The Shikigami Technique

"Get a grip."

Yin-Yang Shenfeng bit his tongue. A splitting sensation surged through his mind, and he knew it wouldn't be long before he became a fool again.

Two kunai with Explosive Tags attached flew out from behind it. The Black Toad sensed danger and instinctively stopped. An explosion sounded ahead, and two figures leaped out from behind him.

"Do you really have to do this? I can pay to save my own life."

Yin-Yang Shenfeng glanced at the two boys to either side of him and spoke in a low voice.

Hiugo shot Yin-Yang Shenfeng a glance and said:

"You think I can't tell? You're pretending to chat while building up Chakra and preparing to make Hand Seals."

"You little brat..."

Yin-Yang Shenfeng's eyes turned cold. He hadn't expected his thoughts to be read.

Almost at the same time, attacks of lightning and water surged in from either side. The instant they hit Yin-Yang Shenfeng, he turned into a wooden post.

The usefulness of the Substitution Technique was undeniable. For the moment, Hiugo and Tobirama had no idea where their opponent was, but they could deal with the toad in front of them first.

The Black Toad let out one scream after another as one ninjutsu after another struck it, but it made no attempt to fight back.

"So he was hiding inside its mouth..."

Hiugo made Hand Seals and spat lightning at the Black Toad's mouth.

But the toad vanished in a puff of smoke, causing the attack to miss. Lightning scattered across the ground.

Yin-Yang Shenfeng appeared beneath the smoke. His skin had turned black, and it was covered in dark brown bumps.

Wind Release: Gale Palm

Yin-Yang Shenfeng struck toward Hiugo with a gust of wind. His skin secreted poison that clung to the wind, turning it black.

"That appearance... Did he gain some of his summoning beast's abilities?"

A thoughtful look entered Hiugo's eyes. He made Hand Seals and spat out water that took the shape of a dragon.

Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet

The Water Dragon Bullet recorded by the Senju Clan required only six hand seals. It wasn't that later version with forty-four. On a battlefield, if you stood around making seals, the enemy could easily kill you with another ninjutsu before you finished.

The Water Dragon Bullet tore through the black gust. Yin-Yang Shenfeng leaped into the air at once, avoiding its range, and kept closing in on Hiugo.

Ninja Art: Dog Fang

Ninja Art: Dog Claw

Yin-Yang Shenfeng changed again. Fur sprouted on his hands, which became white beast claws. His mouth opened slightly, revealing sharp teeth. He had become a monster.

Yin-Yang Shenfeng was only a Chunin. His Chakra reserves and ninjutsu were no match for the Senju duo, but now he was using a forbidden technique.

The Onmyo Clan's forbidden technique was called Shikigami. It let the user draw on the abilities of contracted summoning beasts and layer them onto their own body without causing a conflict. This technique had allowed the clan to establish itself during the Warring States period.

It also kept Yin-Yang Shenfeng from going mad so easily.

But the technique consumed more than just strength and Chakra. It also drained the user's life force. Every use took a little more of their life, and the more summoning beasts they called on—and the stronger they were—the faster it drained them.

"What the hell..."

As Yin-Yang Shenfeng came closer, Hiugo stopped using the Water Dragon Bullet, pulled out a scroll, and summoned a katana.

The katana clashed against the beast claws with a metallic ring. A steady stream of clanging followed as the claws slashed again and again. Hiugo retreated repeatedly, and the web between his thumb and forefinger had begun to bleed.

Tobirama watched in silence. Yin-Yang Shenfeng's hair was turning white at a visible speed, and Hiugo, who had been forced back, was starting to hold his ground.

"You brat, how did you train your Taijutsu...?"

Yin-Yang Shenfeng was baffled. His strength was clearly greater while he used the Shikigami Technique, yet Hiugo was somehow holding him off.

Hiugo didn't answer. If he lost focus now, he might not be able to keep up.

Yin-Yang Shenfeng's enhanced strength and speed were impressive, but Senju Genma had pushed Hiugo hard since he was young. Whether intentional or not, Hiugo had picked up a few techniques for redirecting force.

He had also trained his eye. If Yin-Yang Shenfeng had kept pressing him, then he would have taken all those hits for nothing.

After watching for a while, Tobirama spat out a stream of water that knocked Yin-Yang Shenfeng back, then moved beside Hiugo and asked:

"How are you?"

Hiugo panted lightly.

"Not too bad. He's a ten-second man. His strength drops a little every ten seconds. If you hadn't helped, I could've pushed him back in a few more minutes."

Tobirama stared ahead. "That technique must be burning through his life force, so it can't last long. We just have to wear him down. Leave the rest to me."

Hiugo didn't refuse. There was no real benefit in claiming the kill, and Tobirama had been observing for quite a while. They might as well even things out.

"Heh. Switching places, are we?"

Yin-Yang Shenfeng spat out a mouthful of blood and laughed.

He felt his strength steadily fading. The splitting sensation that had vanished while he used the Shikigami Technique was returning.

The white mark on his hand had disappeared. His beast claws and teeth were returning to normal, and his Chakra had suddenly dropped.

"Is this what luck looks like?"

Hiugo's mouth twitched. Yin-Yang Shenfeng had been ferocious against him, but the moment Tobirama took over, the side effects kicked in.

Tobirama didn't care whether his opponent was having trouble. He immediately used Exploding Water Colliding Wave to reshape the terrain.

Yin-Yang Shenfeng gritted his teeth and summoned the Black Toad again, using it to leap into the air.

"Water Release: Double Water Dragon Bullet!"

Two water dragons formed on either side of Tobirama and flew toward Yin-Yang Shenfeng.

That was the difference between Tobirama and Hiugo. Tobirama had only the Water Release affinity and had trained mostly in Water Release Ninjutsu, so with the same amount of training, his mastery of Water Release was greater than Hiugo's.

For example, Tobirama could currently unleash up to three Water Dragon Bullets at once. Using the Double Water Dragon Bullet was already second nature to him.

Hiugo, by contrast, could only produce two at most—and that was when he was in good condition.

The two water dragons slammed into the Black Toad and Yin-Yang Shenfeng from either side. The water on both sides churned at high speed, beginning to tear at their skin.

Yin-Yang Shenfeng struggled to press his hands together, but couldn't. His fingers gradually twisted out of shape as blood poured from them.

His Chakra continued to drain, and the Shikigami Technique began to wear off.

"No!" Yin-Yang Shenfeng struggled to hold on, then saw the last black mark on his hand disappear.

The Black Toad had carried Yin-Yang Shenfeng for a long time and had already been injured in the process. Then it had bought him time to use the Shikigami Technique.

Even a summoning beast couldn't endure being injured so many times. As the Black Toad's life faded, Yin-Yang Shenfeng lost his final layer of protection and went still.

"Are you going to finish him off?"

Tobirama asked.

To be honest, Hiugo was interested in Yin-Yang Shenfeng's ninjutsu, but not at all in his bloodline.

On missions, most ninja cut off their targets' heads after killing them and brought them back as proof the job was done, which sped up the payment process.

Hiugo thought about how he would have to maintain his "finisher" persona in the future, then used his katana to strike.

"Tobirama, spit out some water to wash away the blood."

"Can't you use Water Release?"

"Then you can put him in the scroll."

"..."