"What do we do?"
One of the ninjas lurking in hiding was considering backing out.
The exam had only just begun. There was no need to go head-to-head with such a tough opponent.
"We can't retreat. If we make any noise while leaving, he'll definitely notice us. It'll be even worse if he comes after us," a tall ninja said, then looked to his right.
"Nara Heisei, what do you think?"
Nara Heisei was a member of the Nara Clan, skilled in its secret shadow techniques.
Everyone knew that the Nara Clan's ninjas were famously intelligent and adept at setting traps. Ambushing Yechen here had been his idea.
Unfortunately, against overwhelming strength, such tricks amounted to little.
"Now isn't a good time to retreat. I'll hold him down first and see if we get an opening. If not, we'll leave."
The other two nodded, and Nara Heisei immediately formed hand seals to perform his secret technique.
"Still not coming out?" Yechen was growing impatient.
Before he could act, however, several more shuriken came flying at him.
Yechen paid no mind to the same old trick. His right hand was already on his sword hilt, ready to strike.
Suddenly, he sensed a faint threat approaching silently. He scanned his surroundings and caught a dark shadow out of the corner of his eye, rapidly stretching toward him through the shaded areas.
"Shadow Imitation Technique."
Seeing the extending shadow, Yechen immediately thought of the Nara Clan's secret shadow techniques.
Without hesitation, he sprang into the air and performed several flips, calmly evading the shuriken.
The shuriken were merely a distraction. The real attack was the shadow. Once it caught him, the caster would gain control of his body.
Of course, if the difference in strength was great enough, he could forcibly break free