Can You Tell Me Now Where the Gap Between a Jonin and a Genin Lies?!

The Tanuki Mask Jonin's pupils contracted sharply. Facing the massive-scale Water Release crashing down like a tsunami, he instantly shouted:

"Combined defense! Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"

The order was given, and the well-trained Root Ninjas reacted with extreme speed! Including the Jonin, all five of them slammed both hands onto the ground almost simultaneously!

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Five thick earthen walls rose one after another, standing side by side as they met the surging flood!

"Rumble—!!!"

The deafening roar shook the air as the flood slammed violently into the combined Earth Flow Walls. Water sprayed high into the sky, and the tremendous impact instantly covered the first three walls in cracks, leaving them on the verge of collapse. Yet they barely managed to withstand the savage blow.

The waves swept around both sides of the earthen walls, leaving the ground covered in mud.

One Chunin had only just relaxed slightly after blocking the attack.

Then the situation changed again!

Tejima Shinichi's cold voice pierced through the roar of the water:

"It's not over yet! Earth Release: Earth Spear!"

He had already completed another set of hand seals, and he slammed his hands down toward the ground!

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Before the five Root Ninjas could regain their footing, the ground beneath and around them shook violently. Countless thick, sharp stone spears, far larger than usual, burst through the earth across an enormous area, like a Forest of Death that had sprouted in an instant!

"What?! Such a huge range?!"

The Tanuki Mask Jonin's expression changed drastically. Relying on a Jonin's sharp senses and speed, he flashed away, narrowly dodging the deadly stone spears erupting beneath his feet.

The other three Chunins also used their own methods—leaping or rolling aside as they dodged in a wretched state.

However, the Chunin who had just let his guard down was half a beat too slow!

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

A teeth-grating sound of tearing rang out!

Three abnormally thick Earth Spears instantly pierced through his body, stabbing into his abdomen, chest, and thigh at the same time!

The immense impact even hurled his body upward, tearing it apart!

Before blood and fragments of organs could scatter, they were washed away and diluted by the surrounding water that had yet to settle, staining a large stretch of muddy ground red.

His mangled corpse hung from the stone spears, a horrifying sight!

"Damn it!"

Another Chunin watched his companion die miserably, and his mind shook. His movements involuntarily stalled.

That brief hesitation was an opening!

How could Tejima Shinichi let it pass?

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three Shadow Clones appeared instantly. Together with the original body, they formed hand seals, Chakra blazing wildly around them!

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet Technique!"

"Water Release: Explosive Water Wave!"

Three more immensely powerful jutsu dragons swept toward the four enemies, whose formation had been scattered while dodging the Earth Spears!

The water dragon roared, the earth dragon surged forward, and the Explosive Water Wave crashed forth like raging tides!

Faced with the unavoidable destructive chain attack, the Chunin whose mind had faltered was filled with despair. He twisted with all his strength and barely brushed past the water dragon, but while his body was still in midair, his old momentum had already been spent.

Just as he thought he had escaped disaster—

"Boom!!"

The incomparably solid earth dragon struck him squarely in the back!

"Crack—!"

A bone-shattering sound that made the scalp tingle exploded through the air!

The Chunin could not even let out a scream. It was as though he had been struck head-on by a mountain racing at high speed; his chest cavity and spine were instantly shattered.

The savage force drove his body onward, as if an invisible giant hand had viciously slammed him into the ground!

"Bang!!!"

Mud flew everywhere!

His body was pinned firmly to the ground by the earth dragon's head and plowed forward, carving a horrifyingly deep trench through the earth!

Everywhere it passed, flesh turned to pulp and bones were crushed to pieces. He was nearly ground into a puddle of meat on the spot by that sheer physical force!

But it was not over yet!

The Explosive Water Wave surged in right after it, and the raging torrent instantly washed over that area.

The mangled body, which could barely still be recognized as human, was tossed about by the unstoppable current like it had been thrown into a violent drum. Bone fragments and chunks of flesh were further torn apart, stripped away, and swept off...

In the span of a single breath, nothing remained of that Chunin except muddy ground stained dark red and a few shredded pieces of clothing.

Not even a corpse remained!

Another Chunin had died!

In only a few breaths, two of the four elite Root Chunins had been eliminated!

Relying on his exceptional strength and reflexes, the Tanuki Mask Jonin struggled through the gaps between the jutsu. Though he avoided fatal injuries, his robes had been torn apart, leaving him looking thoroughly bedraggled.

As he looked at Tejima Shinichi standing proudly not far away, his aura not weakened in the slightest, turbulent waves finally rose in his heart.

This amount of Chakra, this level of jutsu power, this berserk fighting style that did not care about consumption...

A Genin?! With such strength, it would not be an exaggeration to call him a Jonin!

Tejima Shinichi calmed his surging breath, looked at the other side, and coldly spoke a few words:

"Now, can you tell me where the gap between a Jonin and a Genin lies?!"