Chaos spread through Konoha like a plague.
Inside the arena, Kimimaro and Sunagakure jōnin Baki clashed. Bone blades struck wind blades with a piercing shriek. Baki was a seasoned fighter, but Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku served equally well on offense and defense, and he fought with reckless abandon. For the moment, he had Baki firmly tied up.
Elsewhere, Haku's Ice Release struggled to hold back Shukaku's sandstorm. Ice Mirrors formed and shattered again and again, mingling cold air with swirling sand to create a hazy zone of death. Shukaku's roars shook the heavens, and every swing sent the ground trembling. Haku's face was pale, his chakra nearly spent, but his gaze remained resolute as he held the line and bought time for the others.
Uchiha Sasuke stood at the heart of the chaos, his Sharingan fixed on the towering Shukaku. The pain and power of the Cursed Seal mingled within him, leaving him both terrified and thrilled. Kakashi appeared beside him and clamped a hand on his shoulder. "Sasuke, stay calm! This opponent is beyond you! Stick close to me!"
In the stands, ordinary spectators slept while the ninja fought. Asuma, Kurenai, and the others were locked in a melee with Sunagakure and Sound Ninja jōnin. Kunai, shuriken, and flashes of ninjutsu flew in every direction, while screams rang out without end.
Ling moved.
He didn't charge at the conspicuous Shukaku, nor did he go to help Kimimaro and Haku, who were locked in difficult battles. His target was clear: eliminate the Sunagakure and Sound Ninja elites slaughtering Konoha's lower-ranking ninja and trying to destroy the barrier's anchor points.
Flying Thunder God Technique!
A flash of golden light, and he appeared behind a Sound Ninja who was driving a kunai toward the back of a Konoha Genin. His hand moved, and the kunai fell. The Sound Ninja stiffened, blood blooming at his throat, then collapsed without a sound.
Ling didn't even look back. He locked onto his next target with his senses and vanished again.
He appeared beside a barrier node, where two Sunagakure ninja were trying to destroy the runes. He swept out Wind Release: Vacuum Wave. The invisible blades sliced through both men and the Explosive Tags in their hands.
He was like a phantom on the battlefield. Every appearance was followed by an enemy's death. His efficiency was chilling. He had no flashy techniques, only movement precise to the extreme and one-strike kills. In his own way, he was doing everything he could to reduce Konoha's casualties and stabilize the defense.
"Is that... Uchiha Ling?" A Konoha ninja recognized him. Watching him cut down enemies like a scythe through grass, the ninja stared in shock and disbelief. Could this usually taciturn special student really be so terrifyingly strong?
Ling paid no attention to the watching eyes. He kept one thread of his senses locked on Naruto. He saw Naruto charging toward Shukaku alongside Jiraiya, and felt somewhat reassured. With Jiraiya there, Naruto was safe for now.
His gaze shifted to the rooftop. The Four Violet Flames Formation sealed off the area, but he could faintly sense the terrifying chakra fluctuations within. The Third Hokage... How much longer can he hold out?
He had to deal with the trouble below as quickly as possible.
He vanished again, reappearing near the clash between Baki and Kimimaro. Baki had been unable to break through for a while and was growing restless. When he spotted Ling, his focus sharpened.
"Your opponent is me." Ling looked calmly at Baki, then said to Kimimaro, "Go help Haku. I'll handle things here."
Without hesitation, Kimimaro disengaged and rushed toward Shukaku.
Baki's expression darkened. "Arrogant brat!" He formed Hand Seals, gathering a huge amount of wind chakra. "Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique!"
Countless razor-sharp blades of wind descended on Ling like a net.
Ling stood still, not even forming Hand Seals. The instant the blades reached him, he vanished again.
Baki's pupils contracted. He turned instinctively, but a kunai grazed his ribs, drawing a string of blood.
Ling appeared behind him, his expression unchanged.
"Flying Thunder God... the Second's and the Fourth Hokage's technique..." Baki finally realized what he was facing, and shock surged through him. This Uchiha brat not only had the Sharingan, but had also mastered such Space-Time Ninjutsu! Their intelligence was seriously wrong!
He no longer dared to take Ling lightly and gave the fight everything he had. But Ling was too fast, appearing and disappearing without warning. The Flying Thunder God Technique, combined with precise Taijutsu and Shurikenjutsu, kept Baki on the defensive as new wounds appeared across his body.
The battlefield had split into several parts: the deadly struggle on the rooftop, Shukaku's rampage, the jōnin's melee, and Ling's efficient, ruthless cleanup.
But Ling's concern hadn't eased. Beneath the ground, the cold chakra that belonged to Danzo had begun to stir.
Was Root finally going to move? And who would they target?
Ling parried Baki's wind blades, his gaze sweeping over the chaotic battlefield before settling on Naruto in the distance, struggling to approach Shukaku.
His eyes suddenly sharpened, turning razor-bright.
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