"Ah!"
Screams echoed one after another.
Within the storm, blue light flashed, and ninjas, tumbling with the tempest, were cut down with a single blade.
Finally, Sarutobi Asuma left only one survivor, but he had crippled all four of their limbs.
Carrying the survivor, he flashed back to provide support.
Arriving at the merchant caravan's location, he found Kurenai and the others already surrounded.
Two four-person squads!
Sarutobi Asuma was startled. Something had gone wrong with Hatake Sakumo's side.
Without time to think, he threw down the survivor he was carrying, opened his mouth, and blew out a gust of wind that swept across the entire battlefield.
However, this wind wasn't a gale; it was just a slight breeze.
Sarutobi Asuma merged with the wind.
"Careful, a Wind Style master is coming!"
A Chunin noticed Sarutobi Asuma and shouted.
But the next moment, his eyes widened as a bloody line appeared on his neck. Blood gushed out, dyeing the ground red along with the rain.
In an instant, all eight ninjas were killed by Sarutobi Asuma, who was hidden within the wind.
The wounded samurai stared with wide eyes at Sarutobi Asuma as he revealed himself.
Charisma +0.5!
Sarutobi Asuma didn't have time to bask in their gazes. He left behind a Shadow Clone and then used the Body Flicker Technique to disappear, leaving only a message: "You all hold the line, I'm going to help Teacher Sakumo!"
He headed east, in the direction he had come from.
Soon, a roaring sound reached his ears.
As he arrived at the battlefield, his pupils contracted: "Earth Grudge Fear, Kakuzu!"
"No wonder Teacher Sakumo was being held back!"
Sarutobi Asuma hadn't expected to encounter one of the Immortal Duo so soon.
Furthermore, there were now three masked figures outside – Fire Style, Wind Style, and Lightning Style.
It was practically a four-on-one situation!
"Since that's the case, then..."
With a boom, a Shadow Clone appeared beside him. The main body and the Shadow Clone simultaneously performed the jutsu, their cheeks puffing out before, with a "roar," a terrifying torrent of air and flames spewed forth, transforming into a firestorm that swept outwards.
This was him unleashing his full power in Fire Style and Wind Style. The flames, exceeding 1500 degrees Celsius, swept out at extreme speed under the effect of Wind Style. Wherever they passed, the rain was instantly evaporated, and the muddy ground turned scorched and cracked.
Hatake Sakumo had already seen Sarutobi Asuma and had been continuously engaging Kakuzu.
"This kid..."
Kakuzu also noticed. He was startled by the raging firestorm sweeping towards them.
The Wind Style and Fire Style masked monsters immediately abandoned their attack on Hatake Sakumo and also unleashed a combined ninjutsu.
Wind Style - Oppression!
Fire Style - Head Hunter!
Accompanied by the roar of air friction and expansion, a firestorm no less powerful than Sarutobi Asuma's swept out.
The two storms were like two colossal waves of fire, tens of meters high. They collided with a crash and then swept out in all directions.
And at the same time.
The Lightning Style masked monster moved at high speed, its electricity like threads, heading straight for Sarutobi Asuma.
After performing his jutsu, Sarutobi Asuma's main body dashed directly into the fire waves that were sweeping outwards, while his Shadow Clone opened its mouth and fired repeatedly, launching wind spheres.
Wind Style - Oppression!
The wind spheres collided with the electric arcs, annihilating them instantly.
But Sarutobi Asuma's main body had already disappeared into the fire waves.
The Wind Style and Fire Style masked monsters immediately lost their targets and turned to surround and attack the Shadow Clone.
Within the fire waves, Sarutobi Asuma moved as if in his element, feeling no discomfort.
Passing through the fire waves, he raised his hand, and a kunai covered in blue light flew out.
It was a kunai enhanced with Wind Release Chakra.
Hatake Sakumo immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to disappear. Kakuzu brandished his kunai to dodge and block, but then he discovered that the kunai in his hand had split in two.
And immediately after, a storm mixed with wind blades swept over.
An Earth Style wall erupted from the ground, but it was immediately torn apart by the storm.
"This kid's speed is incredible..."
Kakuzu was startled.
Sarutobi Asuma's casting speed was actually faster than his.
Especially after being interfered with by Hatake Sakumo's kunai, he no longer had time to cast.
