"This is... the Shadow Imitation Technique of the Nara Clan from Konoha?!"
As the black shadows connected to each other, Hozuki Mangetsu's body began to lose control. From the nearby thicket, several figures emerged one after another.
Looking at the figures, almost identical to those on Kirigakure's assassination squad's hit list, Mangetsu's heart sank deeper.
"Aburame Clan"s Aburame Shiwei, Nara Clan's Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Clan's Yamanaka Ichi, and this muscular figure... Akimichi Clan's Akimichi Choza."
"The legendary Ino-Shika-Cho trio of Konoha are all here, and the others are all top-level jonin..."
Mangetsu's gaze swept over their faces, finally resting on the last wild white-haired figure.
What little hope he had left was now completely extinguished.
"The Legendary Sannin, the Mad Demon Jiraiya…"
Mangetsu never expected that simply delivering intelligence would lead him to run into the Konoha jonin squad pulled back from the Iwagakure front lines to reinforce Kirigakure's battlefield.
Whether this was extreme luck or terrible misfortune, he could not say.
"This attire is that of Kirigakure's assassination unit. If they dared cross the frontline into enemy territory, Kirigakure must be making a significant move."
Jiraiya's gaze lingered briefly on Mangetsu before turning to Yamanaka Ichi beside him.
"Ichi, it's your turn."
"Understood."
Ichi nodded and stepped in front of Mangetsu.
"Ninjutsu: Mind Reading Technique!"
Almost simultaneously as Ichi activated the mind reading, Mangetsu's body suddenly splashed like a puddle of water, dispersing to forcibly break free from the Shadow Imitation Technique's hold.
The scattered droplets quickly reformed, liquid bullets firing from Mangetsu's hands toward Ichi's head!
"Watch out!"
"Raging Lion Head Technique!"
Just as the water projectile was about to strike Ichi's head, a rush of white hair appeared, grabbing Ichi by the waist and pulling him back.
The bullet-like liquid grazed Ichi's scalp, shattering the tree trunk behind him with ease.
The attack missed.
Mangetsu smirked, attempting to escape—but there was nowhere to run.
The moment he moved, the Konoha jonin had already sealed off every gap around him.
Unless he wielded Konoha's legendary Flying Thunder God Technique like the Golden Flash or the Instantaneous Step like Yoru, escape was impossible.
"That was close!"
Ichi, breathing heavily after the close call, stared solemnly at the tree trunk that was pierced and shattered.
"Water Cannon Technique... and Water Release… Jiraiya-sama, this guy is from the Hozuki Clan!"
"Ah, looks like we've caught a big fish."
Jiraiya's expression hardened.
The Hozuki Clan holds an extremely special status in Kirigakure—much like the Senju Clan in Konoha, they are the core of the village.
Despite Kirigakure's current brutal Bloody Mist atmosphere, the Hozuki Clan remains among the highest echelons, each member holding key posts or influential ranks.
For one of their members to appear deep within the Land of Fire was alarming.
"Water Release…"
"Boom!"
Mangetsu's chakra began to gather—but Jiraiya suddenly vanished.
With a thunderous blast, Mangetsu's upper body was blasted apart, scattering water droplets everywhere.
Jiraiya spun around and slammed an elbow hard onto Mangetsu's shoulder.
Crack!
Bone shattered.
"How is this possible?!"
From a single strike, Mangetsu felt complete numbness on the right side of his body, sent flying like a cannonball, crashing into a tree stump, coughing blood.
Pain radiated from his back and right side, but what terrified Mangetsu most was that his Water Release had failed!
Is it the bugs...?
He lifted his head slightly, noticing a layer of fine parasitic insects clinging to Jiraiya's arm.
By feeding on the chakra around Mangetsu's body, these parasites forcibly nullified his Water Release...
Just one encounter, and his Water Release was countered—this was the power difference between the Konoha jonin squad plus the Legendary Sannin?!
"This must be a death sentence..."
"No. The intel in my mind, the scroll Night gave me…"
I can't die here. Even if I can't bring the scroll back, I must not die before the Yamanaka Clan!
And these guys' presence here means Kirigakure's battlefield intel must be sent out!
Mangetsu took a deep breath, forcing himself to stand.
His cheeks puffed out as he grabbed a thin cord on his vest and launched a signal flare into the sky.
"Still want to struggle?"
Jiraiya appeared before Mangetsu in an instant.
At that moment, a ripple of water suddenly surged, encasing Mangetsu's entire body.
"Water Release: Water Prison Technique!"
The water prison trapped Mangetsu completely.
Even Jiraiya couldn't break through the prison and could only watch it form.
Inside the prison,
Mangetsu removed his pale ANBU mask and forced a bitter smile.
"Sorry, Lord Yoru."
"Shikaku, stop him!"
Jiraiya shouted.
Nara Shikaku's Shadow Imitation Technique was ready, the dark shadows shooting forward.
"Water Release…"
The shadows and water clashed violently.
But then—
Pfft!
The sound of flesh being pierced suddenly rang out.
The shadow that extended in front of Mangetsu suddenly froze.
Shikaku, shocked, stared down at his chest.
A sharp blade had pierced through his torso without warning!
[A-rank target 'Nara Shikaku' detected. Side quests triggered:]
Quest 1: Successfully capture Nara Shikaku — Reward: 10,000 points.
Quest 2: Successfully defeat Nara Shikaku — Reward: 5,000 points.
Quest 3: Successfully kill Nara Shikaku — Reward: 30,000 points.
Blood sprayed from Shikaku's mouth.
In the next moment, his body collapsed lifelessly.
[Ding! Completed A-rank target 'Nara Shikaku' quests 2 and 3 — Reward: 35,000 points.]
[Ding! Defeated elite jonin — Reward: 2,000 points.]
"Shikaku!!"
The Konoha jonin's pupils shrank.
Ichi and Choza looked stunned, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.
Shikaku... was dead?
Mangetsu, who was about to use a suicide technique, was also momentarily stunned.
"Lord Yoru…"
"How did he get here?"
"Did he come because of my flare?"
Mangetsu hesitated but quickly regained focus, shouting fiercely:
"Lord Yoru, run! This is the Konoha jonin squad and the Legendary Sannin Jiraiya—take this intel out at once!"
With Lord Yoru's ninjutsu and Instantaneous Step, escape from the Sannin and the jonin squad was possible.
And if the intel about Jiraiya and the Konoha jonin was passed on,
Kirigakure's main forces could prepare and not be caught off guard.
"A timely arrival of Konoha reinforcements, a big achievement—yet you just hand the credit to me? Aren't you afraid of the wrath of the elders in the Hozuki Clan?"
With a burst of Instantaneous Step, Yoru's figure appeared before Mangetsu, holding his blade and glaring at Jiraiya with a dark expression.
"Besides,"
"Without completing the mission I assigned to you, I won't allow you to die just like that. Hozuki Mangetsu!"
(End of chapter)