"What an incredible Wind Release…! As expected of the craftsmen who inherited the founder's techniques!"
Souma drew a sharp breath.
If it weren't for her weapons, he could fight ten of her easily—
but those serpent-like flexible blades were something else entirely.
Those soft-sword tendrils lashed toward them like a swarm of vipers.
Souma and Kakashi leapt back simultaneously.
Their main target was Kakashi, but that didn't mean they underestimated Souma. He'd just killed a samurai on par with a jōnin.
Even if samurai had obvious weaknesses in shinobi-style combat, that feat made Souma undeniably dangerous.
Thus—
Even while two-thirds of their attacks chased Kakashi, a full third were sent toward Souma.
Even with Overlimit activated, Souma was pushed hard just to dodge.
Counterattacking wasn't an option yet.
"Souma—now!"
Kakashi's words fell the instant light exploded between his palms.
The next moment—he vanished.
Lightning Blade.
White lightning streaked through the forest like a falling star—
And punched straight into the Peacock-user's chest.
Because the Four Celestial Symbols had spread out to encircle both Kakashi and Souma, their distance made the Infinite Peacock Armor useless. It couldn't absorb kakashi's chakra in time.
And Kakashi's speed—
the target didn't even react.
"Impossible! You clearly… No, fall back! Regroup!"
The remaining three finally sensed danger.
Kakashi still had strength left—
they'd fallen for his feigned exhaustion.
As for the newcomers—Tenten, Hazuki, and Yuichi—
they barely spared them a glance. Two young kunoichi of average strength weren't a concern.
As for Yuichi, a sword-only samurai? Totally useless in a battle like this.
Unless—
They managed to retrieve the Peacock Twin Blades.
"Lord Kyūshin… that kid—"
"I know."
Kyūshin, the leader of the Four, gathered chakra, attempting to summon back the stolen weapon. He had sensed the Twin Blades through the link a moment ago, but now—
Nothing.
A dead connection.
His expression darkened.
"Is it done?" Kakashi asked casually.
"Mm. I couldn't seal it at first, but once I treated it like a living creature, the sealing method worked."
Until unsealed, the blades were no different from ordinary swords.
Souma's eyes sparkled as he glanced at the armor-clad Kyūshin.
"Kakashi-sensei… if all their tools behave like 'living' chakra constructs, then that armor's mouth probably absorbs chakra."
"Likely," Kakashi nodded.
"Dobashi! Handle Kakashi!" Kyūshin barked.
"Yes!"
The remaining three exchanged looks—
and all surged toward Souma instead.
They thought they were being cautious with him before, but even so they'd underestimated him.
Not only were his sword skills sharp—
He also had strange binding seals, could decipher and seal living weapons in moments, and even deduced the armor's ability at a glance.
This kid had to die.
The Yari Dark Blades shot out like a nest of serpents, while beams of light sliced the air toward him.
Souma pushed his Overlimit to its peak.
Bang!
The ground beneath his feet cracked as he kicked off with a chakra burst, accelerating far beyond his previous speed. In a blink, he was already meters away—
But—
Schhk—!
A blade grazed his shoulder, drawing blood.
He gritted his teeth, refusing to slow.
"Souma-kun!"
Tenten's voice cut through the air.
Threads of steel wire shot into the battlefield like silver streaks, winding around the Yari Dark Blades.
The extending weapons shrieked as they were forcibly coiled and restrained.
In that single heartbeat of delay—
Souma's hands blurred through seals, slamming five concentrated chakra bursts into the weapon.
Five Elements Seal!
It couldn't permanently shut it down, but in the instant the blades recoiled, it caused a moment of chaotic feedback.
And from the earth behind—
A figure erupted upward.
"Kakashi, I've been waiting for you!"
Twin beams shot from Kyūshin's shoulder armor, but the next moment the target burst into mud.
A Mud Clone.
Kyūshin's head jerked upward—
and saw a flash of white light streaking toward him.
He retaliated instantly—only to slice through another clone.
The real Kakashi appeared on his flank, blade already raised.
"Dobashi!"
"On it!"
Dobashi knew he couldn't outrun Kakashi—
so he took the simplest path.
His Body Flickered straight in front of Kyūshin to shield him.
Kakashi's eyes went cold.
He'd tested the armor earlier. It could effortlessly absorb chakra-based ninjutsu, but it wasn't invincible.
At least—
it couldn't absorb a blade.
Kakashi drew his sword with his left hand.
All his remaining strength and chakra condensed into that single stroke.
The blade fell.
CLANG!
Metal screamed.
"Trying to kill me with a sword? Naive—wha—?"
Dobashi had opened his mouth to mock him—
but suddenly froze.
Pain tore through his torso.
A fracture-riddled blade tip had pierced into his armor's weak point.
Kakashi hadn't used chakra at all—
so the armor couldn't absorb the attack.
The metal shattered under the force, and the broken edge stabbed into Dobashi's body.
The Yari Dark Blade tried to lash out but sputtered erratically, still disrupted by Souma's earlier sealing strike.
Kyūshin attempted to assist, but—
Wind rustled overhead.
A "Kakashi" descended with a killing slash.
Kyūshin countered—
and sliced through yet another clone.
The real Kakashi seized the moment.
Lightning flared as he drove his right hand straight into the breach in Dobashi's armor.
Even though the armor tried devouring the chakra, the high-density Lightning Release still punched through his heart.
Hidden in the shadows, Hazuki saw Kyūshin stagger and immediately struck from behind.
"Hazuki—fall back!"
Souma's eyes widened.
"Your opponent is me!"
The Yari Dark Blades reawakened, whipping out in five directions. Two of them lashed straight toward Tenten.
"Infinite Peacock Armor—return!"
Kyūshin roared.
In a soft tearing sound, the armor detached from Dobashi's corpse and flew back to its master's body.
Kakashi's arm sank deeper into empty air. His brows twitched.
"You discarded your comrade that easily…?"
"Move," Kyūshin said coldly. He grabbed the armor, hauled his last remaining ally upright, and prepared to flee.
At that moment—
Tenten unfurled two scrolls, her movements like a soaring dragon.
Kunai, shuriken, explosive tags—
they burst out in a rain of steel, arcing across the battlefield.
Kakashi's lone eye sharpened.
He saw it instantly.
Amid the barrage, eight explosive tags were not explosive tags—
They were sealing talismans.
Thrown in eight perfect positions.
A flawless setup.
Souma's hands snapped together.
Binding Array—rise!
Seals ignited across the ground.
Steel wires tightened, forming a lattice before the armor could absorb the chakra.
Before Kyūshin could counter, the formation snapped shut.
Hazuki, knowing the armor's properties, shifted her footing and struck at his ally instead.
The Yari Dark Blade, deadly in offense but helpless in defense while restrained, offered no resistance.
Her blade took his life in one stroke.
"Just some sealing trick—
No… No! This is impossible!"
Kyūshin's face twisted.
His armor's chakra field was locked in a stalemate with the seal—
being pushed and pulled simultaneously.
The seal wasn't overpowering him—
but he couldn't break free either.
How?
Before he could answer—
Roots erupted from the earth.
Souma held the formation steady, pouring every ounce of precision into it.
Beads of sweat rolled down his chin.
Maximum output on Binding Array and Absorption Barrier…
It's holding…
He exhaled ever so slightly in relief.
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