The battle began in an instant.
The leader of the Root squad, wearing a monkey mask, suddenly stepped forward alone, ready to capture Sosuke!
He slammed his foot hard against the ground!
Dust flew everywhere!
"Bang!"
The next moment, he appeared right in front of Sosuke, unleashing a fierce barrage of attacks like a raging storm!
To his surprise, however, Sosuke managed to hold his own against such a swift assault with ease.
Amid the flurry of fists, Sosuke wore a faint smile and kept shifting lightly from side to side, counterattacking again and again.
Nearby, the other three members of the Root squad stared at the sight, their eyes wide with astonishment!
"H-How is this possible!? That kid... is actually fighting 'Ape' to a standstill!!"
They watched in shock!
The two traded blows with their bare hands, attacking each other back and forth!
"Whoosh!"
The monkey-masked leader's chopping strike cut through the air like a flash of a blade, aiming to cleave into Sosuke!
But Sosuke seemed to know what was coming before it happened!
Without the slightest hint of panic, he nimbly dodged the powerful blow!
Their movements were so dazzling that it was almost impossible to make out their punches and kicks. All that could be seen were their figures.
"Smack."
Waves of air rolled across the ground!
After their fists and arms clashed once more, both leaped backward, putting some distance between them.
They stood where they landed, staring intently at each other!
Sosuke was breathing slightly hard. Clearly, the battle with the monkey-masked Root squad leader had taken a great deal out of him!
After all, his body had yet to mature. He was only an eight-year-old boy.
Even so, an excited smile still tugged at his lips.
Stronger than a Chunin, with the abilities of an elite Chunin? What a great opponent for testing my strength.
The monkey-masked leader across from him had no idea what Sosuke was thinking. If he knew Sosuke was treating him as a tool to test his own strength, he would surely be even more astonished!
Even so, he was already staring at Sosuke in shock.
He actually managed to match me in Taijutsu! No wonder Lord Danzo had his eye on him!
"Kid! No wonder Lord Danzo had his eye on you! Heh, but is your excellent Taijutsu really what makes you so arrogant!? Then today I'll show you how a true ninja fights! Taijutsu alone is nowhere near enough!!"
Looking at Sosuke, the monkey-masked leader was clearly shocked beneath his mask. Though he didn't want to believe it, he really had fought this eight-year-old boy to a standstill in Taijutsu!
Then he spoke loudly.
Sosuke might be skilled in Taijutsu, but the intelligence report said nothing about his talent or skill in ninjutsu. That was the boy's weakness!
With that thought, the monkey-masked leader didn't hesitate. Standing still, he rapidly moved his hands and completed the Hand Seals in an instant!
"Earth Release: Earth Prison!"
The soil beneath Sosuke's feet seemed to come alive, suddenly winding around his legs!
The dirt on the ground abruptly rose high, forming a gigantic cage several yards tall that descended over Sosuke!
Seeing Sosuke almost completely covered by the Earth Prison, the monkey-masked leader seemed to relax. His body gradually loosened as he said,
"So you're just a kid with slightly better Taijutsu after all. Still, at your age, you've certainly earned the title of genius. Come quietly with us! Lord Danzo is waiting."
The other three members of the Root squad came over as well.
"That kid did well to fight you, 'Ape,' to a standstill in Taijutsu."
"Let's go. The mission's complete. We should avoid being spotted by anyone in the village."
"Right, let's hurry. It wouldn't be good if we attracted the Anbu's attention."
Just then!
A cold laugh came from inside the several-yard-high earthen cage in the distance.
"Isn't it a little too early to say the mission's complete?"
Sosuke's cool, faint voice suddenly rang out, making all four Root members stiffen!
What!!? The kid hadn't passed out!!?
In the pitch-dark cage, Sosuke lowered his head and slowly raised a hand. Blue sparks flickered on his fingertip, reflecting off his glasses in a wash of blue that made his true thoughts impossible to read.
Suddenly, a smile curled across his lips as he murmured,
"Hadō #4: White Lightning!"
The blue spark on his fingertip suddenly flared into a dazzling light!
"Whoosh!"
A bolt of lightning burst through the earthen cage with incredible speed!
It left a straight streak of blue light in the air, its brilliance dazzling!
As the monkey-masked leader's pupils contracted, the bolt pierced straight through his shoulder without hesitation!
Faced with such a sudden attack, the monkey-masked leader had no time to dodge. He could only watch as the dazzling bolt of lightning passed through his body!
"Watch out!"
"Get out of the way, 'Ape'!"
The other three only called out after blood had already sprayed into the air.
They hurried to stop the monkey-masked leader's bleeding, all of them utterly astonished!
What was that!? Ninjutsu!!? Ninjutsu with that kind of power!! Could that kid have done it!?
They stared at the earthen prison in the distance with disbelieving, wary eyes.
"Crack!" "Crack!"
Under the force of the lightning, the earthen prison, sustained by chakra, crumbled apart.
Amid the swirling smoke, Sosuke's figure came into view.
The boy stood straight, dressed in a loose, perfectly fitted white Shinigami Robe. His right index finger pointed lightly forward, held level in the same pose as before.
"Sorry, it seems... I missed."
Sosuke looked at the four of them with a faint smile, appearing utterly harmless.
Hearing his words, all except the monkey-masked leader regarded Sosuke with grave expressions.
That powerful ninjutsu just now had proved that Sosuke was no ordinary young ninja!
The three Root members didn't hesitate any longer!
They wanted to capture Sosuke as quickly as possible, so all three attacked together.
One remained where he was, watching Sosuke intently as he formed Hand Seals!
"Genjutsu: Hell Viewing Technique!"
A moment later, he shouted.
As his words fell, Sosuke, caught in the genjutsu, suddenly stood motionless, his gaze vacant, as if he were at their mercy.
Meanwhile, the other two Root ninja had already reached him!
One of them swung a vicious roundhouse kick at Sosuke!
The other ran toward him, forming Hand Seals as he called out,
"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld Technique!"
This was a combination attack the three Root members often used!
Just as the roundhouse kick was about to hit Sosuke,
his previously vacant expression suddenly changed. He murmured coldly,
"So this is... genjutsu?"
Although he was talking to himself, his hands hadn't been idle at all. His arm moved in a flash, quickly raising to block his right side.
"Bakudō #8: Repulse!"
A chakra shield suddenly appeared along the outside of his arm. The Root ninja's powerful kick struck it and did almost no damage to Sosuke.
"What!!?" The Root ninja was extremely shocked by what had happened!
But Sosuke paid him no mind. He immediately lowered his head, his lenses glinting coldly as he murmured one incantation after another.
"Bakudō #4: Crawling Rope!"
"Hadō #4: White Lightning!"
"Bakudō #9: Strike!"
The Root ninja who had used Earth Release was struck by the lightning from Sosuke's right fingertip before he could react!
The ninja who had kicked at Sosuke was swiftly ensnared by Sosuke's Bakudō: Strike. A chakra rope quickly bound him, leaving him unable to move!
"Ah! What is this?"
The one in the distance who had cast the genjutsu was also bound by Bakudō: Crawling Rope, unable to resist!
In the blink of an eye, Sosuke had defeated all four elite Chunins!!
After releasing so many Kido spells in a row, even with all the training he had done over the past several days,
Sosuke had nearly depleted his already meager chakra. His forehead was covered in sweat.
He looked somewhat exhausted as he gazed at the Root members he had defeated, but a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
The power of Kido was truly impressive...
Before you continue