In the damp gaps of the tree hollow, the torrential rain roared past like flames dancing in the wind.
Instantly, countless red signal flares streaked across the sky, exploding with dazzling light.
Tatsumi frowned. He wasn't surprised to see Iwa ninjas appear before him. After all, in recent days, Iwa had been organizing attacks on the camp.
However, within these signal flares, he could distinguish at least three different types.
Which meant the attacking enemies weren't just Iwa ninjas?!
Tatsumi hesitated for a moment.
This was a situation he had never encountered before. The four forces in the Land of Rain were constantly engaged in chaotic battles.
Could it be that Iwa had joined forces with someone?
Tatsumi raised his head, casting his gaze toward the distant horizon.
If it were peacetime, he would have taken a moment to appreciate the beautiful scenery before him. But slaughter was destined to stain this land red.
What a pity... such a gorgeous and colorful fireworks display. A strange thought suddenly flashed through Tatsumi's mind.
At that moment, six Iwa ninjas were rapidly approaching from the forest. Among them were one Jonin, two Chunin, and three Genin.
Their numbers weren't large, and it seemed they intended to set up camp here. In an instant, Tatsumi determined their mission—headhunters.
The main force of Iwa ninjas was attacking the Konoha base. These ninjas were positioned on the periphery, tasked with eliminating any Konoha ninjas attempting to escape.
But all of that was irrelevant. The priority now was to eliminate the enemies before him, break through their defenses, and get Mikoto, Nawaki, and Shikaku to safety.
The further away from the Konoha base, the safer they would be. Even Jonin weren't safe on the main battlefield, let alone a few Genin.
So, it was better to hunker down, survive, and avenge the ninjas who were about to become martyrs!
Tatsumi made up his mind. With a Body Flicker Technique, he left his hiding place and lunged at the Jonin leading the group.
He had to end the battle quickly. There were likely many similar enemy teams nearby. If he got entangled, he would be surrounded.
Once surrounded, to put it bluntly, Nawaki and Shikaku would only be a hindrance.
The rain soaked Tatsumi's trench coat as his speed exploded in an instant. At the same time, the lightning in his hand illuminated the dim surroundings.
His pupils shifted from pure black to scarlet, tomoe spinning within them.
With the acceleration of Lightning Release, his speed increased to another level. Leaving afterimages in his wake, he instantly appeared beside the leading Iwa ninja.
Tatsumi's bold attack had long caught the enemy's attention.
However, the Iwa ninja didn't expect a Konoha Chunin to be this fast.
Just a moment ago, that brat was still far away. But in the blink of an eye, he was right in front of him. The Lightning Release in his hand was aimed directly at his face.
If that attack landed, disfigurement would be the least of his worries—he might lose his life. What kind of grudge did this brat have to be so ruthless?!
In desperation, the Jonin slashed his long sword toward Tatsumi's right hand.
But it was as if Tatsumi had foreseen it in advance. Twisting his body, he redirected his attack toward the Chunin behind him instead.
The Jonin turned his head, only to witness a horrifying scene.
The two Chunin stood motionless, their eyes dull—clearly trapped in a genjutsu. Then, as if following a command, they simultaneously raised their kunai and stabbed each other in the abdomen.
It was a hypnotic directive planted by Tatsumi. He had manipulated them into attacking those nearby. Then, the two Chunin picked up their kunai again and stabbed each other once more.
Tatsumi's Sharingan made his genjutsu even more eerie.
The remaining Genin panicked, quickly taking out shuriken and hurling them at Tatsumi.
"Human Bullet Tank!" Choza's voice rang out.
A massive body spun through the air like a wheel, knocking away the incoming shuriken.
Swish! Swish!
Mikoto, Nawaki, and Shikaku appeared beside Tatsumi.
"Are you okay, Tatsumi?" Mikoto asked.
Tatsumi shook his head, his gaze locked onto the Iwa Jonin.
"The war has begun. Let's take them down first," Tatsumi said.
Mikoto nodded, the Sharingan instantly appearing in her eyes.
"No problem! I've been wanting a real fight for a long time!" Nawaki said excitedly.
"Hey, don't get too excited. The opponent is a Jonin," Shikaku cautioned. "Tatsumi, are you sure we can take him down?"
Unlike Tatsumi, who had experienced countless life-and-death trials, Shikaku and the others were still relatively inexperienced. In the end, they were just ten-year-old children who had mostly faced bandits or Genin.
Now, facing a Jonin, hesitation was inevitable.
It was clear that Tatsumi, Mikoto, and Nawaki had already surpassed their peers.
"No problem. I'll leave the rest to you." Tatsumi rushed forward.
As the Jonin saw Tatsumi charging, it felt as if the god of death was smiling at him, filling him with an overwhelming sense of danger.
"You're courting death, brat!" he roared, forming hand seals with both hands.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears!"
Sharp rocks burst from the ground, rushing toward Tatsumi.
Tatsumi didn't falter. He punched forward, shattering the sharp earth spears. Then, using his high-speed movement, he grabbed a massive earth shard and hurled it at the Jonin.
Seeing Tatsumi's reckless combat style, the Jonin's eye twitched. He leaped up, dodging the stone pillar.
The Jonin swung the katana in his hand, aiming for Tatsumi's head as he descended. But Tatsumi blocked the attack with a kunai in his right hand.
At the same time, he formed a one-handed seal with his left hand, chakra gathering in his throat.
This is...?!
The Iwa ninja's face twisted in horror. He wanted to use Body Flicker to escape from the brat, but his legs wouldn't move.
Then, veins bulged across his face and arms, but no matter how much he struggled, his feet remained frozen in place.
When did he fall into a genjutsu?!
It was too late.
Tatsumi took a deep breath, then exhaled a massive fireball at the Jonin's face.
At that moment, the only thought in the Iwa ninja's mind was to perish together with the brat.
Instantly, the explosive tags in his ninja pouch ignited with a tearing sound.
"Boom!"
A violent explosion erupted, smoke and debris filling the air, obscuring everyone's vision.
All movement ceased as everyone stared at the billowing smoke.
Then, footsteps echoed through the silence as Tatsumi's figure slowly emerged from the thick fog.
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