Boom!
Cangyue descended from high above.
The instant his feet touched the main street, the ground collapsed.
Web-like cracks spread rapidly outward from beneath him.
The first several hundred Sand ninja to arrive immediately occupied the streets and rooftops.
More kept pouring in from deeper within the village.
Close-combat units sealed off the streets.
Puppet Masters took the high ground.
Wind Release ninja and poison specialists swiftly pulled back, forming layer upon layer of battle lines.
This was no ordinary outpost.
It was the heart of Sunagakure.
Once the alarm sounded, over ten thousand ninja could enter battle within moments.
A Sand ninja stood on a rooftop and demanded sharply:
"Who are you?"
"Why are you attacking Sunagakure?"
With the Purple Flame Sword angled toward the ground and blue-white lightning dancing along the Thunder Sword, Cangyue raised his head.
"The goal is simple."
"To make you remember a name."
"Akatsuki."
"Arrogant bastard!"
Hundreds of Sand ninja attacked at once.
A sky full of kunai, senbon, and explosive tags came down first.
Dozens of Wind Release attacks followed close behind, their gales accelerating the ninja tools again and cutting off every escape route from all directions.
Cangyue spread his arms.
Vast amounts of chakra poured into both Flame and Thunder Swords.
Purple flames surged skyward, followed by an eruption of blue-white lightning.
"Twin Swords' Resonance!"
The ringing of swords resounded throughout Sunagakure.
Violet flame and lightning blasted outward.
Before the airborne ninja tools could reach Cangyue, every last one was hurled away.
The explosive tags detonated prematurely in midair.
Gales and firelight intertwined, kicking up clouds of dust, yet not a single attack crossed the boundary around Cangyue.
The first wave of Sand ninja besieging him paled together.
That looked nothing like a hastily mounted defense.
It looked more like casually