Leaf Substitution Jutsu

Pfft, pfft, pfft...

The penetrating power of Rain of Senbon was indeed extraordinary. With nothing to stop them, they easily pierced through the small tornado before covering the rapidly spinning Binding Water Prison.

As expected of an absolute defense ninjutsu modified from the Hyuga clan's secret technique, Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven. Under the effects of Advanced Water Release Nature Transformation, it had already gained some of the imposing might of Water Release: Water Wall Technique, easily blocking every one of those Rain of Senbon.

Rain of Senbon came quickly and went even faster, all of them firing out in the span of a breath. Umino Sasuke hurriedly dispelled the Revolving Water Prison.

The Revolving Water Prison possessed tremendous defensive power, but it consumed an equally enormous amount of chakra.

In just a few breaths, more than half the chakra in his body had been drained.

As the Revolving Water Prison dispersed, the small tornado also collapsed, making the surrounding trees rustle as countless leaves drifted down and danced across the battlefield, dispelling much of the chilling killing intent that filled the air.

"We survived?!"

Inuzuka Ryo was overjoyed. He hurriedly checked his limbs, further confirming whether he was still alive and not dreaming—or whether he had been turned into a pincushion.

"That's great!"

"As expected of the Captain! He can even master such a powerful defensive Water Release technique. He's incredible."

Tejudo and Xiao Xiao were equally ecstatic, grateful to have survived and even more impressed by their Captain.

"Stop standing around. Get out of here, now."

Umino Sasuke stood protectively in front of the three, remaining vigilant for the next attack.

"What a Konoha Jonin. You really did have something up your sleeve. I thought you truly couldn't use ninjutsu, but you'd been using tactical deception from beginning to end."

The Dark-Faced Special Jonin had thought his earlier probing had already revealed the enemy ninja's true capabilities. He had assumed the other man was merely a Konoha Jonin proficient in Tool Manipulation, one who was poor at elemental ninjutsu and taijutsu. Now, however, it seemed that he was at least extremely skilled in Water Release.

A hand-sign speed of five seals per second, combined with his current Advanced Water Release Nature Transformation—he should have realized long ago that this was another case of tactical deception.

If not for this man's clearly insufficient chakra reserves limiting him, his Water Release alone would have made him a solid jonin-level combatant.

It seemed he would need to be especially wary of this man's low- and mid-level Water Release techniques. Fortunately, he had now taken control of a Black Ant Puppet. Otherwise, he would have been no match for him.

He had to engage in close combat and absolutely could not give him an opportunity to form hand signs and unleash Water Release. Besides, this man's taijutsu was only at the level of an ordinary Chunin, which was precisely his weakness.

"Kill!"

With that thought, the Dark-Faced Special Jonin controlled the Black-Wing Puppet, abandoning the Puppet Master's advantage in long-range attacks and launching a series of brutal close-range strikes at Umino Sasuke.

Under the Dark-Faced Special Jonin's successive coordinated puppet attacks, Umino Sasuke gradually began to fall into a disadvantage.

Even the rhythm of the battlefield began to tilt toward the Dark-Faced Special Jonin. Umino Sasuke's Radar Sensory Technique finally lost its advantage.

Clearly, in close combat, the Sonic Radar Technique could still detect every tactic, but detecting something and having time to react to it were two entirely different matters.

Before, after losing his puppet, the Dark-Faced Special Jonin's combat strength had only been equivalent to that of an elite level Chunin. Combined with his poor condition from the poison, he had merely fought Umino Sasuke to a standstill.

Now that he had regained control of a puppet, his combat strength immediately returned to the Special Jonin level. Had he not voluntarily given up his long-range advantage, Umino Sasuke would likely have already been defeated.

To prevent Umino Sasuke from rapidly forming hand signs and using the Water Release Ninjutsu he imagined, the Dark-Faced Special Jonin used relentless close-quarters tactics to cling to him with all his might.

This kept Umino Sasuke from breaking free and retreating across the river.

At that moment, Umino Sasuke's mind stirred, and he finally caught a fleeting opening. He directed the Water Bat hidden in his vest to attack the Dark-Faced Special Jonin's face.

Although the Water Bat was only Genin-level and a small Summoning Beast with very ordinary attack power, the sudden interference still exposed a flaw in the Dark-Faced Special Jonin's defense.

"Damn it!"

A somewhat exaggerated look of panic immediately appeared on the Dark-Faced Special Jonin's face.

"Unlocking Fish Slash!"

Umino Sasuke seized the chance to unleash a killing blow. His killing intent was icy, and the blade's edge condensed into a single line that made one's heart tremble.

"Captain, watch out! That's a puppet double!"

Having already retreated to the opposite bank, Inuzuka Ryo sensed something strange through his sense of smell and hurriedly warned Umino Sasuke.

"Not good!"

Gekko Yoru possessed exceptionally sharp perception and also noticed the crisis here, a trace of panic appearing in his eyes.

"You still dare lose focus at a time like this? You're courting death!" The Hedgehog-Haired Jonin seized that opening and unleashed a fatal strike. "Gale Slash!"

Gekko Yoru hurriedly defended himself. Although he barely dodged it, the gale blade still sliced across his right arm. His sleeve was instantly stained crimson, and the wound on his arm was deep enough to reveal bone. With a clang, the Mist Moon Blade fell from his hand to the ground.

Gekko Yoru dropped to one knee. Having lost his weapon, defeat was already certain.

On the other side, Umino Sasuke seemed to have only just realized it was a trap. His eyes were filled with panic as he tried to immediately withdraw the Fish-Cutting Sword in his hand and defend himself.

"Too late!"

The Dark-Faced Special Jonin sneered contemptuously, wearing the expression of someone whose scheme had succeeded.

Clang!

When Umino Sasuke's strike swept across the Dark-Faced Special Jonin's neck, it produced the sound of metal being cut.

The Dark-Faced Special Jonin had actually reverted into a Black Ant Puppet, while the Black Ant Puppet some distance away returned to human form and launched a sneak attack at the seemingly defenseless Umino Sasuke.

"Die!"

The Dark-Faced Special Jonin's eyes brimmed with killing intent, as though he could already see the wonderful sight of his kunai piercing a heart.

That Water Release technique had blocked Rain of Senbon while also obscuring their vision. It was during that moment that he had planned and prepared this ambush tactic.

Those who hunted geese all day would eventually have their eyes pecked by geese.

Those who walked by the river often would eventually get their shoes wet.

You liked tactical deception, but one day you would be undone by it yourself. Now you could have a taste of being deceived in return. Dying in the field you excelled at was surely fate's arrangement.

"Heh heh!" Under the Sonic Radar Technique's perception, Umino Sasuke had anticipated this ambush long ago. From the very beginning, he had quietly played along, pretending to fall into the trap.

"Leaf Substitution Jutsu!"

Umino Sasuke had used the Substitution Technique in advance and easily evaded the attack.

The kunai instead stabbed into a wooden post. Under the fierce burst of Wind-Style Chakra, it directly sliced the post in two.

"What? He actually dodged it? How is that possible?!"

The Dark-Faced Special Jonin was utterly shocked. How could anyone's reaction speed be this fast?

Could this man be an Elite Jonin?

Was this tactical deception again? Was his true identity an Elite Jonin, pretending to be a Tool Manipulation jonin unskilled in taijutsu while he had been toying with him all along?