The entire sequence happened in the blink of an eye—so fast that even Tsukikage Jihuo and the others barely had time to react. From the puddle beneath their feet, a burst of razor-sharp water blades shot out without warning, nearly turning them into sieves!
Raindrops fell one after another, splattering into the puddles and ponds around them, rippling outward in endless circles.
Aburame Shimura, being an elite chūnin, responded instantly. At the first sign of danger, he unleashed his clan's secret technique—Insect Wall, forming a living barrier made entirely of his kikaichū insects!
Secret Technique users like him were a special breed. Their chakra didn't conform to the five elemental natures, making their jutsu unpredictable. The Aburame clan was one such family of specialists—just like the Yamanaka clan.
Taking a deep breath, Tsukikage Jihuo looked gratefully toward Leo. "Thanks to you, Leo… we'd be corpses by now."
The battlefield was unpredictable—every step a potential deathtrap. And on the shinobi frontlines, danger lurked behind every shadow.
The Land of Rain was perpetually soaked; the ground never truly dried. With puddles and pools everywhere, it was impossible to detect every hidden ambush.
"Captain," Leo said quietly, his voice calm amid the drizzle, "thank you for your guidance up to this point. But it seems we've already stepped into an ambush… without even realizing it."
As he spoke, he released his Observation Haki, spreading his perception outward. Through the misty rain, the vague presence of hidden ninja slowly became distinct and clear within his mind's eye.
With his Observation Haki now upgraded, Leo could sense what normal eyes couldn't see—almost like possessing a Byakugan.
And sure enough—moments later, dark figures began to emerge from the rain.
Over a dozen silhouettes surrounded them, each wearing the brown-yellow uniforms of Iwagakure. One glance told Leo that none were below the level of elite chūnin—and two among them were unmistakably jōnin!
The group encircled them but did not strike immediately.
One of the jōnin, a burly man with a worm-like scar running across his face, let out a disappointed sigh.
"Tch… I thought we'd caught a big fish. Turns out it's just a few Konoha ANBU lackeys."
Another jōnin, shirtless and musclebound, gave Leo's group a cold look before speaking flatly.
"Ōishi, stop wasting time. Kill them and pull back. Konoha will notice this disturbance any moment now."
Hearing that, Tsukikage Jihuo, Yamanaka Inoichi, and Aburame Shimura all felt despair settle in.
More than ten elite chūnin, two jōnin… how were they supposed to survive this?
It was obvious that the Iwa ambush hadn't been meant for them. A strike force of this magnitude could only be targeting a high-value individual—perhaps one of Konoha's top jōnin, like the Sannin… or even the ANBU Division Leader… or the White Fang, Hatake Sakumo!
They had simply stumbled into a deathtrap meant for giants.
"What do we do, Captain?" Yamanaka Inoichi asked nervously, sweat dripping down his temple.
"Our Ninth Squad's specialty is reconnaissance," Hayate replied grimly. "We're not suited for direct combat. But with no escape… we fight. For the Will of Fire, we face death without fear."
Even as he spoke, his voice trembled slightly, betraying his fear.
The two Iwa jōnin didn't move—only the dozen elite chūnin advanced slowly, cruel grins spreading across their faces.
Aburame Shimura's arm turned pitch black as his insects crawled over his skin like armor, while Inoichi's body shook, drenched in cold sweat.
Hayate drew his short blade with one hand, and from his pouch pulled out a handful of eEXPlosive tags with the other.
If they were going to die, he'd make sure the enemy paid for it.
The distance closed. The air grew heavy. Yet no one made the first move.
The two Iwa jōnin stood with arms crossed, smirking.
And then—
The boy who had been silent all this time, Leo, stepped forward.
His boots splashed into the puddled mud—rain and blood rippling beneath his feet. Strangely, not a single drop splattered outward.
Step by step, he advanced, drawing a scroll from his belt. With a puff of smoke, the Demon Blade Enma appeared in his grasp.
As if resonating with its master's will, a sinister violet aura seeped from the blade, sharp enough to make the very air sting against their skin.
A faint killing intent spread across the field.
Seeing Leo's movements, Yamanaka and Hayate froze for a moment.
They hadn't eEXPected the rookie—the "greenhorn" of the team—to be the calmest one of all, stepping forward instead of trembling in fear.
But after a moment of surprise, they could only smile bitterly.
This battle's outcome was already set in stone. At best, they could drag a few enemies to the grave with them.
"Not afraid of dying, are you?" one of the Iwa jōnin sneered, amused.
The ring of enemy chūnin tightened, yet Leo stood motionless—his mind unnaturally calm, utterly devoid of fear.
The cold handle of Enma steadied him, keeping his thoughts sharp and focused.
"Kill them," the jōnin Ōishi ordered indifferently. "No need to waste time."
With a chorus of shouts, over a dozen Iwa ninja surged forward!
And in that very instant—
Buzz!!
Leo drew his blade.
From the Demon Blade Enma burst a dark radiance, coating the steel in jet-black light.
Armament Haki—Flowing Sakura!
The killing aura surged outward. The air trembled.
Leo swung.
Clang!!
A monstrous slash tore through the air. For an instant, it felt as though the world had been cleaved in two!
Everything beneath the arc of that blade turned gray, colorless, lifeless.
The black slash enveloped all who stood before it. The killing pressure was suffocating—each wave of blade energy slicing like countless razors flaying flesh from bone.
Even the rain itself froze in midair. Drops hung suspended between heaven and earth, as if time had stopped.
Then—
The world split.
Those nearest to Leo were cut clean in half, still frozen mid-charge, their upper bodies sliding away in disbelief—eyes wide as they stared at their falling legs.
Those farther back weren't spared either.
Each felt the edge of the slash as it ripped through space itself, carving deep wounds across their bodies. Arms flew, blood sprayed, and in an instant, half the Iwa force lay dead or dying.
The survivors staggered, screaming in terror.
But Leo wasn't done.
With a burst of speed—Shave!
He vanished, reappearing among them like a phantom, raising Enma high.
His eyes were ice. His voice cut through the storm like thunder:
"Thirty-six worldly delusions—let them all be severed by my blade!"
"Thirty-Six Calamity Winds!"
He swung again.
A storm-like tornado of black sword aura erupted from Enma, devouring the battlefield whole—
—and the rain of the Land of Rain ran red once more.
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