"You really are good at killing people," Young Bro said with heartfelt admiration.
Being a ninja meant you couldn't avoid killing. Young Bro, the Sannin, and all those who had lived through the Ninja World War had each killed more people than Jiang Feng.
So why was Jiang Feng known for being good at killing?
Because he killed quickly—and beautifully.
Jiang Feng's style and sheer presence were utterly unlike anyone else's in the Ninja World. Even his killing carried a strong air of artistry, of swagger.
He might not feel that way himself, but to others, when Jiang Feng killed, it was as if he were performing a solemn, sacred ritual.
Jiang Feng shook his head. "Being good at killing is just a misunderstanding people have about me. That's not what I'm best at."
"Oh? Then what is it—making friends or making money?"
Making friends, making money, and killing people: those were the three things Uchiha Jiang Feng was rumored to be best at. If it wasn't killing, then it had to be making friends or making money.
"You'll find out soon enough."
Jiang Feng smiled mysteriously. Then he gathered his strength and let out a piercing, drawn-out cry in one direction, part dragon's roar and part tiger's howl. The sound waves spread that way like a sudden gale and a crack of thunder.
The Lion's Roar, also known as the Lion's Roar Technique, was classed in some novels as one of Shaolin's Seventy-Two Arts. It was one of the most common sound-based attacks in martial arts fiction.
The Ninja World had similar sound-based attacks. Tayuya of Otogakure, for instance, was highly skilled in them in the original story.
A long time ago, Jiang Feng had acquired a template for mastery of the Lion's Roar Technique. Since it was such a flashy martial art, he'd spent a good while practicing it and had even asked Orochimaru for advice, discussing the technique with him.
The Lion's Roar Technique Jiang Feng used now had already incorporated the Ninja World's own sound-based attacks and Illusion Technique. After repeated development and refinement, it had reached version 5.6.
An eerie, thunderous roar of dragon and tiger exploded in their ears. More than a dozen Cloud Shinobi experts, including three or four Jonin, felt their heads throb with pain, their minds reeling. A gap suddenly opened in the Ten Deaths, No Life encirclement.
"Move!"
Jiang Feng struck out with his palm. His tremendous force landed on Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma, and the young Kurenai Yuhi, then turned into a gentle, unending breeze that swept them out of the encirclement.
"Forget them! Focus all our strength on killing Tsunade and Uchiha Jiang Feng!" Young Bro shouted, his expression grave. He transformed into a streak of lightning and swung a fist at Jiang Feng.
In the end, he'd still let his guard down.
The Heaven's Net, which he'd believed no one could break through, had been breached by Jiang Feng's roar in an instant.
The opening lasted only a moment, but Lao Da knew that if Jiang Feng had wanted to escape, he could have seized the chance to break out.
But he hadn't. Instead, he'd sent three of his comrades away—just as the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, had once stayed behind alone to cover the others' retreat...
Oh, not quite alone. Tsunade was still there.
Because Tsunade hadn't been sent away, Young Bro had decided in an instant to focus their full strength on killing Jiang Feng and Tsunade.
As long as they could kill those two, then even if a few stragglers escaped, this carefully planned ambush would still count as a great success.
Of course, though he'd ordered everyone to focus on killing Jiang Feng and Tsunade, the Cloud Shinobi still sent two or three Jonin and four or five Genin after Kurenai Yuhi and the others.
Without Young Bro's orders, even more of them would have been sent.
Before they'd even fully hit the ground, Kurenai Yuhi used the Ninja World version of lightness skill that Jiang Feng had developed and taught him. He pushed off in midair, caught one of the two youngsters under each arm, and ran for his life without looking back.
As a veteran, Kurenai Yuhi wasn't going to let his emotions get the better of him. The most important thing now was to get word back to Konoha that Kumogakure was about to launch a major attack.
The young Kurenai Yuhi was tucked under her father's arm, tears streaming down her face. The heroic rescue, the lone rearguard—it might have been clichéd, but it was still deeply moving.
