Chapter 24: Fierce Battle! (Please read on)
AI Model: gemini-2.5-flash
Tasks were assigned, and the four-person team took turns on night watch.
The night passed without incident. Early the next morning, after replenishing their stamina and water, and burying their forehead protectors underground, Xuan Yi and the other three set off, crossed the border into the Land of Rivers, and quickly reached the Land of the Daimyo.
However, they did not act immediately. Instead, they used the Transformation Technique to impersonate ordinary people, entered the Land of the Daimyo, and checked into an inn.
After resting for a day at the inn, Sakumo Hatake and Yamanaka En left the inn after nightfall to gather intelligence.
At 10 PM, Sakumo Hatake and Yamanaka En returned to the inn, bringing back some unpleasant news.
The Daimyo's guard forces had increased, suspected to be Sand Ninja.
Furthermore, it was possible that there were other Sand Ninja that had not yet been discovered.
But even so, Sakumo Hatake did not give the order to abandon the mission.
At 12 AM.
Donning his mask, Sakumo Hatake gave the order to begin the operation.
The team split into two.
Yamanaka En went to prepare a retreat route and handle the rendezvous, while Xuan Yi and Uchiha Namiichi followed Sakumo Hatake, stealthily infiltrating the Daimyo's palace under the cover of darkness.
Then, the three split into two again.
Xuan Yi and Uchiha Namiichi acted independently, while Sakumo Hatake headed straight for the Daimyo's bedchamber.
They had carried out missions here before, so they were naturally very familiar with the terrain.
Therefore, Xuan Yi quickly arrived at a Lake.
Forming hand seals, he created a Water Clone. Xuan Yi's main body then hid inside a rockery by the Lake and ate a Food Pill to restore his stamina.
As for the Water Clone, it silently leaped onto the surface of the Lake.
The night was still.
Xuan Yi waited for less than two minutes before a roaring sound echoed in his ears.
Looking up, the rising flames illuminated the dark night, breaking its silence.
For a moment, shouts rose and fell.
On the Lake surface, Xuan Yi took a deep breath, then formed the "In" hand seal, immediately retracting his hands and joining them in front of his chest.
Beneath his feet, the previously calm Lake surface began to ripple with dense circles, then his entire body began to sink into the Lake, until only half of his head remained visible.
Clang, clang, clang!
The sound of clashing metal came, along with whooshing sounds.
Under the moonlight, Xuan Yi could see several figures moving towards him.
It was Uchiha Namiichi, currently being ambushed by two enemies, fighting and retreating.
Moreover, there were others chasing him from behind, occasionally throwing Shuriken.
Xuan Yi thought to himself that if it were him, he probably wouldn't be able to withstand such an ambush.
But Uchiha Namiichi possessed the Sharingan, giving him a great advantage in the dark night.
Furthermore, the Sharingan's observational power was astonishing, and Uchiha Namiichi was proficient in taijutsu and kenjutsu.
So, even though he was ambushed and pursued, Uchiha Namiichi safely led the enemies to the Lake.
Leaping into the air, Uchiha Namiichi sheathed his blade and formed hand seals, then spat out a massive fireball towards the enemies.
However, this move failed to harm the enemies, as it was directly dispersed by a gust of wind.
Yet, this move was actually a diversion for Xuan Yi.
As the fireball swept out, Xuan Yi had already risen from the Lake, accompanied by a large surge of Lake water.
Water Release: Water Surge!
As soon as the fireball was dispersed, rolling water roared onto the shore.
"It's an ambush!"
The two who were ambushing Uchiha Namiichi were startled, then simultaneously used the Body Flicker Technique to leap into the air.
The surging water swept past beneath them, but the three who rushed from behind, throwing Shuriken at Uchiha Namiichi in the air, were unable to avoid it. They cried out in alarm and were swept away by the current.
On the Lake surface, Xuan Yi formed hand seals again.
Front -Snake!
The water surged, rotating rapidly around his body.
The Shuriken with an Exploding Tag thrown by one of Uchiha Namiichi's pursuers was directly blocked by the Water Formation Wall.
