Uchiha Style · Sword Jumping Flame
"Ninja Art: Ya Tong Ya!"
The figures of Inuzuka and Tetsumaru turned into a white whirlwind as they rushed away from the two Amegakure ninjas in front of them. Ming Jing followed closely behind, swiftly drawing his wakizashi and cutting off two heads in a single fluid motion.
Other Amegakure ninjas nearby attempted to sneak attack, but they were intercepted by Nami's bugs, who swarmed them before being swiftly killed by Ming Jing's sword.
Although the three of them were only Genin, their talents were exceptional. They came from prestigious clans, each possessing strong ninjutsu abilities. They also benefited from the guidance of Jounin mentors within their clans, along with the expertise of a top powerhouse like Kato Dan. In terms of head-to-head combat, they were already formidable, and their teamwork was highly synchronized.
Amegakure, however, was a small ninja village. Aside from Hanzo, a figure who could compete with the Five Kage, it had no notable strengths in other areas. Many of Amegakure's Genin would struggle to even graduate from Konoha's academy. Despite similar ranks, Amegakure's ninjas were no match for the superior skills of the Konoha Genin.
Given all this, it was unsurprising that they were able to overpower their opponents.
However, their impressive performance naturally attracted more attention from the enemy. Soon, two Chuunin arrived.
"The Art of Ninja: Thousand Dew Drops!"
An oil umbrella flew through the air, releasing a rain of thousands of senbon that rained down upon them.
Ming Jing was about to rely on the enhanced dynamic vision granted by his Sharingan to deflect the senbon with his wakizashi, but just as he was about to act, Nami's voice rang out in his ears.
"Secret Technique · Insect Wall!"
Black bugs surged into the air, forming two large shields that blocked the oncoming senbon.
"That was close," Inuzuka Ryo exhaled in relief. "The sneak attack was incredibly subtle. Ming Jing was fine, but without Nami's assistance, even he would've been hit by several of those senbon."
"Wait... something's wrong," Inuzuka suddenly looked startled, his nose twitching. "What I'm seeing isn't matching what I'm sensing."
He quickly formed hand seals, attempting to break the illusion.
But the one to act first was Ming Jing.
"Who gave you the courage to use Genjutsu in front of an Uchiha with a Sharingan!" Ming Jing shouted, his short sword slashing at the tall Amegakure Chuunin.
"Uchiha Style: Sword Jumping Wind!"
The Amegakure Chuunin, however, was not a rookie like the previous Genin.
"Water Release: Water Whip!"
A whip of water, formed from chakra, blocked Ming Jing's blade, its excellent toughness rendering it nearly impossible to cut through.
Ming Jing immediately pulled back and attacked again, this time aiming for the Amegakure Chuunin's neck.
The Amegakure Chuunin stepped back, narrowly avoiding Ming Jing's sword, his expression tense.
[A flaw!]
This was the first thought that flashed through Ming Jing's mind as his Sharingan picked up the slight opening in his opponent's defense.
Seizing the opportunity, Ming Jing relentlessly attacked, his sword strikes swift and precise, forcing the Amegakure Chuunin to retreat further.
But the adult Chuunin's physical condition was far superior to Ming Jing's. In close combat, this gave him a significant advantage, allowing him to recover from Ming Jing's assaults and fight back with increasing force.
Ming Jing dodged several kunai spat out by the Amegakure Chuunin, which were aimed at his eyes, but knowing he was losing ground, he retreated to reassess the situation.
"Hey, kid, are you running out of energy? What can an Uchiha do? You'll die by my hands in the end!" The Amegakure Chuunin taunted, his cruel smile hidden behind his gas mask.
Ming Jing gave a small smirk, unfazed. "Ah, this is just to create some distance for my next technique."
He quickly formed a series of hand seals.
The Genjutsu he was about to use was the most advanced and powerful one he had mastered thus far. Though he possessed a Sharingan, it was only a single Tomoe, and his chakra reserves were still growing. To execute this Genjutsu, he needed to use hand seals to supplement the technique.
"Genjutsu: Bubble."
The moment the Amegakure Chuunin struck with his water whip, Ming Jing transformed into a flock of crows, scattering in all directions.
"Genjutsu: Release… Damn it!"
The Amegakure Chuunin was momentarily stunned as he attempted to break the Genjutsu, but it was already too late.
From the midst of the crows, countless shuriken rained down upon him, forcing him to block with his water technique.
But as he did so, the crows descended upon him like a storm, and Ming Jing leaped from their midst. The Mangekyo Sharingan spun rapidly in his eyes, locking onto the Chuunin's every movement.
"Uchiha Style: Sword Jumping Flame!"
A massive, blazing sword energy shot out from Ming Jing's wakizashi, arcing towards the Amegakure Chuunin.
The Sword Jumping Flame was one of the most powerful techniques in Uchiha swordsmanship. Despite Ming Jing's current level, it still required preparation, which was why he had used the illusion to cover his movements.
"Damn it!" The Amegakure Chuunin cursed as the sword energy tore through his water whip and evaporated the water. Unable to stop the attack, he could only watch as the sword energy slashed through his body, cutting him in half.
Ming Jing exhaled in relief, watching the carbonized remains before him. He quickly turned and rushed toward Inuzuka Ryo and Aburame Nami's battlefield.
---
Ten minutes later...
"Secret Technique: Bug Ball!"
The Amegakure Chuunin who had earlier attempted a sneak attack with Thousand Dew Drops had already been injured by Inuzuka Ryo's Ya Tong Ya and lost one arm to Ming Jing's sword. His combat capabilities were severely reduced, and finally, he succumbed to the swarming bugs of Aburame Nami.
After dealing with the Amegakure Chuunin, Ming Jing glanced over the entire battlefield. Shirogane Tokinobu was still locked in a fierce battle with the Amegakure Jonin. The other Konoha ninjas, having the advantage of superior preparation and physical capabilities, had successfully stabilized the situation and were slowly gaining the upper hand.