Turning the Tables

Long Ye first reported to the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze Konohagakure without stopping.

At the same time.

A hidden underground room in Konoha.

"Leader, we just received news that the kid accepted a mission from Minato Namikaze and left Konoha. It seems he's heading to Kirigakure in the Land of Water!"

A man wearing White Mask respectfully reported to a figure in black.

"Kirigakure?"

A figure talking to itself from behind.

The Masked Man said, "Yesterday, Minato Namikaze received a letter from Kirigakure) regarding the restoration of friendly exchanges between the two countries. I suspect he was sent to Kirigakure to respond."

The figure shook his head. "It's not that simple. Why would they send an Elite Jonin personally just to deliver a message?"

He was silent for a moment, then said as if to himself:

"This Long Ye is extremely strange. The Kekkei Genkai he possesses is also unbelievable. He was once an insignificant kid, but in just three years, he has grown into Elite Jonin. This growth rate is truly terrifying!"

"This kid must be hiding some secret. No wonder that guy told me more than once that he wanted this person's body for research and was willing to pay such a price."

"Chief! Should I send someone to Vice Admiral capture him?" the Masked Man asked cautiously.

The figure remained silent for a moment, seemingly unable to give up on the benefits promised by the person he had spoken of, and finally nodded.

"His Lightning-Escape Body Flash is no less impressive than Shisui's Body Flicker Technique. Ordinary people can't defeat him. Send the Five-Man Group! Remember, capture him alive!"

As he spoke, the figure in black turned around.

This person's head was half-wrapped in bandages, and his only remaining eye revealed a cold and indifferent light.

The masked subordinates dared not meet his gaze, bowed to receive the order, and retreated into the darkness.

"Eliminating this person, though it might alert the enemy, is like cutting off one of Minato Namikaze's arms. How many people will he still have to rely on in the future?"

A man's deep laughter echoed in the dimly lit space.

Konoha border.

In a dense jungle.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh...

Five mysterious masked figures leap and bound between the trees.

Each of them carried a Samurai Sword on their back and had a bag of Kunai hanging from their waist, with Explosive Tag attached to the Kunai; their equipment was very sophisticated.

Looking at their movements, they are perfectly synchronized. Every jump is exactly the same in amplitude, and the distance is always maintained in a "cone" formation, which is clearly a training element.

Sudden!

The four people who had been running suddenly stopped, crouching low on a tree branch, their cold, sharp gazes fixed on a stopped figure below them.

"You're too slow. Considering you've chased me for a whole day and night, and worked so hard, I'll make an exception and wait for you. I also want to let you know that if you don't make a move, I'll be leaving Konoha's borders soon, and then you'll have even less chance of catching me!"

Long Ye stood under a tree and said calmly.

The five masked men exchanged glances.

Within the cone formation, the person at the very front suddenly spoke, "As expected of Konoha Lightning, your speed leaves the five of us far behind, but..."

The man was only halfway through his sentence when the four people behind him swiftly appeared in front of, behind, to the left, and to the right of Long Ye.

The person who spoke was the last to make a move; he leaped into the air and appeared above Long Ye's head.

This formation is perfect, blocking any possibility of Long Ye's escape from four directions, plus from the air.

"Barrier!"

The man in the sky roared, and the people in the other four directions simultaneously Hand Seals.

A buzzing sound!

A pyramidal-shaped barrier emerged.

The five corners of the four-sided pyramid represent the locations of the five people, while Long Ye is completely trapped within the Spatial Barrier.

"Kill!!"

The five people rapidly approached the Long Ye.

As they moved, the four-sided pyramidal barrier began to shrink from its five points, rushing towards the center where Long Ye stood.

All five men's eyes gleamed with the satisfaction of victory.

The barrier they unleashed together not only imprisoned space but also defended against powerful attacks. Once trapped inside, it was a trap, leaving the opponent with no chance to resist.

As the barrier tightened rapidly, the five people finally got close.

"Laugh!!"

Before Long Ye could react, she was pierced through by five Samurai Sword coming from five directions.

"Damn it! We were ordered to leave him alive, but this guy is so weak, he didn't even put up a fight!"

"Feeling my blade easily pierce through the other's body," a masked man exclaimed.

"Oh no! We've fallen for their trap!"

"Retreat quickly!"

Someone sensed something was wrong and immediately shouted loudly.

At the same time, Long Ye, who had been killed by the five men, disappeared with a bang, replaced by a Wooden Post covered with Explosive Tag.

Judging from the number of Explosive Tag, there are at least thirty or forty.

Just as the five people realized what was happening and tried to back away, a series of massive explosions were triggered, and the Kakkō from the explosions instantly engulfed the five people who were almost within reach.

The aftershocks of the explosion slowly dissipated.

Four disheveled figures emerged from the dust and smoke.

"Mission failed! Retreat..."

One person shouted urgently.

The mission was deemed a failure because one of them had just lost both legs in an accident and was completely incapable of fighting.

Without one person, they cannot form a barrier, and without the barrier as their support, they are naturally no match for an Elite Jonin.

"If you had known your place earlier, you wouldn't have died so easily!"

Long Ye finished speaking, four enormous arms emerged from the ground, then grew infinitely, arriving faster than anyone else. One arm grabbed a fleeing person.

These people were held by the wooden hand, as frail as a chick being held in a hand.

"Impossible! This is..."

The four men, having just realized the Ninjutsu that had captured them, were filled with utter horror, but before they could finish their last two words, the wooden hand clenched tightly.

A chilling sound rang out, and the four men were instantly crushed to pieces.

Long Ye emerged from behind a large tree.

His gaze fell on the last ninja, whose legs had been blown off by Explosive Tag.

The man's mask had long since been blown to smithereens, and his face was filled with horror.

"Impossible! How could you use...?"

Before he could finish speaking, Long Ye raised her hand and waved it, an Inazuma striking him. The power of her Explosion Release erupted, and with a loud bang, it shattered into pieces.

"How could I use Wood Release? Too bad! It will forever remain a mystery to you!"

After examining the other four corpses, Long Ye, aiming to leave no trace, unleashed a bolt of lightning. With a loud explosion, all the bodies were reduced to ashes.

"The Wood Clone Technique is truly miraculous; it's almost impossible to detect any flaws!"

Long Ye was very satisfied with the counterattack she had just executed.

Especially when facing an enemy, his first use of the Wood Clone Technique impressed him greatly.

The Wood Clone's authenticity was such that even after the blade pierced his body, there was still a moment when the enemy failed to notice anything amiss.

This shows that the clone was so realistic that even the feel of being stabbed was simulated so closely that the group didn't notice anything unusual immediately after the attack.