"How many people?"
Shinichi didn't even look up, continuing to sew.
"Around thirty people."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a squad of Konoha ninja, numbering around fifty, suddenly emerged from behind a pile of rubble not far ahead. They clashed head-on with the Sunagakure squad, and the two sides instantly engaged in a fierce battle, with shouts and the clash of weapons blending together.
Shinichi still didn't look up.
"Ignore them, trust your companions."
The young Medical Ninjas exchanged glances, swallowed hard, and then lowered their heads to continue their work.
Hizashi Hyuga stood beside Shinichi, his Byakugan constantly scanning the surroundings.
The battlefield was chaotic.
Everywhere, figures fought, sparks flew, and dust rose everywhere.
There are too many people.
Although Byakugan can see through everything, a person's attention is ultimately limited, and he dared not relax even for a moment.
The thirty-man Sunagakure squad has been stopped.
It's safe for now.
Hizashi Hyuga regained his composure and focused his attention elsewhere.
Just then, Shinichi's voice suddenly rang out.
"Senior Hizashi, have you noticed anything?"
Um?
Just as Hizashi Hyuga was about to say something, Shinichi suddenly stood up, a crimson flame instantly condensing at his fingertip, and he uttered a soft shout: "Everyone, stand behind me!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than a dozen orange fireballs tore through the air and hurtled towards him from the front!
Those fireballs weren't large, but they carried terrifyingly high temperatures, distorting the air wherever they passed. Even more frightening was their speed; they were so fast that their trajectories were almost invisible.
But at the same time, a massive, overwhelming wave of fire suddenly surged up, its crimson waves crashing head-on into the dozen or so orange fireballs.
Boom!!!
The two flames collided violently in mid-air, bursting forth with dazzling light and scorching heat waves. Multiple orange fireballs were engulfed and dissipated in the crimson waves.
But three of them, reduced in size and dimmed slightly, pierced through the obstruction and continued shooting toward Shinichi!
Veins bulged around Hizashi's eyes as he thrust his right hand forward!
"Eight Trigrams Air Palm!"
Bang!!!
An invisible chakra shockwave shot out from his palm, striking the three fireballs precisely. The orange flames exploded in the air, turning into countless sparks that scattered everywhere.
Hizashi withdrew his hand and guard in front of Shinichi. His Byakugan locked tightly onto the direction from which the fireballs had come, and saw... a figure moving too fast!
So fast that the trajectory of the chakra flashed by almost instantly in his vision.
"Someone's coming so fast! Watch out!"
Hizashi Hyuga spoke loudly, his body instinctively moving closer to Shinichi.
Just as his words left his mouth, at that moment, a massive wind blade, accompanied by a piercing howl that tore through the air, descended from above without warning!
That wind blade was over ten meters long, as solid as a real blade, carrying the force to cut through everything as it slashed directly toward the area where Shinichi and Hizashi stood!
"Scatter!"
Shinichi shouted in a low voice, and he and Hizashi dashed to opposite sides simultaneously.
Boom!!!
The wind blade struck where they had just been standing, carving a deep trench into the hard ground.
Debris flew, and dust filled the air.
Even more fatal, this wind blade completely separated Shinichi and Hizashi Hyuga.
Before the dust had settled, several more wind blades whistled through the air, precisely slashing at the path where the two might meet, effectively separating them on opposite sides of the battlefield.
"Senior Hizashi! Protect them!"
Shinichi's voice came from within the swirling dust.
Whoosh!
A figure as fast as lightning shot out from the dust!
"Be careful, Shinichi!"
Hizashi shouted loudly to remind him.
The figure was so fast that even Hizashi's Byakugan could barely make out its outline; he could only barely catch a glimpse of an orange afterimage and a sharp, cold light tearing through the air!
Shinichi's gaze sharpened, and his right hand instantly pressed against the hilt of his sword at his waist. His entire body was like a taut bowstring, ready to strike the moment his opponent closed in!
Clang!!!
A gleaming blade flashed, tearing through the smoke and dust!
The blades clashed together without any fancy moves, erupting in dazzling sparks and a sharp metallic clang!
The figure, moving as fast as lightning, suddenly stopped, retreated a distance, and finally revealed its true form.
Orange eyes, dyed hair, tall figure, and a young, cold face.
It's Pakura!
…..
A hint of surprise flashed in Pakura's eyes. The katana in her hand trembled slightly from the slash, and a numb sensation spread through the web of her hand.
'This kid has incredible strength!'
A thought flashed through Pakura's mind, but her reaction was swift. Using the force of the rebound from the blocked attack, she twisted her body strangely in mid-air and forcefully changed direction to the left!
At the same moment, chakra burst beneath Shinichi's feet. The ground cracked with a snap, and his entire body shot forward like a cannonball, blade in hand, rapidly giving chase!
However, just as Shinichi was about to close in, Pakura's figure suddenly blurred, as if merging into the air, and disappeared from the spot!
The next moment, a chilling killing intent suddenly surged from Shinichi's back!
Pakura appeared three feet behind him like a ghost, her katana gleaming silently, aiming straight for Shinichi's back!
This sword strike was swift, precise, and ruthless! Its speed had reached the extreme!
Shinichi seemed oblivious to the katana about to pierce him, and with a backhand slash, the blade aimed directly at Pakura's neck, covering a much wider area!
'A life for a life! This kid is ruthless!'
Pakura's eyes flickered slightly, and the katana she thrust out abruptly stopped in mid-air. She then withdrew and retreated, her figure disappearing from the spot as if it had merged into the air.
Shinichi's backhand slash only struck the afterimage.
Pakura's figure reappeared three meters away, but just as she had stabilized, a piercing sound, like a thousand birds chirping at once, exploded!
The katana in Shinichi's hand suddenly erupted with dazzling lightning. Lightning nature chakra surged wildly into the blade, arcs of electricity crackling and flowing along the edge, turning the entire weapon into a blade of lightning!
Lightning Style: Chidori Blade!
Stimulated by the lightning nature chakra, Shinichi's speed surged once more, transforming him into a streak of blue-white lightning as he chased straight after the retreating Pakura!
'Lightning Style!? Isn't this kid known for his Fire Style Jutsus?'
A flash of surprise crossed Pakura's mind, but her reaction was swift. She twirled her katana, and azure wind-nature chakra suddenly appeared on the blade, forming a thin, yet extremely sharp, wind blade.
Her Kekkei Genkai, Scorch Style, was originally the fusion of wind and fire chakra natures. However, it was not inherited through Kekkei Genkai but created through her repeated exploration and countless attempts.
This also means that she possesses a profound understanding and control over the changing properties of both wind and fire natures, a level of understanding that is difficult for ordinary people to achieve.