"Slug Sister, how is the battle going?" Hyuga Ao asked the little slug perched on her neck and shoulder.
The little slug closed her eyes and communicated with her.
"Ao-sama, both sides' forces are all crammed together in the melee ahead, divided into one small battle group after another."
"Because they were ambushed, the Sand Ninja currently have the upper hand. Although Konoha has more people, the Sand Ninja are also elites. With the numbers balancing each other out, Konoha is relying on Lady Tsunade's healing to fight."
"The Sand Ninja can injure people, but they can't kill them easily. If this drags on, Konoha will definitely win. However, Lady Tsunade's side is also in bad shape. The Jonin squad in front of the barrier is barely holding on."
"Moreover, Konoha's morale is entirely dependent on Lady Tsunade's healing. The moment the healing stops, Konoha will collapse instantly."
Hyuga Ao understood.
"So I'm currently Konoha's only high-level combatant?"
"Yes, Ao-sama."
"All right." Hyuga Ao snatched up the sword gifted to her by the Sand Ninja and casually swung it twice, finding that it felt pretty good.
The Wind Cloak extended and wrapped around the long sword.
"Slug Sister, sorry for the trouble, but keep me informed about the enemies along the way!"
Hyuga Ao suddenly accelerated and began her charge.
Ahead were two reconnaissance squads led by the Inuzuka Clan and the Aburame Clan. Their opponents were two pairs of Sand Ninja brothers.
The Kikaichū could normally devour chakra, making them extremely effective against puppets. However, one pair of Sand Ninja brothers used Wind Release with one hand and Fire Release with the other, making it impossible for the Aburame Clan's insects to get close.
The other pair of brothers each controlled three puppets, constantly squeezing the reconnaissance squad's room to maneuver before wearing them down with the other pair's combined wind-and-fire ninjutsu.
If the reconnaissance squad members had not been nimble, and if Lady Tsunade's healing had not given them room for error, they would have been in trouble long ago.
But that moment was fast approaching. The Sand Ninja Puppeteer Brothers could control each other's puppets to cover for mistakes, and with the scorching wind-and-fire attacks, the reconnaissance squad was having an extremely difficult time.
Hyuga Ao knew that to break through this combination, she first had to kill one of the Puppeteers by force.
She had observed the pair of Puppeteers from a distance and discovered that the older brother directed them while the younger brother helped control the puppets. Thus, in this initial assault, she absolutely had to kill the older brother.
Closer. Closer.
Hyuga Ao gripped the sword with both hands and held it horizontally before her chest.
The Wind Cloak maximized her acceleration and output.
In the blink of an eye, she reached a distance where the naked eye could make her out.
"Someone's coming!" the Sand Ninja Fire-Wind Brothers shouted a warning.
The Puppeteer Brothers were just about to recall their puppets for defense when they realized that Hyuga Ao was moving far too fast. They cried out, "Too fast! Hold her off!"
The Fire-Wind Brothers formed hand seals.
"Fire Style: Flowing Fire!" "Wind Style: Divine Wind!"
A ring of flames flew out. Then a powerful wind swept through it, forming a high-speed pillar of fire.
Inuzuka Tsubaki was just about to warn Hyuga Ao. Each of the Sand Ninja brothers' individual techniques was weak, but combined, they were comparable to an A-rank Fire Release technique.
But he immediately saw Hyuga Ao cut straight into it with her sword.
Hyuga Ao thrust forward with her sword. Relying on the blade's excellent material as a medium, she condensed a giant Wind Release sword.
The pillar of fire erupted, and the intense heat slightly distorted the surrounding air.
Hyuga Ao's expression did not change. With the giant sword held before her, she cleaved the pillar of fire straight through and continued forward.
The pillar of fire scattered in all directions. Hyuga Ao's hair curled slightly as she burst through to the Sand Ninja using Wind Release.
"What?" Unable to believe that someone could force her way through a pillar of fire, he failed to react in time. Hyuga Ao swept past his side and casually beheaded him with one slash.
Another Air Palm sent the Fire Release Sand Ninja flying, while Hyuga Ao's blade pointed straight at the older Puppeteer brother.
Six puppets charged to meet her. Hyuga Ao spun and hacked, the blade carrying a raging wind that sent the puppets flying as she rushed before the older Puppeteer brother.
Hyuga Ao kicked him away, flipped her blade around, and stabbed it into the ground. After pouring chakra into it, a Wind Blade pierced out. The older Puppeteer brother, who had been kicked away moments before, let out a "bang," dispelled his transformation, and became a wooden puppet.
"Nii-san!!!" A sorrowful cry came from the younger Puppeteer brother. "How dare you..."
Before the younger Puppeteer brother could finish speaking, Hyuga Ao turned and met his eyes. Those inorganic-looking white eyes instantly extinguished every flame in his heart.
Hyuga Ao ignored him and continued forward. The remaining two members were more than capable of dealing with him.
