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[NTU] [ARC-13] Chapter : 160
🕑 Added 2024-08-25 17:51:23 +0000 UTCBreaking out in a cold sweat, C discreetly signaled to Darui.
"This idiot, now we’re in trouble!"
The moment Darui saw his C's gesture, he inwardly groaned. He had anticipated this outcome and had hoped to avoid involving Yugito. Unfortunately, it seemed that was no longer an option.
But... when did Konoha gain such a strong ninja?
"Yugito, prepare to retreat!"
Drawing the Zanbato sword he carried on his back, Darui signaled to Yugito, who was ready for action.
As he advanced, he didn’t forget to exchange a meaningful glance with C and Yugito. After seeing the nod of acknowledgment, he turned his attention to the newcomer.
Just ahead of the two Konoha shinobi they had been pursuing, a tall figure stood atop a bird with a wingspan of over ten meters.
He wore a green ninja vest, with a forehead protector tied to his right arm. His long hair, which fell past his shoulders, was neatly combed back into a simple ponytail.
His chiseled features, sharp as if carved from stone, combined with his straight, blade-like eyebrows, exuded an intense aura. Most striking were his eyes—one glance was enough to make anyone avert their gaze, unable to hold his piercing stare.
"Those eyes... they're something else!"
"This time, we’re really in trouble!"
After silently cursing the situation, Darui steeled himself to face the opponent.
"Since you've come all the way to the Land of Fire, there's no need to rush off. Otherwise, it might seem like we as hosts aren't very hospitable," Toshiro called out with a smile, noticing the cloud Shinobi's intent to leave. "Why not come back to Konoha with me as our guest? Your friend is already there, so we can all gather together as allies."
"Haha!"
"No need to trouble yourself. We've already imposed on you by coming this far, so it's best if we all just return to our own village!"
"Otherwise, our Raikage might lose his temper if he finds out his subordinates haven’t returned to camp!"
Facing a formidable opponent who might rival the Raikage, Darui remained cautious, hoping to use the Raikage's name to dissuade the other from keeping them there.
"The Fourth Raikage, huh? Quite the big name!"
Toshiro saw through Darui's cautious ploy, but the mention of the Raikage didn’t intimidate him in the least.
"Fourth Raikage, A, is said to be the fastest ninja in the world right now. I’d like to see if that reputation is well-deserved!"
He took great pride in his speed. Beyond his mastery of the Flying Thunder God, he was also skilled in Shunshin no jutsu. The chance to witness the Raikage's Lightning Release Armor up close was intriguing.
"Are you really going to do this?"
"We may not be worth much, but surely you're aware of Yugito's significance."
"If anything happens to her, Kumogakure—and especially the Fourth Raikage—won’t stand for it!"
"At that point, the fragile peace our two nations have worked so hard to maintain will be shattered, leading to inevitable and endless conflict!"
Seeing that invoking the Raikage’s name didn't deter the other party from keeping them, Darui tried a different approach.
"War?"
"Isn't that exactly what you Kumo-nin have been clamoring for? Isn't it a bit late to bring that up now?"
"Besides, I’m just an ordinary Konoha shinobi. Whether there's war or not isn’t really my concern."
"And by the way, those ANBU you’ve been chasing down usually operate in teams of three. Don’t you think it's a little redundant to mention this now?"
With that, Toshiro lost interest in further conversation. He activated his Sharingan, controlled the bird he was perched on, and made it lunge towards Darui.
Meanwhile, he dashed toward Yugito, who had been waiting with growing impatience, briefly glancing at C as he passed.
"Good, bring it on!"
Yugito wasn’t surprised by the attack. She had been itching for a fight, eager to test her current strength.
Especially after hearing C mention that this opponent's chakra levels were on par with the Raikage's, her desire for battle only intensified.
"Yugito, be careful!"
Unlike Yugito, who was brimming with battle-lust, Darui immediately raised his assessment of the threat when he saw the red glow in the opponent's eyes.
"He's an Uchiha! Watch out for his genjutsu!"
However, Darui’s warning had little impact on Yugito.
Genjutsu? With the Two-Tails inside her, such techniques were ineffective. In fact, if the Uchiha tried to use genjutsu, it might just end up surprising him instead.
"What speed!"
But to her surprise, the Konoha ninja didn’t attempt any genjutsu as she had expected. Instead, he rushed at her with the directness of a fellow Cloud Ninja.
At that moment, he aimed a punch directly at her abdomen.
"He's too fast!"
Yugito had initially planned to counter with the claws in her hand, but the opponent's speed was overwhelming. She barely had time to react before his fist connected with her.
Boom!
A dull thud echoed, startling Darui, who was busy dealing with the bird in the distance. He was astounded by what he saw when he looked back.
Yugito had been launched like a rag doll, sent flying dozens of meters by a single punch from the opponent.
"This power is ridiculous!"
Darui grumbled as he looked back at his other companion, hoping he could assist Yugito.
"......"
But when he saw C's condition, Darui was left speechless.
C lay motionless on the ground, appearing almost lifeless. If not for the slight rise and fall of his chest, Darui might have thought he was dead.
And as for Yugito... things were escalating far too quickly.
Yugito had undergone a dramatic transformation. Her standard Cloud Ninja combat uniform was nowhere in sight, replaced entirely by the menacing red and black chakra of the Tailed Beast cloak.
Yugito, who had initially been eager for battle, now realized the gravity of the situation. If not for the Matatabi quickly enveloping her in its chakra, she might have been killed by that single punch.
Her opponent’s strength was overwhelming. Despite crossing her arms to block the blow, it felt as if her bones had been shattered.
Even with the Tailed Beast’s chakra aiding her, she doubted she could continue the fight much longer without sustaining serious injuries.
"This is getting interesting!"
Toshiro grinned as he observed Yugito, now fully cloaked in the Tailed Beast's chakra. He clenched his fist, feeling the thrill of the challenge. It had been a long time since he had gone all out, and this time, it seemed his opponent wouldn’t be so easily defeated. He was ready to unleash his full power and relish the intensity of a true battle.
Since the Third Ninja World War, despite his strength advancing by leaps and bounds, opportunities to engage in real combat have become increasingly rare. Even during the last Nine-Tails rampage, the fight hadn’t provided much satisfaction.
On that occasion, Shiromari had done most of the battling.
"I'm coming for you!"
With a grin, Toshiro charged at Yugito, completely disregarding her cautious stance as he moved in for the attack.
Comments
Skruffy
Where’s 159?
