"Ding! Pat-head: A-rank ninja: Nakajima. Choose three of the following rewards."
"Earth Style: Fissure Palm"
"Earth Style: Camouflage Concealment Technique"
Moderate increase in physical attributes
"Earth Style: Earth Spear"
"Earth Style: Underground Submarine Voyage"
Seeing "Camouflage Concealment Technique" on the reward list, Lihuo was taken aback. This ninjutsu was uncommon.
Its only appearance in the original work was during the Kannabi Bridge mission, when Oishi, an Iwa Jonin, used this technique to abduct Rin and wound Kakashi.
Kakashi had only just been promoted to Jonin at the time, mind you.
An invisibility technique even a Jonin couldn't see through—how valuable!
This explained how the ninja had managed to sneak into the hotel and kill people several times without making a sound.
Still, considering the ninja's rating, getting a ninjutsu like this was only to be expected.
An A-rank ninja was probably somewhere between Jonin and Kage level.
If Mifune and Orochimaru hadn't been right there beside him, capturing a Jonin alive and patting his head would have taken a lot of effort.
Anyway, the three of us are just too strong!
Lihuo gathered his thoughts and studied the reward list closely. He gleaned two key pieces of information from it.
First, this ninja definitely hadn't come alone!
Finding Lihuo and Orochimaru's lodgings without being noticed would have been impossible without a powerful intelligence network.
Second, this organization would very likely come again!
After all, no organization would willingly abandon a Jonin!
"So this seemingly easy mission to guard the place is actually full of danger."
Lihuo rubbed his chin and muttered to himself.
"And judging by the rewards, there's a good chance this organization is from Iwagakure, since it dropped so many Earth Style techniques."
With that in mind, Lihuo didn't rush to claim his rewards. Instead, he immediately reinforced the defensive traps.
After improving the traps in the room, Lihuo sat cross-legged on the bed and closed his eyes.
""Basic Sage Mode," activate!"
At Lihuo's quiet command, a dense mass of natural energy rapidly flowed into his body.
He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air and opened his eyes.
He then used the powerful sensory abilities unique to Sage Mode to carefully scan his surroundings.
Only after confirming the area was safe did Lihuo begin choosing his rewards.
"I choose "Fissure Palm," "Camouflage Concealment," and "Moderate Physical Enhancement.""
"Rewards issued."
As the system's cold voice rang out, a familiar pain once again spread through Lihuo's body.
He knew this was an inevitable part of strengthening his body. As the pain slowly subsided, Lihuo clearly sensed that his physical attributes had improved by another twenty percent!
Lihuo also mastered how to use "Camouflage Concealment Technique" and "Fissure Palm."
Lihuo quickly formed hand seals, the complex signs flashing past in a blur.
""Earth Style: Camouflage Concealment Technique"!"
At Lihuo's soft whisper, he felt as though his body were wrapped in a cool liquid.
Gradually, his body blended completely into its surroundings.
If he hadn't clearly felt that his body was still there, Lihuo wouldn't have believed he was still in the room.
"This invisibility technique really is powerful."
Lihuo couldn't help exclaiming. Then he dispelled the technique and began using some medicine to stop Nakajima's bleeding.
It wasn't because Lihuo had suddenly grown a conscience. While stopping the bleeding, he'd also severed Nakajima's Achilles tendons.
He'd stopped the bleeding purely to keep him from dying of blood loss. After all, he was the only attacker still alive! His intelligence was invaluable!
With that in mind, Lihuo had also "happened" to dislocate Nakajima's jaw, in case he had poison hidden in his mouth!
Then, "as a precaution," he stuffed his own sock into Nakajima's mouth.
Lihuo had no intention of extracting information from him personally. Someone more qualified would handle that!
By the time he'd finished, it was already well into the night. Lihuo warily watched the unconscious Nakajima, while Basic Sage Mode kept watch over their surroundings without pause.
Lihuo could faintly hear fighting from not far away. Orochimaru and Mifune were probably leading people in an assault on the attackers.
Just then, something unexpected happened!
Lihuo clearly sensed five figures suddenly entering his range.
An enemy attack!
At once, Lihuo assumed a defensive stance, but didn't move toward Nakajima, who was trapped in the center of the room.
The intruders knew they'd been discovered, but they didn't hurry to act.
Four of them quickly moved to the corners of the inn and shouted,
"Earth Style: Earth Shaker!"
Then chakra poured from the four of them like a waterfall.
Rumble!
The entire inn sank along with the surrounding ground!
Lihuo felt the world collapsing around him. He struggled to steady himself and looked out the window, only to see the entire inn surrounded by earth!
From a quick look, Lihuo could tell the ground had sunk too far for him to climb out easily!
And there were four ninjas standing guard above!
There was no way out without defeating them!
Suddenly, a fifth ninja appeared in Lihuo's sensory range. He was searching the inn carefully, and soon found Lihuo's location.
Thud!
The intruder kicked Lihuo's door off its hinges.
"Orochimaru really was blind..."
Boom!
Flames and an explosion rang through the night sky. Lihuo glanced at the door hinges, where he'd stuck fifty explosive tags!
"Cough, cough. You're dead, brat!"
The Jonin emerged from behind the earthen wall, his body charred black.
He was furious. If he hadn't used Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall at the last moment, the explosion would have blown him to smithereens.
The enormous blast woke Nakajima, who was still unconscious. He slowly opened his eyes, and when he felt the sock in his mouth, the proud Nakajima began to cry.
"Damn brat!"
The Jonin rushed toward Nakajima to free him, but Lihuo had laid countless defensive traps in his path!
Kunai, shuriken, meteor hammers, sickles, pickaxe handles... a flood of weapons shot out from hidden mechanisms.
"Holy crap!"
They couldn't inflict serious injuries, but the countless weapons still forced the Jonin to change course and kept him scrambling!
Finally, after knocking aside every weapon, the Jonin breathed a sigh of relief.
"I admit, you little brat..."
Sss!
An almost imperceptible sound came from beneath the Jonin's feet. He looked down and chuckled.
"Another little trick? I thought it was something serious. Turns out it's an explo—an explosive tag!"
Boom!
With the final explosive tag's detonation, Lihuo had used up all his defensive traps.
And the result was...
The arrogant Jonin had both legs blown off and his body burned. He lay on the ground, barely clinging to life.
Lihuo had no intention of keeping him alive. Guarding a Jonin was already the limit of what he could handle.
He quickly patted his head, then ended his life with a kunai.
Without the slightest hesitation, Lihuo decided to grow stronger through battle to prepare for the fight ahead!
After quickly browsing the pat-head rewards, Lihuo chose "Minor Physical Enhancement" and two ninjutsu.
The rewards were issued at once, and Lihuo felt that he was a little stronger.
But Lihuo didn't dare let his guard down. He knew the real battle had only just begun!
"Earth Mound!"
The four Jonin on guard above sensed their teammate's death and were no longer as composed as they had been before.
The four exchanged glances without a word, then quickly jumped down.
Lihuo promptly left the inn room and moved Nakajima to the open ground where the inn stood.
The four Jonin landed in front of Lihuo in a flash and took up battle stances.
Looking at the four Jonin before him, Lihuo felt alarm bells ringing. They all wore matching Iwa uniforms and had grim expressions.
Keeping Nakajima behind him, Lihuo knew a great battle was about to begin.
Before you continue