Spirit Sealing Prohibition

Click! Click!

Pale golden chains intertwined with the black snake. Although the chains fractured repeatedly under the serpent's constriction, they reconnected almost instantly under the Shadow Clone's manipulation.

While the chains could not kill the black snake outright, they were sufficient to stall it for a time.

"Water Style: Water Cannonball!"

At that moment, Nakashita So's voice rang out again. He spat a massive sphere of water from his mouth, which hurtled toward the Shadow Clone like a cannonball.

He certainly knows how to seize an opening! The Shadow Clone shook his head slightly. Just as he prepared to move, a white shadow suddenly darted out. It moved with incredible speed, reaching the Shadow Clone in the blink of an eye.

It was a white snake. The Shadow Clone's pupils constricted as he identified the creature—a small white serpent.

The white snake opened its maw, its black fangs glinting with a cold light, and sank them into the Shadow Clone's shoulder.

"It's over. No one can withstand the lethal poison of White Phosphorus," Nakashita So said, exhaling in relief as he witnessed the scene.

White Scale was the name he had given the white snake. He had tested it before; even a Jonin would lose the ability to fight within seconds.

The Shadow Clone's strength had put him under immense pressure. It was no exaggeration to say that if not for the black snake's assistance, he would have been defeated long ago.

Yet, the next moment, his joy vanished.

With a bang, the body bitten by White Scale suddenly transformed into a puff of smoke, and the chains binding the black snake vanished along with it.

"This... could it be a Shadow Clone?"

Staring at the white smoke dissipating in the wind, Nakashita So stood frozen.

If a mere Shadow Clone possessed such strength, what would the original be capable of?

At this thought, Nakashita So hesitated no longer. He turned and headed straight for the cave, intending to finish off the captives inside before fleeing the area.

Hiss!

The black snake followed him, puzzled, as they entered the cave together.

"Corpses should be useful to Lord Orochimaru as well!"

Back inside the cave, Nakashita So grabbed a kunai and walked toward the bound Akimichi Yamaichi, a fierce glint in his eyes.

He raised the kunai and slashed toward Akimichi Yamaichi's neck.

Akimichi Yamaichi merely watched him calmly. The anger in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a look of reminiscence. Perhaps knowing his end was near, he slowly closed his eyes.

Clang!

The expected pain never came. Akimichi Yamaichi opened his eyes to see Nakashita So trembling as he stared toward the cave entrance. The kunai he had been holding now lay on the ground.

"Glad I made it in time," Naraku said from the cave entrance, letting out a soft breath.

He had been rushing at full speed ever since receiving the message from the first Shadow Clone, and as luck would have it, he had arrived just in time.

"Who are you?" Nakashita So asked, steadying himself while surreptitiously making hand signs behind his back.

"Heh, put away those little tricks of yours. The one standing before you now is no Shadow Clone," Naraku chuckled.

"These are what you're looking for, aren't they?"

No sooner had Naraku finished speaking than two figures—one large and one small, one black and one white—were dragged forward. They were the very same black and white snakes from before.

The reason they were being "dragged" was that they were both bound by golden chains.

Seeing this, Nakashita So's body trembled again. To be able to restrain both the black and white snakes in an instant meant Naraku's strength was far beyond his ability to contend with.

"As expected, Tenzo is here too!" Naraku shook his head slightly as he looked at the unconscious Yamato. Whether in strength or experience, Yamato still had much to learn.

Naraku walked forward slowly, intending to finish this fellow off quickly so they could conclude their mission.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Whip!"

Nakashita So let out a low shout, and several water whips lashed out toward Naraku.

"Ignorant," Naraku snorted. Wind-natured chakra condensed in his hand, and he swept it forward.

"Wind Style: Beast Wave Palm!"

Several wind blades shattered the water whips and sent Nakashita So flying backward.

Naraku then walked over to Akimichi Yamaichi and pulled out a kunai to cut the ropes binding him.

"Who are you?"

Akimichi Yamaichi asked tentatively.

Naraku merely glanced at him without a word.

The Anbu had a strict rule: no personnel were permitted to reveal their identity while on a mission, and even if recognized by others, they were forbidden from admitting it.

Seeing Naraku remain silent, Akimichi Yamaichi did not press the matter.

But the next moment, his pupils constricted, and he shouted, "Watch out!"

Nakashita So had suddenly appeared beneath Naraku's feet, his hands gripping Naraku's ankles.

"Heh, it's too late!" Nakashita So sneered.

"Oh? You think this is enough to deal with me?" Naraku spoke, his tone flat and devoid of any ripples.

Even now, he still did not hold Nakashita So in any regard; in his eyes, the opponent's strength was no different from that of an ordinary Chunin.

Although Nakashita So had gripped his feet, Naraku had countless ways to break free at any moment. However, he did not do so, as he was somewhat curious about what Nakashita So was actually planning to do.

How truly arrogant. But this suits my intentions perfectly, Nakashita So thought to himself.

"Spirit Sealing Prohibition!" Suddenly, he shouted, and black seals appeared on his hands. The next moment, these seals crawled up onto Naraku's legs.

"This is..." Naraku frowned slightly; he felt a sense of familiarity from these seals.

"Heh, arrogance often makes people pay an irreparable price." Nakashita So's figure slowly emerged from the ground. Watching the black seals spread over Naraku's entire body, the corners of his mouth beneath the mask could not help but curl into a smile.

Not good, this move again, Akimichi Yamaichi thought to himself upon seeing this. At this moment, the ropes binding his legs had already been severed by Naraku. He wobbled to his feet, preparing to launch an attack toward Nakashita So.

"You had better just stay lying on the ground!"

Seeing this, Nakashita So looked at him with eyes full of disdain, quickly forming several hand seals to prepare a ninjutsu attack against him.

Even though Akimichi Yamaichi's hands were still bound, Nakashita So still dared not engage in close-quarters combat with him; his taijutsu was far inferior to Akimichi Yamaichi's.

Akimichi Yamaichi saw his movements as well, and without hesitation, he began to grit his teeth and gather his strength.

"Heh, what an interesting creative touch," Naraku suddenly spoke at this moment, then flicked his hand and sent Nakashita So flying with a single strike.

Wind-natured chakra gathered in his right hand, and then, using his palm as a blade, Naraku severed the ropes binding Akimichi Yamaichi's upper body as well.