Bloodied Battle

Meanwhile

Inside the Three Orphans' original hideout with Chiba

"Weeper, why aren't you torturing that little girl? That's not like you," said a woman wearing a crying mask, affecting a gentle tone.

"Weeper, I'm a pervert, sure, but I'm not twisted enough to take pleasure in torturing a kid who isn't even a ninja," Smiley said, lounging in his chair with a comical air.

"I'm still curious. Hannya wasn't weak. How did he end up dying at the hands of that kid, Uchiha Chiba?" The speaker was an old man wearing a raven mask, codenamed Raven.

"Hmph... Lord Danzo sent eleven of us here. If you ask me, that's making a mountain out of a molehill," said a man in a pristine white mask, his voice muffled. He was as tall as a tower.

Raven coughed a few times, then reached out a hand that didn't look old and felt the wall beside him. Slowly, he smiled. "Blank, you're such an honest fellow. Lord Danzo didn't send all eleven of us just for that kid. Otherwise, why are only the four of us here? Why did the others have to go to the battlefield?"

Blank, standing nearby, nodded woodenly and said nothing more. He really was a little strange.

"Hmm? They're here. One jonin and one elite jonin." Weeper furrowed her delicate brows. Her long purple hair drifted in the wind, and a faint glow seemed to emanate from her body.

Raven continued, "When the fighting starts, Blank and I will handle them. Smiley has a special interrogation ninjutsu, and you, Weeper, have a special sensory ninjutsu. You're both at Kage Level, but that kid managed to kill Hannya, so he's no pushover. Let this honest fellow and me take them on."

Smiley and Weeper exchanged a glance, then both nodded.

Raven was indeed the only member of the current Twelve Root Members to have served three consecutive terms. Rumor had it that he was one of Lord Danzo's secret disciples, though no one could say for sure.

"Careful." Blank's towering body instantly appeared in front of Raven.

The next second—

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

Empowered by the Sharingan, a terrifying mass of flame unleashed waves of scorching heat. Water vapor could be seen slowly evaporating nearby, while the scarlet flames gradually turned blood-red!

"Kid! Let this old man test you!" Raven slapped both hands against the ground.

Then—

"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"

A thick, grayish-yellow earthen wall rose in front of Blank. Yet Blank, standing before Raven, didn't so much as change his expression.

BOOM!!!!!!

"Give Konan back to me!!!" Uchiha Chiba gradually emerged inside the dilapidated little hut.

"Take it easy, young man. That little girl is on a cliff some distance from here. Our people set up a special technique. From now on, every five minutes, her rope will fray a little more. In two hours, she'll fall off the cliff and be smashed to pulp. Heh heh heh." Raven's shrill laughter made Uchiha Chiba's stomach turn.

"Water Style: Water Tornado!"

A deep-blue waterspout roared down from above.

It was Katsuzuki of the Salamander's handiwork. She still didn't know she'd been discovered. After all, when they arrived, Chiba was the only one who hadn't concealed his chakra.

"Don't interrupt Raven." Blank's figure rose into the air. He thrust up one massive hand!

BOOM!!!!!

A cloud of dust settled.

Blank landed steadily on the ground, completely unharmed. It seemed he possessed some kind of special Kekkei Genkai.

"Can you take them, Sis Katsuzuki?" Uchiha Chiba asked anxiously, keeping his eyes on the old man before him.

"Don't worry..." Katsuzuki of the Salamander glanced at Weeper and Smiley, who were sitting and lying down not far away.

"We won't get involved~" Weeper seemed to notice Katsuzuki of the Salamander's hesitation. She deliberately pinched her voice into an innocent-sounding tone.

"Disgusting." Katsuzuki of the Salamander's beautiful eyes narrowed. Then her pupils contracted, and she sprang backward!

Right where she'd been standing—

Blank's massive fist smashed the ground.

In his muffled voice, he muttered, "I underestimated you. You're not slower than me. I'll smash your head in."

Meanwhile, on Chiba's side—

Raven didn't rush to attack. He simply held a pocket watch and said nothing as its hands ticked away.

He wants to make me panic... so I'll leave myself open. Uchiha Chiba tightened his grip on the Kusarigama. He naturally understood his opponent's obvious ploy.

But—

How could he not panic?

There was no time to worry about it.

While Katsuzuki was keeping them occupied—

He had to take down the old man as quickly as possible.

"Chiba Style: Heart Hook!"

Uchiha Chiba flung the sickle in his right hand. Then he yanked hard on the chain with his left, and the blade, after flying past Raven, came whistling back toward him, its edge glinting coldly!

"Not very accurate, kid. And you're making your intentions too obvious." Raven pulled a short blade from his pocket. The blade clashed with the sickle, sending sparks flying.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire!"

Several deep-red flames flew one after another toward Raven.

"Water Style: Water Gun!"

Raven reacted incredibly fast. He simply raised a hand, and the flames were struck down with pinpoint accuracy, as if he'd anticipated their path.

If that was the perception of a Kage Level fighter, wasn't it terrifying?

Time to try close combat!

Uchiha Chiba stamped down hard and shot forward like a black shadow!

Meanwhile—

BOOM!!!!!

Blank and Katsuzuki of the Salamander had moved outside, and Weeper had followed them.

"Earth Style: Mountain Defending Palm!"

The man's enormous palm rapidly grew larger in Katsuzuki of the Salamander's pupils!

This guy was too fast!

She'd only just landed, and already he was right beside her, his fist trailing a violent gust of wind!

"Forbidden Technique: Surge!"

Katsuzuki of the Salamander's legs flashed in an instant.

The next second—

BAM!!!!!!!

Blank had struck with murderous intent!

There's no way I can take that head-on. That move's impossible to block! Damn it, not only do I have to deal with this big guy, I also have to watch that woman over there. I can't focus! Katsuzuki of the Salamander's legs were trembling slightly.

It was a side effect of using a forbidden technique.

If she used the forbidden technique repeatedly—

Katsuzuki of the Salamander's legs would end up crippled or broken.

Then—

Katsuzuki looked toward Uchiha Chiba in the distance. Her delicate brows furrowed; something didn't feel right.

Suddenly—

She shouted, "Chiba, smash his pocket watch! It's the medium for his genjutsu! There must be the Hand Seals for some technique engraved on it!"

BAM!!!!!

Dust billowed into the air.

"So that's it! No wonder I kept missing you. Even if I were as strong as the current Demigod of the Ninja World, I probably still couldn't hit you... because of that genjutsu of yours that dulls people's senses!" Uchiha Chiba gritted his teeth. Blood tears slowly welled in his Double Tomoe Sharingan. After all, this was a genjutsu cast by a Kage Level fighter.