Chapter 337: The Best Use of a Shadow Clone
Boom boom boom...
In response, Li Yao also used the Time Reset Ryūmyaku Chakra to amass an enormous amount of chakra and created just as many shadow clones as the rogue clone. Each of them extended their hands and formed basketball-sized Black Hole Orbs.
Hiss hiss hiss...
Almost simultaneously, the Black Hole Orbs launched from both sides collided midair and instantly expanded.
In a split second, over a hundred black holes—like miniature black suns—appeared and then vanished across the earth.
Whooosh!
Wind and sand swept through the battlefield.
Over a hundred swirling sand cyclones tore through the ground as violent gusts rushed inward toward the space between the two sides, like a hole suddenly opened in the middle of the ocean, drawing all water inward in a massive suction.
The expansion and collapse of the black holes devoured everything—including the air—leaving over a hundred Bakuum spheres nearly 200 meters wide. The resulting reverse airflow stirred a sandstorm sky-high.
"This guy really can't use Transformation Jutsu!"
Li Yao's eyes lit up. He guessed that perhaps because the rogue clone had used Perfect Transformation to become Fugaku before being brainwashed by Kotoamatsukami, it could no longer revert or transform again.
Doing so might disrupt its altered will and cause it to dissipate.
It was just a theory—but probably not far off.
"Heh… this is perfect. Attack!"
With a smirk, Li Yao gave the order. All his shadow clones clad in Lightning Release armor and wielding black hole blades charged forward.
"Water Release – Oceanic Permeation!"
The rogue clone clapped its hands together. A Kekkei Tōta-level Water Style jutsu burst forth, flooding toward all of Li Yao's shadow clones in crashing waves.
Giant waves surged through the desert, formed entirely of chakra—proof that with Time Reset Chakra, the rogue clone was basically in an Edo Tensei-like state: unlimited chakra.
At the same time, half of the rogue clone's own clones clapped their hands and summoned Black Hole Orbs the size of basketballs.
The other half used Permeation Technique to merge into the air and earth, heading toward Loran.
To the rogue clone, fighting Li Yao head-on here was meaningless.
Especially since the Kotoamatsukami Mangekyō Sharingan now embedded in Li Yao's left eye posed a huge threat.
If time dragged on, the rogue clone might be re-brainwashed at any moment.
Sealing or destroying the Ryūmyaku was the only way to end the original Li Yao's threat.
"This guy really is a pain…"
The Water Permeation Technique surged forward. Li Yao's clones had no choice but to shift into Black Hole Spatial Mode to avoid being eroded.
That gave the rogue clone's other clones the perfect moment to launch their Black Hole Orbs and attempt a kill.
To avoid being consumed, Li Yao's clones would have to stop attacking—
Or… not.
There was one tactic unique to shadow clones:
Self-destruct attacks!
A spark of inspiration lit up in Li Yao's mind—he had just thought of the best method to deal with the rogue clone.
"Flying Thunder God Technique!"
In an instant, all of Li Yao's clones teleported to the rogue clone's location, stabbing with Black Hole Blades in a suicidal assault, not caring about their own destruction.
Faced with this all-out, four-directional suicide attack, the rogue clone's expression was one of helplessness. He had expected this—there was no fooling the original for long. Instinctively, he teleported away with Flying Thunder God.
"Haha…"
Li Yao laughed. With this, the pressure from the rogue clone had disappeared.
This—this was the true way to use shadow clones.
And the best way to counter a rogue clone.
The rogue clone, unable to use Li Yao's Flying Thunder God markers, couldn't pose the same threat and couldn't execute such a suicide tactic.
Only the original, who could teleport directly to the rogue clone's location, could use it effectively.
Li Yao hadn't thought of this earlier simply because he had too many other tactics.
Sometimes, having too many abilities isn't a good thing—it's easy to overlook the simplest, most effective strategies.
Whoosh!
Just as the rogue clone reappeared at one of his Flying Thunder God ink kunai locations, one of Li Yao's shadow clones followed and attacked instantly.
"Black Hole Barrier!"
The rogue clone reacted with a thought. A spherical Black Hole Shield enveloped him, deflecting the attack.
Buzz...
The clash of black hole energy sent space rippling outward in waves.
Using the moment of impact, the rogue clone charged leftward with the shield still active, breaking through the encirclement. This time, he didn't use Flying Thunder God again.
Every one of his teleport markers now had three shadow clones waiting to ambush him. The odds of getting hit were too high.
He knew exactly how fragile his state was.
Even if he had broken free from the original's control, he was still a shadow clone. One hit from a Black Hole Blade, and he'd vanish instantly.
Unlike the original, who—with Wood Release cells and Time Reset Chakra—wouldn't die unless struck in the head.
So he absolutely couldn't get hit by those techniques.
"You think that's enough to escape?"
Li Yao sneered. "How naïve."
Boom boom boom boom...
Another hundred shadow clones appeared and teleported directly to the rogue clone, attacking without pause.
With these endless attacks, reaching Loran was out of the question. Even surviving a few minutes was doubtful.
But—
Zzzzt zzzzt zzzzt!
Countless black blades rained down on the rogue clone's Black Hole Shield, creating a storm of spatial distortion. The surrounding space rippled like raindrops striking a still pond.
Soon, the sand beneath the rogue clone disintegrated into its most basic molecular form under the pressure, revealing a giant crater.
At its center, the rogue clone remained safely inside his spherical Black Hole Shield—unharmed.
Truly, space-based jutsu excelled at both offense and defense.
With his full focus on defense, the rogue clone's shield held firm, even against Black Hole Blades.
Li Yao even tried detonating several Black Hole Orbs to consume it—but to no avail. Not even sealing jutsu worked—they were swallowed by the shield.
"This guy… is really tough."
Staring at the black sphere like an indestructible turtle shell, even Li Yao—the creator of the technique—felt helpless. He couldn't think of a way to crack it.
Space abilities were just that ridiculous.
Still… as long as the rogue clone was pinned here, it was fine.
Li Yao shifted his attention.
The rest of the rogue clone's shadow clones—those on the surface and in the air—had been eliminated by Li Yao's self-destruct clones.
Only the ones that had merged with the earth remained.
Because you can't teleport into the ground, Li Yao had to use the same infiltration technique to intercept them underground.
(END CHAPTER)
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