A streak of blood cut through the air. Kinkaku's body broke free from Hibari's restraint, creating some distance, and then with a 'splat,' something seemed to hit the ground.
Upon closer inspection, although Kinkaku was still in his Tailed Beast transformation, his left arm had been severed at the shoulder. Large amounts of blood continuously gushed from the clean cut on his shoulder.
"Gaaah!!!" Kinkaku cried out in pain, clutching the wound on his arm. He looked at the two Hibaris with an incredulous expression.
The intense pain finally made him fully regain his sanity, even in his Tailed Beast form. Enduring the agony, he looked at Hibari and asked, "What is... that jutsu?"
This time, Hibari didn't ignore him as before. A smile spread beneath his mask, and he said, "Konoha Secret Technique: Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Hearing Hibari's words, Kinkaku almost wanted to suppress his injuries and fight Hibari to the death.
Shadow Clone Jutsu might have originated from Konoha, but it wasn't some incredibly high-end technique, was it? Most high-level shinobi could use it, and so could he, Kinkaku!
That technique of his had flesh and blood; how could it be a Shadow Clone? Did he take him for a fool?
Just then, the Hibari whose chest and back had been pierced spat out another mouthful of blood, mixed with some fragments of internal organs. He spoke weakly, "I can't hold on. I'm pulling out first..."
Hibari nodded, saying, "Don't worry, Hiyoko. I'll revive you when you get back..."
"If it's going to be like this next time, I hope you don't bring me out again for a while..." Hiyoko said with a bitter smile, then he transformed into a puff of smoke and vanished.
At the same time, Hibari felt a sharp pain in his chest, though it was just a sensation, leaving him a bit more fatigued but causing no substantial damage. It was just mentally unbearable.
This was the drawback of Hiyoko. Ordinary Shadow Clones are forcibly dispelled after suffering minor injuries, so the original body isn't greatly affected. But Hiyoko, unless Hibari actively dispels the technique, only returns after being 'killed.' Each time this happens, it puts Hibari under immense mental strain.
However, it was always worth it. It wasn't in vain that he brought Hiyoko out. The last time Hibari used 'Elbow Bolt' to elbow Kinkaku out of the mist, he didn't immediately pursue him; he was already calculating.
Even when Hiyoko was first 'created,' Hibari considered using Hiyoko's unique nature as a clone to achieve a 'two-pronged' combat purpose, allowing him to launch fatal attacks like this one, severely wounding or even killing an opponent in one strike.
However, the inconvenience of Hiyoko draining Hibari's chakra every time he was cloned was a problem. Since the war came too quickly, Hibari hadn't had time to learn the Yin Seal from Mito Uzumaki before rushing to the front lines. Thus, his sustained combat ability hadn't been resolved.
In such a situation, two Hibaris couldn't just run around together; it would be too 'conspicuous,' and anyone would find it suspicious, inevitably making people more wary and suspecting Hibari of foul play.
After much deliberation, Hibari decided to 'take a risk' and 'use' Hiyoko in a peculiar way. Thus, the two signed a 'summoning contract,' effectively utilizing Hibari's Summoning Technique, the one he learned but was basically useless until now.
Hiyoko and Hibari were originally one entity. Signing a summoning contract with oneself was theoretically impossible and wouldn't work. So, at first, they just tried it with a 'what if' attitude, planning to find another solution if it failed. But perhaps because Hiyoko was too unique, or for some other unknown detailed reason, the summoning contract actually succeeded!
This contract was also very peculiar. As long as Hiyoko existed, regardless of whether his technique had been dispelled last time, the contract would take effect upon his reappearance, eliminating the need for repeated signings, which was much more convenient.
Secondly, once Hiyoko 'died,' the summoning technique would become inactive, without any unforeseen consequences, simply waiting for Hiyoko to emerge next time for it to automatically 'renew.'
Therefore, just now, when Kinkaku was propelled out of the vision-obscuring mist by Hibari's 'Elbow Bolt,' Hibari unhesitatingly used the Summoning Technique, summoning the Hibari who was far away in Konohagakure to his side. Then, the two pretended to be Shadow Clones and rushed out of the mist together. What followed was a successful trick on Kinkaku. Although it was a bit regrettable that he couldn't be directly beheaded, severing his entire left arm was already a massive gain!
No sooner said than done, all these thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. The moment Hiyoko vanished, Hibari stopped wasting words with Kinkaku. He stomped his foot, Lightning Release chakra surged around him, and he charged towards Kinkaku, who was severely injured and missing an arm.
"Kick 'em while they're down!" Hibari cursed under his breath.
Although Kinkaku lost an arm, his strength wasn't so diminished that he'd lose the ability to fight back. He knew his brother Ginkaku could return to save him at any moment. That sharp whistle sound might have been a signal, so he just needed to hold out for a bit.
Thinking this, having regained his sanity, he no longer chose to directly confront Hibari. With the augmentation of his Tailed Beast transformation, his speed greatly increased. Without even thinking, he fled.
