43. Understanding Success

Had someone really dared to invade the Akatsuki's headquarters?

Chen Xiaoxi shook his head helplessly.

This wasn't the time to keep lazing around.

He did enjoy slacking off,

but now that someone had snuck right into their home, he couldn't just let it go.

With that in mind,

Chen Xiaoxi raised his hand again and looked at the Jade Ring on his little finger.

The reason he'd been able to hear Deva Path Pain's message just now

was naturally because of this thing.

As the token marking someone as an official member of the Akatsuki,

the ring's function was, of course, more than just identifying its wearer or looking nice.

It was also a special kind of ninja tool.

A communications tool.

As long as he wore the ring, Pain, as the leader, could contact any member at any time and communicate with them remotely.

In theory, Chen Xiaoxi could also use the ring to communicate in the other direction.

However, his ability to draw out chakra was still very crude, so he generally couldn't be bothered to use it.

After leaving the restaurant,

Chen Xiaoxi opened an oil-paper umbrella and strolled leisurely ahead.

A fine drizzle hung in the air, unrelenting.

This was the technique Deva Path Pain used to monitor the entire Amegakure—

Rain Tiger Self-Control Technique.

By infusing his chakra into the rain, he could instantly investigate anything touched by the raindrops.

The intruders were naturally left with nowhere to hide.

This technique was already quite convenient.

But

Chen Xiaoxi had an even more convenient way to investigate.

As he walked, Chen Xiaoxi smiled faintly and murmured to himself:

"Let's see..."

"Which faction's ninjas are about to hit the jackpot..."

With a thought,

Chen Xiaoxi immediately expanded his Reiatsu sensing range to cover the entire area beyond Amegakure.

A thin, invisible Reiatsu poured out, instantly blanketing every corner of the village!

When his Reiatsu had reached LV. 5, his Reiatsu sensing ability had been enhanced right along with it, giving it an enormous range.

For a small place like Amegakure, covering the whole village was naturally effortless.

And just moments later,

Chen Xiaoxi immediately noticed several particularly unfamiliar presences.

"Found you."

The corners of Chen Xiaoxi's mouth lifted slightly. Then he took a step.

Flash Step.

He vanished into the rain, umbrella and all.

Meanwhile, elsewhere,

the ninjas of Sunagakure had successfully slipped in through the lake and finally let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Phew..."

"Thank goodness, we weren't spotted!"

"We made it in!"

"Heh, has Amegakure's security really become this lax?"

"Just as the intel said... Hanzo might really be dead!"

"That means we're already halfway to success!"

Many of the Sand Ninjas felt a faint thrill of success stir in their hearts.

But just then,

suddenly,

a boy's amused chuckle came from behind them—

"Hey, you're already halfway to success?"

"Looks like you Sand Ninjas have a rather different idea of what 'success' means."

Who was that?

At the sudden voice,

every Sand Ninja's expression changed, and a chill ran down their backs.

Then, almost all of them spun around in alarm!

However,

all they saw

was a black-clad boy with golden pupils standing in midair above the lake in the light drizzle, holding an umbrella and smiling at them.

"Sorry, Sand Ninjas."

"After nightfall, Amegakure... doesn't entertain guests."

"—?"

In an instant, every Sand Ninja's pupils shrank, and they were struck with shock!

W-What was going on?

When had this guy appeared behind us?

We'd only just come in through the lake. There was no way anyone could have been in that direction!

And besides...

Why could this guy stand in midair?

For a moment,

everyone froze.

But just a moment later, the Anbu Sand Ninja captain reacted at once!

His face darkened. He lowered his voice and gritted out an order:

"Tsk!"

"Move! Take this guy out quickly!"

"Have you forgotten our mission?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Sunagakure ninja raised his hand and swiftly summoned a puppet.

Then he immediately sent it charging toward the boy.

He didn't know who the person in front of him was,

but the fact that he'd said those things was more than enough to prove he was from Amegakure!

There was no room for hesitation now!

Hesitate, and you'd lose!

"!"

Seeing their captain make the first move, the Sand Ninjas nearby immediately reacted!

The next instant, they all attacked with grim expressions!

A dazzling array of ninjutsu and ninja tools surged out together, raining down on Chen Xiaoxi and forming an overwhelming assault!

The falling drizzle was instantly scattered by the attacks of every color!

And yet, even then,

Chen Xiaoxi remained motionless above the lake.

He simply gazed ahead, holding his umbrella in one hand. His lips curled into a slight smile as he said:

"Hadō #73: Sōren Sōkatsui."

Boom!!

Before he'd even finished speaking, Reiatsu erupted!

Blue flames seemed to appear from thin air, bursting from in front of Chen Xiaoxi's eyes with terrifying force, as if they would burn everything away!

Bang!!

The moment the Sand Ninjas' attacks touched the Pale Blue Fire Crash, explosions rang out!

A powerful shock wave rapidly spread in every direction!

And yet,

the blue flames showed no sign of weakening. If anything, they grew even stronger!

The strange flames seemed to paint the entire night sky blue!

The next instant,

the raging storm of flames swept toward all twenty-one Sand Ninjas with the overwhelming force of an ocean crashing down!

The Sand Ninjas' expressions changed at once, their faces filled with fear!

What was going on?

How could one person completely overpower the combined ninjutsu of so many of us?

W-Who the hell was this golden-eyed guy?

But,

before they could even react, there was nowhere to dodge in the face of the blue flames filling the sky!

Boom!!

The raging Pale Blue Fire Crash gave them no time to mount a defense before mercilessly swallowing them whole!

Thoom!!

A thunderous explosion erupted. Everywhere the flames touched, boulders and clusters of trees were utterly destroyed!