Chapter 128: First Kill on the Battlefield, Cloud Village Jonin

Currently, within the Cloud Village squad.

"Damn it! The Hyuga ninja really are taijutsu masters—they can run like hell!"

"Hmph! Good thing we've trained hard too!"

Troy frowned and said sharply, "Enough complaining! We're deep in Konoha's territory—hurry up before their ninja find us!"

At that moment, a Cloud ninja approached and said, "Lord Toroi, something feels off. Since they know we're after them, why haven't they scattered?"

"You think it's a trap?" Troy asked grimly.

The ninja shook his head. "I doubt Konoha would be reckless enough to use a Hyuga as bait, but better safe than sorry."

Troy nodded. "Seth, keep your Ninja Hawk on high alert for any movement around us! Report anything suspicious immediately!"

"Yes sir!" Seth responded, then hesitated before blurting out, "Lord Toroi, there's something I've been thinking..."

Troy kept running forward, replying casually, "Go ahead."

Trying to keep pace behind him, Seth continued, "Could it be... one of the Hyuga Main House is among them? That might explain why they refuse to split up—they're probably preparing to make a final stand if we catch them."

Troy's mind jolted at the mention of "Hyuga Main House."

He had pursued relentlessly because he understood how vital the Byakugan users were in battle—he wanted to wipe this entire squad out.

But if a Main House member was truly among them, everything changed. This could mean obtaining the coveted Byakugan for the Cloud Village.

Even without confirmation, just the possibility was worth risking everything.

With that thought, Troy forced himself to suppress his excitement. "Pick up the pace—we absolutely cannot let them escape!"

Meanwhile, inside Hiashi's Consciousness Space.

Seiki shared the prearranged plan with the other side.

Hiashi took a deep breath and vowed, "I'll never forget what they've done for us. Once we return to Konoha, I'll personally repay every last one of them."

Seiki slightly shook his head. "Let's survive this crisis first. While I sounded confident earlier, we can't ignore the difference in numbers."

Hiashi nodded, then looked regretful. "It was the ambush... I should've listened to you earlier and taken out that Ninja Hawk. Acting now might expose our true intentions."

"No, actually, it's better that you didn't. That Ninja Hawk will lead them straight into ruin." With that, Seiki's spirit form shot out of the Consciousness Space and instantly surged toward the hawk soaring in the sky.

[Screech!]

Hearing the piercing cry from above, realization flashed in Hiashi's eyes. "So that's what you meant… Thank you indeed!"

Lightning Canyon.

"Gone—every last one of them is gone!" Asuma let out a gloomy sigh, his face full of worry.

The surrounding ninjas stared in shock. Asuma alone carried more Explosive Tags than a third of the entire group put together.

Is this what they mean by money talks?

"Phew! It's exciting thinking that fewer than a hundred of us are ambushing three hundred Cloud ninja!"

"I'd say it's too exciting!"

"With so many people hiding here, are we really not going to be discovered?"

Sensing the danger of being hit by friendly fire, Seiki preemptively informed them, "The Cloud reconnaissance Ninja Hawks have already been under my control. Just be careful later."

Everyone, who had been panicking just moments ago, shouted in shock, "Huh? The recon hawks are already taken care of?"

"Haha, teaming up with Seiki really eases our burden. He thinks about everything for us!"

Asuma and Kurenai both nodded repeatedly; despite the occasional headaches that came with working with Seiki, he really did make life easier.

Seiki's expression slightly changed, "They're almost here. Stay hidden!"

No one dared speak further and hurriedly concealed themselves.

At Lightning Canyon.

"Lightning Canyon—it sure sounds ominous!" One of the Cloud ninjas complained.

Toroi also became alert, asking Seth, "Everything okay?"

Seth gave him a reassuring gesture, "Xiahei told me everything's good!"

"Then that's fine." Toroi nodded. "Speed up our pace—they should be losing steam soon..."

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Suddenly erupting terrifying explosions nearly drowned out the thunder from the sky.

Flames roared through the air. Boulders shattered and rained down, shaking the canyon walls violently. Massive chunks of rock crashed downward like falling stars.

Almost one-third of the three-hundred-strong Cloud squad was killed instantly, while the survivors weren't faring much better—nearly all were wounded and panicking, trying desperately to dodge falling rocks.

The Hyuga group had barely escaped the canyon and stood momentarily dazed and horrified; if they had exited merely a few steps slower, they'd have shared the same fate as the Cloud ninja.

But what exactly had happened?

Seeing that the trap far exceeded expectations, those who had been lying in wait became ecstatic. Someone shouted, and everyone leaped forward.

[Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!]

[Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!]

[Earth Release: Earth Flow River!]

...It seemed as if they wanted to completely drain their chakra reserves, launching long-range jutsu after jutsu without seeming concern for chakra consumption.

"It's reinforcements! Leaf reinforcements!"

"Join the Leaf! Counterattack together!"

The Hyuga ninja, now awakened to the situation, joined the battle, bringing further catastrophe upon the already suffering Cloud shinobi.

"How did it come to this?"

"It was actually a Leaf ambush!"

"You bastard, Seth!" Toroi cried furiously, "Didn't I tell you to keep your Ninja Hawks in check?"

But no one answered.

Seth had died instantly during the initial explosive tag detonation.

After these two waves of attacks, only fifty to sixty Cloud ninja remained alive.

And every last one of them was at least a Chunin!

"Break through with full strength!" Although he wanted nothing more than to slaughter every Leaf ninja before him, Toroi barely maintained a sliver of rationality. Roaring furiously, he flung the square shuriken he held in his hand.

"It's Toroi, the Cloud Village ninja with Magnet Release! Don't let his shuriken strike you!" shouted Kosuke Maruboshi while rushing forward to intercept.

Many had heard of the opponent's fearsome reputation and felt immediate panic.

"What? A Magnet Release ninja like the Third Kazekage?"

"This guy is incredibly strong! We must be careful!"

"Don't let those shuriken hit you at all!"

Even with the warning, some still couldn't evade Toroi's square shuriken.

Looking at the wound on his arm, a chunin cried out in alarm, "What happens if we don't dodge?"

Toroi's gaze was icy. "You die."

The magnetized chunin turned into a human magnet, drawing Toroi's square shuriken toward him at a speed as if it were moving through space itself.

In an instant, the man's entire body was torn apart!

"Damn brat! So this is his real power!"

"He's too strong! No wonder he's called Magnet Toroi!"

This gruesome sight snapped them all out of their overconfidence. Even though they currently held the advantage, they couldn't afford to underestimate anyone—especially when that enemy was a jonin!

Just then, an unexpected hawk cry rang out.

Kreee!

At the sound, Toroi's eyes turned bloodshot. Seeing the ninja hawk flying straight toward him, he grew even more furious. "Cursed beast, I'll kill you for sure!"

Though eager to break through now, killing a ninja hawk wouldn't take him more than a second.

As he thought this, the hawk's eyes flashed sharply, and a beam of white light shot directly toward him.

"What the—?" Toroi instinctively raised his hand to block.

The white light flowed straight into his body. The next moment, his movements slowed.

Of course, a jonin's body wasn't as easily controlled as a ninja hawk's—but Seiki never intended full control. 

He only wanted enough disruption to throw Toroi off balance briefly.

In an instant, Seiki shot forward like lightning. Before Toroi could recover from the shock, he slammed [a Rasengan] into his head.

First kill of the battle—a Cloud Village jonin!

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