Chiba stopped after taking fewer than ten steps.
He did not look back, but his mental power clearly perceived every movement in the corridor behind him, including Zaku raising his arms again.
"Lord Chiba, that Otogakure brat still seems unconvinced." Anko tilted her head toward the corridor behind them, a bamboo skewer clenched between her teeth.
"Let him attack." The corner of Chiba's mouth twitched. "It's a good chance to lay down the rules for everyone."
At the far end of the corridor, Zaku shoved away Kin's supporting hand. The metal holes in his palms lit up with chakra once more, and another emotion was slowly replacing the fear in his eyes.
Orochimaru had spent three months modifying the Air Cutter launchers inside his body. In all of Otogakure, he alone possessed this level of close-combat enhancement, capable of firing ultra-high-frequency vibration shockwaves said to pierce rock within ten meters.
"He's just a leftover Senju bastard. How strong could he possibly be? Earlier, he only overpowered me with his massive chakra reserves. In a real fight, he might not be able to do anything to me." Zaku gave himself a mental pep talk and aimed both arms at Chiba's back.
Kin and Dosu tried to stop him, but they were too late.
"Quit acting all mysterious, Konoha's chief examiner!"
Zaku's voice echoed through the corridor. Everyone turned their heads at once, their gazes darting back and forth between Chiba's back and Zaku's palms.
"Lord Orochimaru said the Senju Clan was wiped out long ago. You're nothing but a mongrel dog that got lucky and slipped through the net. Take this—Air Cut—"
The final word was still lodged in his throat.
Chiba vanished from a position more than ten meters away.
It was not the Body Flicker Technique. There was no