When Did Insects Start Interrupting?

"Yotsuki Sora, you really made us work to find you!"

Sora's indifferent words made Samui's pretty face stiffen.

But before she could continue, East Dead Man's booming laughter interrupted the exchange between the two.

The genius ninja from Hidden Stone waved his hand, and one of the Hidden Stone ninjas behind him immediately set off a signal flare. The rest formed an encirclement, surrounding the three of them.

"This time, let's see where you run! Hand over Lord Kitsuchi and Lord Han right now!"

"Retreat, Yotsuki Sora. They've already fired a signal flare. It won't be long before this place is surrounded by Hidden Stone ninjas."

Pakura shouted in a low voice, "You may be powerful, but you've been hiding and fleeing these past few days. You must be exhausted in both body and mind. Leave now. I'll cover your retreat!"

"The mission target is actually covering his retreat now?" East Dead Man laughed loudly. "Don't worry. None of you are getting away..."

"Run?"

Sora grinned.

Before East Dead Man could finish speaking, Sora's figure vanished from the spot.

A ring of Blood Lightning flashed past. Everyone present seemed frozen in place, standing completely still.

The next instant, the bodies of more than a dozen Hidden Stone ninjas suddenly exploded.

Foul-smelling blood mixed with chunks of flesh sprayed everywhere, like fireworks bursting one after another—or perhaps a crimson glow created solely for Sora's entrance.

Pakura's eyes widened. She instinctively swallowed, her face filled with disbelief.

East Dead Man, who had been shouting arrogantly moments ago, seemed to have his throat caught. Not a single sound came out.

That instant... that speed... and that level of explosive power...

Just what was this guy?!

Seeing Sora appear before him in an instant, East Dead Man immediately felt that something was wrong.

He had thought he had found his prey, but now it seemed that he had become the prey instead.

But that was impossible.

This guy had defeated Kitsuchi and Han three days ago, then fled through the Land of Earth while being hunted by over a thousand ninjas. How could he still possess such combat strength?!

"Earth Style..."

Before the earthen rock layers of the Earth Style ninjutsu could even finish forming, Sora's massive hand had already come down.

With a single slap, the thick rock layer burst apart. East Dead Man was slammed directly to the ground, utterly bedraggled.

"You!"

Although he understood that Sora was immensely strong and had defeated Kitsuchi and Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, all by himself—

As a genius ninja of Hidden Stone, East Dead Man naturally possessed his own pride.

And people with that mindset usually had one thought in their hearts.

He couldn't do it. He lost because he was weak, because he was trash.

But I'm different!

I'm a genius!

"Earth Style! Earth Flow Divide!"

"Earth Style! Earth-Turning Palm!"

East Dead Man's palm slammed down onto the ground. The earth beneath him suddenly rose up, then split apart as though cleaved by a sharp blade.

Immediately afterward, the raised earth shattered, and countless rocks came crashing down, trying to bury Sora within.

Sora remained expressionless, doing nothing but throwing punches.

One punch, and the earth roared.

Two punches, and heaven and earth were cleared!

Scarlet lightning flashed past. East Dead Man, who was still forming hand seals, was kicked into the ground and spat out blood.

"Th-That's impossible!"

"When did insects start interrupting?"

East Dead Man was about to become a real dead man, yet even with death looming over him, his face remained full of disbelief.

How could he lose just like that?! How could he possibly lose just like that?!

Only yesterday, he had received the appointment letter from the Third Tsuchikage, naming him captain of the Third Frontline Division.

Then he had encountered Pakura and Yotsuki Sora.

If he killed Pakura, he could help the village gain Hidden Sand's friendship. If he dealt with Yotsuki Sora, he would earn the greatest merit of this war.

This should have been the beginning of his high spirits and boundless ambition.

How had it come to this...

The raised ninja boot came crashing down. East Dead Man's body burst apart like a melon struck by gravity, red and white matter splattering across the ground.

Pakura's delicate brows furrowed tightly.

It was not Sora's brutal, bloody fighting style that shocked her. Due to her kekkei genkai, her own methods of combat were equally cruel in the eyes of ordinary people.

What truly stunned her was Sora's strength!

Though East Dead Man was not as strong as she was, he was still a genuine elite jonin. Together with the other ninja, even if she had not been ambushed, she would have found it difficult to defeat them in a direct confrontation.

Yet to Yotsuki Sora, they had been as easy to deal with as ants beneath his feet and flies beneath his palm.

The enormous gap in strength even made Pakura feel as though they did not exist on the same plane!

"What a bunch of idiots who don't know their place."

Sora turned around, his gaze freely roaming over Pakura before him.

"Scorch Release isn't exactly a top-tier kekkei genkai, but with your foundation, you barely qualify."

"But that guy said I was your target. What, is Hidden Sand planning to make a move against me too?"

"...Q-qualify for what?"

Pakura did not understand the meaning of the first half of Sora's words at first, but she understood the latter half.

As a ninja, even if she died, she should not reveal information about her village.

But when she thought of how she had risked her life for the village, only to receive such betrayal in return, Pakura's heart turned cold.

"The news of you causing havoc in Rock Town Village has long spread throughout the ninja world. The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, wanted to cause trouble for Hidden Cloud, so he sent me to hunt you down. But his true purpose was to get rid of me."

"I don't give a damn."

Sora paid no attention to the conflict between Pakura and Hidden Sand, nor did he care in the slightest about why she had come.

He pinched Pakura's chin and inspected her before suddenly speaking.

"Have you ever dated anyone?"

"Huh?"

Pakura froze. She did not understand what Sora meant at first, but she quickly realized it, and her face immediately flushed red.

"W-who cares about something like that?!"

"According to the intelligence, Pakura of the Scorch Release has never been married and has little emotional experience," Samui suddenly said. "She is even known as 'the woman who devoted her entire life to the village.' Every day, other than training, she was carrying out missions."

"Don't make that face. A few months ago, we were enemies on the battlefield. It was necessary to know your intelligence."

"Very good!"

Hearing Samui's words, Sora nodded in satisfaction, then pressed a palm against Pakura's lower abdomen.

Surging chakra emerged from his palm and flowed into Pakura's body. Blood-red lightning patterns silently appeared beneath her clothes.

Pakura's expression changed drastically. She instinctively tried to struggle, only to find that the chakra within her body had sunk like a stone into the sea, completely beyond her control.

A sealing technique!

And an extremely powerful one at that!

"You!"

"What do you mean, 'you'? Since you came to hunt me down, you're my prisoner and my trophy now."

Sora swept his hand across Pakura's beautiful back and hoisted her onto his left shoulder.

Then he patted his right shoulder.

"Let's go, Samui."

Samui lightly pursed her red lips, then, under Pakura's astonished gaze, climbed up on her own...