Tip of the Iceberg

His movements were incredibly fast, each hand seal leaving an afterimage in the air as chakra surged like a tidal wave.

Aoba gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "He's forming the Tiger-Snake-Monkey seals. It might be some kind of large-scale ninjutsu!"

"Tiger-Snake-Monkey?"

Asuma frowned. That combination of seals was uncommon, but it was definitely no simple ninjutsu.

He immediately turned to Shikamaru and the others, saying solemnly, "Shikamaru, prepare the Shadow Imitation Technique and restrain his movements as much as possible! Ino, work with Shikamaru and disrupt his mind! Choji, look for an opening to ambush him and force him to stop forming seals!"

"Got it!"

The three answered in unison and swiftly sprang into action.

Shikamaru's shadow slithered across the ground like a snake, silently stretching toward the black-robed man.

Ino's chakra had already invaded the black-robed man's mental world through the Mind Body Switch Technique, attempting to disrupt his focus.

Choji stomped his foot fiercely, his body rapidly expanding as he transformed into a massive Human Bullet Tank and slammed toward the black-robed man within the black smoke.

However, the black-robed man seemed to have anticipated it. He suddenly slapped the ground, and the black smoke exploded into countless tiny black particles that shot in every direction like innumerable blades.

Choji's Human Bullet Tank was struck by those black particles, producing a series of metallic clangs.

His body was sent flying uncontrollably before he crashed heavily to the ground.

"Choji!"

Ino cried out and quickly withdrew her Mind Body Switch Technique, then ran toward Choji instead.

Shikamaru's shadow was also cut off the instant the black smoke exploded. He furrowed his brow and cursed under his breath, "This guy's ninjutsu is too bizarre. The Shadow Imitation Technique can't catch him at all!"

Asuma swung his