The soil rolled away to both sides.
The Shadow Clone Technique dispersed along with the splitting earth.
The sixth Shadow Clone Technique appeared a hundred paces away.
Lie Yang did not even turn around.
The lightning wrapped around his scabbard turned into a slender bolt, streaking straight through the forest.
The leaves froze for an instant.
Then dozens of leaves along its path split apart at once.
The lightning bolt pierced through the Shadow Clone Technique's brow and sank into the boulder behind it.
Boom!
A charred hole appeared in the center of the massive rock.
Jiraiya's Shadow Clone Technique turned into white smoke before it could utter a single word.
The Konoha ninja watching from afar were completely speechless.
Six Shadow Clone Techniques in succession.
Not one had managed to get close to Lie Yang.
Some had been shattered by his blade.
Some had been pierced through by lightning.
Some had vanished the instant they appeared.
"He can predict where the Shadow Clone Technique will appear in advance."
The Aburame ninja pressed a hand against his sleeve.
The Kikaichū inside kept burrowing deeper into his clothes, utterly unwilling to approach the lingering Lightning Release chakra in the forest.
"Lord Jiraiya isn't testing his reactions."
"He's using Lord Jiraiya's Shadow Clone Techniques to familiarize himself with attacks at different distances."
The Hyūga ninja's expression grew even uglier.
If Lie Yang had been facing not Shadow Clone Techniques, but a Jōnin squad, the outcome would have been no different.
Under such dense lightning coverage, ordinary ninja would have had no chance of getting close.
The sea breeze passed through the woods.
The salty, fishy scent was becoming increasingly distinct.
The border of the Land of Fire was close at hand.
Once he passed through the mountain forest ahead, Lie Yang would