"Disperse and break through!"
Fox ignored Pakura and the others' taunts and quickly gave the order.
In this situation of being counter-encircled, staying together meant being sitting ducks. Only by scattering could they have a sliver of hope.
The other two Konoha squads did the same, each erupting with their fastest speed and charging in different directions, trying to tear open the encirclement.
The Suna-nin naturally wouldn't let them have their way. They immediately split up to pursue. Not long after, screams could be heard, clearly indicating someone had been hit.
Squad C Five was under immense pressure as well.
"Grey Wolf, left flank! Night Owl, right flank! Green Snake, with me for the rear guard! Charge!"
Fox roared. Swinging his short sword with his single arm, his chakra burst forth, slashing out a sharp blade of wind that temporarily forced back the two Suna Chunin charging head-on.
Grey Wolf and Night Owl hesitated not at all, immediately charging fiercely in the directions Fox indicated.
Sora stayed close to Fox's side, using fists and feet to knock away all incoming shuriken and kunai. Occasionally encountering low-level ninjutsu, he would shatter them with a single punch. The taijutsu prowess he displayed made the surrounding Suna-nin secretly alarmed.
But Pakura's gaze was like a physical weight, coldly fixed on the strongest Squad C Five, or more precisely, primarily fixed on the youngest one among them, Sora.
Pakura calmly instructed the Suna Jonin beside her,
"That brat, I'll handle him. The others, be sure to wipe them out completely, leave none alive!"
"Yes! Pakura-sama!"
That Suna Jonin immediately accepted the order, leading the remaining personnel to besiege Grey Wolf and Night Owl's direction even more frantically, trying to keep them there for good.
As for Pakura herself, she walked leisurely towards Sora and Fox. The two scorching fireballs floating beside her emitted terrifying high temperatures, making the surrounding air slightly distort.
'Troublesome... Being targeted by Pakura, escaping easily will be difficult.' Sora frowned tightly.
Although Fox was experienced, with one arm against Pakura, the chance of winning was almost zero.
Looking at Fox hacking away fiercely ahead, trying to open a gap, and then glancing at Grey Wolf and Night Owl on the right flank locked in a desperate struggle, dangers lurking everywhere, he made a decision in an instant.
Sora suddenly shouted lowly,
"Captain! You go first! I'll hold her off!"
Hearing this, Fox didn't waste words. After looking at Sora, his single arm erupted with even greater strength, and he quickly charged towards Grey Wolf and Night Owl's direction, instantly helping them open a gap.
Seeing this, Grey Wolf and Night Owl also said nothing more. They had learned quite a bit about Sora's strength through long missions. In their eyes, he definitely possessed Jonin-level strength, and his speed was the fastest among them. There had been several previous missions where Sora covered the rear. So the three of them rushed towards the outside of the encirclement without looking back.
Several Suna-nin wanted to give chase but were forced back by a few kunai with explosive tags attached that Sora threw in time.
'Alright, now... it's just us.'
Sora turned around, facing alone the slowly approaching Pakura and the covetous Suna-nin behind her.
Pakura looked at Sora who had voluntarily stayed behind. A flicker of surprise passed through her eyes, then turned into deeper mockery.
"Oh? Quite brave for one so young. Planning to sacrifice yourself to buy time for your comrades to escape? How touching... and foolish."
Sora ignored her taunt. Taking a deep breath, the chakra within his body began to circulate frantically along the Eight Gates Released Formation pathways.
'The First Gate: Gate of Opening, open!'
'...'
'The Fifth Gate: Gate of Limit, open!'
Boom!!!
Green energy steam instantly enveloped Sora's body, and chakra surged out from within him like a volcanic eruption!
"What?!"
"This chakra... how is it possible?! Just who are you?!"
The mockery on Pakura's face instantly froze, replaced by thick shock!
How could this Konoha brat who looked no more than twelve or thirteen possess such terrifying chakra volume and presence?!
This completely defied common sense!
Even among the long-established Jonin of Sunagakure, few could erupt with such imposing might!
'Is it some kind of forbidden technique that stimulates life force? No, his life force feels violent, but there's no sign of weakening... When did Konoha produce such a monster?'
Pakura clearly had never seen the Eight Gates Released Formation, but she could recognize that this brat before her was absolutely a rare and formidable enemy she had encountered in her life!
'He must be eliminated here! Otherwise, he will surely become a major threat to Sunagakure in the future!'
"Scorch Release: Overwhelming Heat Murder!"
Pakura hesitated no more. Forming hand seals, the two scorching fireballs floating beside her instantly expanded, transforming into two beams of blazing light that shot towards Sora like lightning!
'So fast!'
Sora's pupils contracted. His speed under the Gate of Limit state erupted to the limit, his body suddenly darting to the side and back!
Hiss—!
The ground where he originally stood was swept by the scorching beams, instantly becoming dry and cracked, as if all moisture had been completely evaporated!
'The power is truly strong! Better not take it head-on.'
With a thought, Sora's hands quickly formed seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive fireball containing the Azure Dragon's power, carrying an aura of destruction, met Pakura's Scorch Release light spheres head-on!
Boom!!!
Flames and blazing light collided violently in mid-air, causing a fierce explosion. Firelight shot towards the sky, heat waves in all directions, forcing the surrounding watching Suna-nin to retreat repeatedly, their faces showing astonishment.
"He actually... blocked Pakura-sama's Scorch Release with an ordinary Fire Release?" A Suna Chunin muttered in disbelief.
Pakura's expression turned even uglier.
She could feel that the other party's 'Great Fireball' had extremely concentrated power, its temperature absurdly high. It had truly neutralized her Overwhelming Heat Murder!
'This is definitely no ordinary Great Fireball! Just how many more tricks does this kid have hidden?!'
'Can't deal with him at range! Close combat, finish him with a combination of taijutsu and Scorch Release!'
Pakura had rich combat experience. Changing tactics instantly, her figure flashed, closing in on Sora like a ghost. Her palm, coated with scorching high temperature, struck towards Sora's chest!
"Good timing!"
Sora shouted lowly. Close combat was what he feared least, especially with the enhancement of 'Gate of Limit'!
"Super Strength!"
Chakra instantly concentrated in his fist, and he threw a straightforward, unadorned punch!
Fist and palm met, releasing a dull, heavy thud!
Pakura only felt a mountainous, overpowering force transmit from her arm. Moreover, the scorching high temperature failed to instantly breach Sora's defense. Instead, she herself was shaken, her arm going numb, her qi and blood churning. She involuntarily retreated three steps!
"How is this possible?! His strength... and this chakra defense?!"
The shock in Pakura's heart was beyond measure. Her Scorch Release not only had high temperature but also penetrating power. Ordinary ninja would have their skin scorched even if they blocked, yet Sora had actually blocked it head-on!
'This guy's taijutsu and chakra quality are just unnaturally strong!'
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