Weight-Class Entrance

The Land of Rain, Konoha's front-line command center.

"Lords, the message is back! Lord Torifu Akimichi's squad has been ambushed!"

A Yamanaka Clan ninja rushed up to Mitokado Homura and Shimura Danzō.

In this fishing operation, Konoha had not only used Torifu Akimichi as bait, but had also spared no expense in establishing an intelligence relay network using the Byakugan's insight. Large numbers of Hyūga and Yamanaka ninja had taken part, relaying information back at the fastest possible speed, like beacon towers passing along signals.

"Then we'll apprehend Number Three at once. His identity as an Iwagakure spy is confirmed," Shimura Danzō said gravely.

Mitokado Homura was more concerned about the front line. "Dispatch a support squad immediately. Take care of those Iwagakure Ninja and reinforce our squad."

"Yes, sir!"

Several Konoha squads that had been roaming the Land of Rain, waiting for a chance to act, immediately headed to the front line to provide support.

Shuriken spinning at high speed, their edges wrapped in wind blades, easily pierced the smoke screen before streaking toward the Iwagakure Ninja at tremendous speed.

The wind chakra made the shuriken lighter and faster, giving the enemy even less time to react.

The only pity was that, when Yuzuru used the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique, he had struggled with all his might just to create a little over a hundred shuriken. Compared to the technique's inventor, the Third Hokage, that was a laughably amateurish number.

The Third Hokage could casually create thousands upon thousands of shuriken, forming a massive area attack. Yuzuru wasn't capable of that yet...

That single attack had already drained most of the chakra in Yuzuru's body.

Still, the signature techniques of the Third Hokage and Shimura Danzō were now being used together as a combination technique by a mere Chunin like Yuzuru.

Pfft!

The foremost Iwagakure Ninja was struck by a Wind Release: Shuriken. Its razor-sharp edge sliced through his body in an instant. The shuriken tilted and spun onward, cutting off the leg of another unlucky ninja behind him before skipping across the grass and flying into the distance.

The next instant, shuriken filled the sky.

"Watch out! Area attack!"

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

But ordinary earthen walls couldn't withstand the cutting force. Some Iwagakure Ninja had actually blocked their own view, only to be struck by wind blades that cut through the walls. After all, Yuzuru had used nothing more than Wind Release: Shuriken, not Wind Release Rasenshuriken.

In an instant, Yuzuru's attack had engulfed more than half the Iwagakure Ninja. The unlucky ones were killed outright; those who failed to dodge in time were grievously wounded!

"One more!"

Right after that, something else burst out of the smoke screen. Unfortunately, Yuzuru couldn't use that combination technique again. This time, he had thrown only ordinary Kunai and shuriken, each with a lit Exploding Tag tied behind it!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The battle had barely begun, yet Yuzuru had managed to suppress the enemy all by himself.

The effectiveness of his attack fired up his teammates. Seeing the young man put on such a display, Torifu Akimichi realized he had to show some effort as their captain.

"Expansion Jutsu!"

Torifu Akimichi's body and the weapon in his hand immediately swelled to an incomprehensible size. He swung his iron staff, sending the Iwagakure Ninja who tried to approach him bouncing all over the place.

As the smoke cleared, Yuzuru saw severed limbs scattered across the ground. Since the smoke screen had blocked the path of many of his Wind Release: Shuriken, his "surprise attack" had been remarkably effective.

Bright red blood smeared the vivid green grass, and the stark contrast between the two colors was deeply unsettling.

"You bastard! What have you done?!"

An Iwagakure Ninja with rage written all over his face charged at Yuzuru. The sudden losses had driven him close to losing control.

Clang!

Yuzuru blocked the enemy's Kunai with his short sword. The attack had been effective, but even he felt that he'd handled the job a little too roughly.

"Sorry."

A clean kill was the proper tactical move for a ninja. Leaving the ground covered in blood while the enemy screamed in agony seemed rather amateurish... After all, ninja sought to kill their enemies, not make them suffer.

So Yuzuru owed him an apology.

He forcefully knocked the enemy's Kunai aside, tossed away the short sword in his hand, then stepped back to create distance as he formed hand seals.

Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!

In an instant, the wind blade he exhaled cut straight into the enemy's neck!

Well, Yuzuru was someone who learned from his mistakes. This strike was clean and precise. The enemy lost his life without having to suffer much pain.

"Wha—"

But there were simply too many enemies, and Yuzuru lacked experience fighting multiple opponents. As he dealt with the enemy in front of him, another attacked from the blind spot to his back left, while a projectile flew straight toward his chest from ahead.

Instinctively, he used the Body Flicker Technique to his right. But the moment he did, he sensed something was wrong.

A feeling of danger welled up from deep within him.

This is bad!

Could he Body Flicker again in time?

A figure rushed toward the spot where he would land. The opponent didn't bother with any fancy technique and simply barreled into Yuzuru.

Thud!

Yuzuru felt a high-speed impact on his side. Half his body went numb in an instant, and then he was flung high into the air before tumbling across the ground.

The enemy had predicted his movements.

Once he stopped rolling, Yuzuru couldn't help coughing up a mouthful of blood. He immediately tried to get to his feet, but his numb body made it look more like he was struggling.

Yuzuru was still far too fragile to withstand a heavy blow. Though he had worked hard to adapt to the chaotic battlefield, he still couldn't precisely track every attack from every enemy.

It wasn't really his fault. In a melee, a ninja of his level was bound to get hurt.

As the saying went, you had to make up for what you lacked. At that moment, Yuzuru thought of Orochimaru... A ninja's constitution was innate, but if you wanted to strengthen it later in life, Orochimaru was the shortcut. Even learning a little of his Soft Body Modification could help someone withstand attacks on the level of Tsunade's monstrous strength.

Unfortunately, thinking about it now wouldn't help.

The enemy charged at Yuzuru again, and he had lost the ability to deal with him for the moment.

At that moment, a signal flare burst in the air. Surprisingly, it was the Iwagakure side, despite their numerical advantage, that had sent the first signal... The ninjutsu Yuzuru had used, far beyond his usual level, had made a tremendous impact right from the start of the battle.

An iron staff swept over, forcing back the enemy approaching Yuzuru. Torifu Akimichi stepped in front of him.

Thank goodness. His teammate had come to help.

"Yuzuru, nice work! Hang in there!"

The numbness slowly faded, and sharp pain suddenly took its place. Yuzuru lay facedown on the ground, blood trickling from his temple and forcing him to keep one eye closed.

Ahead of him, Torifu Akimichi's expression grew serious as he faced the enemy.

"Pointless."

The Iwagakure Ninja had no intention of retreating. It didn't matter if he couldn't get close—he wasn't a Taijutsu specialist, but a ninjutsu specialist. He calmly formed hand seals, seemingly ignoring the threat Torifu Akimichi posed.

The next instant, a blazing technique came rushing toward them—Lava Release: Lava Flow River!

Another ninja with a Kekkei Genkai. Explosion Release, Lava Release, and Boil Release were the three Kekkei Genkai possessed by Iwagakure. On top of that, they also had Dust Release, the one-of-a-kind Kekkei Tōta of the Shinobi World.

The molten torrent surged forward, but Torifu Akimichi couldn't dodge. If he moved, Yuzuru would take the hit instead.

Just then, another loud boom rang out. Yuzuru, still sprawled on the ground, bounced and rolled several times as if he'd been tossed in a frying pan.

After the boom, a gigantic "short blade" suddenly plunged into the ground in front of Torifu. Its broad blade stopped the molten torrent.

Then an even louder sound rang out.

A gigantic Toad dropped from the sky.