💎 WEEKLY POWER GOALS 💎🔥 30→2ch | 60→5ch | 100→8ch | 200→15ch | 400→25ch⏰ Resets Monday!
Shin Hagūgen was forced out of concealment in a rather disheveled state, finally exposed once again to enemy sight.
Actually, the enemy's self-destruction attack wasn't an incorrect choice—the only problem lay in his timing's imprecision. In fact, the optimal method for countering the Mayfly Technique is area-effect ninjutsu. Regardless of how well you hide or how swiftly you move, directly slapping everything dead in the ground remains the superior tactic.
A kunai pierced the mist with a soft "thud," embedding in Shin Hagūgen's shoulder as blood instantly splattered. Fortunately, the shoulder's sharp pain immediately cleared his explosion-addled mind.
A human silhouette materialized in the thinning vapor, cold steel flashing almost from Shin Hagūgen's visual blind spot.
"Earth Release!"
While launching his attack, he loudly alerted remaining comrades. In his understanding, Shin Hagūgen employed some special Earth Release for concealment, movement, and assassination.
Obviously, this hasty judgment conveyed erroneous information to his allies.
Shin Hagūgen lunged forward with his left foot, steadying his nearly unbalanced body. Simultaneously, his back and waist muscles engaged—his upper body twisted sideways while arching backward, barely evading the enemy's decapitating slash. Yet the sharp blade still left a wound on his upper arm.
The enemy flipped his wrist, instantly reversing his blade grip, then rapidly withdrew his arm. Shin Hagūgen could only twist sideways along the enemy's attack direction, dodging this strike as well.
The gleaming blade's cold light stimulated Shin Hagūgen's senses; his skin felt the icy breath, elevating his concentration until even his breathing became calm and prolonged.
But under the enemy's relentless offensive, he ultimately lost balance. His upper body fell backward—only by bracing with one arm against the ground could he avoid collapse.
The enemy suddenly kicked his abdomen. Tremendous force sent him flying in an arched trajectory.
His back slammed into a protruding boulder. The rear impact momentarily stopped his breathing, but he had no time to concern himself with injuries—without hesitation, he rolled sideways.
Clang!
The enemy's short blade had already struck where Shin Hagūgen just fell. Such swift pursuit left no opportunity for counterattack.
He rolled forward continuously, evading attacks while adjusting body posture, finally regaining face-to-face combat positioning.
The enemy ninja's attack speed was remarkable—that short blade struck fiercely, each blow targeting Shin Hagūgen's upper torso centerline.
Clearly, this was a taijutsu-specialized ninja whose intensive offensive aimed to separate Shin Hagūgen's hands, preventing seal formation for jutsu casting.
Excellent thinking, but rather underestimating. After all, Shin Hagūgen hadn't previously distinguished himself through ninjutsu—so by what means had he established battlefield footing and survived until now?
The enemy was merely a Chūnin—completely lacking ability to seize another ninja's jutsu-casting capability.
Continuous offensive pressure is difficult to maintain at lethal rhythm indefinitely. When the opponent's breathing grew slightly irregular, Shin Hagūgen dodged sideways while his right hand, hanging at his side, hooked a kunai from his nearby tool pouch. When the enemy changed from slashing to thrusting, advancing with blade raised, he suddenly swung the kunai upward.
Clang!
With a crisp metallic collision, Shin Hagūgen used the kunai's ring to catch the enemy's blade. He then twisted his wrist violently, firmly locking the short sword while pulling along the opponent's force direction.
The enemy's short blade flew from his grasp. Shin Hagūgen simultaneously released the kunai—his arm strength drew the opponent's body closer. Next, his right leg gathered power, driving his knee violently into the enemy's abdomen.
The knee strike, capable of causing internal bleeding, directly connected. Blood flowed from the enemy's mouth as his legs uncontrollably weakened, staggering backward two steps.
Intense pain nearly contorted the enemy's features. He instinctively raised his head toward Shin Hagūgen, only to see the opponent's hands already converged, the final seal immediately completed:
Fire Release: Phosphorus Flame Technique!
Heat waves distorted the air. Orange-red flames manifested as irregular clusters of varying sizes, surging forward while each trailing different flame tails. Though fire-based, its form resembled lifting a basin of water and violently splashing it outward.
That taijutsu ninja had absolutely no evasion space—in fact, he made no effective response before fan-distributed phosphorus flames directly engulfed him. Once the intense Fire Release adhered to his body, it could never be extinguished.
Piercing screams arose. Upon contacting human flesh, those phosphorus flames' burning intensity surged again. In merely twenty seconds, the enemy's screams ceased. His limbs still struggled symbolically, but soon he became like charred wood, completely merging into the flames.
Regarding threats already neutralized, Shin Hagūgen refused another glance. He shifted his gaze toward the final enemy nearby.
Obviously, this enemy had originally intended to rush over and assist his comrade. However, his companion's screams and gruesome condition made him halt completely.
In his perception, Shin Hagūgen's observing gaze contained neither hatred nor anger—no joy, no sorrow, only tranquility approaching soul-devouring indifference... This was neither the sight reserved for enemies nor friends, but the gaze directed at inanimate objects.
Witnessing his comrades systematically eliminated in extremely brief time, with only himself remaining as the opponent's target—merely a Genin, he could no longer endure such suffocating psychological pressure and directly turned to flee.
However...
Before he could run far, with a soft "thunk," a kunai pierced his heart from behind.
This ninja's age was somewhat younger than Shin Hagūgen's. But... if you don't kill others, others kill you.
"What... kind of... hiden... assassinated the... captain?" Finally, this ninja couldn't help asking.
Obviously, the captain's death marked their misfortune's beginning. If the captain's death hadn't contributed nothing to the battle situation, they absolutely wouldn't have fallen to their current state.
"Hiden? No, I used only ordinary nin—" Shin Hagūgen paused briefly. After slight consideration, he changed his phrasing: "No hiden. I used entirely unremarkable ninjutsu."
Steam generated by Water Release and Fire Release gradually dissipated completely. Shin Hagūgen's dampened hair clung to his forehead, his clothing nearly soaked through... This battle hadn't consumed much time, and overall intensity was merely adequate, yet it still kept his nerves taut.
But regardless, combat objectives were basically achieved. Shin Hagūgen drew a deep breath, allowing damp, cold air to permeate his overheated lungs.
Next, he still needed to support other comrades.
🔥 Want to read the next 30 chapters RIGHT NOW?
💎 Patreon members get instant access!
⚡ Limited-time offer currently running...
👉 Join on -
✨patreon.com/GoldenLong