"Ahhh!"
The surface of the water suddenly exploded, and shards of crystal shot up from below like bullets.
Caught off guard, the two ANBU at the very front were hit and wounded.
"What kind of jutsu is this?!"
"No idea. Must be some kind of special kekkei genkai. Stay sharp—Orochimaru's people know we're here."
"Try Lightning Release."
The ANBU reacted fast.
If Water Release didn't work, then switch to Lightning Release.
The problem was, no one knew how the enemy would follow up. Charging in recklessly was a good way to get skewered.
After a quick assessment…
The nine who were good at Lightning Release in the two squads stepped out, formed seals, and pressed their hands to the ground. Lightning chakra ran across the earth and into the flooded passage ahead.
Sparks slithered across the floor and through the water like snakes.
But it didn't last long.
All the water in the corridor turned to crystal—
then crumbled into powder.
And then—
Whoosh!
A figure flashed out of the tunnel.
"Watch out!"
Someone shouted, but the front line took the brunt of it.
Crystal spikes slammed into them before they could dodge.
Beetles immediately poured out of one of the wounded bodies, crawling over the crystal and gnawing at it, but they couldn't break it.
Then—
A much larger beetle crawled out of the ANBU's abdomen.
Crack!
With a single bite, it snapped a crystal spike clean in half.
It ate fast.
In moments, several spikes were chewed through. And as its speed increased, the surrounding Kikaichū seemed to "catch on," copying the way it bit the crystal.
By the time Guren rushed up—
Bang!
The beetle swarm erupted outward, blocking her strike and giving Aburame Yoshihiro enough time to fall back.
"Careful! This woman's using kekkei genkai-level jutsu!" Yoshihiro warned, sweat beading on his forehead.
He'd been against Aburame Shibi sharing clan secrets with the Fire Temple at first—but now?
He just felt like Shibi had done something incredible.
If it weren't for these special beetles Yagyū Souma had cultivated, he'd probably be dead already.
"Fall back and regroup."
The remaining three ANBU are covered with jutsu, working together to pull Yoshihiro out of close range.
Guren glanced at the chewed-through crystal, her brows knitting.
Her crystal was insanely durable.
Outside of certain very specific attacks, it was basically unbreakable.
How are these bugs doing this?
But the evolved beetle had already retreated back into Yoshihiro's body. She had no way of finding it now—only the sight of Yoshihiro's team pulling back, still alive.
Guren body-flickered after them, weaving signs as she moved.
By the time she caught up, chakra was already concentrated in both her hands.
Crystal Release: Crystal Pentagonal Prison!
Five crystal pillars sprang up around the four ANBU.
The crystals exploded outward, forming a solid, glittering prison around them.
Guren finally allowed herself a small breath of relief.
But before she could detonate the prison—
Yoshihiro's section shattered first.
Beetles spilled out, spreading along the crystal and chewing rapidly, freeing the other three as well.
At that moment…
Yoshihiro realized—
This Crystal Release… maybe it's not actually that big of a deal.
Of course, the beetles weren't that fast yet.
Against strong enemies, they still couldn't completely neutralize the technique alone.
Guren's composure cracked.
Again!
These bugs really did act like they could eat anything. And to make it worse, they were chewing through crystal even faster than before.
It was like—
They're evolving?
"Tch. Annoying. I'll just kill you first."
Her tone went cold.
The ANBU weren't strong enough to match her, but they were still ANBU. Working together, they were able to stall for time.
Elsewhere.
"They're engaged. Orochimaru's probably already heading north."
Souma frowned.
From his senses, he could clearly pick out a chakra source rapidly withdrawing to the north.
They had been discovered.
ANBU… good at messing things up, not so good at finishing the job.
He'd have to talk to the Third about training them when they got back. This performance was downright embarrassing.
"We don't have to capture Orochimaru," Yamato said, explaining as they ran. "Our priority is grabbing whoever's left and squeezing them for intel so we can figure out what Orochimaru's really after."
Tenten and Kasa ran quietly beside them, not joining in.
Souma's level now…
Honestly, it wasn't the same as theirs anymore.
On paper he'd only just become a special jōnin, but everyone knew it was just politics. His strength was more than enough to be a full jōnin—the only reason he wasn't promoted was because he was too young, and the Hokage didn't want the other villages getting too jealous.
Tenten and Kasa both felt like it was kind of pointless anyway.
Anyone who wanted to hate him would hate him regardless.
They picked up the pace and closed in on the battlefield.
Explosions echoed in the distance a moment later.
The fight up ahead was fierce.
