He Why Was He Crying

"You old bald geezer, your opponent is me!"

Qinglong appeared, carrying a Great Club.

"Brat, how dare you look down on me!"

Meng Zong flew into a rage. His real body stepped out to fight Qinglong.

In his eyes, Qinglong was just a brat. There was no need to expose the Imitation Multi-Shadow Clone Technique on him.

He drew a Kunai and charged at Qinglong.

"Clang!"

The Great Club struck Meng Zong on the head before he could react, knocking it to the side and nearly peeling off his scalp.

Meng Zong staggered and quickly righted his scalp. He looked at the brat before him, still holding the Great Club, then charged again with his Kunai.

Another clang rang out. The bald Meng Zong was struck on the head once more, this time even harder, leaving it buzzing!

He had learned his lesson. Using the force of the blow to turn, he darted into the crowd of Meng Zongs.

The Meng Zongs began to close in. One of them leaped out with a Kunai in hand, yelling as he pounced on Qinglong.

"Clang!"

Qinglong didn't even spare him a glance. He raised the Great Club and swung it at another Meng Zong, landing a solid blow. The one who had pounced on him vanished into a shadow.

The real Meng Zong staggered back into the crowd. Another Meng Zong rushed forward, and Qinglong swung his club.

"Clang!"

Another crisp sound rang out. Meng Zong clutched his aching bald head and ducked back into the crowd.

Qinglong strode into the crowd of Meng Zongs. One after another, they pounced on him, only to vanish into shadows.

Qinglong found a Meng Zong hiding at the back of the crowd and raised his Great Club to strike.

"Clang!"

"Clang, clang... clang!"

The crisp sounds of a club striking a head rang out without pause, each one as sweet as music.

Even Shizune, fighting nearby, was stunned. Wasn't this supposed to be the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu? Was this really it?

Still, Meng Zong's technique wasn't bad. She hadn't been able to tell which one was real at first, or figure out how to distinguish the real Meng Zong.

The constant blows had completely broken Meng Zong's spirit! His scalp had been beaten off, revealing his true face.

He broke down, flung away his Disguise Mask and outer robe, then jumped back and stared at Qinglong in disbelief.

"How did you see through my real body?!"

"Take a guess."

Qinglong smiled, still holding the Great Club.

"I knew you wouldn't guess!"

"Argh!"

Meng Zong flew into a rage and frantically formed Hand Seals.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Shizune was shocked again. How did this man know an Uchiha technique?! Qinglong didn't know any ninjutsu—what was he supposed to do?

Meng Zong finished forming the Hand Seals, opened his mouth, and spat out a mass of flames. It roared toward Qinglong, burning with intense heat!

"Shine! (Die!)"

"Boom!"

The flames burst apart, and a composed young man emerged from their midst.

He was still holding the pose of having just swung his left palm. He had slapped the flames apart with one blow, and they hadn't harmed him in the slightest.

"Nani! How could this be?"

Meng Zong couldn't believe it. He formed Hand Seals again.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

The flames burst apart once more, but this was a distraction technique.

"Secret Technique: Shadow Binding Jutsu!"

A black shadow had already connected to Qinglong's feet.

Meng Zong sneered and raised his arm. Qinglong, bound by the shadow, raised his arm too.

"Aha! Brat, you had a great time hitting me just now, didn't you? This time, I'm going to make you hit yourself!"

As he spoke, he raised his hand and mimed holding a club and striking his own head.

Qinglong stared at him as if he were an idiot.

"Having fun?"

"Nani!"

Meng Zong's eyes widened. The brat wasn't copying his movements!

Qinglong stepped forward and walked toward Meng Zong.

The thin lines binding him snapped one by one. There was no Shadow Binding Jutsu at all—it was just a trick with strings, concealed by his genjutsu.

Qinglong stepped up and raised the Great Club again, bringing it down in a single blow!

"Clang!"

"Ah—ow!"

Meng Zong clutched his head, struck once again by Qinglong. The blow left him dizzy and seeing stars.

He was utterly broken inside. He wanted to roar at Qinglong: Are you a demon? Is this the only move you know?!

The battle on the guards' side was nearly over. With the help of Shizune, a Jonin, the Daimyo's Mansion side had the upper hand. Meng Zong had also lost the two ninjas who'd been his right-hand men, captured by Qinglong. The army of rogue ninjas had been soundly defeated by Shizune.

Meng Zong knew the situation was hopeless. He used an Escape Ninjutsu and turned to flee.

To his shock, the brat followed behind him like a cat playing with a mouse.

He chased, she fled—there was no escaping!

Ahem! Wrong phrase.

By now, Meng Zong was on the verge of a breakdown. The brat behind him neither attacked nor fell behind. It was like the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head, ready to come down at any moment.

The great lake of the Land of Birds lay ahead. Meng Zong ran across the water, his heart filled with indescribable panic!

He suddenly stopped and formed Hand Seals again, determined to give it one last try.

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"

Waves rose once more on the tranquil lake, swelling into enormous surges more than ten or twenty meters high, rushing toward the way he had come.

He didn't expect to kill the brat. He only hoped to stop his pursuer long enough to get away.

As soon as he finished the technique, he turned and ran, feeling an absolutely thrilling rush!

Then he looked back and saw the brat floating in midair, chasing after him. Meng Zong was so terrified he wanted to scream!

"Baldy, stop! You can't get away!"

Baldy? Who the hell was bald? He'd already restored his real appearance, so why was he still calling him bald?!