Another Zhengye shot out of his body, took solid form, and lunged at Pain again.
At the same time, he left his original position and began running, sending more phantoms flying out of his body.
This was the Thousand Illusions Lightning Body, a technique Zhengye had spent a long time learning but had never used against anyone.
It required Lightning Release Chakra to stimulate his muscles for movement at extreme speed, combining clones, Lightning Shadow Clones, and genjutsu to launch high-speed attacks from multiple directions.
Five Zhengyes charged into the encirclement at once, each holding a short sword. Pain's expression turned icy as he raised his hand. "Shinra Tensei!"
An immense repulsive force erupted, sweeping the dust suspended in the surrounding air violently outward in every direction.
Bang!
The five Zhengyes approaching him vanished instantly, bursting into great flashes of lightning.
Two of them had been Lightning Shadow Clones!
Even with his body's tremendous resistance, Pain was briefly paralyzed.
The next instant, another clone flying out of Zhengye's body slipped past the repulsive force and thrust its short sword at his throat from the side.
Pain blocked the blade with his hand and twisted hard.
But this, too, was a Lightning Shadow Clone!
Lightning exploded again, followed by a sudden heaviness weighing down his body.
It was Zhengye's Dōjutsu!
Pain abruptly leaned backward to dodge, but the short sword still sliced across his neck.
A gash two centimeters deep appeared. Had Pain tilted his head back a moment later, that strike would have cut his head clean off!
Pain pressed one hand against his neck and rapidly retreated to the side.
"Banshō Ten'in!"
Pain reached out and pulled, drawing fruit and vegetables from a nearby merchant caravan toward him to obstruct Zhengye.
With Lightning Release Chakra stimulating his body, Zhengye