The two reconnaissance squads could only stare in shock at Hyuga Ao's departing figure. No matter how they tried, they could not understand how this long-haired woman had managed to force through a pillar of fire and kill two people.
"Gulp." A sound of swallowing broke the silence.
"Captain, she just cut through a pillar of fire, sent the puppets flying, and killed two of them head-on?"
After speaking, he stared at the sword in his hand, his face full of disbelief.
"Ahhhhh! I know, I know who she is! That's Lord Orochimaru's newest disciple. No wonder she's so powerful!" the only female ninja among the six screamed.
"All right, the battle isn't over yet." The captain from the Aburame Clan stopped his subordinate's discussion.
He looked at the younger Puppeteer brother standing there in a daze and the Fire Release Sand Ninja lying nearby and vomiting blood. He smiled bitterly inwardly. This scene had indeed challenged his worldview somewhat.
Hyuga Ao naturally had no idea what was happening behind her. To her, all that had already passed. Now, she had to continue focusing on the enemies ahead.
Against small battle groups like the one before, Hyuga Ao broke through three or four in the blink of an eye. They were simply not worth her attention.
"There's a Sand Ninja Jonin ahead. He just finished a battle and is skilled in Wind Release and Taijutsu," the little slug said in a soft, childish voice.
"Mm." Hyuga Ao indicated that she knew.
Strangely enough, Manda and Gamabunta both had fairly mature voices. Only the oldest of them, Katsuyu, had the most childish voice. Could this be because she really was Lady Tsunade's summoned beast?
Tsunade felt somewhat offended.
"Hmm?"
A Jonin was sharp in his senses, after all. Hyuga Ao's killing intent condensed, and he immediately sensed it.
Hyuga Ao came sprinting toward him wrapped in a raging wind. At a glance, she clearly was not someone easy to deal with.
The Sand Ninja Jonin Sakyōichi had just finished a difficult battle. His eyes flickered, and he faintly considered retreating.
But a Jonin's pride still made him want to assess his enemy's strength.
"Wind Style: Wind Killing Array!"
A stream of compressed air swept toward Hyuga Ao. Faint Wind Blades appeared within it as the airflow, carrying sand and stones, enveloped her.
Hyuga Ao allowed the compressed air to pull her inside. From within came a series of clanging sounds, as though someone were using a blade to fend off the Wind Blades.
Sakyōichi's face lit up with delight. This person was actually so reckless as to charge straight into his technique. He hurriedly increased his chakra output while throwing in several Shuriken, letting the airflow drive them around to slice at her, intending to trap and kill Hyuga Ao there.
What he did not know was that behind and to her side, Hyuga Ao had concealed her presence. Her expression was devoid of joy or sorrow as she looked at Sakyōichi as if he were nothing more than a human-shaped stone.
Hyuga Ao walked up to that stone and calmly thrust out a palm. Sakyōichi staggered forward a few steps as though someone had pushed him from behind, then collapsed facedown and fell silent forever.
With a "bang," Hyuga Ao inside the Wind Killing Array turned into white smoke, leaving behind only a samurai sword lying on the ground.
Hyuga Ao picked up the blade and was about to leave.
At that moment, the little slug called out to her. "Wait, Ao-sama. Sorry for the trouble, but please take my companions with you."
Hyuga Ao looked toward the Konoha ninja's corpse nearby and saw seven little slugs crawling out one after another.
The seven palm-sized little slugs gazed up at Hyuga Ao expectantly.
"Eek." Driven by some instinct, Hyuga Ao shuddered all over. After thinking it over, she decided there did not seem to be anything wrong with it. She crouched before the little slugs and let them crawl up her hand.
The seven little slugs lined up and climbed along Hyuga Ao's palm and arm, finally reaching her neck and shoulders.
However, these slugs were not nearly as well-behaved as the one from before.
A cold, slippery sensation spread across her skin.
"Ah!" Hyuga Ao cried out. "Slug Sisters, could you all go onto my back? Don't slide around everywhere."
"Ah, that tickles! Stop, stop! If you keep wriggling around, I'm not taking any of you with me!" Hyuga Ao said angrily and embarrassedly.
However, the slugs ignored Hyuga Ao and busied themselves searching for comfortable places to stay.
In the end, the first slug spoke up and, like an older sister, arranged for the other slugs to settle in.
"What a pity. That spot clearly has the smoothest skin."
"Exactly, exactly. My spot is just the right amount of softness. It's very comfortable to cling there."
"What do you know? I have somewhere to brace myself. It's a pity I can't stay there."
All kinds of comments reached her ears, making Hyuga Ao's pretty face dark with anger. Only today had she discovered that the divided slugs all had different personalities, and that there were so many mischievous ones.
Hyuga Ao's impression of the big-sister slug shattered completely.
After a bout of bickering, the big-sister slug issued an order for all the slugs to shut up, allowing Hyuga Ao to continue forward.
Before you continue