"Tch, don't tell me he was hiding right where he was?"
Watching Araki's movements, Hozuki Mangetsu sneered. "You're not as clever as you thought, huh!"
But in the next moment, his eyes widened.
Pale cyan wind blades flickered along Araki's sword. With a single slash, he instantly shattered a large stretch of ground.
At the same time, Aburame Shihui, who had dived deep underground, felt as though a heavy hammer had smashed into him. His organs shook violently, and he nearly coughed up blood. Unable to maintain his position underground any longer, he had no choice but to burst out of the earth.
Thus, under Hozuki Mangetsu's astonished gaze, Araki brought down his sword, and Aburame Shihui emerged right on cue.
What kind of coordination was that?!
"You, you, you..."
He pointed at Araki, dumbfounded and speechless for a long while.
"Just luck."
Araki shrugged, indicating that it was all the goddess of luck's doing. After all, sword users might have low charm, but at least they could keep their luck. That stat was negotiable, after all.
Of course, even while bantering, the two of them did not forget to finish off their enemy. After Aburame Shihui was forced out of the ground, he was not entirely powerless. He spread his arms, aimed his sleeves at Hozuki Mangetsu, and released the last of his Kikaichū:
"These are my last bugs! Go, Insect Sphere Technique!"
Dense swarms of tiny black insects poured from his sleeves like flowing water, gathering in the air into a small dark cloud before descending directly upon Hozuki Mangetsu.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
Hozuki Mangetsu stepped back and formed hand seals. A Water Wall rose from the ground, standing between him and the insect swarm.
Under normal circumstances, a mere Water Formation Wall could not stop