https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-240-A-Powerful-Foe-on-the-Battlefield/12558248/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-242-Support-at-the-Top-Battlefield/12558250/
Chapter 241: A Terrifying Combination of Jutsu
Chapter 241: A Terrifying Combination of Jutsu
Whoosh!
Hunt, the Jounin from Iwagakure, harnessed his chakra, focusing it on his feet as he burst into a rapid sprint towards Mu Yue. He ignored all the other ninjas and had his eyes solely locked on Mu Yue.
Even those who possess the same bloodline limits will develop them in different directions, resulting in varied abilities.
For instance, both the Third and Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure had Magnet Release (Jiton), but while the Third preferred controlling sand iron, the Fourth specialized in controlling sand gold. Both leaned towards offensive capabilities, whereas Troy from Kumogakure developed his Magnet Release into a control-oriented ability.
Hunt didn't appear particularly robust; he lacked bulky muscles and wasn't tall or sturdy. However, he possessed strength and speed superior to the average person, though it couldn't be described as divine strength. One could say he was born with immense physical power.
As such, Hunt ultimately merged his Blast Release with his most proficient taijutsu, allowing him to create powerful explosions with every punch or kick he threw.
Ordinarily, combining Blast Release with taijutsu was extremely dangerous, as the user wouldn't be exempt from the damage of their own jutsu. The force of the explosion would affect Hunt as well.
However, Hunt also had an exceptional talent for Earth Release. He had mastered the Hardening Technique, allowing him to use it even while employing Blast Release, thereby protecting his body from the harmful effects of his own explosive jutsu.
Shushushushushushu!
Mu Yue withdrew a large number of shuriken from his ninja tool pouch and threw them at Hunt.
Facing the icy, sharp shuriken that glinted with a chilling light, Hunt merely dodged slightly, allowing the shuriken to strike his body.
Clang! Clang!
The shuriken hitting Hunt didn't sound like they had struck a person but rather incredibly hard rocks or steel, bouncing off harmlessly.
Mu Yue wasn't surprised, as his Appraisal technique had already seen through all of Hunt's skills. He was thoroughly familiar with everything Hunt was capable of. After all, not everyone had a skill list as dense as Hiruzen Sarutobi's; it was understandable if one couldn't remember everything at once.
The reason he was putting on this show of performing useless actions was to make his battle with Hunt appear evenly matched, with both sides showcasing their unique strengths.
"Remember this, the one who kills you is Hunt from Iwagakure, user of Blast Release!" Hunt gathered chakra into his fist and leaped, smashing towards Mu Yue.
Whoosh!
A tremendous explosion reverberated, and the ground was torn apart by the terrifying force of the blast. Dirt and rocks were flung in all directions, and the earth cracked, sending a cloud of yellow dust billowing into the sky, obscuring the scene within from view.
"I hope that person is alright," a Konoha ninja worriedly glanced over.
Such a loud commotion could only be coming from Mu Yue and Hunt's battle on their side of the battlefield.
The yellow dust soon dissipated with the wind, revealing Hunt, covered in dust, and not far from him, Mu Yue, who was completely unharmed.
"Your speed isn't bad. I hope you can dodge all my attacks like that," Hunt shook his fist and eyed Mu Yue with increased seriousness.
Mu Yue merely smiled without saying a word. This was nothing to him; his speed hadn't even peaked yet. After all, he hadn't used the fastest Lightning Release: Breath yet, only the Rock Release: Breath and Shaving techniques.
In fact, Mu Yue could have ended the fight with close-quarters combat, as Hunt's Blast Release, though powerful, could be overwhelmed by Mu Yue's Rock Release: Breath and the Eight Inner Gates.
However, Mu Yue didn't want to expose his overly strong taijutsu capabilities in this battle. He hadn't laid the groundwork for such a display, and showing off extremely powerful taijutsu at this point would seem out of place.
Mu Yue intended to craft a persona as a ninjutsu prodigy, and during this war, he would rely more on ninjutsu to prove his strength.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Mu Yue swiftly formed the required hand seals and spat out a five-meter-tall fireball that hurtled towards Hunt.
