"Target: seven kilometers northeast, in a valley. A four-man Kumogakure reconnaissance squad intends to circle around behind us and scout our supply routes."
Upon receiving the latest intelligence from Fujiwara Kenta, Lin Ze became a blurred shadow and swiftly vanished into the forest outside the camp.
He moved extremely fast, traversing the tangled woodland as though it were level ground.
In less than ten minutes, he had approached the target area.
Suppressing his presence and concealing himself in the crown of a large tree, Lin Ze looked down into the valley.
Four Kumogakure ninja were advancing cautiously, two scouting ahead, one providing support in the middle, and one bringing up the rear-a standard reconnaissance formation.
After a brief look, Lin Ze slid soundlessly down the trunk like a hunting cheetah.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere!"
Pfft! Pfft!
Two air projectiles infused with Ryūmyaku chakra shot like invisible bullets, precisely piercing the back of the rearmost Kumogakure ninja's heart and his neck. He crumpled to the ground without so much as a grunt.
"Enemy attack!"
The three Kumogakure ninja ahead reacted extremely quickly, instantly forming a back-to-back defensive formation and scanning their surroundings warily.
But Lin Ze was faster!
The instant they shouted, his chakra-coated knife-hand was already slashing toward one Kumogakure ninja's throat!
Horrified, the Kumogakure ninja hurriedly raised his kunai to block.
Crack!
The kunai and his hand were easily shattered together. The knife-hand continued unchecked, slicing straight through his windpipe.
The second man was killed instantly!
"Lightning Release: Earth Flow!"
The Kumogakure special jōnin leading the squad reacted swiftly, slapping both hands against the ground as lightning raced along it toward Lin Ze.
Chakra burst beneath Lin Ze's feet, and he leaped into the air, rapidly forming hand seals as he avoided the lightning release.
**"Fire Release: Great Fireball