"This guy, so fast!"
Jiekong was startled. He had thrown the Shuriken to hinder Xuan Yi's hand seals, but he didn't expect the opponent to be so fast. He immediately rushed into the Lake, attacking Xuan Yi.
He had to stop him from using Water Release; the terrain here was too advantageous.
Just then, a cry of pain rang out.
On the other side, Xuan Yi's hidden main body also formed hand seals: Genjutsu: Darkness Technique!
The target was the other Ninja who had previously ambushed Uchiha Namiichi, completely blocking his vision and plunging him into absolute darkness.
Then, this person was easily dealt with by Uchiha Namiichi with a single strike.
Jiekong turned his head to see his fallen companion, and his forward-rushing body immediately leaped backward.
But at this moment, the Water Clone's hand seals were completed.
In - Snake - tiger!
Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!
The water dragon roared. Jiekong leaped to dodge, but he ran into Uchiha Namiichi, who had rushed over.
Clang!
Ninja blades collided, followed by a bang. Uchiha Namiichi kicked Jiekong away.
The water dragon, which had been sweeping across the ground, soared into the sky, biting Jiekong in one gulp, then swooped down again.
Boom!
The water dragon exploded, and Jiekong fell.
Xuan Yi's eyelids twitched, then he saw two figures clashing in the air, sparks flying.
The next moment, Uchiha Namiichi grunted and flew backward, landing on the Lake surface.
"Cough, cough, be careful, he's a Jonin!"
Xuan Yi nodded, then saw two more people appear on each side.
Now it was six against two, and one of them was a Jonin.
It was indeed an incredibly dangerous mission!
"There are only two people here, it seems they're bait. Captain, leave this to us!"
A Sand Ninja on the left shouted.
Siren stared at the two on the Lake surface and said, "Let's deal with them first."
"No need to worry too much about the Daimyo's side."
As his voice fell, Siren rushed towards the Lake surface.
Xuan Yi rapidly formed hand seals.
In - Joined Palms!
This time, he pushed his Chakra to its limit, and the water of the entire Lake surged and rotated.
"What?"
Siren was startled, and quickly retreated: "Be careful of this guy!"
Jiekong, who had recovered behind him, quickly reminded: "This guy's Water Release is very powerful, and his hand seals are very short and fast!"
No sooner had the words fallen than a roaring sound rang out. The surging river water surged to the left, right, and front, attacking all six enemies simultaneously.
"Disperse!"
Siren shouted.
Figures leaped backward one after another.
Xuan Yi's main body, hidden on the rockery, completed his hand seals.
Instantly, as he leaped up to land on the rockery, the vision of the two Sand Ninja was completely stolen.
Blade Drawing!
Xuan Yi leaped up, and the two whose vision had been stripped were dealt with by him, one by one, with a single strike.
And this commotion was completely masked by the surging water.
The surging water reached its peak, then rolled back into the Lake.
The two Sand Ninja on the right immediately charged towards Xuan Yi on the Lake surface, and two puppets had already rushed out ahead of them.
These were two puppet masters.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
A barrage of projectiles whistled out.
Uchiha Namiichi charged forward, ignoring Xuan Yi behind him.
Xuan Yi's main body, from behind the rockery, had already landed on the water surface, forming hand seals.
In - Snake - tiger!
Siren saw this, immediately understood, and quickly shouted: "Be careful, that's a clone!"
Bang!
The Water Clone was hit by the projectiles, directly disintegrating into a stream of water.
And the next moment, Xuan Yi's main body's jutsu was also completed.
The water surged and condensed into a water dragon, then swooped down, instantly shattering the two attacking puppets.
The water dragon continued its impact, sending one of the Sand Ninja flying.
The other Sand Ninja leaped to avoid it, but as soon as he landed, his chest was pierced by a blade.
It was Uchiha Namiichi!
On the other side, Uchiha Namiichi, who had been kicked away by Siren, exploded into a puff of smoke with a bang.
It was a Shadow Clone!