Battle with the Sand

The next day, Su Zheng's squad and the Akai Squad set out. All the supplies were stored in scrolls and placed on the carriage.

The Akai Squad was a team of three chunin. Their leader, Akai Ueyama, was a burly man, and the burn scars on his face showed his extensive combat experience.

When the two teams joined up and set off, although he wore a broad smile, Su Zheng still caught the disdain deep in his eyes. Perhaps he felt that three genin were unworthy of carrying out a mission alongside them.

Su Zheng did not care. Since coming to this world, he had felt the contempt of others more than once. In their eyes, as Hanzo's nephew, the title of "genius" had to come with a question mark!

They traveled in silence. The weather had been clear when they set out that morning, so the road was not difficult to travel. If nothing unexpected happened, they would reach the frontline camp by noon.

As they went on, the traces of war became increasingly obvious. There were more and more refugees on the road, most of them fleeing deeper into the Land of Rain with their families. At the sight of ninja forehead protectors, the refugees avoided them as though they were plague!

This was war! Ordinary people were always the first to suffer its deepest pain. Su Zheng secretly swore that he would change all of this!

As they approached Yubu Town, a light rain began to fall for some reason. Everyone became alert. The closer they got to the battlefield, the more dangerous it became, especially with reports of enemy ninja in the area making them all the more cautious.

Inside a building in the distant town, three figures gathered before a jonin in gray.

They were Sand Ninja: one jonin and three chunin.

"Lord Zhencun, everything has been collected and transported away."

Another spoke up. "My lord, the townspeople have fallen under an illusion, and the barrier has been set up as well."

Then he asked somewhat doubtfully, "My lord, why not kill those people? Why leave them alive instead?"

The gray-clothed jonin glanced at him and said with a sinister grin, "I have left them a grand gift. Only the words of those who escape death will be believed."

After a pause, he ordered, "Shun and Saa will deal with the three genin. Ken and I will take care of the three chunin. End this quickly!"

"Yes!"

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The transport team entered the town. People moved through the streets, merchants and travelers filled the area, and there was no sign of war at all.

Something was wrong! There had been refugees all along the way. Yubu Town was less than twenty kilometers from the frontline battlefield—how could it possibly be so peaceful?

Su Zheng and Akai were the first to realize it. They exchanged a glance, only to find that all their teammates had unfocused expressions. They had clearly fallen under an illusion.

The two worked together, held their breath, focused their minds, and formed hand seals.

Illusion Technique: Release!

The scene before them shattered. What came into view were collapsed walls and chaotic streets. There was not a single person in sight. This was nothing like the peaceful scene from before.

"Hahaha, I never expected you to see through and break our illusion so quickly. How impressive!" Saa licked his kunai and let out a chilling laugh.

"Enough nonsense. Attack!" Seeing that the illusion had been exposed, the gray-clothed jonin wasted no words and immediately called on Ken to surround the Akai Squad.

"My lord is getting impatient. Then please die!" Shun and Saa turned to encircle Su Zheng's squad.

Swish, swish, swish, swish!! A large number of kunai attached to explosive tags flew toward them.

Su Zheng's squad hurriedly scattered. Boom! Boom!

The smoke and dust from the explosions obscured the squad's vision, and the Sand Ninja took the opportunity to divide the battlefield.

The Sand Ninja Shun blocked Su Zheng, separating him from Shota and Maki.

It seemed that unless he dealt with the person in front of him, he would not be able to reach his teammates. The situation was extremely unfavorable. The enemy had a jonin, and Maki was not skilled in combat. He had to end this quickly!

Su Zheng's thoughts raced. He flung several shuriken at his opponent and charged after them.

Chunin Shun watched Su Zheng's moves with a smile. A genin was still just a genin—such tricks might fool children!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Chunin Shun blocked the shuriken with his kunai, then, before Su Zheng's startled eyes, plunged his kunai into Su Zheng's chest first.

But the scene he expected did not appear. The Su Zheng pierced by the kunai turned into a splash of water and vanished before Shun's eyes.

"What? A Water Clone! Not good!" Just as Chunin Shun realized he had been fooled, a sudden change occurred!

Earth Release: Earth Rising Spears!

Boom! Boom! Boom!!!

Several hard, thick stone spears erupted from beneath Chunin Shun, piercing straight through his body!

Chunin Shun unwillingly turned to look at the approaching Su Zheng and said in disbelief, "How is this possible?! A genin like you is actually this strong!"

"If you want someone to blame, blame yourself for underestimating me. Goodbye!"

Su Zheng curled his lip and drove his kunai through Shun's chest, finishing him off.

