A Seventy Million Yen Pursuit! Bloody Battle in the Jungle!

The next day, much to everyone's surprise.

The transaction between Takigakure and the Sato Brothers went exceptionally smoothly, with no double-crossing and no haggling.

After the Takigakure ninja inspected the goods, they readily paid cash at three times the market price, then hurried away with seven thousand soldier pills.

Everyone let out a long breath of relief and quickly returned to the inn.

In the room, Danzo's face was as dark as water. "I miscalculated. They didn't make a move during the transaction because they wanted to protect their reputation and avoid discouraging other black market merchants. But that was twenty million yen! Once we leave Takigakure Village, they'll definitely ambush us in secret!"

Danzo swiftly made his arrangements. "Kagami, scout ahead. Torifu, stay close and protect those two merchants. Lin Hai, you and I will cover the rear and deal with the pursuers!"

Everyone acknowledged their orders and immediately split into three groups to break through.

Within the dense jungle, Lin Hai glanced back at the distant waterfalls of the Land of Waterfalls.

"Captain Danzo, aren't we being overly cautious? Would Takigakure really turn hostile over this money?"

Danzo shot him a glance and explained coldly, "You were born into the Uchiha clan and lived in luxury since childhood. You have no idea what twenty million yen means to this poor country! An ordinary family spends no more than twenty thousand yen a month. This fortune is equivalent to two months of tax revenue for the Land of Waterfalls!"

"Soldier pills can instantly restore chakra on the battlefield. They're strategic supplies. We sold them seven thousand at once. Not only do they want the goods, they want their money back too. That's getting both the goods and the money."

Lin Hai frowned. "If they're strategic supplies, why would the Second Lord sell them to an enemy country?"

A shrewd gleam flashed through Danzo's eyes. "Konoha is the foremost great nation, rich in resources. We don't even bother using soldier pills with such severe side effects. Selling this obsolete stock to enemy nations at high prices lets us drain their economies dry while obtaining real strategic intelligence. That's economic warfare."

Before he had even finished speaking, a sudden change erupted!

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"

A savage water dragon roared in from the left. Danzo instantly used the Substitution Technique, and the water dragon blasted the tree trunk where he had been standing into splinters.

Several ninja wearing Takigakure forehead protectors appeared atop the branches. The leading jonin sneered. "First we ran into an Uchiha scouting ahead, and now we find you covering the rear. Konoha scum, you dared screw us over at a time like this! Hand over the twenty million yen, and we'll leave your corpses intact!"

Danzo drew his kunai. "Come and take it if you can!"

"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"

Danzo thrust out both palms, sending two sharp wind blades straight at the jonin. He used the opening to draw the jonin away, shouting at Lin Hai at the same time, "End this quickly! Retreat if you can't win—they have reinforcements!"

"Understood!" Lin Hai shouted.

Takigakure split off four men and rushed toward Lin Hai: one chunin and three genin.

Fighting them head-on means death. I have to divide the battlefield! Lin Hai retreated decisively and formed hand seals. "Shadow Clone Technique!"

Three shadow clones formed in an instant.

The first clone flung shuriken tied to steel wire, while the second unleashed the "Phoenix Flower Fire Technique" in tandem. A net of flames instantly spread out, disrupting their vision. Lin Hai's real body hid behind a tree and used "Head Moulder" to ignite the surrounding trees, filling the area with thick smoke.

The Takigakure chunin roared and chased the third clone deep into the forest. The remaining three genin each locked onto a "Lin Hai" amid the smoke.

Now's my chance!

Lin Hai's real body flickered like a ghost behind one of the genin, his short blade silently stabbing forward. The genin reacted swiftly, blocking with a backhanded kunai while firing several shuriken at the same time.

Lin Hai twisted aside to evade them. Just as he was about to pursue, a cold shout came from behind him.

"Water Release: Syrup Capture Field!"

A thick, syrup-like liquid sprayed toward him, trying to restrict his movements. Lin Hai was forced to use the Body Flicker Technique to pull away.

The three genin formed a triangular formation, covering one another.

I have to finish them before that chunin sees through the clones! Lin Hai's gaze sharpened as he spewed out "Great Fireball Technique."