Jiang Feng glanced toward Kurenai Yuhi, then turned his attention back to the fight. His captain and future father-in-law hadn't let him down. He'd made a decisive escape.
Thanks to the boost in running speed he'd gained from practicing the Ninja World version of lightness skill, Kurenai Yuhi had a good chance of getting away safely. That meant Jiang Feng could focus on his enemies without holding back.
"Surrounded, and still worried about whether the others will make it out alive?
"No wonder you're so highly regarded by the Third Generation Hokage, even though you're an Uchiha!"
In the blink of an eye, Young Bro's fist was already upon Jiang Feng.
Rather than meet it head-on, Jiang Feng slipped an arm around Tsunade's slender, soft waist. He used Moon-Treading Fragrance, developed to version 6.3, and withdrew to the other side of the encirclement in an instant. Then he decisively pointed a finger at the crowd.
The Twenty-Four Solar Terms Shocking Spirit Finger: Great Heat!
Though he'd only acquired this finger technique recently, Jiang Feng's learning knew no bounds. He'd already developed it to an astonishing degree, incorporating Illusion Technique, Ninjutsu, and Nintaijutsu, and modifying each form according to its unique properties.
Awakening of Insects, for example, incorporated Lightning Release. Jiang Feng was already proficient in Lightning Release, so this was the most powerful single-target attack—and the fastest—of the twenty-four forms.
Some of the spring forms also incorporated Water Release and Earth Release. The autumn forms incorporated Fire Release and Wind Release, while the winter forms incorporated Water Release and the Internal Energy of the Bright Jade Technique.
Jiang Feng didn't know Ice Release, but the Bright Jade Technique already possessed the properties of chilling True Qi, which could serve as a substitute.
The summer forms naturally incorporated Fire Release. Great Heat was the hottest of the twenty-four solar terms, so this form was correspondingly more savage.
His fierce, scorching finger force shot out as a thin streak. But under everyone's gaze, it swelled as it flew through the air. By the time it reached the Cloud Shinobi, it had become a horizontal column of fire three or four meters in diameter, swallowing every Cloud Shinobi in its path.
A wider area of effect meant less power against each individual target. Most of the Kumogakure shinobi had also trained in Taijutsu, so their defenses were strong.
The attack didn't kill many of them, but it still caused them plenty of trouble.
"Flowers raining from the sky, golden lotuses springing from the earth! Congratulations, host, on defeating a peerless master of this era. As a special reward, the host has received the template of a first-rate master, Lei Zhenyu: Astonishing Spear Thrust!"
"Fall back! Anyone who isn't skilled enough in Taijutsu, get back!" Young Bro ordered, his face dark as he charged at Jiang Feng again. The "respect" he felt for Jiang Feng had reached its peak.
The inexperienced saw only the spectacle; the experts understood what they were seeing. He alone understood how strong Jiang Feng was, and how great a threat he posed to Kumogakure.
Jiang Feng's movement speed just now had nearly matched his own. Even more frightening, after opening up some distance, Jiang Feng had unleashed a lethal technique without the slightest delay. His movements had flowed seamlessly.
Almost every Jonin knew the standard Body Flicker Technique, but most treated it as a way to dodge or escape. Few could weave it into the rhythm of combat.
That was because the standard Body Flicker Technique placed a heavy strain on the body. It worked by pushing the body past its limits and releasing an incredible burst of speed over a short time.
It not only damaged the body, but also created a great deal of "lag" when the user stopped, thanks to inertia. In gaming terms, it was "recovery frames."
Those who could work the standard Body Flicker Technique into combat without recovery frames were all Taijutsu experts with powerful physiques and excellent recovery, like Lao Da himself and Tsunade...
Clearly, Uchiha Jiang Feng was one of them.
A powerful physique, great speed, and enough attack power—against a ninja who wasn't fast enough and wasn't skilled in Taijutsu, all he had to do was control the rhythm, and he could tear through them with ease.
So he really was good at killing people.
Before you continue