This was Su Zheng's first time killing someone, but he was not afraid. In this cruel ninja world, bloodshed should be normal. Before putting his plan into motion, Su Zheng had already prepared himself to stain his hands with blood!

Shaking his head, he ran toward Shota.

"Hahaha, you two really are a perfect match! A loving man and a devoted woman!"

"Too bad he does not seem able to protect you. Why not come with me? Maybe I will spare you." As he spoke, Chunin Saa lasciviously rolled his tongue.

"You shameless bastard!" Maki anxiously shielded Shota.

Only three minutes had passed. Their opponent had merely used ninjutsu and shuriken, toying with them like a cat playing with mice, constantly attacking and inflicting injuries.

Yet he gave them no chance to engage in close combat. Whenever they approached, he would inevitably pull back. Their ninjutsu attacks, meanwhile, took too long to prepare and could be interrupted easily, so they naturally kept falling into a disadvantage!

Shota was in terrible condition, with multiple wounds across his body. Though none were fatal, the continued bleeding could still put his life in danger.

Although Maki had brought a medical kit, their opponent would never give them a chance to treat him under these circumstances.

"Have you decided? I am about to—" Before Chunin Saa could finish, he spotted a figure in his field of vision.

It was Chunin Shun.

"That is impossible! A Zheng could not have been taken down!" Maki could hardly believe it.

Saa, however, showed an excited expression. "What a shame! I wanted to play a little longer. Then die!" He formed hand seals.

But at that moment, several kunai shot toward Saa.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Saa blocked three kunai before he could even see what was happening.

Pfft! A kunai pierced out through his chest.

Body Flicker Technique!

Saa stared in shock at Chunin Shun. In his unfocused pupils was reflected Su Zheng's face!

"A Zheng." It was Su Zheng. The worry in Maki's heart immediately eased. She opened a scroll, took out the medical kit, and began stopping Shota's bleeding.

Su Zheng walked over and looked at Shota's pale face. He teased, "You all right? Let us see if you dare slack off again."

Shota forced out an awkward smile. "I will not. When we get back, I will definitely train properly."

Neither of them said thank you. After sharing life-and-death bonds, there was no need for thanks!

Su Zheng nodded. Shota had many wounds, but none were deep or fatal. He should be fine.

Although they had dealt with two chunin, the most troublesome opponent was still that jonin. If they did not take him down, everyone would die!

Su Zheng had the two remain where they were while he went to help the Akai Squad.

The streets were littered with scattered supplies and scrolls, all caused by the clash of ninjutsu.

Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique! The jutsu jointly performed by Lord Zhencun and Chunin Ken surged toward the Akai Squad with overwhelming force.

The water spread across the ground began to gather, forming a savage water dragon that roared as it charged toward the Akai Squad.

The three members of the Akai Squad could only form hand seals together and use the defensive ninjutsu, Water Style: Water Formation Wall. However, compared to the enormous water dragon, their Water Formation Wall was far too small.

Boom!

The water dragon smashed straight through the Water Formation Wall and crashed into the three of them, sending the Akai Squad flying!

Their already depleted chakra was pushed to its absolute limit. After barely blocking the impact, they suddenly saw Zhencun and Ken use the Body Flicker Technique to rush toward them!

At the critical moment, a voice rang out. Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!

A sky-blue water dragon shot forward, heading straight for the two of them.

A technique of that level could not hurt them, but it was more than enough to delay them.

The two struggled free from the torrent, only to suddenly sink into an ever-deepening swamp.

Earth Style: Mud Wall!

Seeing himself sink deeper and deeper, Lord Zhencun used Ken as a stepping stone before he was fully submerged and leaped out of the swamp's range.

The moment he landed, Zhencun sensed a bone-chilling sharpness at his back. A palm crackling with Chidori stabbed toward his back.

Pfft! Blood sprayed as Zhencun's figure appeared more than ten meters away. A vicious wound had opened beneath his arm, though it had not pierced through.

At the moment of crisis, Zhencun's body had instinctively shifted left, and he had used the Body Flicker Technique to move more than ten meters away.

Zhencun gave Su Zheng a deep look. From launching Water Release along their direct route ahead, to using Earth Release afterward to restrict their movements, and finally hiding his real body in the rear to launch a lethal Lightning Release strike.

Every step had linked perfectly with the next. He had deliberately attacked while Zhencun was unprepared, anticipated that he could evade it, and calculated his next landing point. What a genius!

Zhencun clutched his wound and activated the Body Flicker Technique, his figure vanishing into the curtain of rain...