"This… what kind of ninjutsu is this?" one of the assassins spoke with difficulty, a trace of trembling in his voice.
He had never experienced such a strange ability before, as if an invisible force bound his body, leaving him completely immobile.
No, it wasn't just his body that was frozen—the space around them seemed to solidify, as if they were trapped in a swamp of mud. The more they struggled, the deeper they sank.
This sense of helplessness filled them with unprecedented despair.
Hinata didn't answer their questions. She merely looked at them calmly, a hint of coldness in her eyes, and took a gentle step forward, causing the ground beneath her to tremble slightly.
Then her figure flickered like a phantom, instantly appearing in front of them.
This wasn't a body flicker technique—it was more like space manipulation, as if she could move freely through the gaps in space itself.
She raised her hand lightly, and a terrifying force, wrapped in chakra, surged out like a wild storm, crashing into the assassins.
"Bang!"
The four assassins' bodies were thrown like broken kites, hitting the ground heavily, completely losing their ability to fight.
"Pfft~~"
They all spat blood at the same time, their eyes filled with sheer terror.
Although they had escaped the feeling of being bound, the earlier attack had already stripped them of any power to resist.
"Y-you… what kind of ninjutsu did you use? Why couldn't we move?" one of them asked with difficulty, fear clear in his voice.
"You don't need to know," Hinata replied, her deep blue eyes shining with a profound light, her tone tinged with superior coldness. "Tell me, who sent you to attack us?"
At this moment, Hinata looked completely serious.
This was the mission Genya had entrusted to her, and she was determined to complete it perfectly.
Standing nearby, Genya watched Hinata's movements. The corner of his mouth curled slightly, a satisfied smile forming as he murmured under his breath, "So it really is a space-type ability…"
Genya narrowed his eyes, thinking to himself.
When Hinata had used her ability, the space around them seemed to freeze completely.
He could sense that even if he used the Flying Thunder God Technique, he wouldn't easily break through this frozen space.
However, it seemed that Hinata's power wasn't yet strong enough to fully control him.
"It seems my Space Ninjutsu is still at a basic level." Genya muttered softly, his voice calm. "Compared to the abilities granted by the Kekkei Genkai, Flying Thunder God Jutsu is still lacking."
Although he felt some emotion inside, Genya showed no outward reaction.
He stepped toward Hinata. With each step he took, the jagged chains wrapped around his body shattered piece by piece, eventually falling away completely.
"They still won't talk?" Genya glanced at the assassins and asked calmly.
"They won't say who sent them, nor will they reveal their target." Hinata shook her head, her tone carrying a hint of helplessness.
The four assassins, though severely injured, gritted their teeth and refused to speak.
One of them sneered and spoke with difficulty, "We took money, did the dirty work, we accept it. If you can, just kill us. Haha, someone will avenge us!"
After saying that, the four closed their eyes, showing an expression of facing death without fear.
Genya looked at them, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
He spoke slowly, his calm voice carrying a subtle pressure, "Were you sent by Gatō of the Land of Waves? Your target is the old man Tazuna, right?"
"Uh?"
The four assassins showed a flash of shock at Genya's words, but quickly regained their composure.
They lowered their heads and remained silent.
"Judging by your expressions, I already know." Genya chuckled lightly, a trace of mockery in his tone. "Since you want to die, I'll send you on your way!"
Before he finished speaking, Genya lightly pressed his fingers. The ground suddenly cracked, and countless vines erupted from the earth, quickly wrapping around the bodies of the four assassins.
The vine tendrils pierced their skin like blades, voraciously drawing out the nutrients from their bodies.
"Ah~~!"
The four assassins screamed in agony, but soon their cries were abruptly cut off.
The vines grew rapidly, completely enveloping their bodies, eventually sucking them dry and dragging them into the depths of the plants.
"This… this…" Tazuna stared in disbelief at the scene before him, his eyes wide and face full of shock.
He couldn't even trust his own eyes and rubbed them hard, making sure he wasn't seeing things wrong.
"Wood Release? That can't be… How could a member of the Uchiha clan use Wood Release?" Tazuna muttered to himself, his heart full of confusion and astonishment.
Seeing the shock in Tazuna's eyes, Kurenai let out a soft sigh and walked over, whispering beside him, "It's better if you keep this to yourself. No one could save you if you speak of it."
Although Genya no longer deliberately hid his power, Kurenai knew it was best to conceal it as long as possible. Once his identity and strength were exposed, it could bring a lot of trouble.
"I… I understand." Tazuna nodded stiffly. The look of disdain in his eyes toward Genya and the others had disappeared.
These kids, though so young, likely had strength comparable to a jōnin.
If anyone was weaker, it was probably the kid who used insects.
After handling everything, Genya casually clapped his hands, as if what had just happened was nothing.
He turned to Hinata and gave a faint smile. "You did very well."
A soft smile appeared on Hinata's face, and a trace of joy flickered in her eyes.
"All right, let's move on." Genya waved his hand, signaling the group to continue.
The team set off once more.
Perhaps witnessing Genya and the others' strength had changed Tazuna's attitude noticeably.
He began complimenting them, his tone tinged with respect.
At the same time, he confidently shared his bridge-building plan and his vision for the future of the Land of Waves.
"I will free the people of the Land of Waves from Gatō's control and let them live a life of freedom!" Tazuna said excitedly, his eyes shining with hope.
Genya and the others said nothing, quietly listening.
Not long after they left, a figure silently appeared before the tree that had devoured the four assassins.
The man's face was wrapped in bandages, and on his back rested a massive sword. His eyes showed a hint of surprise.
"They were all supposed to be Chunin, and they died just like that?" Zabuza murmured quietly, his tone carrying a trace of gravity.
At that moment, a small figure suddenly appeared beside him, her voice tinged with worry. "Could this mission be dangerous?"
"No." Zabuza snorted coldly, his tone calm. "It's just a sensei with three Genin… though… this seems to be Wood Release. Interesting."
His gaze fell on the large tree, and a trace of caution appeared in his eyes.
****
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