Ambush! Root Organization Attacks

"Karin, it's so good to finally meet you in person!"

Tenten quickly found Karin's place using the address from the Chat Group and was overjoyed to see her. She rushed forward and gave Karin a big hug.

This was the first-ever real-life meeting of online friends in the ninja world, a truly historic moment.

"This is amazing! I've wanted to meet you all for a long time too!" Karin could feel Tenten's genuine joy and was equally happy, hugging her back tightly.

Even now, she still felt like it was all a dream.

Not only had she escaped the hellhole that was Kusagakure, but she had also found a stable environment and people who cared about her.

These were her good sisters from the group. Even though this was their first meeting, there wasn't the slightest bit of awkwardness.

Besides Anko, who had just joined the group, and Sakura, who hadn't said a word since she joined, everyone else in the group was family.

"Karin, is someone here?"

Kana's voice came from inside the house. She was busy arranging furniture and cleaning.

Karin called out happily, "Mom, hurry up and come out! A friend is here to see me."

"A friend?" Kana sounded surprised.

Karin had been drifting with her since birth, never having a stable life.

When Kusagakure agreed to take them in two years ago, they thought they finally had a stable home, only for it to be the beginning of a nightmare.

Under those living conditions, their lives were precarious, and no one was willing to get close to them. How could Karin possibly have friends?

With a sense of bewilderment, Kana came into the yard and soon saw Tenten hugging her daughter intimately, both of them chattering happily and whispering in each other's ears.

Kana could also sense that Tenten was genuinely happy, as was her daughter. The slight wariness in her heart immediately dissipated.

"Aren't you going to introduce me?" Kana asked with a smile, looking at the two girls.

Like Karin, Kana also felt like she was dreaming.

She could never have imagined such a life before.

"Hello, Auntie! My name is Tenten!" Tenten spoke up proactively. "Karin helped me on the road just now, so I came specifically to thank you."

"Yes, yes!" Karin nodded repeatedly. "Tenten and I hit it off immediately. We're best sisters now, hehe!"

Seeing her daughter's genuine happiness, Kana, despite her lingering doubts, didn't pry, just as Karin had guessed. She was happy for her daughter.

"Tenten? What a good child. I'll be counting on you to take good care of my Karin from now on," Kana said with a smile and a nod. "You two play in the yard for a while, and I'll go make some pastries for you."

"It's been a long time since I've done this myself, so I don't know if my skills have declined. I hope you don't mind, Tenten."

"You're too kind, Auntie!" Tenten quickly waved her hand and then handed over the fruit she bought on the way. "This is just a little something I brought. Could you wash and cut it for me, please?"

As for helping in the kitchen, Tenten wanted to show off but lacked the skills, so she could only play dumb, hoping Auntie Kana wouldn't hold it against her.

Kana didn't think much of it and didn't refuse Tenten's offer, nodding and accepting with a smile.

Mo Chen was on his way through a secluded forest when his steps suddenly halted. His eyes, peering through the eyeholes of his Anbu mask, narrowed slightly.

Swish!

A greyish-white barrier, several hundred meters in diameter, lit up around him.

"Are they after me? Who could it be?" Mo Chen stood his ground, activating his three tomoe Sharingan, and carefully scanned his surroundings.

He didn't have any debuffs on him, so this barrier was likely just for isolation.

The barrier had clearly been set up beforehand, waiting for someone to fall into the trap.

If it were a random ambush for robbery, they wouldn't have gone to such lengths.

Therefore, someone must have calculated that he would pass through here and prepared in advance.

But Mo Chen was just a rookie fresh out of the Ninja Academy. The only ones he had offended were Kusagakure.

Let alone the fact that his identity hadn't been exposed, even if it had, Kusagakure's reaction wouldn't be this fast, nor would they dare to ambush him on the outskirts of Konoha.

The only possibility Mo Chen could think of was that rat lurking in the shadows—Shimura Danzou!

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!

As Mo Chen's mind raced, a barrage of shuriken flew at him from all directions.

An ordinary rookie would have been turned into a hedgehog in the first exchange. Even someone of Sasuke's caliber would have sustained injuries and been thrown into disarray.

Unfortunately, under the gaze of his three tomoe Sharingan, Mo Chen didn't need to block. His feet didn't even leave the ground.

He merely shifted his body slightly, effortlessly dodging every shuriken that could have hit him.

The next moment, a total of eight figures appeared from different directions, charging straight at Mo Chen.

They were all dressed as Konoha Anbu, but their cloaks were more concealing than those of the Hokage's direct Anbu, and their masks had subtle differences.

This was clearly the attire of the Root organization!

Before they even got close, they were already forming hand seals, completing the prelude to their jutsu in the blink of an eye.

Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet Technique!

Lightning Style: Fifty Thousand Volts!

Compound Ninjutsu: Lightning Earth Dragon Bullet!

These eight individuals, four using Earth Style and four using Lightning Style, combined their ninjutsu into four compound techniques, attacking Mo Chen from four directions.

Judging by their movements, all eight were Jonin-level or above, and elites at that. They were in no way comparable to the rabble of Kusagakure.

Mo Chen's gaze narrowed slightly. Just as I suspected, I'm being targeted. This is a complete elemental counter!

He knew that Mo Chen currently mastered Water Style and Earth Style.

Earth counters Water, and Lightning counters Earth. Combined with their compound ninjutsu, as long as Mo Chen countered with his own elemental techniques, he would be completely shut down.

Therefore, they were trying to force him to use Wood Style!

This realization further solidified Mo Chen's certainty that his attackers were Danzou's Root organization, with no possibility of imposters.

Too bad they don't know me well enough!

The corners of Mo Chen's lips, hidden beneath his mask, curved upwards slightly. He calmly began forming hand seals.

Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!

Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet Technique!

Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!

Compound Ninjutsu: Earth Water Dragon Bullet!

Just like them, eight people combined their techniques into four compound ninjutsu, also Dragon Bullet techniques, but their elements were countered.

Although he couldn't see their faces, Mo Chen could clearly sense the contempt radiating from the eight enemies when they saw his response.

It makes sense. My timing was late, and I used ninjutsu that's completely countered by theirs. Isn't this just asking for death?

But in the next moment, all eight pairs of eyes widened.

It was true that Mo Chen's casting time was late, but his casting speed was astonishingly fast.

Moreover, each Earth Water Dragon Bullet was more than twice as thick as the Lightning Earth Dragon Bullets.

Before the Lightning Earth Dragon Bullets could reach him, the Earth Water Dragon Bullets had already formed and launched an immediate counterattack, crashing head-on into them.

Under the dumbfounded gaze of the eight Lightning Earth Dragon Bullet users, the Earth Water Dragon Bullets bit down and shattered the Lightning Earth Dragon Bullets, continuing their advance toward the eight individuals behind them.

"How is this possible?"

"Dodge quickly!"

"Damn it, is this guy a monster?"

All eight Root members were terrified, shouting in alarm as they dodged to the side.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!

Even though the Earth Water Dragon Bullets had lost some of their power, their remaining force was still not to be underestimated.

The four Earth Water Dragon Bullets crashed into the forest, instantly reducing the surrounding trees to ruins.

The powerful shockwaves spread, and one of the more fragile Root members spat out a mouthful of blood.

The rest, though they had dodged, felt their qi and blood churning