In the Midst of Slaughter

"Boom!!!"

A thunderous roar echoed across the plains, but by this time, both sides of the ninjas had become accustomed to the sound effects of the explosions that seemed to be used to clearing mountains and carving roads.

However, the moods of the two sides of ninjas were very different. The Konoha Ninja's morale was rising steadily, while the Sand ninjas were inevitably somewhat frustrated and desperate. Every loud noise meant that the Konoha brat was still alive and well.

"Nawaki, can't you be a little gentler?! This is so bloody, are you some kind of demon from hell?"

Katsuki's eye twitched.

The ground around was covered with patches of blood and bone fragments, which gradually covered the entire land as the rain washed over it. Following the law of water flowing downhill, that crimson stain was evenly spread across every corner.

This was all Nawaki's masterpiece. One punch, and there was no trace of a body; he was turned into a bloody pulp, like a pancake spread on the ground, a gruesome sight.

Katsuki first witnessed how incredible it was for a human body to explode, the image was deeply etched into his mind.

"My superhuman strength is still developing; I can't control it as freely as my sister."

Nawaki's face was covered in bloodstains, and his clothes were also stained crimson. His ferocious appearance made him look like a cult priest performing some kind of devilish ritual. Yet, when he smiled shyly, his innocent smile was filled with an inexplicable sense of incongruity.

"Sigh!!! Let's... just keep working!"

With a sigh, Katsuki pinched her nose, resigning herself to her fate. Although the scene was rather bloody, she was used to it; it was just like that on the battlefield! It was normal.

The Sand Ninja and Konoha Ninja were already mixed together, and the battle area was extremely dispersed. They were divided into small battle zones by small teams, which then converged into a large war zone. This is how ninja warfare is played, completely different from the way ordinary people assemble large forces for war.

To give an analogy, imagine two streams of different colored paint flowing towards the same spot, then converging to create a third color—the color of death. However, this process isn't instantaneous; it takes time to complete and arrive at the final result.

The duration of this period is uncertain; it's a battle of pure strength, and there are no shortcuts.

The small team consisting of Katsuki and his two companions charged into the deepest part of the area, where the Sand Ninja were the most numerous.

"Shadow Clone Technique"

Katsuki's clone rushed out quickly, following Nawaki and Otome, acting as their guard and shield, assisting them in their charge through the Sand Ninja's territory.

"Take this!!"

Nawaki was extremely excited, perhaps due to the thrill of navigating the life-or-death atmosphere of the battlefield. In any case, he was now throwing punches without any restraint, unleashing his superhuman strength to the limit. This wasn't to say that he knew nothing but Hardening Technique and superhuman strength, but rather that the imposing effect of his superhuman strength was excellent. Each loud bang was like a shot of adrenaline for the Konoha ninjas, greatly boosting their morale.

Therefore, Nawaki decisively used Hardening Technique and Super Strength to fight back. The combination of the two was quite formidable and effective. No Sand Ninja dared to take Nawaki's punch head-on—after several Sand Ninjas turned into bloody paintings on the ground.

Instead, they used Ninjutsu and Explosive Tag to launch mid-to-long-range attacks. However, Nawaki's own Hardening Technique was powerful enough, and he also had a bunch of Katsuki Shadow Clone following him around to act as meat shields. The Sand Ninjas tried several times to take Nawaki's life, but they all failed.

"No, we can't let that damned brat live any longer."

"Let's team up and kill him!"

"As long as we can eliminate Konoha's genius, it's worth it even if a few more people die!"

Given the current situation, the Sand Ninja naturally wouldn't sit idly by and wait to die. Moreover, the more outstanding Nawaki's performance, the more valuable it would be to kill him—and now it has finally attracted the attention of several top Sand Ninja.

"How do we do it?"

"Those Shadow Clone are always causing trouble!"

"Using concentrated Ninjutsu attacks, the number of Shadow Clone is limited, they won't last long, but... we still can't deliver a fatal blow."

"I'll sneak past underground. You guys keep the brat's attention while I find an opportunity to send him to his grave."

After a few words, the tactics were quickly devised, and five Sand Ninja Chunin began heading towards the location of Nawaki, four on the ground and one underground.

Nawaki relentlessly pursued and attacked the Sand Ninja. The ordinary Genin were powerless against Nawaki's fierce offensive, and they were killed in a single exchange. The blood smeared on the ground once again proved the advantage of having a powerful bloodline.

"Be careful, the Sand Ninja are attacking. Draw their fire from the front."

Aside from his previous display of skill, all Katsuki has done so far is create Shadow Clone to support the frantically moving Nawaki and Otome. His greatest contribution is using his sensory abilities to control the battlefield, allowing Nawaki and Otome to maintain their offensive capabilities while protecting themselves.

Although it was their first time doing something like this, they surprisingly got the hang of it quickly. The three of them teamed up and played quite well, achieving impressive results.

The Sand Ninja's coordinated charge did not escape Katsuki's notice.

After giving Nawaki a heads-up, he quickly Hand Seals, and his true form, carrying a short sword, quietly slipped underground.

The underground world is completely different from the surface. Using the Earth Travel Technique, she moved freely through the soil like a fish in water, needing no attempt to conceal her movements. The Nawaki's movements on the surface were enough to mask any anomalies underground. However, Katsuki wasn't sure if the Sand Ninja underground possessed Sensory Ninjutsu. Without concealing her presence, yet also remaining discreet, she swiftly approached the Sand Ninja...

When the distance between the two sides shrank to five meters, the Sand Village ninja also noticed the change in the soil ahead. An unusual Chakra had invaded the soil, and the already thin air around them had its concentration plummeted to another level, making it impossible to stay any longer.

However, the Sand Ninja did not retreat. Instead, he gripped his Kunai tightly, and the soil in front of him parted like flowing water as he charged towards Katsuki.

Underground battles are different from those on the ground. Ninjutsu is difficult to execute, and not only Ninjutsu, but Taijutsu is also practically unusable. The tactics are simple: it's a contest of stealth skills, speed, and agility. Basically, as long as you don't make a foolish move, victory is assured.

For example, right now, the Sand Ninja are very confident in their stealth techniques and, relying on their extensive experience, have determined the location of the approaching enemy based on changes in the soil. Their kunai, with their Kunai blades, are ready to drink blood...

Suddenly, a silver-white blade of light illuminated the darkness before the Sand Ninja's eyes, followed by a sharp pain in his neck, and then the scene before him was plunged back into darkness, and his consciousness also went silent.