"Shadow Binding Technique?"
Oyashiro En keenly caught the keyword "shadow."
Instinctively, he wanted to lower his head and inspect his own shadow.
But only then did Oyashiro En realize that the ordinarily simple act of lowering his head had become extraordinarily difficult.
He could only roll his eyes downward, barely catching sight of the two shadows that had overlapped from the very beginning.
Not good! I've already fallen victim to this brat's ninjutsu!
Oyashiro En inwardly cried out in alarm.
Instinctively, he wanted to activate the Ketsuryūgan unique to the Chinoike Clan.
But when he recalled what he had done some time ago, he forcibly suppressed that urge.
No! The Pig Deer Butterfly team from Konoha is nearby. I can't make too much of a commotion...
Oyashiro En ruled out the possibility that Pig Deer Butterfly had discovered his true identity.
Because if they had discovered him, the one coming here would definitely not have been this brat alone!
"Young man."
Oyashiro En forced out an ugly smile. Blood continued to flow from the wound on his left hand, yet strangely, it did not leave his palm.
"I've never heard of any Shadow Binding Technique. Could you let me go first?
"I'm just an ordinary merchant caravan owner. If you have any demands, feel free to state them."
"You're no ordinary merchant..."
Taking advantage of the other party's attempt at conversation, Nara Kaikei decisively unleashed another inherited secret technique.
[C-Rank Secret Jutsu: Shadow Strangulation Technique] [Jutsu description: At the caster's command, the shadow becomes a hand] [Jutsu effect: Materializes one's shadow into a huge, powerful hand, extending it toward the opponent's neck to strangle them unconscious or even to death] [Jutsu evaluation: Grab your neck, lock your throat]
After discussing matters with the Old Clan Head, Nara Kaikei had concluded that Oyashiro En was most likely the ninja who had escaped from the Land of Hot Water.
But so long as the man did not reveal conclusive proof of his identity—namely, the Ketsuryūgan that symbolized his status as a member of the Chinoike Clan—
Nara Kaikei's "conclusion" could only remain a "conclusion."
Oyashiro En was not some "runaway ninja from the Land of Hot Water," but rather "the client of Konoha's B-Rank Mission."
Therefore, Nara Kaikei's plan was not to kill his opponent, but to subdue him first!
Still maintaining the Lacquer Eye state, Nara Kaikei activated the Shadow Strangulation Technique with a mere thought, without needing to form hand seals.
From the shadow spread flat across the ground suddenly emerged a pitch-black, skinny shadow hand. It crawled up Oyashiro En's stiff, motionless legs, intending to lock around his neck.
Catching sight of the ever-approaching shadow hand from the corner of his eye, cold sweat began to bead on Oyashiro En's forehead.
Brat... there's no choice! I can only reveal some of my abilities!
During their brief exchange just now, Oyashiro En had rapidly examined his own condition.
He discovered that the so-called Shadow Binding Technique only restrained his body's movements. It did not interfere in the slightest with the circulation of blood or Chakra within his body.
That discovery filled Oyashiro En with relief.
For ordinary ninja, restricting their physical movements is indeed enough!
But for someone with a Kekkei Genkai like mine, this alone is far from enough!
Oyashiro En's eyes sharpened as he partially unleashed the special Kekkei Genkai ability of the Chinoike Clan.
Some of the blood that had been seeping from his left palm surged back into his body under the influence of that power, directly accelerating the speed of his blood flow.
Clearly, Oyashiro En had not cut his left hand by accident.
He had done it deliberately!
Just as the shadow hand was about to reach Oyashiro En's neck, his face flushed a vivid red, while violent heartbeats like pounding drums echoed from his chest.
Bang!
At that critical moment.
With a muffled boom.
Oyashiro En's originally thin and frail body suddenly inflated like a balloon, his width nearly doubling in an instant.
It's a special ability similar to the Akimichi Clan's Expansion Jutsu!
Feeling the explosive increase in resisting force transmitted back through the shadow tendril, Nara Kaikei's pupils contracted slightly.
The information the clan head gave me about the Chinoike Clan said they could use genjutsu and control blood, but it never said they could pull off something this wild!
At that instant, Nara Kaikei realized something.
The Chinoike Clan had vanished from public sight far too long ago.
So long ago that all the information the Nara Clan possessed about them had become outdated.
Nara Kaikei instinctively tried to strengthen the Shadow Binding Technique.
But how could Oyashiro En possibly let such a hard-won opportunity to break free slip away?
Grasping his left hand, he used his Mental Energy to directly shape the remaining blood in his palm into a crimson blood shuriken.
Using his expanded body and greatly increased strength, Oyashiro En hurled the blood shuriken in his left hand viciously at Nara Kaikei.
