https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-39-A-Jutsu-Rivaling-S-Rank-Forbidden-Techniques-Sunset-/12832029/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-41-Solo-Against-a-High-Ranked-Ninja-/12832033/
Chapter 40: The True Killing Move!
Chapter 40: The True Killing Move!
"I didn't expect to run into you all on my first try!"
The voice from the treetops made both Team Three and Makki's squad stop in their tracks.
It was the Earth Hidden Village's Kodo Squad! They seemed to have been drawn by the commotion here.
Ordinary battles wouldn't cause such a ruckus.
But with ninja techniques and explosive tags being used, the noise was considerable.
The most outrageous was the move Taichi performed just before his summoning ended—a technique nearly on par with S-rank forbidden jutsu.
Sunset!
Its power and impact were immense; anyone who wasn't blind would have come to investigate.
Thus, the three teams now faced off against each other.
No one dared to back down easily.
If any team pulled out, the remaining two might gang up on them.
Everyone understood that leaving first was the best option.
But the cameras surrounding them made it hard to suggest such a move.
"I think we should deal with the hunters first, don't you?"
Dohei finally spoke up.
Though he preferred to stay low, he knew that if he didn't step forward now, his life might be in danger.
He was forced into this situation.
Makki fell into deep thought, considering the proposal.
However, Kodo, who had already secured the token and was feeling confident, outright rejected it.
"They're just a bunch of rats. Let's show the shinobi world who the true geniuses are first!"
For him, this opportunity to face Makki and Kakashi was too rare to pass up.
If he missed it, who knew when he'd get another chance?
The third round of the exams was individual battles, and they might not meet again.
If he missed this, even if he won in the end, his victory would lack the necessary clout.
The Earth Hidden Village desperately needed a "genius."
Kodo wasn't being irrational; in fact, his decision was quite wise.
He knew the risks but was willing to take them for the village.
"Earth Style: Forest of Spears!"
After refusing the proposal, Kodo immediately launched a jutsu attack.
Thud, thud!
Spears of stone shot up from the ground. If the two teams hadn't reacted quickly, they might have been skewered.
The battle began!
Kakashi and Makki couldn't ignore such a direct provocation.
They had no choice but to engage.
Complicating matters, the hunters mixed among the exam participants would surely arrive soon.
It was a mess.
While the others might not know, Dohei was genuinely frustrated. If it weren't for the situation, he would have fled long ago.
"You guys..."
Suddenly, two genin charged into the battlefield, heading straight for where the three great shinobi villages' prodigies were fighting.
"Be careful!"
Dohei sensed something was off and shouted a warning.
It was too out of place.
If they were the hunter genin, they would have hidden in the shadows, looking for an opportunity to ambush. Charging in like this was suicide.
They couldn't be that stupid, so there had to be something wrong.
Kakashi, hearing the warning, began to pay attention to the two and avoided engaging them during the battle.
"Don't get in the way!"
Kodo, on the other hand, took the initiative to attack.
He was in a good mood, having taken the upper hand in the fight and proving himself stronger than Kakashi and Makki. He was annoyed by the interruption.
But as soon as he engaged them, he realized something was amiss.
Bang, bang!
The transformation jutsu of the two genin from the small village was dispelled, revealing their true forms.
They were two adult shinobi, one wearing a Konoha forehead protector and the other a Sand Village forehead protector.
At the center of the Forest of Death, atop the tall tower:
"...!"
Seeing the two adult shinobi on the surveillance screen, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened.
This was undoubtedly a major blunder by Konoha.
If they were hunters hidden among the exam participants, it wouldn't be considered a mistake, as the three great shinobi villages had tacitly allowed them to enter.
But these two adult shinobi definitely weren't among the exam participants.
And of course, this was Konoha's fault.
However, with two Kage sitting nearby, he couldn't afford to lose his composure and had to delegate the matter to others.
"Anbu, capture those intruders immediately!"
Mizuki Monzen, seated not far away, gave the order to the Anbu without hesitation.
The advisor elders had authority over the Anbu, and it wasn't just Konoha that operated this way. The other two major ninja villages had also issued similar commands in secret.
However, the three Kage maintained an outward appearance of calm, as if everything was under control. In reality, they were in a panic because the genin in the exam were the future of their villages.
If it weren't for the presence of the nobles and wealthy merchants, they would have taken action themselves.
Anbu and examiners rushed to the battle site like mad from all directions.
On the other side!
"Run!"
Kodo, upon seeing two adult ninjas, immediately sensed something was wrong and loudly warned his teammates.
However, his teammates, instead of fleeing, charged forward.
They all knew that Kodo was the future of the village. Iwagakure could do without them, but not without him.
Kodo performed a few backflips to gain some distance, and as he landed, he quickly formed the hand seals and slapped the ground.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
With a light command, the C-rank version of the B-rank "Earth Flow Wall" jutsu was cast.
Boom!
The ground rumbled, and a wall of stone several meters high and dozens of meters long rose rapidly, separating the two sides.
If the opponents tried to bypass the wall from the air or sides, it would give Kodo a chance to counterattack or escape.
Unfortunately, the two jonin disguised with the Transformation Jutsu wouldn't give him that opportunity.
"Lightning Style: False Darkness!"
The ninja with the Konoha headband rapidly formed the hand seals and cast the B-rank Lightning Style jutsu.
While B-rank and C-rank jutsu seemed to differ by only one rank, their power was vastly different. Additionally, Earth Style jutsu were naturally weak against Lightning Style.
Zap!
The sound of electricity crackled as several finger-thick lightning whips sliced through the earth wall with ease, like cutting through butter.
B-rank jutsu involved advanced techniques like "nature transformation," which were far beyond the capabilities of chunin and genin.
Of course, this also meant a significant increase in jutsu power.
Now, do you understand how terrifying it would be for a future chunin like Sasuke to use A-rank jutsu during the exam?
His talent was truly remarkable.
But in the ninja world, what mattered were bloodline and special abilities.
Naruto, with his Uzumaki bloodline and the "Nine-Tails" as his ultimate cheat, was naturally ahead of Sasuke, who felt so oppressed that he eventually left to join Orochimaru.
After the jutsu ended, a gasp of shock came from behind the earth wall.
"Captain!"
Kodo, unconscious, was being shielded by his two teammates. A deep, charred wound on his chest clearly showed the effects of the Lightning Style jutsu.
Note that a ninja's body, enhanced by chakra, had strong resistance to jutsu and blunt force.
That's why Kodo survived. A normal person would have been cut in half, not just injured.
Jonin!
Their combat power was far beyond what genin and chunin could handle.
"Retreat!"
Dohei, seeing Kodo's condition, immediately led his two teammates to flee.
Maki's team made the same choice.
The two adult jonin hesitated for a moment, then one of them pursued the fleeing team after glancing at the nearly lifeless Kodo.
They wanted them all!
It seemed the intruders intended to eliminate the prodigies of the three major ninja villages.
And it didn't stop there.
The surveillance screens in the tower went dark, and several areas in the Forest of Death were dug up, with severed wires indicating the cause of the blackout.
It was clear that the intruders had planned this operation meticulously.
The true hunt had begun.
(End of Chapter)
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