Hunted

Meanwhile, in the Cloud Village pursuit team, the lead ninja began considering Amada's escape route.

As he raced along, he said to his companion:

"If that guy isn't stupid, he should know he can't escape by heading straight for the Land of Fire. He might change direction."

"Where might he go?"

another ninja asked.

"He only has two options—either the Land of Fields or the Land of Iron."

The lead ninja analyzed calmly,

"The Land of Fields is a small country with complicated terrain, which makes it easy to hide. The Land of Iron is neutral, and Cloud Village ninjas wouldn't dare cross its border lightly. He'll definitely choose one of them."

"What should we do?"

his companion pressed.

"Split up!" the lead ninja ordered decisively,

"Some of us will intercept him in the direction of the Land of Fields, and the rest will go toward the Land of Iron. Of course, don't abandon the route to the Land of Fire either. No matter what, we can't let him escape!"

At his command, the Cloud Village pursuit team quickly split into two more groups,

which raced toward the Land of Fields and the Land of Iron, respectively.

Amada was already nearing the border of the Land of Iron.

He was moving at great speed, but he still didn't dare let his guard down for a moment.

The three-man Cloud Village pursuit team heading toward the Land of Iron soon spotted the traces Amada had left behind.

One of the ninjas crouched down and carefully examined the footprints and broken branches. Then he stood up:

"Found him. He really is heading for the Land of Iron!"

Another ninja nodded and quickly suggested:

"I'm the fastest. I'll go after him alone. You two go back and notify the others, then catch up as soon as you can."

"Captain, you're going alone?"

The third ninja looked worried.

Moi, the Cloud Village Special Jōnin leading them, smiled confidently:

"Don't worry. They usually don't send a Jonin on this kind of rendezvous mission. That would be overkill. So he's at most a Chunin. Just a Chunin—nothing to worry about."

His tone was full of disdain, and he was clearly supremely confident in his own abilities.

The other two ninjas exchanged glances. Although they still had some misgivings,

they said nothing more. They simply nodded and quickly turned back to notify the others.

Moi, the Special Jōnin, continued following the traces Amada had left and swiftly pursued him.

He was incredibly fast as he raced through the forest, gradually closing the distance between himself and Amada.

Meanwhile, Amada sensed the pursuer behind him.

His perception was sharp to begin with, and with the aid of his Sharingan, he quickly noticed someone closing in on him at high speed.

"Running like this won't work. He's faster than me."

As he ran, Amada calmly assessed the situation.

He knew he would be caught sooner or later if he kept fleeing.

Better to strike first than wait to be attacked.

"I have to take him out quickly!"

Amada made up his mind, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

Amada quickly scanned his surroundings.

Before long, his gaze settled on a narrow valley.

Towering rock walls rose on both sides, making it the perfect place for an ambush.

"I'll finish him here!"

Amada covered the rock walls on either side of the passage with Explosive Tags,

then hid behind a boulder, held his breath, and waited quietly for the pursuer to arrive.

Before long, Moi, the Cloud Village Special Jōnin, reached the entrance to the valley.

The instant he stepped into the passage, Amada swiftly formed Hand Seals and cried:

"Detonate!"

"Boom!"

The Explosive Tags on both sides went off at once. The tremendous force shook the rock walls, sending fragments flying as dust instantly filled the passage.

Moi was fast, however. The blast wave didn't hit him directly; it only engulfed him in dust.

"Pathetic tricks!"

Moi sneered. But the instant he steadied himself,

countless kunai and shuriken suddenly shot out of the dust, hurtling toward him like a downpour.

A look of disdain flashed in Moi's eyes as lightning abruptly crackled around him.

His speed increased in an instant, and his body flickered like a phantom between the kunai and shuriken, effortlessly dodging every attack.

"Just a Chunin, and you actually dare ambush me?"

Moi stood in place, his voice brimming with arrogance and confidence,

"Let me, Moi, the Cloud Village Special Jōnin, put an end to you!"

Hearing the other man call himself a "Special Jōnin," Amada, hidden in the shadows, couldn't help but pause.

He quickly recalled what he knew about Special Jōnin. They were, in fact, Chunin with special talents.

Their overall abilities didn't meet the standards of a Jonin, but they excelled exceptionally in certain areas.

Moi was clearly an elite Chunin whose strength lay in his speed.

"If speed is his only strength, then he may not be that powerful in other areas."

Amada thought to himself.

He knew he couldn't waste any more time. He had to finish the fight quickly.

If the other Cloud Village ninjas arrived, he would be trapped.

With that in mind, Amada didn't hesitate.

He focused his awareness on his dantian and began channeling the Qi he had worked so hard to cultivate.

The warm energy flowed through his body and gradually gathered in his hands.

At the same time, his Sharingan activated, his crimson eyes radiating a mesmerizing light.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Wave!"

Lightning Release energy quickly enveloped the katana in his hands.

Blue lightning coiled around the blade, crackling with a sharp hiss.

Just then, Amada was astonished to discover that the Qi within him began to fuse with the Lightning Release as soon as they came into contact.

The two forces didn't repel each other at all. Instead, they complemented one another.

The blue lightning around the katana gradually turned a brilliant gold, as if it contained some mysterious power.

"What is this...?"

Amada's heart jolted, but he quickly suppressed his surprise.

He knew this wasn't the time to investigate. His enemy was still standing, and the other Cloud Village ninjas could arrive at any moment.

Amada quickly flung several shuriken at Moi to test his reaction.

Seeing this, Moi sneered contemptuously:

"You think a little trick like that can take me down?"

He stood there arrogantly without dodging, easily deflecting the shuriken with his kunai.

The shuriken were knocked away one by one, ringing with crisp metallic clinks.

Amada's eyes narrowed. He launched even more shuriken, faster and at trickier angles.

"It's useless!"

Moi remained brimming with confidence, his kunai whirling like the wind as he knocked away each incoming shuriken.

However, he failed to notice the faint golden lightning coiled around one of them.

"Clang!" The instant Moi blocked that golden shuriken with his kunai,

golden lightning erupted, spreading across his entire body like a golden Lightning Snake.

"Aah!"

Moi let out a scream. His body was instantly paralyzed by the golden lightning, leaving him unable to move.

Amada gave him no chance to catch his breath. He burst out of the shadows,

his katana wreathed in fierce golden lightning as he slashed straight at Moi's vitals.