Mu Yue could have made the fireball even bigger, but this jutsu usually missed its target, so there wasn't much point in making it larger.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
Instead of dodging, Hunt also formed hand seals and slammed his hand onto the ground. Using his Earth Release chakra to manipulate the earth, he erected a thick wall of earth that blocked the fireball and temporarily obstructed Mu Yue's view of him.
The next moment, Hunt's figure appeared atop the wall of earth. Using the height advantage, he pounced towards Mu Yue with incredible speed.
"Water Release: Water Encampment Wall!"
Mu Yue rapidly formed the necessary hand seals and then spat out a torrent of water that formed a wall, blocking Hunt.
At that moment, a hand quietly extended from the spot where Mu Yue had been standing, moving at incredible speed towards Mu Yue's calf.
However, Mu Yue seemed to sense something and immediately shifted his body, causing the surprise attack to miss.
"What sharp perception," Hunt exclaimed as he swiftly emerged from underground, his brow furrowed slightly as he felt a sense of difficulty in dealing with Mu Yue.
Not only did Mu Yue possess explosive speed, but his perception was also keen, seemingly countering Hunt's every move.
"These ninjas can't be underestimated," Mu Yue thought to himself. "On the surface, they seem reckless, but each one is more cunning than the last."
After using the Earth Flow Wall, Hunt immediately followed up with an Earth Clone Technique. The clone jumped onto the wall of earth, drawing Mu Yue's attention, while Hunt's main body used Earth Release to launch a surprise attack.
This tactic might have worked against others, but Mu Yue's Sharingan beneath his black-rimmed glasses saw through all of Hunt's actions.
"If this is all there is, then I will be the victor of this battle."
As Mu Yue dodged, he swiftly created a shadow clone, and while his main body formed hand seals for a Fire Release jutsu, the shadow clone formed seals for a Wind Release jutsu.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique!" Mu Yue concentrated a large amount of chakra in his throat and rapidly performed a nature transformation, spewing out a massive amount of flames that continued to roar out.
The intense flames blazed fiercely, forming three enormous, ferocious fire dragons.
The appearance of the three massive fire dragons illuminated the surroundings with their dazzling light, and the orange-red flames seemed poised to incinerate everything in their path.
The three gigantic fire dragons rushed towards Hunt at breakneck speed, and at that moment, the Wind Release jutsu of the shadow clone was also completed.
Mu Yue's Wind Release was quite average; it was the kind that would be considered subpar even among Jonin. Aside from suppressing damage, he didn't have much to boast about. However, his Fire Release was exceptional, and he also possessed a well-practiced combination jutsu, giving him a distinct advantage in this situation.
Facing such a formidable Fire Release attack, Hunt was momentarily dazed. The last time he had witnessed such an extravagant display of fire was from Jiraiya, one of the Sannin. The difference was that Jiraiya wasn't his opponent, but Mu Yue was.
Hunt wanted to retreat and evade; it would be unwise to withstand such a high-level Fire Release head-on.
However, as Hunt felt a damp sensation, his expression changed drastically. Behind him was the lingering Water Encampment Wall! Hunt quickly looked around and realized that there weren't many Iwagakure ninjas nearby, but there were plenty of Konoha ninjas.
"Damn, I pursued too deeply," Hunt inwardly cursed his mistake. He had fallen for Mu Yue's strategy to lure the enemy in.
Mu Yue's previous actions of dodging without retaliating weren't because he lacked opportunities to attack, but rather, he was drawing Hunt deeper into enemy territory. Now, Hunt found himself with the Water Encampment Wall behind him and Konoha ninjas on both sides, while in front of him loomed the surging wall of fire, leaving him with no choice but to face it head-on.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
Without hesitation, Hunt quickly formed the required hand seals and executed the Earth Flow Wall technique. It required only three hand seals, making it swift to cast, and he had no other options left.
Boom!
Thick walls of earth rose in front of and beside Hunt, shielding him from the impending inferno.
BOOM!!!
