Annihilating the Kumogakure Squad!

Seeing that Kaze was unmoved by his words, the Cloud Ninja Leader immediately realized what was happening.

A direct confrontation was unavoidable.

But this was not the time to linger in battle.

"Leave this guy to them."

The Cloud Ninja Leader's mind raced, forcing him to make a swift decision.

He would leave Kaze to his subordinates while taking the opportunity to flee toward Konoha's border.

Once he met up with Kumogakure's ninja, he would have nothing to worry about.

As soon as he finished speaking, the Cloud Ninja Leader turned and rushed toward the border.

"Yes!"

The remaining three Chunin answered their leader with resounding voices.

They had also prepared themselves to die.

The three moved quickly, surrounding Kaze in a pincer formation.

"Don't look into his eyes."

As one Chunin warned his companions, he drew the short sword at his waist, fixed his gaze on Kaze's neck, and struck without hesitation.

Facing the fierce advance of the three Chunin, Kaze remained where he was, neither dodging nor evading.

His gaze turned toward the distance.

He scrutinized the Cloud Ninja Leader.

After two days of experimentation and development, he could now Elementalize at will.

Just as the three Chunin's short swords were about to pierce his vital points, Kaze decisively activated his ability.

Dazzling lightning shot into the sky, rivaling the bright moon and illuminating the entire area as if it were daytime.

The Cloud Ninja Leader, whose vision had been dim just moments ago, suddenly found the path ahead incomparably bright.

"What is this...?"

He nervously swallowed, his feet never stopping as he involuntarily turned his head to look back.

That single glance was enough to drain all color from his face.

Kaze's entire body was covered in a layer of lightning, making him look just like Lord Raikage in Lightning Release Chakra Mode.

But...

Lightning Release Chakra Mode was a unique Ninjutsu that only successive Raikage could master.

How could this Konoha ninja possibly know such a technique?

What seemed most unbelievable to him was...

After Kaze used this "Lightning Release Chakra Mode," every short sword thrust at him passed straight through his body.

No...

It was not merely that Chunin's short sword.

Because he had not anticipated Kaze's move, his body lost balance on the spot and, together with his short sword, pierced straight through Kaze's body.

His arm entered through Kaze's chest and emerged from his back.

The sharp short sword shot directly toward his companion and plunged into his companion's lung.

For a moment...

The three Chunin who had ambushed Kaze from different directions ended up injuring each other.

And in all their lives, they had never seen such a bizarre Ninjutsu.

"Could this be Genjutsu? But when did he use it? I clearly never looked into his eyes!"

One Chunin could not help crying out in terror as the color rapidly drained from his face.

Unable to comprehend the scene before him, he fell into unprecedented fear.

But why would Kaze care what these Chunin thought?

He skillfully used the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, transforming himself into a thundercloud.

Furthermore, the three Chunin had stabbed each other and could not break free for the moment.

They could only watch helplessly as Kaze rose into the air like a cloud.

Then...

The thundercloud firmly wrapped around their necks.

"I have to say, they really are Kumogakure ninja. If they were ordinary people, they would probably have been knocked unconscious by this energy already."

Kaze murmured inwardly.

He marveled at the powerful physical qualities of these Chunin.

The next second...

Crack!

Without exception, the three Chunin had their heads twisted off by the Elementalized Kaze.

Blood spurted from the gaps in their necks like fountains, propelling their wide-eyed heads into the air.

"Impossible!"

The Cloud Ninja Leader, who witnessed this scene, stared so wide-eyed that his eyes looked larger than a bull's.

Three well-trained Chunin had been instantly killed by a Konoha ninja!

They had Failed to buy him even a few breaths of time.

"This guy's strength is at least at the level of an Elite Jonin."

The Cloud Ninja Leader gritted his teeth, realizing that Kaze was stronger than him.

"I am Lord Raikage's sworn brother."

"If you kill me here, Lord Raikage will not let you go!"

"Do you intend to start a full-scale war between Kumogakure and Konoha?"

Feeling the fierce killing intent closing in on him.

The Cloud Ninja Leader hurriedly shouted at Kaze, who had turned into a thundercloud.

He then placed the unconscious Hinata on the ground.

Having witnessed Kaze's abilities, he immediately realized that there was no way he could take Hinata away tonight.

His desire to survive surged to its peak.

The tragic deaths of four Chunin would also be enough reason to pressure the Konoha leadership.

Once he returned to Kumogakure, he would definitely settle this score!

However, Kaze had no reason to care about his claims.

If Konoha and Kumogakure could truly break out into a full-scale war, it would actually be a good thing for someone like him, whose life was constantly at risk.

With that thought, Kaze swept forward with intense killing intent, charging directly at the Cloud Ninja Leader.

"Damn it..."

Seeing Kaze press him relentlessly, the Cloud Ninja Leader had no other options. He could only rapidly form hand seals with both hands, preparing to fight Kaze.

"If a large-scale war breaks out between Konoha and Kumogakure, you will be a sinner of history."

Even as he formed hand seals, the Cloud Ninja Leader did not forget to pressure Kaze with his words.

He wanted to disrupt Kaze's thoughts and create an opportunity to kill him instead.

"Lightning Release: Flash Strike Technique!"

The Cloud Ninja Leader quickly completed his hand seals, gathered his Chakra in his throat, took a deep breath, and finally unleashed a dazzling bolt of lightning.

Rumble!

Amid rolling thunder, the lightning breathed out by the Cloud Ninja Leader passed directly through Kaze's body.

It ultimately struck one of the Towering Trees beside the street.

Boom!

The trunk was split into two on the spot. The instantaneous heat turned into open flames that devoured the trunk, the branches...

The resulting Shockwave knocked green leaves from the branches, making them dance gracefully before the flames.

It carried a sense of Konoha's leaves dancing while its fire burned ever on.

"My Ninjutsu had no effect?!"

The Cloud Ninja Leader felt as though his mind had gone blank.

He simply could not understand Kaze's Ninjutsu.

He had clearly hit Kaze's body head-on, so why...

Why had it had no effect?!

Whoosh!

As a sharp sound cut through the air beside his ear, a flash of cold light crossed the Cloud Ninja Leader's vision.

A thin line of blood appeared out of nowhere on his neck.

Then, at a visible speed, it circled around his skin.

The bloodline grew ever clearer until it burst out of control, with vast amounts of Crimson blood spraying from the wound.

Meanwhile, Kaze landed steadily behind him.

The dazzling lightning around his body vanished, and he returned to flesh and blood.

The Cloud Ninja Leader's pupils dilated. His body tilted backward before he fell to the ground with a thud.

His lifeless eyes stared fixedly at Kaze. Both hands clutched his neck, his mouth hanging wide open as though he were accusing him of something.

Yet he could not make a sound.