Shielding his face with his arms, the next moment, a storm engulfed Kakuzu. Sharp wind blades "swished" as they scraped across his body. Even hardening his body with Earth Style couldn't block them; his clothes tore, and his flesh was cut open.
Splash!
Suddenly, Kakuzu's body turned into flowing water, and then scattered by the wind blades.
Sarutobi Asuma struck, his Chakra Blade stabbing into the water on the ground.
"Huh?"
"Escaped with Earth Style?"
Sarutobi Asuma raised an eyebrow.
"Asuma, be careful!"
Hatake Sakumo's voice rang out.
It turned out the Lightning Style masked monster had abandoned its Shadow Clone and charged over, while the Wind Style and Fire Style masked monsters were besieging Hatake Sakumo.
Sarutobi Asuma turned, unleashing a sword strike. Blue light erupted, colliding with electricity, forcefully shattering the Lightning Style masked monster's lightning jutsu.
Dozens of meters away, Kakuzu appeared, covered in blood, staring intently at Sarutobi Asuma. "This kid's Wind Style is even stronger than mine!"
He had almost died just now.
The two of them had coordinated so perfectly that he had no time to cast or dodge, forced to abandon one Water Style heart.
After blocking the lightning attack, Sarutobi Asuma noticed the Lightning Style masked monster quickly flying towards Kakuzu.
He turned to look and immediately understood. "Looks like Kakuzu is missing a heart!"
"Water Style?"
The previous Shadow Clone dispelled, and Sarutobi Asuma immediately created another Shadow Clone to assist Hatake Sakumo.
The masked monsters were troublesome; they could fly high and cast quickly. Moreover, this area was wide open with no cover, making it difficult for Hatake Sakumo to find an opportunity to deal with the masked monsters flying in the sky.
However, with Sarutobi Asuma's Shadow Clone, things became much easier.
After all, Sarutobi Asuma's casting speed was also incredibly fast, even faster than the masked monsters.
At the same time, his Wind Style and Fire Style were not inferior at all.
After creating the Shadow Clone, Sarutobi Asuma charged towards Kakuzu's main body.
If he took down Kakuzu's main body, dealing with the remaining two masked monsters would be easy.
But if he dealt with the two masked monsters and Kakuzu's main body escaped, he would recover quickly.
This guy had five hearts, was proficient in various ninjutsu, and his Taijutsu was also very strong. He was undoubtedly one of the top powerhouses in the ninja world.
He was a figure from the same era as the First Hokage and the Second Hokage!
"What an arrogant brat!"
Kakuzu sneered as he looked at the charging Sarutobi Asuma.
He was underestimating him!
Sizzle!
Electricity flickered across his body. Kakuzu formed hand seals, and the lightning immediately surged across the ground, attacking Sarutobi Asuma.
Sarutobi Asuma leaped, and a storm erupted from his mouth.
Walls rose from the ground.
Two walls were torn apart by the storm. Blue light erupted, and Sarutobi Asuma appeared, cutting through the third wall with a single strike.
Following that, black tendrils swept towards him.
Kakuzu had turned into a tentacle monster!
Sarutobi Asuma wasn't surprised. Chakra enveloped his body, and then clusters of flames flickered.
He swung his blade rapidly, easily cutting through the tendrils. As he closed in on Kakuzu, he formed a Rasengan in his left hand.
Boom!
The ground where Kakuzu stood exploded into a large pit.
Debris flew everywhere. As Sarutobi Asuma looked up, the earth beneath him exploded, and his figure vanished, reappearing before Kakuzu in an instant. Blue blade light struck repeatedly.
Kakuzu retreated again and again.
However, Sarutobi Asuma also noticed something.
Kakuzu was retreating, but not in a straight line. He was moving in circles.
"Underfoot?"
The moment Sarutobi Asuma realized this, countless black tendrils erupted from the ground, completely surrounding him.
Swish, swish, swish!
The tendrils surged like a tide, engulfing Sarutobi Asuma. One of Kakuzu's hands detached and grabbed Sarutobi Asuma's neck.
His hand, hardened by Earth Style, was temporarily immune to the flames on Sarutobi Asuma's body.
Meanwhile, the Lightning Style mask on Kakuzu's shoulder had prepared a ninjutsu. Intense electricity gathered and then shot out, accurately hitting Sarutobi Asuma's head.
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