Unexpected

"Raven" furrowed his brow. His keen battle instincts told him not to get hit, or something difficult to control would happen.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!!!!!

At some point, the chain of the Blood Scythe had wrapped around "Raven's" waist!

"When? How?" "Raven's" pupils narrowed. He was sure he hadn't been hit by any of the previous attacks, so how had he suddenly been bound?

"Smiley," who'd been watching from the side, immediately joined the fight. He spotted something wrong and cursed under his breath. "Damn it!"

"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"

A bright blue stream of water and the wind bullets reached "Raven" at the same time!

Rumble!!!!

Two wind bullets struck "Raven's" abdominal wound with pinpoint accuracy, while the Water Formation Wall blocked all the others.

"Hey, Smiley Mask over there, why don't you watch a fireworks show? Though I prefer to call it a balloon popping." Uchiha Chiba controlled the blood left in "Raven's" abdomen by the Blood Scythe, forcing his wound to close!

In an instant—

"Wha...what?" "Raven's" body swelled another size. Then a series of sharp, painful throbs surged through him!

Rip...

Rip...

What was that sound?

"Raven" heard something tearing, followed by a tremendous explosion. Then the throbbing pain in his body stopped. He tried to raise his fist and attack Uchiha Chiba, but realized he could no longer feel his body!

All around "Raven," within a five-meter radius, the ground was covered in blood, bone fragments, skin, and organs!

"What?! How could this happen?" "Smiley's" comical voice sounded especially strange now, and his hand trembled despite himself.

It turned out—

Uchiha Chiba had noticed a problem. The target had swollen. After all, the old geezer had gone from a frail frame to his current hulking form. No matter how terrifying this Kekkei Genkai was, it couldn't make him grow beyond the limits of his original body. Chiba had tested it using one-tenth of his blood's power and discovered that the wound couldn't bleed.

That meant this so-called bloodline ability to swell merely accelerated the flow of blood and changed the pressure inside the body. His bones and organs hadn't actually changed. A balloon filled with air wouldn't leak in a high-pressure environment, because the air inside it was at a lower pressure. But what if the pressure kept rising until it exceeded the limit?

The answer was—

It would explode.

At that moment, Uchiha Chiba didn't dare waste a second. He rushed up to "Smiley," raised the Blood Scythe, and brought it down hard!

Bang!!!!

Before "Smiley" could react, Uchiha Chiba had cut off his head.

Feeling a new power flow into his blood—

"Damn, after killing those two, I've got the chakra reserves of someone halfway to Kage Level! Even my senses are much sharper. Right, Katsuzuki!" Uchiha Chiba immediately dashed out of the house.

But there was no one outside.

Only blood covered the ground.

"Oh no!" Uchiha Chiba immediately sprinted toward the cliff.

Meanwhile—

At the edge of the cliff—

Konan was suspended from a wooden stake driven into the ground. A bug perched on it, chewing at the rope every so often. Little Konan was terrified. She wasn't afraid of dying; she was afraid she'd never see Chiba again.

Konan gazed toward the distant forest.

"Chiba, I miss you."

Suddenly—

Bang!!!!

A familiar figure flew toward Konan.

Then slammed into a tree and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"Is that...Big Sister Katsuzuki?!" Konan's cry drew the attention of the person on the ground.

It really was Katsuzuki.

But her condition was dire.

Her right arm was gone, and both legs had turned black and purple. Her hair was matted with blood, and her lovely eyes were filled with rage.

Then—

A huge man and a long-haired woman emerged from the trees into the clearing.

"I've already torn off your arm, and Weeper's poisoned needles have crippled your legs. You have nothing to do with our objective. You're Hanzo the Salamander's daughter. Surrender now, and we'll spare your life." The newcomers were "Blank" and "Weeper."

Katsuzuki of the Salamander spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Keep dreaming. I've never surrendered. Little Chiba is my younger brother. How could a big sister stand by when her little brother is in trouble? You big oaf, if it weren't for that bitch behind you and her poisoned needles, you'd never have gotten hold of my arm." Katsuzuki of the Salamander gave a cold snort. Her breathing was unsteady, and the blood loss made it difficult for her to stand.

"As long as the mission gets done, a few underhanded methods are just necessary. Since you won't beg for mercy, then die. After all, only Uchiha Chiba needs to stay alive." "Blank" swung his massive fist.

"Wait, Blank! Someone with nearly Kage Level chakra is approaching!" "Weeper" suddenly looked behind her.

"Are they reinforcements?" "Blank" asked calmly.

The next second—

Rumble!!!!

Dust billowed into the air.

"Who said they were your reinforcements?! You made Big Sister Katsuzuki look like this! You're dead!" Uchiha Chiba appeared above "Blank" with the Kusarigama in hand and brought it down hard.

Whoosh!!!!

Having absorbed a portion of the chakra of two Kage Level fighters, Chiba's attack was now too powerful for "Blank" to block casually.

Crack!

With a casual flick, the scythe severed the tendons in "Blank's" hand. Blood burst from his arm, followed by thorn after thorn erupting through his skin. Terrifying Blood Thorns burst through his flesh. "Blank" looked foolish, but he wasn't. He quickly tore off his left arm and threw it aside, preventing the thorns from spreading through his body.

"You... So you're the kind of fighter who breaks through during battle? What a pain. Now I finally understand Lord Danzo's thinking..." "Blank" knew he couldn't afford to underestimate Chiba. He threw a full-powered punch!

Bang!!!!

A cloud of blood mist spread through the air.

Only a pool of blood remained where he'd stood!

"Blood Clone!"

Uchiha Chiba appeared behind "Blank" like a ghost. Then came a voice as grim as a demon from the underworld: "You tore off my sister's right arm. I'll tear off your right arm in return."

As the words fell, Uchiha Chiba seized the joint of "Blank's" right arm and yanked hard! Rip!!!! Blood gushed out, and his life force drained away with it.

He'd be dead soon.

"Hey! Hand over the map, or both of them die!" "Weeper's" voice made Uchiha Chiba turn around.

At some point—

"Weeper" had grabbed Konan, who was tied to the stake, with one hand, and Katsuzuki of the Salamander by the hair with the other. The two of them were only two steps from the edge of the cliff!

Damn!

I forgot about her!

"Don't worry about me. Kill her... That bitch... Chiba, she uses poison. Be careful." Katsuzuki of the Salamander spoke weakly. Though she was Hanzo the Salamander's daughter, her resistance to poison was only slightly better than normal. Unlike Chiba, she couldn't tolerate and dilute most poisons.