He dismissed the attack with ease. Mental Resistance (Level VI) made him nearly immune to such interference. While this technique managed to mildly disrupt him, it was a rare feat for any genjutsu to affect him at all.
To Baishi, shaking off the illusion was second nature. However, the Cloud ninja who cast it couldn't believe his eyes.
Baishi wasted no time. The moment he broke free, he charged at the illusionist, his figure a blur.
"Watch out, Chiya!" another Cloud ninja shouted, launching Lightning Release: Thunder Chain in an attempt to intercept Baishi.
Two lightning-imbued chains surged toward Baishi, encircling him in a web of electricity laced with sealing properties.
"Impressive technique," Baishi admitted as the chains crackled around him. "But…"
A surge of chakra exploded from Baishi, dispersing the lightning. "It's not enough!"
In a flash, Baishi struck the illusionist square in the chest, shattering his ribcage and crushing his heart. Blood sprayed into the air as the ninja's lifeless body plummeted into the sea.
With the illusionist and strategist eliminated, Baishi's plan was in motion. "Perfect," he thought. "Now to force them onto the island."
A barrage of kunai and shuriken flew toward him, but Baishi easily dodged with graceful leaps. Once at a safe distance, he called out, "Still want to keep going?"
This time, even the hot-headed Cloud ninja hesitated. While impulsive, he wasn't foolish.
Baishi's dominance was undeniable. Their numerical advantage was meaningless against someone with his speed, strength, and techniques.
"Made up your minds yet?" Baishi asked again, his gaze settling on the injured Kaito.
Before the Cloud ninjas could respond, explosions erupted from deeper within the island. Massive fireballs lit up the sky, and the sound of detonating explosive tags echoed through the forest.
"So, it's begun," Baishi muttered.
The chaos was unmistakable. The Leaf's amphibious unit had clashed with the Mist ninjas. As expected, tensions had escalated into open combat.
Baishi smirked. His goal of forcing the Clouds onto the island to escalate the conflict between the three factions was progressing smoothly.
If they stubbornly refused to move, he would simply wipe them out himself.
As he observed the growing tension, Baishi's gaze sharpened, and the pressure around him became suffocating.
The Cloud ninjas could feel the shift, their nerves fraying as they faced the growing threat of both Baishi and the chaos on the island.
(End of Chapter)
---
Read up to 20 chapter ahead of time on patreon.com/Legendryweeb
{please give this novel 5 Star review and power stone}
*Thank you*