Encounter

Create Ninjutsu: New

Name: Shadow Puppet

Rank: A(S)

Mutation: With the support of the Shadow Release Kekkei Genkai, the ninjutsu's rank will advance into a kekkei genkai technique.

Effect: Grants life to shadows with Yin Release Power, allowing one to transfer their consciousness into a shadow, invade a person's mind, control their body, and twist their will.

Within a certain range, controlled targets can be manipulated like puppets in one's hand, according to one's wishes. The closer they are to the caster, the stronger the control effect. The farther they are, the weaker it becomes.

Effect Two: Like the Mind Body Switch Technique, transfer the shadow into another body. The caster's spirit suppresses the target's mind, while Shadow Nerves replace the human body's nerves.

Before the caster's Chakra is completely exhausted, this mode possesses Forced Control over the possessed body and the ability to enforce absolute obedience.

Conclusion: An alternative ultimate power of Yin Release. The stronger the soul, the stronger the technique's effect.

Recognition: 3010/10000 (Ninjas who die to this technique will gain Recognition as they experience its power.)

Reward: Physical Fitness +10, Chakra Amount +500 (Note: Once the body reaches its physical limit, further increases in Chakra Amount will become ineffective.)

The series of encounters had only brought Kagetsu one good thing: they had helped him grind up the Recognition for the Shadow Puppet Technique. This made him increasingly proficient in its use, and more flexible in its applications.

The most criticized weakness of the Nara Clan's Shadow Secret Technique in battle was that against speed-based ninjas, once they noticed the secret of the shadows, it became difficult to catch them and bring them under control.

The activation and signs of the shadows were far too obvious in places with light, and in practice, control was limited to his own shadow—the one infused with his Chakra.

That was why the Nara Clan's secret techniques required cooperation from others on the battlefield.

Kagetsu, who possessed the Shadow Release Kekkei Genkai, could go a step further. He could temporarily bestow his Yin Release Power upon other shadows, rather than being limited to his own.

Of course, doing so weakened his control over the shadows, and they could not last for long. But at critical moments, this ability could often deliver a killing blow.

When sparring with Shisui, Kagetsu had calculated during the pursuit, sensing where Shisui would land and controlling a patch of ground that held a faint shadow with his Yin Release Power.

Then, through shadows and ninjutsu, he had driven Shisui into that shadow trap.

Accomplishing this was not easy. Especially against the Sharingan, carrying out that entire sequence required even more precise control, concealment, and deception.

Now that Shisui had gained some understanding of Kagetsu's Shadow Release, he would no longer suffer from an information disadvantage as he had in the beginning.

"Roi's squad has gone missing too? Damn it! Has Konoha's reinforcements arrived this quickly?" In the Cloud Shinobi's temporary camp, the Son of the Third Raikage's still-youthful face was filled with rage.

Ever since that golden-haired man had arrived with his people, the squads under his command had suffered one mission failure after another.

The opponent was simply too fast, and he possessed the ability to transport personnel and supplies. He had fought the man twice, and each time, he had been humiliated in terms of the speed he took such pride in.

If he had not tempered his Lightning Release Chakra Mode to the level where lightning could wrap around his entire body, forming Lightning Release Armor that covered every inch of his skin, he would have suffered at least serious injuries at the hands of that golden-haired man.

What gave him an even bigger headache was that simply swarming the golden-haired man with numbers was useless. One careless mistake, and the opponent would seize the opportunity to kill someone in an instant.

The other Cloud Shinobi did not possess defenses as powerful as his, nor could they keep up with the opponent's speed.

After several encounters, because the man came and went like the wind and no one knew his name, the Cloud Shinobi had begun calling him the Yellow Flash.

A and his younger brother Killer B were now leading a small number of Elite Jonin, mainly pursuing the Yellow Flash and keeping him too occupied to concern himself with anything else.

The rest of the Cloud Shinobi forces had scattered to continue carrying out their mission of plundering grain and supplies.

"They won't get away! Although yesterday's heavy rain washed away many traces, we can still determine their location. Yugito has already taken people to deal with them."

The speaker was a stern-looking ninja. He was the Third Raikage's trusted right-hand man, the Jonin Dodai, whom the Third Raikage had specially sent over as assistance after learning that the mission here was not going smoothly.

He soothed the somewhat agitated A. "Our top priority now is to find a way to deal with the Yellow Flash. As long as he is here, we cannot carry out the plan."

"I understand." The young A still showed Dodai respect. At present, the only ones who could fight and entangle the Yellow Flash were himself and Killer B, who could coordinate with him seamlessly.

Yet even if the two joined forces, let alone keeping the opponent behind, one careless mistake could see the opponent seize an opening and strike them.

"Carry out the plan. This time, I brought an entire Sealing Team. As long as you can hold him back, the Sealing Team will attempt to use Sealing Techniques to see whether they can deal with him.

"I cannot stay here for long. The situation on Lord Raikage's side is not good either." Dodai was somewhat worried. A plan that had originally been excellent had encountered one accident after another, causing the entire scheme to come apart and become unrecognizable.

"Is that Rasa really so powerful? Even Father can't..." Young A frowned. He had no goodwill whatsoever toward Rasa, who had suddenly shone brilliantly on the battlefield and turned the Raikage and the Cloud Shinobi into mere backdrops.

"Rasa's techniques are simply too suited for the battlefield. His wide-range attacks can easily suppress numerous Cloud Shinobi forces by himself. He can also fly, excels at Wind Release, and counters Lord Raikage's Lightning Release to some extent.

"On the battlefield, he is undoubtedly a natural meat grinder." Thinking of those waves of gold dust surging and crashing like the sea, Dodai still felt lingering fear.

Even the Third Raikage, who had compressed his Lightning Release Armor to the limit and tempered his body to the utmost with Lightning Release, found it difficult to move even a step amid those heavy, rolling waves of gold dust. Unable to unleash his high-speed piercing mode, he could only struggle to break free beneath the enormous pressure and ensure his own safety.

They could do nothing to the enemy, and neither could they push the battlefield deeper into Sand Shinobi territory. The battle had fallen into a stalemate for the time being.

What mattered now was who would be unable to endure first—and whether an outside force powerful enough to change the situation would intervene.

At the very least, a shadow hung over Dodai's heart.

"Six people. One of them has very powerful Chakra."

Just as Kagetsu finished reporting, dense clusters of blue fireballs blanketed the sky from ahead and came crashing toward them. Before the fireballs even drew near, their blazing heat had already scorched the surrounding air into shimmering distortions.

Shisui immediately used Water Formation Wall to block the dense fireballs, then flashed backward.

The next moment, a crisp voice rang out as a slender figure descended from the sky, landing opposite Kagetsu and the other two.

Seeing the three of them braced as if facing a formidable enemy, the newcomer curled her lips into a proud smile and said like a cat toying with mice, "Caught you, little rats!"