Two months flew by. The brutal trials of the Western Front had honed Haotian and his two companions into sharper weapons.
Inside the tent, afternoon sunlight streamed through the gaps, casting dappled shadows across the floor.
The air was heavy with the mingled scents of medicinal herbs and sweat. Haotian sat cross-legged, feeling the abundant Chakra within him surge like a rushing river. Compared to two months ago, it had grown many times stronger.
His Chakra reserves had now reached Jonin level, enough to sustain him through even more intense battles.
Guy sat nearby, wolfing down Soldier Pills without a care for their strange taste.
"This stuff is awful!" he complained through a mouthful, yet kept shoving more into his mouth as if it were some kind of training.
"But it really does replenish Chakra well, heh!" Guy grinned, revealing a row of pearly white teeth. Beads of sweat ran down his chin, glimmering in the sunlight.
He could now reliably open the Eight Gates, greatly increasing both his strength and speed.
Meihui leaned against a wooden post, holding a small mirror as she studied her eyes.
Her crimson Two-Tomoe Sharingan spun slowly, gleaming with an intimidating light.
She had mastered the use of her eyes, allowing her to read her enemies' movements and even anticipate some simple attacks.
"Has Teacher Zhiwei gone off on his own again?" She lowered the mirror, her tone tinged with teasing. "I guess having lots of bugs lets you do whatever you want."
Haotian opened his eyes and nodded. "Teacher Zhiwei specializes in scouting and assassination. He's more efficient on his own."
"Speaking of which, Teacher Zhiwei's strength is unfathomable," Guy said with a sigh after swallowing the last Soldier Pill. "He completes every mission flawlessly. He's so dependable!"
Meihui chuckled. "That's true, but he's always so mysterious. Who knows what he's thinking?"
Haotian stood and walked to the tent entrance, gazing out at the distant mountain range as a surge of ambition welled up in him.
"We need to work even harder," he said, drawing a deep breath, his gaze resolute. "This war is far from over..." Before he could finish, he sensed an unusual surge of Chakra rushing toward them...
Haotian whipped around and signaled to Guy and Meihui with his eyes. "Someone's coming..."
Haotian's pupils contracted. His keen senses picked up two powerful Chakra signatures rapidly closing in.
He turned at once, signaling Guy and Meihui to prepare for battle.
The atmosphere inside the tent instantly froze, a murderous tension filling the air.
Guy stopped chewing and clenched the Soldier Pill in his hand. The easygoing look on his face turned serious.
Meihui's Sharingan spun rapidly. The swaying trees outside were reflected in her crimson eyes, as though she sensed the danger that was about to arrive.
"Bang!" A tremendous crash rang out as a powerful force tore through the tent canvas. A towering figure appeared before the three of them.
The newcomer wore an Iwagakure uniform. His skin was gray and stony, and a cruel grin tugged at his angular face.
He was Changshi, an elite Jonin of Iwagakure.
Behind him, another burly Iwa Ninja, Yantie, slowly stepped forward, surrounded by dense Earth Release Chakra.
"You Konoha brats have run out of luck!" Changshi's voice was low and raspy, as grating as sand scraping against stone. "I didn't think you'd survive this long, but today is the day you die!" Bloodlust gleamed in his eyes, as if he could already see the three of them lying in a pool of blood.
"Destroying Konoha's new generation is one of Iwagakure's strategic objectives," Yantie added, his voice as cold and merciless as iron. "You brats might as well lie down and die!"
Changshi pressed his palms together, then slammed them against the ground. "Earth Release: Earth Split Turning Palm!"
The ground shook violently. The earth around the tent split apart, and countless fragments of rock shot toward the three of them like blades.
A sense of danger engulfed them, as if they might be swallowed by the terrifying Earth Release at any moment.
Haotian's gaze sharpened. "Watch out!"
This old bastard is at least Special Jonin level! Haotian calculated rapidly, forming Hand Seals as he did. "Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!" He spat out a powerful wave of air toward the oncoming rocks. The two collided in midair with a deafening boom.
Guy and Meihui reacted just as quickly, flanking Changshi from the left and right.
Guy roared, his body radiating powerful force as his muscles bulged like steel. He kicked off the ground, cracking it beneath him, and shot toward Changshi like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Meihui's Sharingan spun rapidly, tracking Changshi's every move. The Kunai in her hand glinted coldly, ready to strike a fatal blow.
Changshi grinned cruelly at the sight. "Heh, you've got some bounce! But against absolute power, everything is futile!" He pressed his palms together again as Chakra surged wildly. "Earth Release: Earth Split Turning Needles!" Countless sharp stone spikes burst from the ground, densely packed like shoots after a spring rain, and stabbed toward the three of them.
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