"Asuma, do you think you can handle it?" Kurenai asked.
"Of course not. We're facing Konoha's White Fang!" Sarutobi Asuma chuckled lightly, then added, "But we just need to give it our all!"
Kurenai and Shizune nodded in unison, feeling significantly more relaxed.
"Kurenai, you'll be responsible for creating an opening for me later," Sarutobi Asuma instructed.
Shizune quickly chimed in, "What about me?"
Sarutobi Asuma looked at Shizune and began to ponder.
Shizune had followed Tsunade since she was very young. So far, her Taijutsu was mediocre, but her Medical Ninjutsu was already quite impressive.
At the very least, she had mastered the Mystical Palm Technique, a Medical Ninjutsu that even Tsunade found a bit difficult.
Shizune wasn't the only one in their class who practiced Medical Ninjutsu.
However, Shizune had the most profound understanding of it.
Rin was second.
Of course, this also had something to do with their lineage. Shizune was taught by Tsunade, while Rin's skills were a family tradition, as both her parents were Medical Ninjas.
After all, the few years spent in the Ninja Academy didn't teach much Medical Ninjutsu, only some basic medical knowledge. To become a true Medical Ninja, one had to take extra courses at the Konoha Ninja Hospital.
Sarutobi Asuma knew Shizune quite well.
He was aware that although Shizune's Taijutsu was mediocre, she had good Ninja Tool Throwing skills.
However, in the current situation, there were few opportunities for her to utilize them.
"Shizune, your mission is to assist Kurenai, protect yourself, and be ready to heal us promptly," Sarutobi Asuma said.
This was the most conventional arrangement for a Medical Ninja.
Shizune nodded.
Sarutobi Asuma continued, "Also, both Kurenai and I will protect you!"
"We are your backup, and at the same time, you are ours!"
Kurenai and Shizune nodded in unison.
Hatake Sakumo had been quietly observing the three as they planned their tactics. Once they finished, he asked, "Are you ready to begin?"
Sarutobi Asuma and the other two exchanged glances and nodded together.
"Alright, let's begin then!"
Hatake Sakumo hung the bell on his waist and announced the start.
As soon as he finished speaking, Sarutobi Asuma threw a smoke bomb.
As the smoke bomb exploded, dense purple mist enveloped Hatake Sakumo.
Hatake Sakumo didn't move, calmly awaiting Sarutobi Asuma's assault.
Suddenly.
The smoke churned and was then pushed aside.
Immediately after, Hatake Sakumo felt the air temperature rise sharply.
And it wasn't just from one direction; it was from all four sides – front, back, left, and right.
As expected.
The smoke vanished, replaced by four orange-red Flame Bullets.
The air warped, and the ground where the Flame Bullets passed turned black and cracked.
This showed how incredibly hot the Flame Bullets were.
"This level of Fire Style is rarely seen, even among Jonin!" Hatake Sakumo thought in surprise.
This Fire Style was far more powerful than what Sarutobi Asuma had displayed during the Graduation Exam.
"They really were hiding their strength!" Hatake Sakumo mused, and then his body instantly leaped into the air.
The four Flame Bullets collided, and with a boom, the ground exploded, creating a scorched pit, with waves of raging flames sweeping outwards.
As Hatake Sakumo ascended, he saw shuriken flying towards him from directly in front and from both sides, forming a triangle.
This indicated they had anticipated his ascent to dodge the four Flame Bullets.
Hatake Sakumo wasn't surprised.
He didn't draw his sword. Instead, he raised his hand, and arcs of electricity appeared, crackling and then suddenly spreading out in a radiating burst.
Struck by the electric light, the three shuriken immediately lost control.
Hatake Sakumo, however, suddenly raised an eyebrow.
Because three Sarutobi Asuma clones had suddenly appeared diagonally below him.
The one in the middle unleashed Flame Bullet, while the two on the sides unleashed Wind Style.
And at this moment, he happened to be in the process of falling.
"He hid the shadow clones within the shuriken's shadows!"
Hatake Sakumo understood instantly, and then drew his sword.
White light erupted!
The combined ninjutsu unleashed by the three shadow clones was met by Hatake Sakumo, who was falling, and he directly sliced the massive orange-red Flame Bullet in half with a single stroke. The attack then swept past him from his left and right sides.
Meanwhile, Hatake Sakumo's body was enveloped in white lightning, and he was completely unharmed.
"As expected of Konoha's White Fang!"
Sarutobi Asuma marveled inwardly as he watched.
With that attack just now, any other ninja, even a Jonin, would absolutely not have been able to handle it so easily.
A large-scale Fire Style jutsu, even Substitution Technique wouldn't have been enough.
However, even as he marveled inwardly.
The shadow clones dispelled, and Sarutobi Asuma and Kurenai lunged forward together, their movements alternating as they advanced.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Sarutobi Asuma flung out two kunai.
Hatake Sakumo landed and casually deflected one kunai with his sword, then tilted his head to dodge the second.
It was at this moment.
Alternating their advance, Yūhi Kurenai, who had appeared in front, had already completed her hand seals.
Cherry Blossom Viewing Technique!
Hatake Sakumo was affected, but he broke free from Yūhi Kurenai's genjutsu in just an instant, almost completely unaffected.
At this moment, Sarutobi Asuma appeared before Yūhi Kurenai, drew his sword, and covered it with pale blue Wind Release Chakra, cutting through the air as he slashed at Hatake Sakumo.
"Wind Style combined with Sword Technique!"
Hatake Sakumo's eyes held a hint of pleasant surprise. Moreover, he could sense that Sarutobi Asuma's Wind Release Chakra was very strong, far stronger than any Wind Style ninja's Chakra he had ever encountered.
He immediately drew his blade, and he used his full strength.
Clang!
Metal clashed against metal as the Wind Style and Lightning Style Chakras erupted, immediately kicking up a gale mixed with strands of electricity.
Yūhi Kurenai, who had been charging alongside Sarutobi Asuma, was immediately swept away by this fierce wind.
And it was at this moment.
Behind Hatake Sakumo, the kunai that Sarutobi Asuma had thrown earlier exploded with a poof, revealing itself to be Sarutobi Asuma. He then lunged from behind Hatake Sakumo, aiming directly for the bell on his waist.
Even Hatake Sakumo hadn't detected the slightest hint of this Transformation Technique.
However.
Just as Sarutobi Asuma's shadow clone was about to grab the bell, swish, Hatake Sakumo's figure disappeared from his original spot.
"Not good!"
Sarutobi Asuma's expression changed drastically. He quickly reached out and grabbed the arm of his shadow clone, swinging it towards Shizune, "Shizune, watch out!"
Shizune was startled. Before she could even turn around, she felt a hand land on her shoulder.
The moment Hatake Sakumo's hand touched Shizune's shoulder, he felt that something was wrong.
In an instant, Shizune's body transformed into a violent whirlwind that exploded.
"Wind Style - Shadow Clone!"
Hatake Sakumo was extremely surprised, white lightning crackling around him, but his body was caught by the raging wind.
And another shadow clone of Sarutobi Asuma arrived, snatching the bell from Hatake Sakumo's waist with lightning speed!
"Did it work?"
Sarutobi Asuma was stunned, not expecting it to actually succeed.
"It worked!"
Yūhi Kurenai was incredibly excited.
Shizune also appeared, having used Transformation Technique to turn into a piece of rubble.
Hatake Sakumo waved his hand, tearing apart the whirlwind that enveloped him, and looked at Sarutobi Asuma, smiling, "Very good, using the weakness of a Medical Ninja against me!"
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Machine Translation by: beta.randomtranslator.com
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