CHAPTER 22
Bloodthirsty Demoness
Meanwhile, Shirō had meticulously gathered intelligence on their targets—especially the four Genin. The success of their mission hinged on one thing: Shirō eliminating those four Genin in an instant.
Shikamaru and Tai Yi could handle containing the three enemy Chūnin, but eliminating them would prove difficult. That made Shirō's job critical—he had to strike fast, and without error.
After receiving the intel, Shikamaru left to make preparations. Initially, Shirō intended to observe and learn from Shikamaru's strategy, but after watching for a while, he decisively gave up.
"This sort of thing isn't for brawlers like us," Shirō muttered as he followed orders with Nakamura and the rest. Even Nakamura—a Jōnin—was simply standing by, waiting for instructions. Shirō wasn't about to pretend he understood more than he did.
Eventually, Shikamaru pointed at the map and outlined the ambush site.
"They'll pass through here," he said, tapping a small hill. "Right at this point, they'll separate from the four Genin. We divide the battlefield here."
Shirō frowned. "How do you know they'll separate there?"
Shikamaru just glanced at him and continued making arrangements.
Understanding the look in Shikamaru's eyes, Shirō wisely chose not to press the question. He had a feeling that the answer would only hurt his ego.
With the plan set, the team took up positions at the designated site.
The hill wasn't anything special—just a gentle rise with sparse tree cover. Shirō still didn't get how Shikamaru had predicted the separation so precisely. Even if the terrain made it possible, the gap between the enemies wasn't enough for an ordinary ninja squad to split them effectively.
Shirō entertained a few outlandish theories from his past life, but dismissed them. There's no way someone could be that perceptive… right?
He was wrong.
Shortly after, one of Shirō's contracted summoning creatures relayed a message: Target approaching.
Shirō signaled the others and prepared.
On the enemy's side, their leader—an experienced Jōnin—felt a flicker of danger. But after weeks of pursuit by Konoha's intelligence agents, those instincts had dulled. Besides, the terrain didn't seem threatening. Just a hill. No thick forest. No dense chakra signatures. Just wind and dirt.
He casually warned the others to stay alert, but none of them took it seriously.
That would prove to be a fatal mistake.
As they passed the hill, none of them noticed the motionless Shirō lying just meters from their path. Of course, they weren't blind. But they couldn't see him because he had Projected a Noble Phantasm—The Invisibility Cloth.
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Noble Phantasm: Invisibility Cloth
Rank: E
Original Wielder: Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes
Appearance: A nondescript piece of cloth
Effect: Grants visual and magical invisibility to the user. However, it does not mask scent, sound, heat, or movement.
Note: The cloth's complex weave exists on a fifth-dimensional level, making replication by normal means impossible.
---
Shirō had addressed its weaknesses by masking his scent with specific herbs and avoiding movement entirely. Thanks to Shikamaru's precision in choosing the location, the chance of being accidentally discovered was almost nonexistent.
True to prediction, the enemy team began separating as they approached the hill. Somehow, Shikamaru had known. That distance—combined with the terrain—was just enough.
Now!
Shikamaru and the others sprang into action.
"Shadow Imitation Technique!"
One Chūnin was instantly caught by Shikamaru's jutsu, but the others reacted quickly. Tai Yi immediately intercepted the remaining two Chūnin, engaging them in close combat.
The enemy's Jōnin moved to reinforce, but Nakamura stepped in, blocking his path.
"Shimizu. Been a while," Nakamura said coolly, eyes narrowing.
The enemy Jōnin sneered. "Didn't expect you would be the one hunting me down."
Leaving Nakamura's personal grudge aside, on the other flank, Shirō finally faced the four Genin.
He muttered, "Projection… begin."
In a flash of red light, a twisted, ornate spear materialized in his hand. Shirō drove the weapon into the ground, activating its True Name.
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Noble Phantasm: Bloodthirsty Demoness (Báthory Erzsébet)
Rank: E-
Original Wielder: Elizabeth Báthory, the infamous "Blood Countess" of Hungary
Form: A cursed spear derived from the legendary Csejte Castle
Effect: Upon invocation, transforms into a grand stage resembling a gothic fortress. Amplifies sonic and chakra-based techniques, especially sound-based ones, converting them into wide-range destructive attacks.
Note: While primarily categorized as an Anti-Unit Noble Phantasm, the spectacle and effects give it battlefield-altering potential.
---
The ground cracked, and from it rose a haunting structure—Csejte Castle itself—emerging like a demon's shrine. The four enemy Genin froze in pure terror, unable to process what they were seeing.
Shirō, standing atop the castle stage, began forming hand seals.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Ordinarily a C-rank technique, the gust now roared like a hurricane, its power amplified nearly to A-rank level by the Bloodthirsty Demoness's resonance.
The result was immediate—the four Genin were blown away, unconscious and bleeding.
The castle shimmered and vanished, having consumed too much chakra. Shirō, pale and breathless, landed on the grass below. But the mission wasn't over yet.
He slapped a sealing scroll on his wrist bracer and retrieved his Bond and Arrow, his custom bow and projectiles.
From his position, he could clearly see Shikamaru's ongoing battle without even using Reinforcement Magic.
No hesitation.
Twang!
An arrow soared—and pierced through the restrained Chūnin's chest, eliminating the first confirmed enemy kill.
Shirō didn't rush to join the others. Instead, he sat cross-legged and began refining chakra. Moving while refining was inefficient, and he didn't have enough left to fight properly without replenishing.
Meanwhile, the remaining enemy Chūnin realized something was wrong. Their formation was disrupted. One of their comrades was dead.
Now wary, they prepared countermeasures, and Shikamaru's next Shadow Imitation failed. Still, in a two-versus-two scenario, clan shinobi like Shikamaru and Tai Yi had the upper hand. The difference between elite-trained and common rogue ninja was stark.
And any moment now, Shirō would rejoin the fray.
The momentum had shifted.