Take This!

B-rank ninjutsu, Water Style: Water Cannonball!

The water cannonball was heavy and fast, spinning at high speed and carrying an explosive centrifugal force as it hurtled toward Yetsuki.

Given a Genin's physical strength and chakra, getting hit by this technique would probably knock them unconscious instantly, as if someone had smashed them over the head with a heavy iron hammer.

However, the moment Kanna formed the Hand Seals, the pursuers had already prepared to defend themselves. Yong Kong, his face grave, reached back and drew the two swords strapped to his back.

One sword was long and the other short—the standard setup for practicing Nii-ryū, or two-sword style.

"Everyone, get out of the way!" Yong Kong shouted. He crossed his swords in an X and swung them at the water ball.

Pfft! The swords plunged into the water ball, and Yong Kong immediately felt a fierce, wrenching pain in his hands, as if they had sunk into a whirlpool. His wrists twisted involuntarily with the ball's rotation, and his fingers curled into a tangled mess. He could no longer hold the hilts, and the swords were about to slip from his grasp.

While Yong Kong briefly held back the water cannonball, Yetsuki and the others scattered to the sides, drew their ninja tools, and hurled them at Kanna.

Kanna swayed, twisting his neck with the smallest movement possible to dodge the first wave of ninja tools. Then he lowered his body, stamped down, and burst forward with a surge of chakra. Like an arrow loosed from its bow, he shot through the rain of weapons.

Just as Yong Kong was about to let go and retreat, his vision blurred. A fist rose from below, fingers curled inward and thumb pressed against the hollow, and slammed into his right eye.

Pow! Yong Kong groaned. His head swam, a buzzing filled his ears, and the blow left him dazed.

"Heh!" Kanna chuckled. He spread his legs, sank low, and bowed his head deeply.

In the next instant, the water cannonball swept up the swords, now free of Yong Kong's control, then flew over Kanna's head and continued onward.

With the swords caught inside it, the water cannonball grew even more fearsome. The two blades spun like whirling wheels.

The ninjas standing nearby stared in shock. They couldn't help thinking of a meat grinder. It was practically the same thing.

"Yong Kong!" Kazama cried out and started forward to help, but Kanna's gaze—sharp as a blade—snapped toward him.

It might have been better if Kazama hadn't shouted. The moment he did, Kanna's attention shifted to him.

Kanna's shoulders sank. Still crouched, he let his weight settle and assumed the opening stance of Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms.

Kanna had already broken into the enemy's defensive circle, almost face-to-face with them. At such close range, even Itachi could only find a moment to form Hand Seals during hand-to-hand combat. An ordinary ninja couldn't possibly perform ninjutsu while under attack.

Yong Kong had temporarily lost the ability to fight and was nearly unconscious from the blow. The remaining eleven had formed a circle around Kanna—exactly the situation Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms excelled at handling!

Kanna cleared his mind of all thought. The instant Kazama's right-leg muscles twitched, Kanna reflexively jabbed a finger at him.

Screech! His finger shot out like an awl, seemingly tearing through the air as it struck Kazama's shinbone.

Provoked, Kazama raised his leg. He curled his toes, lifted his big toe, and kicked back without hesitation. His foot was narrow at the front and broad at the heel, like a blade.

Foot Blade wasn't some secret technique, but a common Taijutsu move that was exceptionally practical. It targeted the lower body, and if it landed, it would leave a gaping wound and even break bone!

But to Kazama's surprise, Kanna made no attempt to dodge. His arm jolted, muscles bulging, and crashed into Kazama's Foot Blade.

"Ah!" Kazama cried out in pain as his foot cramped.

It felt like he hadn't kicked a person, but a piece of steel!

How could an ordinary body of flesh and blood withstand the strength of a body supported by bones hardened through Shikotsumyaku?

Kanna said nothing. A thin cut had opened on his arm, but it was nothing serious. Without pausing, he changed his sword-like fingers into a palm, grabbed Kazama's leg, and began to squeeze, intent on breaking it.

Kazama's heart lurched. He thought he could hear his leg bone cracking. In desperation, he shouted, "Wait! I surrender!"

"What?" Kanna froze and stopped.

A hissing sound rang out. Kanna felt a chill at his neck, as if someone had pressed a blade to his throat. He ducked sharply, and a spinning flash of silver sliced over his head.

Behind him, Yetsuki stood beside Yong Kong, her hands empty and her eyes blazing with anger. The flower-shaped hair ornament in her hair had vanished.

Asu Usagi leaped up and reached out to catch it. She seemed to be trying to catch the silver object.

Kanna glanced at it and recognized a huge, silver, flower-shaped hair ornament. Cold light glinted off its sharp steel petals. It seemed to be the sisters' ninja tool.

He looked toward Yong Kong. A puddle spread across the ground, and the long and short swords were embedded at an angle in the earth. It seemed Yetsuki had cut apart the water cannonball with her hair ornament, saving Yong Kong's life.

"Heh." Kanna raised an eyebrow and gave Kazama's leg a tug. Using him as an oversized ninja tool, he hurled him straight at Asu Usagi.

"Ahhh!" Kazama flailed and shouted as he flew through the air, about to crash into Asu Usagi.

"Tuxin!" Yetsuki cried out when she saw Kanna's move.

"Damn it!" With no other choice, Asu Usagi twisted in midair, caught Kazama in her arms, and landed on the ground.

Whoosh! The huge steel flower ornament flew more than twenty meters before embedding itself in the dirt.

"Thanks," Kazama said awkwardly. "But could you put me down first?"

Asu Usagi didn't even glance at him. She casually tossed him aside, as if a man weighing over a hundred pounds were nothing in her arms.

"Let's attack together, sister," Asu Usagi said calmly. "We can't run anymore."

Yetsuki was about to agree and offer a few words of encouragement when Kanna interrupted her.

"Indeed, you can't run. But facing me won't help either." Kanna ran a finger along the wound on his arm. The cut sealed tightly, almost as if he had never been injured.

"No matter what you choose, the moment I find you, you're destined to be eliminated."

"Who can decide how things will end without even trying?" one of the other examinees snapped, unable to stand it any longer. "Cut the boasting, you bastard!"

"There's no denying that never giving up is admirable." Kanna slowly raised his arms and spread them to either side. "But when you face a power you can't resist, no matter how hard you try, it's useless."

"Don't waste any more time. I'll end this fight."

"One move! That's all it'll take to defeat you!"

Kanna closed his eyes and gathered most of his chakra. In the depths of his mind, the lines of balance between the attraction and repulsion connecting all things came into view.

At a single thought, chakra surged out, snapping all eleven lines of attraction.

The balance shattered. An immense repulsive force immediately crashed down upon Yetsuki and the others, crushing them.

"Take this! Shinra Tensei!"