With the battle plan finalized, Team 3 immediately feigned ignorance and continued along their original route.
As they approached the enemy's trap, Might Guy suddenly launched himself like an arrow from a bow. Charging directly at the nearest hidden Stone Ninja, he roared as he unleashed a kick: "Leaf Hurricane!"
BOOM!
The violent strike shattered the massive boulder instantly!
The hidden enemy behind it was sent flying, rolling several times across the ground before vanishing with a poof, replaced by a log.
Substitution Jutsu!
Drawing on his vast combat experience, this Konoha Taijutsu master, who usually seemed like a bit of a clown, locked onto his opponent immediately and charged forward to engage them in a fierce melee.
On the other side, Rock Lee and Neji intercepted a female ninja who appeared relatively easier to deal with. Before she could react, they launched a relentless Taijutsu assault, forcing her to retreat and dodge continuously. She couldn't find a single opening to weave hand signs for Ninjutsu.
At this moment, the proactive advantage of having a sensory ninja before the battle started was demonstrated to its fullest.
Seeing that everything was proceeding exactly as he had predicted, Allen finally turned his gaze toward the middle-aged man remaining on the field. A playful expression crossed his face. "You're a Jonin, aren't you?"
"Hah! That's right, Konoha brat! You've got guts, I'll give you that, daring to face me alone! Tell me, have you decided how you want to die?"
The middle-aged man suddenly released a staggering amount of killing intent, attempting to shatter the boy's will and find an opening for an instant kill. This was a standard tactic for Jonin when dealing with Genin. For young Genin born in an era of peace who had never experienced the cruelty of war, the sheer pressure of killing intent often yielded unexpected results.
Unfortunately for him, he had no idea that back in the world of Hunter x Hunter, Allen was already a veteran of ten thousand slaughters. Forget this meager pressure, even if Madara, the "Shinobi of the Legend," were here, he wouldn't necessarily have more blood on his hands than Allen.
"Die? It seems you haven't grasped the situation yet, old man," Allen sneered, releasing his own killing intent.
Instantly!
A violent, savage aura swallowed the once-confident Stone Ninja. He felt as if he had plunged into a sea of corpses and blood; even breathing became difficult.
"This density of killing intent! How... how can a mere brat possess this?!" The Stone Ninja's eyes flickered with unconcealed horror.
"Heh, now, do your best to please me with all your strength."
With that, Allen vanished from his spot using Body Flicker Jutsu, reappearing instantly behind his opponent. He swung a fist downward with crushing force.
BANG!
Though the Jonin reacted swiftly, crossing his arms to block with his bracers, the Chakra infused in Allen's fist released a terrifying destructive force. It knocked him back over ten meters until he slammed into a rock to steady himself.
Had the Jonin not possessed a massive Chakra reserve and a body far sturdier than an average person, that single strike would have shattered his bones. One must remember that the Konoha Strong Fist style doesn't rely on pure muscle alone; it involves circulating Chakra at high speeds within the body to enhance speed, reflex, and power, then releasing it violently upon impact.
Damn it! What a terrifying brat! He seems to be a Taijutsu specialist. I'd better keep my distance and use Ninjutsu!
The Stone Ninja quickly made what he thought was the right tactical decision. His hands moved at a blurring speed, completing a set of signs.
"Earth Release: Mountain Jutsu!"
With a low roar, two massive semicircular boulders erupted from the ground on either side of Allen, slamming together at high speed. He intended to crush his opponent into a meat pie.
"Oh? Starting with a B-rank Ninjutsu? Pity, this technique is useless against me."
Allen easily dashed through the gap between the closing semicircles before they could shut.
"Earth Release: Earth and Stone Dragon!"
The Stone Ninja had anticipated this. He unleashed another high-level Ninjutsu, shaping his Chakra into an intimidating dragon that lunged straight ahead. His strategy was sound: use the Mountain Jutsu to lock down lateral movement, ensuring the opponent had to take the Earth and Stone Dragon head-on.
Realizing this, Allen praised him with a smile. "Nice tactics! It seems Jonin really do have something to brag about. At least this is enough to pose a threat to me."
"Die, arrogant brat!" the Stone Ninja shouted, his voice thick with rage as he manipulated the earthen dragon.
"Sorry, but this Jutsu is nowhere near enough to kill me. Lightning Release: False Darkness!"
Allen suddenly raised his right hand. A massive amount of Chakra converted into electricity in his palm, which he released in one violent burst. He had modified the technique, releasing the lightning from his hand rather than his mouth.
In less than a second, the blinding white bolt pierced through the Earth and Stone Dragon. Furthermore, the residual lightning continued its path toward the opponent.
Lightning trumps Earth!
Under the laws of elemental affinity, the imposing earthen dragon disintegrated instantly, turning into a pile of meaningless mud and stones.
"Not good! Earth Release: Earth Spear!"
A Jonin is a Jonin for a reason. He completed his hand signs with incredible speed, hardening his arms into a terrifying black state, barely blocking the strike.
"Earth Spear? Not a bad Jutsu. It seems you are an Earth Release specialist," Allen evaluated, stroking his chin.
In just a few exchanges, this middle-aged man had used two B-rank and one A-rank Ninjutsu. Even among Jonin, he was a formidable one. Most importantly, his sign-weaving speed was exceptional, the result of long-term practice turning it into muscle memory.
"Who exactly are you? A genius like you should be famous even in Konoha," the Stone Ninja squinted, testing him cautiously.
"Please! This isn't a time of war; where would I get a chance to make a name for myself? Besides, haven't you heard? The Genin of Konoha are the most terrifying creatures in the entire Shinobi world."
As he spoke, Allen slowly drew the short sword Tenten had gifted him. Next, he wanted to test the swordsmanship he had recently learned. After all, a good opponent was hard to find! This Jonin was far superior to those Grass Ninjas; he was perfect for testing which Ninjutsu suited him and which needed modification.
The world would soon enter a pivotal year, the 48th year of Konoha. That was the time when Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha would leave the Academy and the main story would begin. Allen had no intention of missing out on the coming spectacle, and he needed to ensure he secured several important items, including the Scroll of Seals.