Chapter 359: Fish That Slipped Through the Net
"You're not the only ones with comrades!"
Killer B roared. His external tentacles suddenly retracted violently, reintegrating into his body.
Eight-Tails' massive form vanished instantly from its position, revealing Killer B's figure—and numerous alliance ninja who'd secretly infiltrated using Gyūki as cover.
Eight-Tails' enormous body served not merely as weapon but as perfect concealment.
Beneath shadows, lethal killing intent had crept to striking range.
"Orochimaru, your enemy is here!"
A bellowed, fully activating Lightning Release Chakra Mode. Lightning flickered across his body as he transformed into violent blue lightning, tearing through air like a descending thunder god, instantly reaching Orochimaru's position.
His speed proved so extreme that his figure penetrated within arm's reach before sound arrived.
Without allowing Orochimaru evasion, A's arm sliced like a guillotine blade past Orochimaru's neck.
The hand-chop passed. Orochimaru's head flew upward wearing a slightly startled expression.
But the next moment, flesh writhed from the headless neck. Like shedding skin, an intact Orochimaru emerged wetly.
"Lord Raikage, we meet again. What a distinctive greeting!"
Orochimaru's serpentine tongue licked his lips, mouth corners bearing that signature chilling cold smile—as though the just-decapitated body was merely an insignificant husk.
"Hmph! I knew you wouldn't die that easily!"
A's expression darkened. Chakra surged throughout his body. His eyes locked onto Orochimaru without the slightest carelessness.
The "Legendary Sannin" title wasn't empty reputation!
While A restrained Orochimaru, other alliance ninja launched surprise attacks.
"Secret Technique: Shadow Possession Jutsu!"
Nara Shikamaru formed hand seals. With chakra surge, broad shadows left by serpents on the ground suddenly came alive, leaping upward and splitting into dozens—hundreds—of pitch-black ropes climbing Konoha ninja legs from bottom upward, binding tightly.
"Wood Release: Nativity of a World of Trees!"
Yamanaka Ino immediately followed, clapping hands together. Earth writhed like giant pythons turning. Thick vines erupted from underground like hungry serpents, precisely coiling around those Konoha ninja temporarily immobilized by shadows.
With Wood Release jutsu's addition, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio's tactical combinations became richer and more powerful.
Binding and strangulation arrived consecutively with seamless coordination, intending to decisively win while those Konoha ninja remained restrained.
Former Konoha Village's signature jutsu now served as enemies' trump cards—quite ironic.
But the next instant, a crisp finger-snap rang out—like death knocking at the door.
"Snap!"
Nara Shikamaru and Yamanaka Ino's hearts suddenly ached—as though something detonated internally.
"Pff!"
Both bodies stiffened violently, simultaneously spurting mouthfuls of fresh blood.
The chakra circulation supporting their jutsu was violently interrupted and drained. Shadow Possession's black tendrils instantly softened and dissipated. Wood Release vines emerging from earth lost vitality, drooping powerlessly.
Both clutched their chests, staggering backward before collapsing heavily. They felt like punctured water buckets—all strength and life force flowing out through chest wounds.
They had absolutely no idea that the Wood Release cells granting them powerful abilities had always been remotely detonated bombs.
The grantor was also the sole detonator.
During Konoha Village's previous dissolution, all Wood Release users who resisted the enlightened had been secretly eliminated by Yasushi's planted traps.
Everything occurred silently. No one could detect it.
Even if someone witnessed those Wood Release ninja mysteriously dying on battlefields, they'd assume the enlightened monsters possessed unknown unique killing methods—never suspecting the Wood Release cells themselves.
But Ino-Shika-Cho had fled too quickly, never resisting, becoming fish that slipped through the net—surviving by fortune until now.
Yet karmic cycles turned. Now Ino-Shika-Cho appeared before Yasushi as enemies again. Yasushi could only reluctantly consume these small fish who'd delivered themselves.
"Shikamaru, Ino..."
Akimichi Chōza had been concentrating on defensive protection before them. Hearing sounds behind, he turned in shock, rushing forward to pour medicine into their mouths.
But spurting blood flushed the medicine out. He couldn't feed them.
Shikamaru grasped Chōza's hand, gaze beginning to scatter.
With Shikamaru's intelligence, he quickly realized the problem's source. But saying anything now was too late.
They'd survived by avoiding battle, yet faced delayed "cleanup" by standing opposite again.
If they hadn't betrayed Konoha Village, they'd have died under the enlightened then—never surviving until now.
But betraying Konoha Village inevitably meant dying under Wood Release traps planted within their bodies.
A pure death trap!
Unsolvable!
The clan had calculated so much, yet now he finally understood—before Uchiha Yasushi, all calculations proved useless.
Perhaps opposing Uchiha Yasushi had predetermined this outcome from the start!
How incredibly ironic!
The clan... may have truly erred...
Carrying such regret, Shikamaru's consciousness completely submerged into darkness.
"Shikamaru, Ino..."
Comrades' deaths broke Akimichi Chōza's heart. But currently he couldn't grieve—enemies had already reached his back, attacking him.
Without Shadow Possession and Wood Release binding, the shinobi alliance's entire tactical formation immediately collapsed.
Those freed Konoha ninja immediately jabbed tube ends against themselves, pressing another button.
"Whoosh!" The Eight-Tails chakra previously absorbed into storage containers immediately reversed flow, injecting into these Konoha ninja bodies.
Red light flared from their lower abdomens. As tailed beast chakra injected, sealing formations hidden beneath clothing immediately activated, clothing these people in Eight-Tails chakra cloaks.
They'd all become "Eight-Tails Pseudo-Jinchūriki."
Suddenly immense power made these former Otogakure ninja laugh maniacally.
"Hahahaha... This is jinchūriki sensation?!"
"Incredibly powerful!"
"We're invincible now!"
The group roared frantically, unleashing their strongest jutsu without stinting chakra expenditure.