"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Three Hyuga shinobi with Fire Release combined their flames. A house-sized fireball appeared, swallowing Smoker and his companion in a wave of heat that seemed capable of burning everything to ashes.
At the same time, Hyuga Ko signaled for two other Chunin to circle around and pursue the other fugitives.
Just as the two shinobi were halfway through using the Body Flicker Technique, a dazzling flash of swordlight streaked past, leaving a tilted circular arc in the air.
The two shinobi leaping across the rooftops froze as if someone had hit a pause button. Their bodies split in half in midair, then fell as chunks of flesh.
Blood splattered onto Busujima Saeko's face as she slowly sheathed her sword on the rooftop. Beneath the moonlight, her figure looked hauntingly beautiful!
Hyuga Ko was shaken to the core.
"When did they—? Where are they?"
When he came to his senses and looked ahead, it was clear that the Great Fireball Technique hadn't hit the two of them at all. Instead, it had blasted a deep crater into the ground where they'd been standing.
Only smoke filled the area. There was no sign of the other person.
"Where is he?"
The Byakugan users searched everywhere, but couldn't find Smoker. Wary of hitting their own side, they didn't dare attack Busujima Saeko recklessly.
At that moment, Hyuga Ko instinctively sensed something was wrong.
"The smoke is the problem! Use Wind Release!"
Smoker, in his elemental form, knew the shinobi could blow away his smoke with Wind Release. He suddenly materialized behind one of them, reaching to grab the shinobi by the neck with one hand while thrusting his weapon toward the crown of his head with the other.
But the Byakugan-wielding shinobi observed every movement with a full