In the instant the earthen walls appeared, the fireball descended, unleashing a massive explosion that sent brilliant flames soaring into the sky. The thousands of ninjas on the battlefield could witness the awe-inspiring might of the blazing inferno.
Both Iwagakure and Konoha ninjas quickly backed away to avoid being engulfed by the terrifying wall of fire.
"I never expected that Jonin Mu Yue to possess such formidable strength. The power of that combination jutsu is truly fearsome," exclaimed a Konoha Jonin who recognized Mu Yue.
Although Mu Yue kept a low profile in Konoha, he had attended several Jonin meetings and was connected to Hokage Hiruzen. While the Hokage wasn't very familiar with Mu Yue, he did have an impression of him.
Due to Mu Yue's position as a special Jonin teacher at the Ninja Academy, the Hokage's first impression was that he might not be very strong. It wasn't out of disrespect, but rather because Mu Yue was a teacher at the Academy and held the rank of a special Jonin.
The combination of these two identities was awkward. If Mu Yue claimed to be strong, no one would believe him. People would question why he was a special Jonin and a teacher at the Ninja Academy if he possessed such strength.
"Damn, I hope Hunt isn't..." An Iwagakure ninja worriedly stared at the spot enveloped by the sea of fire.
The overall power of Konoha and Iwagakure ninjas on the field was relatively balanced. However, the Iwagakure ninjas were determined to protect Hunt from any follow-up attacks, even if it meant putting themselves at risk.
Mu Yue paid no heed to their efforts. His chakra reserves were meager, but only when compared to those at the pinnacle of combat. The combination jutsu he had just used could be cast at least three more times without issue.
As the flames dissipated, a patch of charred earth was revealed. The thick Earth Flow Wall had melted under the intense heat of the fireball, and the Water Encampment Wall that Mu Yue had previously used had been evaporated by the powerful flames. Hunt lay on the ground, appearing to be severely injured and unable to move, his rock clone having already dissipated.
Hunt struggled to get up, barely clinging to consciousness. However, his injuries were too severe, and he couldn't even support himself with his arms.
At that moment, Hunt was grateful that he had chosen the path of Taijutsu and Explosion Release, which had granted him an exceptionally sturdy body. Otherwise, he would have surely perished in the face of such a devastating Fire Release.
After this battle, he vowed never to confront a Fire Release head-on again, even though a regular ninja's fire jutsu was less powerful than his explosive attacks.
Although he still had considerable chakra left, Mu Yue pretended to be out of breath, with sweat dripping from his forehead, portraying the image of someone who had exerted a great deal of energy.
After all, such a powerful jutsu would be considered too strong for a Jonin, and appearing unaffected would raise suspicions.
Mu Yue wanted to give everyone the impression that he was stronger than Hunt, but not overwhelmingly so. He wanted them to believe that he had won through strategy and tactics rather than sheer brute force.
Seeing Mu Yue seemingly exhausted, many Konoha ninjas instinctively moved closer to him to protect him from any potential attacks by Iwagakure ninjas.
A Konoha ninja attempted to finish off Hunt with a jutsu.
Although Hunt appeared to be gravely wounded and on the verge of death, ninjas were known for their resilience, especially those of high caliber. Being able to kill an elite ninja from an enemy village was a significant feat.
Naturally, the Iwagakure ninjas wouldn't stand by and let their comrade be finished off. Several of them quickly formed hand seals and used the Earth Flow Wall technique to shield the incapacitated Hunt from further attacks.
Just as the two sides were about to engage in another round of attacks and defenses centered around Hunt, a loud explosion suddenly rang out, followed by a violent tremor.
BOOM!!!
Everyone heard the deafening blast, and a brilliant flash of light a hundred times more dazzling than Mu Yue's Fire Release illuminated the distant horizon.
"Tailed Beast Ball," Mu Yue muttered, his eyes flickering as he tried to sense the situation on the elite battlefield.
The distance was too great, and his Byakugan could no longer see Jiraiya and his opponents. The range of his sensory jutsu was greater than that of the Byakugan.
(End of Chapter)
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