New Ninjutsu, Storm Release: Thousand Blades!!!

When Byakuya saw Pakura again, this female ninja from Sunagakure, who possessed Kage-level strength, appeared extremely haggard.

This day marked the eighth day since his return to the Land of Rivers.

The two "met" at the location of their initial encounter, or rather, Pakura had tracked the clues Byakuya left behind and sought him out here.

"Little brat, why are you such a coward? Another Shadow Clone?"

Pakura looked at him with disdain and shouted loudly.

Byakuya remained indifferent, pointing toward the wasteland in the distance that had been devastated by Scorch Release: Extreme Steam Killing: "Have you forgotten what you did, Senior?"

"You killed San-Dan-Kun, so you won't allow me to take revenge?"

"San-Dan-Kun was a spy for Sunagakure, and I am a Konoha ninja; killing him was only natural."

"Enough nonsense. You went to the lengths of slaughtering those Sunagakure ninja and deliberately leaving a trail just to lure me here—what is it you want?"

Pakura's mental state was one of high alert.

She deeply suspected that this was a death trap laid by Konoha to lure her in, with Konoha ninja already lying in ambush all around, ready to swarm her the moment the boy wearing the Shuten-dōji Mask gave the order.

Byakuya smiled: "Senior, don't be so nervous. It is only me... or rather, one Shadow Clone. This is not a trap set specifically for you. Besides, with your Scorch Release being so formidable, it would be futile no matter how many ordinary Konoha ninja came."

Pakura sneered as she walked toward him: "You have something to say?"

"Indeed, but I need to know if you are harboring killing intent toward me, Senior."

"You killed my companion; I wish I could slaughter you right now! Shuten-dōji!!!" She gritted her teeth.

Byakuya's Shadow Clone said softly: "Our positions are different. More Konoha ninja have died at your hands than Sunagakure ninja have died at mine! Yet, I do not harbor such naive thoughts as you."

"Naive? Have your real body come, and I won't kill you," Pakura said.

The behavior of this Shuten-dōji from Konoha's Root was bizarre; every place he appeared was a place where she had briefly stayed.

It was as if his purpose in coming to the Land of Rivers was simply to see her.

Of course, this was just a guess, and she couldn't be certain. Pakura decided to see for herself, confident that even if it were a trap, she could escape.

"Really?"

"Really."

"I don't believe you."

Byakuya stared at her expression, as if he had discovered a new continent: "Your current state is very poor, Senior. It's as if your firm convictions have begun to waver.

Let me guess: has Rasa begun to suspect you? Does he think you want to vie for the position of Kazekage?

Or perhaps the One-Tail Jinchuriki of your Sunagakure died after a fierce battle with the Iwagakure Ninja?

Could it be that Sunagakure is about to launch an attack on Konoha?"

Pakura did not stop her footsteps, drawing ever closer to him.

"I don't want to talk to a Shadow Clone. Have your real body come to see me."

As she spoke, she held up a miniature sun that seemed to be burning with orange-red flames.

Scorch Release: Extreme Steam Killing.

"Your killing intent toward me is too heavy, Senior."

No sooner had he finished speaking.

Two orange-red suns suddenly appeared on his left and right.

Collision.

Explosion.

All moisture at the location of the Shadow Clone was completely evaporated.

Pakura turned her head to look at another spot.

"Not bad, a great improvement over last time, but do you think you've successfully escaped?"

New orange-red flames burned upon the glowing spherical energy bodies.

This time, there were four.

"Storm Release: Thousand Blades."

Standing on a rock wall, Byakuya quickly formed three hand seals.

Ox-Rabbit-Dragon.

Storm Release chakra gathered in his mouth, spitting out high-density lasers.

The lasers were not like Water Release: Water Severing Wave, nor were they like Sage Art: Storm Release Light Fang.

Instead, they resembled thin, high-pressure streams of water, only manifesting as blinding blue-white lasers.

In an instant.

Byakuya spat out four laser beams, precisely piercing through Pakura's Scorch Release: Extreme Steam Killing.

Explosion.