Whoosh—
The scarlet blood shuriken spun through the air, tearing it apart. Its power was no weaker than that of an ordinary iron shuriken.
Nara Kaikei frowned slightly.
With the previous generation's Pig Deer Butterfly team secretly watching nearby, he did not want to reveal the "shadow transformation physical immunity" ability of the Shadow Clone Technique so soon.
Then I'll block this blood shuriken another way!
Nara Kaikei infused his will into the shadows, and they instantly answered their master's call, twisting violently.
Heavy shadows surged from the corners of Nara Kaikei's body, forming a compact pitch-black shield before him.
[B-Rank Secret Jutsu: Shadow Shield Technique] [Jutsu description: At the caster's command, the shadow becomes a shield] [Jutsu effect: Infuses one's Yin Release Chakra into the shadow and materializes it into a hard, sturdy shadow shield. The shield may be placed in front of oneself or wrapped around a person for defense] [Jutsu evaluation: Defense descends!]
Smack!
The blood shuriken shattered against the shadow shield without moving it in the slightest. Instead, it broke apart, scattering fine droplets of blood through the air like fireworks.
[B-Rank Ninja Battle Mission triggered!] [B-Rank Mission: Descendant of the Chinoike Clan] [Mission Content: Defeat/Kill Oyashiro En] [Mission Reward: One B-Rank Ninja Scroll]
A delayed Ninja Battle Mission notification popped up on the panel.
Nara Kaikei glanced over it.
It was just as he had sensed and deduced earlier.
Oyashiro En was not only a jonin, but also the culprit who had slaughtered the Chinoike Clan!
But using that strange burst of power, Oyashiro En had already broken free from the Shadow Binding Technique. He was now moving as far away from Nara Kaikei's shadow range as possible.
Whoosh—
Under Nara Kaikei's gaze, Oyashiro En's swollen, bloated body shrank back down to its original thin frame like a deflated balloon.
"Young man!"
Oyashiro En's face was deathly pale, but he still put on an indignant expression.
The Pig Deer Butterfly team was watching him like tigers nearby.
Oyashiro En did not believe that he alone could confront Konoha's renowned ninja trio head-on.
Not to mention, he was not alone...
Thus, even now, Oyashiro En still intended to conceal his true identity.
"Although I don't know what just happened, are you Konoha ninja planning to go back on your word and ambush the client of your mission halfway through?"
The shadows beneath Nara Kaikei churned, concealing the movements below them.
"You still intend to keep hiding it at this point, Boss Oyashiro?"
Nara Kaikei spoke unhurriedly, but his tone was exceedingly flippant.
"Even those two tricks just now aren't something an ordinary merchant caravan owner could use."
"I admit that I have concealed some things."
Oyashiro En was unexpectedly straightforward. He raised his right hand, and a green glow radiated from his palm.
"But as a merchant who travels abroad, learning some Medical Ninjutsu to protect myself and reduce losses from injuries is perfectly normal."
"Including that giant transformation? And blood-controlling ninjutsu?"
Oyashiro En pushed up his sunglasses, doing his best to keep his tone calm.
"A medical ninja, you see~ As a medical ninja—Ketsuryūgan!"
Halfway through his sentence.
Oyashiro En, having pushed his diamond-shaped sunglasses onto his forehead, suddenly unleashed his Kekkei Genkai ability.
If this brat kept pestering him, Pig Deer Butterfly would surely come over to check the situation!
He could not delay any longer!
Oyashiro En's eyes abruptly transformed into another form.
The whites of his eyes turned blood-red, his irises became black, and his pupils changed into pale-purple vertical slits.
Two streams of blood ran down from his eye sockets, leaving two glaring trails across his cheeks.
This was the Chinoike Clan's Kekkei Genkai: the Ketsuryūgan.
"Brat, witness the genjutsu power of the Ketsuryūgan, once hailed as the 'Hypnotic Eye'!"
Oyashiro En stared intently at Nara Kaikei opposite him, intending to pull him into the illusion of his Dojutsu.
However...
Bang!
Nara Kaikei, who had been standing opposite him, exploded in midair like a puff of smoke.
Another Nara Kaikei emerged from the shadows behind Oyashiro En.
[C-Rank Jutsu: Earth Style: Earth Dragon Burrowing Technique]
Standing behind Oyashiro En, Nara Kaikei spared no Mental Energy as he used the Shadow Binding Technique to pin the latter firmly in place.
"Got you! Ninja of the Chinoike Clan!"
Shadow Shield Technique was a skill that appeared in Naruto the Movie: The Will of Fire. It was one of Nara Shikamaru's abilities, using shadows to wrap around a person for defense.
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