"Your subordinates or yourself—let's see which you choose."
The dark-faced Special Jōnin's lips curled into a vicious smirk. Even if this Konoha nin tried to use his own teammate's body as a shield, it would be useless.
These mechanized senbon could pierce even crow puppets—what hope did flesh and bone have?
This was the moment.
He'd sacrificed one of his own men just to create this opening. A fair trade for killing this threat.
"Captain, you— AHH!"
A scream cut through the air.
THWIP-THWIP-THWIP!
A storm of senbon tore through the bald chūnin's body, their momentum unchecked as they rained toward Umino Yoru and his team.
"You vile bastard."
Yoru's eyes burned with killing intent.
Using his own subordinate as bait? This was the ruthlessness of Sunagakure—no different from Kirigakure's Bloody Mist.
"Too bad… you think I didn't see this coming?"
A cold smirk flickered across Yoru's face.
His Sonic Radar had caught every move—the chakra strings secretly latching onto the dead man's puppet, the Black Ant's lurking threat.
The only surprise was how far this bastard was willing to go.
"Captain, RUN! Don't worry about us!"
Tekuno's voice was raw with despair.
There was no dodging this. The senbon storm was too dense, too fast.
If Yoru tried to save them, he'd die too.
"A-Ahh…"
Little Shō stood frozen, eyes wide with terror.
"Shō… I LOVE YOU!"
Inuzuka Ryō lunged forward, arms spread, shielding her with his body.
Pathetic.
Even if he blocked her vitals, the senbon would shred them both.
But at least he'd said what he always wanted to.
"Running alone isn't my style."
Yoru's voice was calm.
He'd known the Black Ant was the real threat. That's why he'd moved closer to his team.
Substitution? Useless—the attack range was too wide.
Advanced Body Flicker? He didn't know it.
But he had another plan.
"Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!"
His hands blurred—five seals per second—before slamming together.
SPLOOSH!
A whirling sphere of water erupted, encasing all four of them.
"WHAT?!"
Gekkō Yoru stiffened, barely blocking the spiky-haired jōnin's strike.
Why the hell is he using arestraint techniqueto defend?!
Water Prison was for capturing enemies, not stopping armor-piercing senbon!
Was he panicking? Or… does he just not knowWater Wall?
"A mere Water Prison can't stopSenbon Storm!"
The dark-faced puppeteer sneered.
This technique was Lady Chiyo's design—a B-rank assault in point-blank range.
Did this fool think he was theSecond Hokage?
But then—
"Rotate."
Yoru's hands formed the Tiger seal.
"Revolving Water Prison!"
WHOOSH—
The water accelerated, spinning into a violent vortex, centrifugal force thickening the outer layers.
Not a prison anymore—
A shield.
"Impossible! That's…advanced water nature transformation?!"
The puppeteer's smirk shattered.
Who the hell modified a C-rank jutsu like this?!
"You deceitful BASTARD!"
Another lie. Another trick.
Every scrap of intel on this man waspoisoned.