The sky darkened in an instant.

Pakura's expression shifted abruptly.

"Scorch Release: Scorching Heat Wall."

She slammed her hands onto the ground, and chakra erupted instantly, forming a translucent, orange-red wall of searing heat before her.

The moment the brilliant blue-white laser beams touched this wall, they were vaporized into steam.

Byakuya looked down from above.

Storm Release: Thousand Blades rained down like an endless machine gun.

One blue-white laser beam after another crashed forward, relentlessly bombarding the orange-red wall.

The sheer power of the assault made the ground tremble as if an earthquake were occurring.

He had developed this new Storm Release ninjutsu by sacrificing the flexibility of precision guidance for area coverage; its advantage was that it consumed little chakra while possessing an attack power equivalent to a full-force strike of Torrent Lightning, making it perfect for picking off enemies.

"Enough!"

Pakura shouted.

"Scorch Release: Extreme Steam Killing!"

Byakuya immediately ceased the Thousand Blades and formed hand seals.

"Water Release: Water Formation Wall."

He spat out a waterfall-like stream of water, which rotated to protect him from every angle.

Four energy orbs of Extreme Steam Killing collided with the Water Formation Wall.

They erupted with a sizzling, discordant noise.

The spreading steam was thicker than any dense fog, rendering one unable to see their own hand.

Everything within his line of sight was a vast, white expanse.

"When did you dispel your Shadow Clone Technique?" Pakura's voice drifted through the air.

Byakuya replied, "The moment you unleashed your Scorch Release, Senior."

"So, you lured me here just to show off your new ninjutsu?"

"Since you requested to see my true body, Senior, I came. However, I am here to demonstrate Konoha's goodwill, and there are some things I wish to discuss with you in private."

Pakura sensed Byakuya's true chakra, guarding against a sneak attack from this kid whose strength had increased significantly, and used Wind Release to continuously disperse the density of the steam.

Eventually, she saw Shuten-doji wearing his mask, looking down at her like a legendary demon king.

"Come down! Talk to me face-to-face."

"The killing intent on you, Senior, has not diminished in the slightest."

"I want to kill you."

"Why? Simply because I killed a few Sunagakure Ninja while acting in the interest of Konoha? You should know, Senior, that by not slaughtering them all, I was already expressing my goodwill toward you."

"Cunning Konoha brat! What exactly are you trying to do?!"

Pakura gasped for air, her chest heaving. She spread her arms, and over a dozen spherical energy bodies burning with orange-red flames lined up in a row.

Byakuya sensed the Flying Thunder God Formula he had left nearby and leaped down from the rock wall. The mist swirled in his wake as he slowly walked toward the dangerous-looking Pakura.

"Senior Pakura, you are pushing your chakra to such extremes—are you not afraid of dying?"

He was still testing Pakura's bottom line, or perhaps, her capacity.

"..."

Pakura's pupils constricted as she stared at Shuten-doji, who had grown half a head taller since they last met. "I am afraid. It is only because I fear death that the value of sacrifice is proven."

"It seems Sunagakure truly wants a ninja like you to die."

"Huh?" Pakura couldn't help but be stunned, then she let out a cold snort. "Trying to sow discord?"

"Your strength is clearly on par with the Kazekage, yet you are exhausted to this miserable state. If that isn't Sunagakure wishing for your death, then what is?"

Byakuya stopped a dozen meters away from her and chuckled. "If you were to die, Senior, Sunagakure would no longer have anyone who truly cherishes the lives of their comrades.

To be honest, a Sunagakure like that would no longer pose a threat to Konoha; it might even become a vassal of Konoha one day.

I think I'll just call you Pakura. Calling you 'Senior' over and over makes me uncomfortable.

Pakura, if you were at your peak, I would never choose to fight you head-on, but in your current state of exhaustion..."

She watched as Byakuya drew the Ninja Sword from his back.

"Pakura, you have two choices before you: dispel your ninjutsu and speak with me calmly.

Or continue to be stubborn, willing to die for such a wretched Sunagakure, regardless of whether your comrades live or die."