"Water Release: Water Turbulence!"

The three genin combined their Water Release, instantly extinguishing the fireball and filling the area with steam.

At that moment, a "Lin Hai" charged out of the steam, raising his blade to slash. The three genin joined forces and shattered him with Water Turbulence—he had been a shadow clone!

Just as their old strength had faded and new strength had yet to arise.

"Pfft!"

Lin Hai's real body appeared out of nowhere, his short blade precisely piercing the heart of the genin on the far right.

With one strike successful, Lin Hai used the momentum to leap toward the genin in the middle. The genin raised his kunai to meet him, intending to trade wounds.

Lin Hai's three-tomoe Sharingan spun wildly. He suddenly abandoned his blade and formed hand seals with both hands. "Genjutsu: Hell Viewing Technique!"

The genin's gaze froze. Lin Hai took the chance to seize the kunai from his hand and plunged it into his chest.

At the same time, the last genin's kunai was already closing in on Lin Hai's back!

There was no way to evade! Lin Hai spun around and raised his right hand to take it head-on. The kunai pierced straight through his palm!

Enduring the searing pain, Lin Hai gripped his opponent's wrist tightly and yanked hard. With his left hand, he pulled out the kunai he had just driven into the second genin's chest and viciously stabbed it into the third man's temple!

In less than a minute, all three genin had been wiped out! Blood streamed from Lin Hai's right hand.

"Poof!"

A faint sound came from afar as the third shadow clone was destroyed. Lin Hai immediately tore off a strip of cloth and wrapped his right hand. At the same time, he scattered a large number of explosive tags across the center of the battlefield, then created a shadow clone to lie in the middle of them and play dead while his real body hid in the treetops.

Less than ten seconds later, the Takigakure chunin returned. Seeing his three subordinates dead, then seeing "Lin Hai" collapsed on the ground, the chunin roared and pounced forward.

The shadow clone instantly sprang up and threw several shuriken. The chunin casually deflected them, then closed in and sliced the clone apart with a single blow.

"Now!"

Lin Hai, hidden in the treetops, formed hand seals without hesitation and detonated the tags!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A deafening chain of explosions swallowed the chunin. Just as he desperately used "Water Release: Water Formation Wall" to block the blasts.

"Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Dance Technique!"

Ignoring his chakra exhaustion, Lin Hai spewed out a raging fire dragon that directly swept the drained chunin into the air and blew him into charred remains!

After confirming the chunin was thoroughly dead, Lin Hai panted heavily and dragged his exhausted body toward Danzo's battlefield.

On the other side, Danzo had fallen into a desperate situation.

Though he was proficient in Wind Release, facing one jonin and three chunin left him struggling for survival.

"Water Release: Exploding Water Shock Wave!"

"Water Release: Water Corridor!"

"Water Release: Chaotic Steam!"

The four men combined their Water Release techniques, sealing off all of Danzo's escape routes from every direction.

"I'll risk it! Wind Release: Tornado Hurricane!"

Danzo forcibly withstood the Water Release. The raging hurricane tore apart the curtain of water, but he was also grievously wounded, smashed hard into the ground, and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"Die, Konoha scum!" the Takigakure jonin snarled, raising his kunai.

At that moment, a thunderous shout came from overhead.

"Partial Multi-Size Technique!"

A gigantic hand the size of a truck descended from the sky and swatted the jonin away like a fly, knocking him unconscious instantly.

At the same time, Kagami used the Body Flicker Technique and slit one chunin's throat with a single stroke. Lin Hai, who had arrived just then, exhausted the last of his chakra to blast another chunin into ashes with a "Great Fireball."

Seeing this, the last chunin was scared out of his wits and turned to flee.

"Don't chase him!" Blood-covered Danzo was supported to his feet by Kagami as he sternly stopped Torifu, who was preparing to pursue. "Our identities have been exposed. Takigakure's main force will arrive soon! Retreat immediately!"

Torifu nodded, crushed the unconscious jonin's throat beneath his foot, then hoisted the drained Lin Hai over his shoulder.

The four turned into afterimages and vanished into the endless forest.