He Turned Red

(Friday night, I queued for flex with a four-stack and lost all night. I even dropped a division. We lost a game where our Ahri got 29 kills. What the hell! I slept all day Saturday. Chapters 52 and 53 weren't very good, so I revised them today. If you haven't read them yet, you can go ahead. If you have, feel free to give them another read!)

The Shadowkhan surged forth like a tide of ink. More than two hundred figures from six squads crowded the battlefield. Some were towering and broad, some carried long blades, some swung enormous pincers, and some had blades in place of hands. Rank upon rank of dark figures surrounded the three Sand Jonin in an instant.

The bizarre sight seized everyone's attention.

The Genin and other lower-ranked Ninja closing in on Tsukimi faltered mid-charge and stared at the uncanny battlefield. Ordinary Ninja fights came down to Taijutsu, tactical intelligence, the timing of Ninjutsu, and Chakra reserves. But Nara Tsukimi had stepped entirely outside the Shinobi World's rules of combat.

Was that even the kind of Ninja I knew? Who fought like that?

On another part of the battlefield, Orochimaru faced Rasa's Gold Dust filling the sky. His narrow snake pupils contracted slightly. He glanced at the mass of Shadowkhan from the corner of his eye, and a smile touched his lips.

He had seen much of the world, including many Kekkei Genkai and secret techniques, and he knew the Nara Clan's Shadow Secret Technique well. Yet he had never heard of a Nara producing anything like this. Even Orochimaru, detached as he was, felt a flicker of genuine surprise. He could not help extending his tongue to lick his lips.

*So that's his real trump card? Splendid! The student Teacher Sarutobi assigned me