There was no doubt about it—Kitahara Kaede's displayed strength had nearly scared him to death.
He had thought this would be an easy mission, just an ordinary Chunin. He himself had long since reached the level of a Tokubetsu Jonin and was only a step away from becoming a true Jonin.
But once they actually fought, he realized everything was wrong. Kitahara Kaede's strength was at least at the level of a Tokubetsu Jonin.
Lord Danzo had been right. There really was something wrong with this brat; he was no ordinary Chunin.
He really could be a spy from another village.
This series of movements sounded lengthy, but in truth, it took only a brief moment.
Before the Monkey Mask Ninja could even breathe a sigh of relief, Kitahara Kaede had already charged straight at him. The instant the Monkey Mask Ninja retreated, Kitahara Kaede followed, practically moving in sync with him.
"How is that possible?!"
The Monkey Mask Ninja was still stunned that Kitahara Kaede's strength so greatly exceeded the intelligence reports, but he had already been forced into a corner.
Clang!
In almost an instant, the Monkey Mask Ninja drew the shuriken he carried and engaged Kitahara Kaede in close-quarters combat.
"Damn it, how did this happen?!"
The Monkey Mask Ninja quickly realized that he was completely at a disadvantage in hand-to-hand combat against Kitahara Kaede. Though he had received excellent close-combat training, Kitahara Kaede's skills were fairly ordinary and clearly lacked the resources for such training.
Yet Kitahara Kaede was able to suppress the Monkey Mask Ninja despite his disadvantage in technique. It was not merely because Kitahara Kaede's physical qualities had already surpassed his own; every collision left his arms slightly numb.
More importantly, he felt that Kitahara Kaede could see through all his movements. Even if he merely shifted his shoulder, Kitahara Kaede immediately knew what he intended to do. That kind of insight was simply terrifying.
Even a seasoned veteran ninja normally could not achieve such a degree of perception.
What was going on with Kitahara Kaede? Why was he so strange?
Lord Danzo's guess had been right. Kitahara Kaede was indeed unusual; there really was something wrong with him.
Although Kitahara Kaede's close-combat skills were inferior to the Monkey Mask Ninja's, his perception far surpassed his opponent's. Every time, he could see through the other man's intentions and suppress him completely.
Meanwhile, as Kitahara Kaede pinned down the Monkey Mask Ninja, Soten Genryu and Hyuga Keiko beside him had fallen into a bitter struggle. Their strength was far inferior to those two experienced Root ninjas.
Kitahara Kaede also had to fire Darts and throw Kunai from time to time to relieve their pressure.
At this moment, Kitahara Kaede also fully realized his own weakness. Whether it was Genjutsu, close combat, or ninjutsu, he lacked a decisive technique that could settle a fight in one blow.
Right now, he was firmly suppressing his opponent with his physical abilities and the combat power granted by the Sharingan. Given enough time, killing his opponent was only a matter of course.
But his two teammates did not have that much time. He had to find a way to kill the Monkey Mask Ninja first.
Suddenly, Kitahara Kaede felt something change in his eyes as a clear, cool current flowed into them.
In that instant, he clearly felt his Dojutsu Power rise sharply.
Had the Sharingan evolved?
Had it evolved into the Two-Tomoe Sharingan?
Kitahara Kaede had not expected his Sharingan to evolve again after such a short time.
Under the pressure of his anxiety, the fluctuations in his emotions had driven the Sharingan through its second evolution.
At that moment, the Monkey Mask Ninja facing him immediately sensed Kitahara Kaede's change. His attacks became faster, and his perception grew stronger.
Kitahara Kaede stayed pressed close to him, preventing him from freeing his hands to form seals. He knew far more ninjutsu than Kitahara Kaede, but he had been forced into a position where he had no room to use any of it.
Kitahara Kaede gave him no chance at all to form hand seals.
Just as he anxiously tried to break away from Kitahara Kaede and use ninjutsu, his movements suddenly slowed for a moment. Though he recovered almost immediately—
"This is Genjutsu!"
He instantly realized that he had been caught in a Genjutsu.
There were many kinds of Genjutsu. Many Genjutsu used in battle could interfere with an opponent's movements. Even if it lasted only an instant, a momentary delay was fatal for a ninja.
Just like now, Kitahara Kaede's shuriken plunged directly into his throat.
The Monkey Mask Ninja had been completely right. He had indeed fallen under Genjutsu just now.
Kitahara Kaede had only just evolved his Two-Tomoe Sharingan and had yet to develop any corresponding Sharingan Genjutsu. However, using the Hypnosis Eye to cast a minor Genjutsu and disrupt his movements required no learning at all; it was almost instinctive.
That instant of slowed movement finally allowed Kitahara Kaede to find an opening.
After dealing with the Monkey Mask Ninja, Kitahara Kaede did not pause for even a moment before heading toward the battlefield where the Eagle Mask Ninja and Soten Genryu were fighting. After only a brief exchange, Soten Genryu had already been injured and was dodging the opponent's attacks in a miserable state.
Though Hyuga Keiko had also fallen into a disadvantage, she could barely hold on with the Byakugan's perceptive abilities.
Kitahara Kaede first threw a dart in an instant, forcing the Eagle Mask Ninja to disengage. Taking advantage of that opening, he was already standing before the Eagle Mask Ninja.
Kitahara Kaede's Sharingan emitted an eerie glow and instantly dragged his opponent into Genjutsu.
The Monkey Mask Ninja had at least been equivalent to an ordinary Jonin, so Kitahara Kaede could only control him for an instant. But this Eagle Mask Ninja was merely an Elite Chunin; the gap in their strength was far too great.
Before he could even wake up, Kitahara Kaede slit his throat with a shuriken.
Only when blood sprayed out did he come to his senses from the Genjutsu, but it was already too late.
"Are you all right?" Kitahara Kaede asked.
"I'm fine. Hurry and help Keiko," Soten Genryu said.
"Yeah!"
Kitahara Kaede nodded and charged directly toward the Fox Mask Ninja.
By then, Kitahara Kaede's consecutive killing of two people had already drawn the Fox Mask Ninja's attention, and he was instantly terrified.
He had never imagined that an ordinary mission to hunt down a ninja would end with the danger of their entire force being wiped out.
He turned to flee almost immediately.
"Don't even think about running. Eight Trigrams Palms!"
Hyuga Keiko had finally received Kitahara Kaede's support and could not help letting out a sigh of relief.
But she immediately stepped forward and blocked the Fox Mask Ninja's escape route.
The Fox Mask Ninja was forced straight back, growling in a low voice, "You dare kill Root members? Lord Danzo will never let you get away with this!"
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