"You bastard, weren't you so arrogant just now? Now you're fleeing like a stray dog? You really are a pathetic cur!" Hibari cursed as he chased Kinkaku around the battlefield, wanting to get under Kinkaku's skin, enrage him, and make him turn to fight.
However, now that Kinkaku had regained his sanity, his years of combat experience weren't for naught. So, despite his inner fury, his movements were completely unaffected. Like a dark-red phantom, he darted around the field.
On one hand, he was trying to evade Hibari's pursuit; on the other, he seemed to be trying to stall Hibari here, waiting for his brother Ginkaku to arrive so they could counter-kill this bastard and avenge his severed arm!
Under normal circumstances, Hibari truly couldn't catch this bastard's speed. Thinking this, Hibari steeled himself and roared, "Raging Thunder!"
As his words fell, the Lightning Release chakra on his body began to surge into him, continuously stimulating his body.
"Lightning Dash!" Hibari roared again. In an instant, his entire being transformed into a blue lightning bolt, catching up to Kinkaku's dark-red figure at extreme speed. Then, under Kinkaku's astonished gaze, he thrust out his elbow again.
"Elbow Bolt!!!" Hibari roared, slamming his elbow into Kinkaku's body with immense force once more.
Kinkaku cried out in pain, spitting out another mouthful of blood, mixed with some fragments of internal organs. His entire body was sent flying backward, skidding along the ground from the powerful impact, carving a deep trench in the earth.
This time, Hibari gave him no chance. As Kinkaku's figure tumbled to a stop, Hibari's figure had already appeared before him.
Kinkaku lay weakly on the ground, while Hibari stood over him, radiating power. He clenched his fist, and a large amount of Lightning Release chakra gathered in it. At the same time, the Monster Strength technique, passed down through generations of the Senju clan, was also secretly activated.
"Raging Lightning Bomb!!!" Hibari looked at Kinkaku, who couldn't dodge in front of him, and then unhesitatingly slammed his fist down towards his head.
With a loud 'bang!', the entire battlefield violently trembled. Then, centered on Hibari's fist, large cracks spread out across the ground. Countless shattered stones flew into the sky, and a cloud of dust rose with the impact, engulfing Hibari's figure.
Slowly pulling his arm out of the shattered ground, Hibari looked at the half-broken horn in the fist crater, which was the thing that grew on Kinkaku's head.
However, aside from some bloodstains on the broken horn, there was no sign of Kinkaku's body, whose head was expected to have been blown apart by the punch, in the crater.
He lifted his head and looked into the distance ahead. As the dust gradually cleared, one figure was supporting another.
"Kinkaku, are you alright?" Ginkaku had appeared here unnoticed. With extreme speed, he rescued Kinkaku from Hibari's grasp at the very last critical moment.
At this moment, Kinkaku not only had a severed arm but also a missing horn on his head, and his chest was significantly caved in. If not for the Tailed Beast transformation's energy constantly healing him, he probably would have struggled for a couple of breaths before 'bidding farewell to the world.'
"Strong... enemy... Ginkaku... you must be careful... his methods are very strange... don't fall for them..." Kinkaku said weakly and intermittently.
Ginkaku nodded at these words. He and Kinkaku shared a deep brotherly bond. Upon sensing something amiss behind them, he had returned here at extreme speed. The other squad members hadn't been able to keep up with him and were still chasing from behind.
However, it was also thanks to him not being held back by those people that he ran by himself, otherwise, he would have been left to collect his brother Kinkaku's corpse, and a headless one at that.
Hibari now stared at Ginkaku. Neither of them made the first move, both seemingly pondering their strategies. Just then, Kagami's figure appeared beside Hibari, saying, "The other four have been dealt with. According to the whistle just now, besides Ginkaku, there are nine more behind them. We can already see them; they're moving fast. How should we respond? Should we continue to take them out?"
Hibari stood there in silence, staring intently at Kinkaku and Ginkaku. After a long moment, he finally spoke, "No... We didn't achieve our desired objective... Retreat!"
Kagami had no other opinion. He nodded and blew a whistle, and the Anbu squad members he led quickly retreated from the battlefield.
"Next time, you won't be so lucky to escape with your lives, Kinkaku, Ginkaku." Hibari said softly, looking at Kinkaku and Ginkaku.
Then, after Kagami and the others had completely vanished from sight, Hibari transformed into a streak of lightning, plunging into the dense forest and disappearing.
Only then did Kinkaku breathe a sigh of relief. His life was saved. Just now, he genuinely feared that the opponent would severely pummel Ginkaku as well, and then kill both of them.
After all, he had already lost. Ginkaku's strength was also similar to his own. Unless they could combine their efforts, it would be impossible to defeat that mysterious individual. But the problem was, in his current state, it would be good if he didn't hold Ginkaku back, let alone combine efforts? Impossible.
While he was afraid, Hibari on his side actually didn't have much confidence either. He was just relying on the momentum of fiercely hammering Kinkaku to 'put on a show.' His body, stimulated by 'Raging Thunder,' would soon enter a state of 'weakness,' at which point his life would truly be in someone else's hands.
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