Huh? No way... Could this kid still have a trick up his sleeve?
Seeing Yuki's expression, Hannya couldn't help but frown.
At least from the current situation, he really couldn't imagine any chance for this brat to stage a comeback.
First, Yuki was already inferior to Hannya in terms of physical strength and chakra reserves, and the losses from the previous battle were greater. Meanwhile, Hannya had slowly recovered some energy during the pursuit through soldier pills and rhythmic movement. By now, there was already a massive gap in their conditions.
Second, this was the peak of the highest mountain nearby, with no escape route behind. Moreover, Hannya's stamina was mostly recovered—there should be absolutely no way to flee.
Wait... Could he have reinforcements?
In that instant, Hannya suddenly thought of this possibility. After all, the entire area was dense forest, yet Yuki had fled without hesitation toward this highest mountain. It was hard to believe there wasn't something strange about it.
"Stop guessing. I'm really alone here—there are no reinforcements."
Sensing Hannya's gaze quietly sweeping the surroundings, Yuki shook his head with a smile, clearly aware of what the Grass Village Jōnin was thinking.
However, after hearing Yuki's words, Hannya didn't relax in the slightest. The "Forest Lizard," which had shrunk and clung to its master's back, also returned to its original form, clearly ready for battle.
But at this moment, Yuki didn't even bother to glance at the "Forest Lizard" that had just caused him so much trouble. His gaze shifted instead to the floating "Kaguya-hime" beside him, then up to the bright full moon hanging overhead.
Back in "Kujō Village," the moonlight had been blocked by clouds, preventing "Kaguya-hime" from using her abilities at all. But here atop this thousand-meter-high mountain peak, it was completely different.
Having passed through the obstruction of the clouds, the moonlight shining on Yuki was so dazzlingly bright that it even vaguely enveloped his youthful figure with a sacred halo...
"Tidal Moon"—Activate!
Instantly, Kaguya-hime's previously slightly opened eyes snapped wide open! The surrounding moonlight gathered like a tide and poured into her body as if a hundred rivers were returning to the sea.
As moonlight was massively absorbed into Kaguya-hime's body, the originally bright surroundings suddenly dimmed, as if the light spilling from the heavens was intercepted by some invisible being before it could even reach the ground.
Wha... What's happening?
Such a huge anomaly naturally couldn't escape Hannya's notice. Though he saw the moonlight around him vanish abruptly, he still couldn't figure out what exactly was happening.
Is it this kid's jutsu? That can't be right either. The Hyūga clan is famous for their Gentle Fist—I've never heard of them having any moon-related techniques.
Regardless, strike first!
Growing somewhat impatient, Hannya immediately had the "Forest Lizard" float a ring of suspended leaves around him as an external shield against attacks, while his hands swiftly formed hand seals!
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet Jutsu!"
The moment the seals were completed, the dirt ground before him trembled violently. Then, a massive dragon head emerged before Hannya! It opened its maw and spewed forth countless cannonballs made of compacted earth!
Simultaneously, the "Forest Lizard" opened its mouth and sprayed a stream of foul-smelling mucus toward Yuki! Judging by its color and odor, it was almost certainly highly toxic!
Poisonous liquid scattered down like rain, coupled with the Earth Dragon Bullets no less powerful than cannonballs, together forming a highly lethal combination jutsu sequence!
Do you still have the stamina and chakra to use "Rotation"? Even if you do, it doesn't matter. The moment you activate "Rotation," these leaves will fly out simultaneously—you'd just be repeating your mistake... Huh? He doesn't seem to be doing anything?
Even while unleashing such a powerful combination jutsu, Hannya had been closely watching Yuki's movements. Yet, incredibly, the kid didn't do anything—he just stood there!
Suicide? No, he doesn't seem like someone who'd give up that easily. There must be another trick. I have to keep watching him, otherwise—
But before the thought fully formed in Hannya's mind, a moon-white storm suddenly erupted in the air not far from Yuki!
Yes, a moon-white storm, as if an intense air current had abruptly manifested in empty space—a sight Hannya had witnessed not long ago!
"Ro-ro-ro-ro... Rotation?!!!!"
Almost the instant the storm formed, the poison and earth dragon bullets flying toward Yuki were like tiny ants charging toward a high-speed spinning top—instantly flung away!
No, it wasn't just being flung away. The originally head-sized, chakra-hardened earth cannonballs disintegrated into near dust upon impact, scattering across the ground!
As for the poisonous liquid scattering everywhere, it evaporated completely the moment it was repelled, not even leaving residue behind. This showed just how immense the rotational force of this "storm" was!
Not only was the power immense, but this "Rotation" was also more than twice the size of the "Rotation" Yuki had released earlier! Who is it? Who's hiding in the shadows?
As the moon-white glowing "Rotation" vanished, Hannya immediately sank into the rock layer below, clearly intending to create some distance first.
Though he didn't know what had just happened, Yuki stood motionless. That powerful "Rotation" obviously wasn't released by him—he shouldn't have that capability. Someone else must be hiding around the mountaintop!
If I can't find that person, I'll definitely lose this battle. That's exactly what Hannya thought.
Hannya's speed was extremely fast; in the blink of an eye, he was already over ten meters underground. But to the current Yuki, it hardly mattered.
You're really unlucky... The moon is quite full today. Watching the direction Hannya fled, Yuki had no intention of pursuing. In fact, there was no need.
If one could see Stands at this moment, it wouldn't be hard to notice that the floating "Kaguya-hime" beside him seemed to have transformed.
After entering the "Tidal Moon" state, her petite body was enveloped in bright moonlight. Her long white hair floated around her without wind, and her always-open Byakugan seemed to possess a light of wisdom capable of seeing through the world's truths.
Kaguya-hime's current normal state attributes: Destructive Power: C, Speed: C, Range: C, Persistence: D, Precision: C, Developmental Potential: ?
Kaguya-hime's current "Tidal Moon" state attributes: Destructive Power: B, Speed: A, Range: B, Persistence: B, Precision: A, Developmental Potential: ?
From 4C and 1D to 2A and 3B—at least in terms of Stand attribute changes, there was such a massive upgrade. Moreover, even more terrifying was that Kaguya-hime's body now seemed filled with inexhaustible chakra.
A Stand's basic attributes only represent its power when using its own abilities. But the current Kaguya-hime could use the Gentle Fist—in other words...
"Gentle Fist Technique: Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!"
As Kaguya-hime lightly raised her slender hand, a powerful shockwave blasted forth from her palm!
Judging this single "Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm" alone, it was absolutely superior in every attribute measuring a technique's strength—power, speed, range, etc.—compared to the "Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm" Yuki had released earlier.
Boom! When this intense shockwave struck the ground where Hannya had just submerged, a large crater appeared there with an explosive roar, accompanied by a massive shower of flying碎石尘土 (rubble and dust)!
But this wasn't the end. Or rather, this was merely the beginning—the prologue of the grand play titled "Hannya Trembles in Fear."
Because in the very next moment, Kaguya-hime shot even higher into the air and, like lightning, swung both palms toward the large hole she had just blasted below!
Simultaneously, dozens—no, hundreds—of "Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palms" landed with pinpoint accuracy on the spot where Hannya had just burrowed away...