"But the one behind them—is he from the Kato Clan?"
These were two families that possessed secret techniques.
The Nara Clan's Shadow Possession Jutsu and the Kato Clan's Spirit Transformation Technique.
Neither was a particularly powerful ninjutsu, but as support techniques, they were top-tier.
This combination reminded Chiba of the Ino-Shika-Cho formation.
"Are they imitating the Ino-Shika-Cho formation?"
"Judging by this, the ninja I killed first must have been a strength-type ninja, filling in for the Akimichi Clan!"
The next moment, the two opponents began forming Hand Seals.
However, everything they did next was already within Chiba's foresight.
"As control-type ninjas!"
"Taijutsu is your greatest weakness!"
"Taking you two on is much easier than dealing with that last guy."
"You two... are already surrounded!"
As he finished speaking, Chiba stepped forward, sword in hand.
Just then, the man in front finished forming his Hand Seals. The shadow beneath his feet began to writhe, as if alive, and crept toward Chiba.
"Shadow Possession Jutsu!"
"It's useless!"
Chiba approached at an unhurried pace, sword in hand.
The instant the other man's shadow drew near, Chiba sidestepped in advance, as if he had already foreseen it.
His opponent continued manipulating the shadow, trying to catch Chiba.
But...
Chiba's pace was clearly not fast. He was practically out for a stroll.
Yet the Shadow Bind Jutsu still couldn't catch his shadow.
In his panic, the opponent spread his shadow over the widest possible area, trying to ensnare Chiba.
But Chiba continued to dance within its reach.
No matter how widely the man spread the shadow to capture him, he was always just a little short. Just a little.
Seeing this...
Even the Root ninja trembled.
"What terrifying perception!"
"He can't even see, yet he's dodged every one of my attacks!"
"Sorry!"
"This is different from what you understand as perception!"
"I simply... saw your future!"
"The future in which you... die!"
Chiba used Shunshin to slip past every shadow and close in on his opponent in an instant.
The moment he reached him...
Was the moment his opponent died.
To Chiba, the man's Taijutsu was utterly pathetic.
Meanwhile...
The Kato Clan ninja behind them, the man's comrade, watched it all impassively.
He knew his comrade would be killed.
Chiba's swordsmanship was top-tier. Once a Nara Clan ninja was cornered at close range, he would probably be unable to fight back.
But he had no intention of saving his comrade.
The mission came first.
If he could possess Chiba's body with the Spirit Transformation Technique at the moment his comrade died, the mission would be complete.
Sacrificing one or two comrades was nothing to him.
He focused all his attention, waiting for the moment Chiba killed his comrade.
Then—
He saw it.
The moment Chiba's blade slashed open his comrade's throat.
As blood gushed forth, he struck at once.
"Now! Spirit Transformation Technique!"
###
The Spirit Transformation Technique was a secret art of the Kato Clan.
It was a ninjutsu that turned its user into a living soul, allowing him to travel anywhere, regardless of distance, and kill his enemies. He could even control another person's body and enter their spiritual world.
It was also one of the few soul-based techniques in the Naruto world.
Because the soul was intangible, the only way to deal with this technique was to dodge it.
Trying to block it with any physical means was a dead end.
The Kato Clan ninja was certain Chiba wouldn't be able to dodge when his comrade was killed.
As his soul left his body and flew toward Chiba, he knew—
He had succeeded.
"Mission... accomplished!"
But just as his soul was about to enter Chiba's body...
He saw Chiba turn around in an instant and swing his sword at him.
It won't work.
I'm a soul now.
Physical attacks can't hurt me.
"Sorry, but I'm... cutting your soul!"
With a wet slash, the Kato Clan ninja's soul was cleaved in two by Chiba's Zanpakuto.
The pain of having his soul torn apart caused the Root ninja's physical body to convulse violently.
Chiba casually flicked his Zanpakuto.
Then he slid it into its scabbard.
Next, he walked over to the Kato Clan ninja, raised his cane, and lightly prodded the twisted body.
It collapsed with a crash.
His soul had been cut down. His body was dead.
Chiba kicked off his mask.
Beneath it was a horribly contorted face.
His features were unremarkable.
But the tearing of his soul had made even the muscles in his face spasm.
Root ninja really were ruthless—and troublesome.
Those two might not have been strong, but the secret techniques they used in combination were enough to give even a jonin a headache.
Danzo really did know how to recruit talent from Konoha.
He also knew how to make use of it, creating an effect greater than the sum of its parts.
Unfortunately for him, Chiba's sword could cut down souls.
[ Ding! Congratulations, host. You have completed a special mission. ] [ Reward: A deeper connection with your Zanpakuto. First template progress: %, second template progress: 0.2% ]
As the system's power washed over him, Chiba could clearly feel himself growing stronger.
Almost all of this strength came from Fujitora Issho's template.
Aizen's template had increased too, but the gain was negligible compared to Fujitora Issho's.
It would probably stay that way until Aizen's template reached 5% and granted him an ability.
Just then...
Clap, clap, clap—
The sound of applause suddenly rang out nearby.
At some point, a figure had appeared behind Chiba.
His right eye was wrapped in bandages. He looked at Chiba with unmistakable admiration.
At the same time, his gaze unconsciously flicked toward Chiba's sword.
Was there something wrong with the sword, or with the person wielding it?
His subordinate had just used the Spirit Transformation Technique, yet Chiba had countered it.
Even Danzo couldn't understand how Chiba had done it.
Still, if he got Chiba, the sword would naturally be his as well.
The person mattered more than the sword!
"Impressive. Truly impressive."
"You're only a student at the Ninja Academy, yet at five years old, you've already wiped out one of Root's elite squads head-on!"
Granted, this elite squad was made up of Chunin.
But Root's Chunin were nothing like ordinary Chunin.
Working together, they might even have been able to defeat a jonin.
"Just as Shisui said, your swordsmanship is destined to be unrivaled in the Shinobi World."
Chiba knew who he was.
Shimura Danzo, leader of Root and the source of Konoha's darkness.
Danzo's seemingly casual praise was actually loaded with ulterior motives.
"Just as Shisui said..."
If Chiba hadn't been a transmigrator, he would definitely have assumed Shisui had leaked information about him to Danzo.
That would surely have driven a wedge between him and Shisui.