A Cloud Shinobi team was rapidly approaching the lighthouse.
As they got closer, their faces visibly relaxed.
"Thankfully, we have Lord Doxi with us. Otherwise, there's no way we could have gotten so many scrolls," one Cloud Shinobi said with a grin.
The others also smiled with satisfaction.
"And the best part? We took them all from those Konoha brats. Feels damn good!"
"Serves them right for daring to talk big in front of Lord Doxi," another chimed in.
However, one Cloud Shinobi hesitated, a trace of concern appearing on his face.
"But if we do this, won't Konoha retaliate? That Hanyu Simu seems pretty strong..."
His words were immediately met with mockery from his teammates.
"Ha! That Simu guy just got lucky and caught Lord Doxi off guard."
"A sneak attack doesn't count as a real victory!"
The hesitant Cloud Shinobi wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
Suddenly, the scout ninja in their team tensed up, his expression changing drastically.
"Watch out!"
Before he could finish speaking, several golden chains shot out from the snowy forest like massive golden pythons!
One Cloud Shinobi, too slow to react, was immediately caught. The chains coiled tightly around his leg.
"Damn it! What kind of jutsu is this?!"
As he struggled, his body suddenly felt weaker.
"Be careful! These chains are absorbing my chakra!" he shouted in alarm.
Hearing this, his teammate immediately swung his ninja blade at the chain.
But when the blade struck, all it did was produce a few sparks.
There wasn't even the slightest scratch on the chains.
Then—
"Incoming!"
Three kunai flew toward them, each with explosive tags attached.
Sizzle—
BOOM!
Fiery explosions engulfed the trapped Cloud Shinobi, melting the snow beneath him into slushy water.
The remaining two Cloud Shinobi stood frozen, shock evident on their faces.
"Haha! Now you've seen the power of this lady!"
A voice filled with excitement rang out as Kushina, her vibrant red hair swaying, emerged from the forest.
This was her own strategy—using the Adamantine Sealing Chains to restrain the enemy before finishing them off with explosive tags.
Simple. Brutal. Effective.
"It's that red-haired Konoha girl!"
The two Cloud Shinobi immediately recognized her.
Kushina smirked, rolling up her sleeves, her veins bulging slightly as she prepared for battle.
"Lightning Style: Thunder Beast!"
A crackling thunder beast formed from lightning roared to life, charging toward Kushina with electrifying speed.
Yet, Kushina remained calm.
She might not be as strong as Simu or Minato, but among the participants in this trial, she was far from weak.
Four golden chains shot from her body, whipping through the air and striking the Thunder Beast.
Crackle!
The powerful impact dispersed the beast into scattered lightning bolts.
Kushina used the chains to anchor herself, launching into the air.
With chakra surging into her fist, she punched downward with incredible force!
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"
A thick earthen barrier rose in front of her opponent.
But against Kushina's monstrous strength, it was futile.
Crack!
The wall shattered in an instant, large cracks spreading before it completely collapsed!
"Get crushed!"
Her devastating punch struck the Cloud Shinobi who had cast the Earth Style jutsu, sending him flying.
Another Cloud Shinobi took the opportunity to attack.
Lightning crackled around his ninja sword as he dashed forward.
"Lightning Style: Thunder Blade!"
A deadly slash came straight for Kushina's throat from the side!
His eyes were filled with cold killing intent.
The speed was beyond expectations—he was aiming to end her life in one swift strike!
Kushina's heart tensed.
But before she could react—
A blur appeared.
"You Cloud Shinobi really love playing dirty tricks, huh?"
Simu materialized between Kushina and the attacker, effortlessly stopping the lightning-infused blade with just his fingers, now coated in Armament Haki.
The Cloud Shinobi's eyes widened in disbelief.
Simu grinned.
"Damn, that was close."
With a casual kick, he sent the attacker flying.
The unfortunate Cloud Shinobi soared through the air like a shooting star, finally crashing into the snow hundreds of meters away, barely clinging to life.
Simu turned to Kushina.
"Be careful. There might be more of these disposable pawns hidden among the Cloud Shinobi, willing to die just to take you out."
Kushina smirked playfully, her mischievous nature showing.
"With you here, I don't have to worry."
Gone was the fierce, battle-hardened warrior—she now looked like an innocent girl.
Simu chuckled, patting her head.
At that moment, his Observation Haki expanded, scanning the area for kilometers.
In the distance, two Cloud Shinobi captains—Lord Doxi—were leading their teams, surrounding Konoha's Ino–Shika–Chō trio.
"This is bad… Those two Doxi guys are no joke. There's no way we can win against them," Shikaku Nara muttered, rubbing his forehead in frustration.
Beside him, Yamanaka Inoichi had a deep gash on his arm, blood staining his sleeve.
Akimichi Chōza, the team's tank, was covered in burns, breathing heavily from exertion.
They were completely outmatched.
Looking at the two Doxi captains, their fierce expressions filled with killing intent, Shikaku sighed and raised his hands.
"Screw it. Let's just surrender. This is just a trial anyway. Losing won't kill us, but staying here might."
Meanwhile, several kilometers away, Simu raised his hands into a pistol-like gesture, his fingers forming a gun shape.
Like a hunter locking onto his prey, he smirked.
"Found you."
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