Chapter 16: The Flying Thunder God Escape Masterclass!

As Hironobu's body hit the ground with a heavy thud, Heichi knew he had already died. A trace of pride flickered in his eyes.

"The ninja of Konoha will only die in battle—they will never retreat!"

He turned to Kazuyama, his voice steady despite the chaos. "Kazuyama! Please take care of this!"

Heichi was prepared to fight to the death. His words were a clear command for Kazuyama to prioritize the mission and return to the village. But Kazuyama wasn't one to abandon comrades.

Hironobu and Mizunokawa were beyond saving, but Heichi wasn't.

"Hm? Kazuyama?"

Their enemy, A, crushed Mizunokawa's head with one hand, turning his attention to Heichi with a twisted smile. "I'll give you a chance to tell me where the other one is, and I might let you die quickly."

Heichi glared at him. "Hmph! Don't even think about it!"

"Mind Body Disturbance Technique!"

Though the Yamanaka Clan was not known for offense, its members were vital in intelligence operations. But Heichi, an ANBU, was no ordinary ninja. His proficiency in the Mind Body Disturbance Technique allowed him to hold his ground even on the frontlines.

Unfortunately, his opponent was overwhelmingly strong.

"Disperse! This is the secret technique of Konoha's Yamanaka Clan!" A commanded, his voice sharp.

The surrounding ninjas scattered instantly, rendering Heichi's technique ineffective.

But then, something unexpected happened.

Adai, who had leapt high to evade the technique, suddenly sensed a movement behind him. By the time he tried to react, it was too late.

"Puff!"

A kunai glinted in the light before it pierced his throat.

"Damn…" Adai managed to utter two words before collapsing lifelessly in mid-air.

The sight enraged A.

"Adai!" he roared. "Damn you! Damn you, Konoha ninja! Show yourself!"

"Power Bomb!"

A burst of Lightning chakra erupted as A slammed a double punch into the ground. The immense force and Raiton chakra obliterated the forest, sending debris and shockwaves in all directions.

Kazuyama jumped onto a tree to avoid the attack, his movements quick but tinged with frustration. "Damn it. As expected, those who inherit Raikage's Nintaijutsu are all reckless!"

His earlier sneak attack had successfully eliminated the enemy's sensor ninja—a critical step in his plan. Without their sensor, he could now use the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport both himself and Heichi Yamanaka to the pre-marked coordinates. Sensor ninjas were always a major obstacle, and Kazuyama couldn't afford to let this one complicate things further.

"Chōmei! Lend me your power!"

Chōmei responded without words, flooding Kazuyama with a surge of chakra. In an instant, a pair of insect-like wings sprouted from his waist, buzzing with energy. Using the wings, Kazuyama darted toward Heichi with incredible speed.

The attack from A had already exposed his position. His Transparent Escape Technique was no longer useful—Raikage's destructive force had shattered everything around them, leaving stones and debris swirling in the air. Even if his body remained invisible, the chaotic environment made complete stealth impossible. Rather than waste energy maintaining the technique, Kazuyama withdrew his chakra, redirecting it to better use.

As the moonlight revealed Kazuyama's figure, A's enraged voice thundered through the air. "Damn it! I want you dead!"

A lunged at him, his speed overwhelming.

Kazuyama knew the danger he faced. Raikage's Nintaijutsu… He mentally reviewed the technique's fearsome attributes. Concentrating Lightning Release chakra throughout the body, it enhanced defense, speed, and nerve transmission, making A a nearly unstoppable force. With the added Lightning Body Flicker Technique, his speed was unparalleled. Kazuyama didn't stand a chance in a direct battle of agility.

Thinking quickly, Kazuyama flung a kunai imbued with the Flying Thunder God Technique to land at Heichi's feet. It was his only chance to escape with Heichi.

But before he could make his move, A's fist was already inches from his face.

Damn, that was really fast!

Whoosh!

The next second, Kazuyama vanished from the spot, leaving A stunned. How was this possible? How could his attack miss?

Using the Flying Thunder God Technique, Kazuyama reappeared at a location he had marked earlier—a broken tree, its remains scattered by the earlier destruction.

"Phew, that was so dangerous," he thought. Even with the wings of Chōmei, A was faster. The sheer speed was overwhelming. Looks like I'll have to rely entirely on the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape.

As Kazuyama vanished, A quickly began scanning the area. It didn't take him long to spot him a short distance away.

"Kid! You're not bad!" A called out, his voice brimming with excitement. "Again!"

His fighting spirit ignited by the missed attack, A charged with lightning crackling across the sky, moving as if he intended to punch Kazuyama straight into the moon.

"Cut it out! I'm not playing with you!"

Kazuyama activated the Flying Thunder God Technique again, vanishing from A's view. This time, he reappeared in front of Heichi.

Heichi was startled to see Kazuyama suddenly materialize in front of him and was about to speak when Kazuyama grabbed his wrist without a word and activated the technique once more.

Their destination this time was a forest thousands of meters away, a pre-marked escape point Kazuyama had prepared in advance.

"Damn it! Where did they go?" A's voice roared through the forest, seething with frustration. "Space–Time Ninjutsu?!"

The realization only fueled his rage. A mere Konoha ninja, using Space–Time Ninjutsu? His pride in his speed, unmatched by most, had been outclassed. It was intolerable. Kazuyama had to die.

Fueled by this determination, A charged in the direction of Konoha. Behind him, the other Kumo ninjas followed, their focus now fixed on the fleeing pair.

Meanwhile, Heichi, now safely removed from the battle, had not yet fully processed what had happened. His chest heaved, his face pale with lingering fear.

"Wake up! Hurry and run!" Kazuyama's voice was sharp with urgency. "Otherwise, they'll catch up to us in a while!"

Having used the Flying Thunder God Technique and the Transparent Escape Technique repeatedly, Kazuyama felt his energy being rapidly depleted. If not for Chōmei's chakra lending him strength, he might have already collapsed.

"Kazuyama, you…"

"Cut the crap! Just run!" Kazuyama barked, grabbing Heichi and pulling him along as he started running.

"No, why are we going west?" Heichi suddenly blurted, realization dawning on him. "Shouldn't we be going south?"

Kazuyama shot him a look of disbelief, his irritation palpable. "We're on the run, and there are pursuers behind us. If we run directly to the Land of Fire, won't they catch up with us?" He huffed. "Let's go to the Land of Rice Fields first to hide out! Can you be any more stupid?"

Kazuyama's expertise in evasion was unmatched, and Heichi's question only added to his exasperation.

"Oh… yes, you're right," Heichi said, finally catching on. "Let's go to the Land of Rice Fields first!"

As he considered Kazuyama's quick thinking and strategy, admiration flickered in his mind.

"Kazuyama, was that Space–Time Ninjutsu you just performed? When did you learn that?"

Kazuyama felt his frustration mount, his patience hanging by a thread. Why was this man so talkative in the middle of an escape? He nearly went crazy from the incessant questioning!