As they approached, Souma took the chance to map out the base structure with his chakra sense in more detail.
Orochimaru didn't have many fighters left in this hideout.
Most of the signatures inside were small—
likely disposable grunts who only knew a piece or two of the real plan.
But two chakra signatures stood out sharply.
Judging from the Crystal Release a moment ago, one had to be the user of that kekkei genkai—Guren.
And the other…
If he wasn't wrong, that would be the strongest of the Sound Five—Kimimaro.
Kimimaro and Guren.
Those two alone would be enough to slaughter a Kage if they caught the right opportunity.
With just the current ANBU teams and their own squad…
Taking this base head-on was going to be rough.
Souma's frown deepened.
"What's wrong?" Tenten asked. She'd immediately picked up on the shift in his mood.
He'd been calm before. A slight change like that definitely meant he'd seen something.
"Orochimaru's already running. But he left two very annoying people behind."
Souma rubbed his temples.
Right now, both Guren and Kimimaro were absolutely loyal to Orochimaru. From Konoha's perspective, they were complete lunatics.
Beating them wouldn't be easy.
And most importantly—
There was no loot to be had.
Both of them were pure kekkei genkai monsters. He couldn't copy any of their bloodline techniques. The more effort he put in, the more of a loss it was.
Souma thought for a bit, then made up his mind.
Forget it. Grab Guren first.
Kimimaro would be harder to deal with.
But if it was just Shikotsumyaku, once he entered Sage Mode, winning wasn't actually that hard.
The real trouble with Shikotsumyaku was those absurdly tough bones.
But Souma specialized in cutting down so-called "absolute defense."
With that decided, his mood lightened.
"Let's go. We'll capture the woman up ahead first," he said. "She's strong. Definitely someone important."
Yamato nodded.
After a few seconds of running, he added, "Souma, we'll be fine stepping in—but you have to tell your beetles to hold back. Last time, they sucked our captives dry."
"I'll… do my best."
Souma glanced at the Beetle King on his shoulder and started nagging it mentally.
He was pretty sure Guren didn't have a Curse Mark.
In theory the swarm wouldn't go that crazy on her.
But still.
Better safe than sorry.
"Seriously, go easy on her. Got it?" he told Ao.
Bzz bzz!
Ao bobbed in the air, wings buzzing as he chirped back his reply.
A few moments later, Souma could see Guren and the ANBU squads ahead.
The scene was pretty tragic.
Guren's taijutsu wasn't weak—she was a genuine elite jōnin. With Crystal Release in her hands, she'd turned the entire corridor into her weapon.
Plenty of ANBU were already bleeding and bruised.
Only Aburame Yoshihiro was completely unscathed—and Guren herself was being driven half mad by him.
"Kimimaro, if you don't come out here right now, I'm DONE with this!" Guren snapped.
She'd been tormented by beetles long enough.
They were weak individually, but no matter what she did, she couldn't wipe them out in one go.
"Couldn't handle just these ones?"
Kimimaro stepped calmly out of the tunnel. He raised his hand, ready to strike at Yoshihiro—
Then suddenly looked south.
"Our new friends," he murmured. "You can come out now."
Yamato, Souma, and Tenten dropped down into view.
"You're Orochimaru's subordinates?" Yamato asked.
"Kimimaro of the Kaguya clan," the boy said. "You must be the Yagyū Souma Orochimaru-sama mentioned."
Kimimaro studied with him.
As expected.
The moment you saw the one Orochimaru admired, you knew right away.
Souma looked ordinary at first glance.
But the quiet confidence in his posture and presence made it impossible to mistake him for a fresh genin.
The girl beside him, by comparison, looked much more "normal."
Kimimaro's gaze never left Souma.
"I'm Yagyū Souma," he said.
"A pleasure," Kimimaro replied, bowing slightly.
"Even if we're enemies in the next moment, I believe we'll be comrades someday."
Tenten's mouth twitched. She really wanted to snap back, but…
He was so polite.
He didn't sound like he was facing enemies at all—more like someone greeting new acquaintances.
"Likewise," Souma said with a small smile.
"Though I do think you're a bit too confident in Orochimaru."
Kimimaro only smiled, offering no argument.
He reached back and slowly drew a bone blade from his own body.
Guren opened her mouth, hesitated, then said nothing.
The ANBU finally had a moment of breathing room. While Guren and Kimimaro were focused on Souma, they fell back, and Yoshihiro quickly performed a summoning to call out the medical beetles.
As he did, he couldn't help praising Souma again in his heart.
Without Souma, where would he have gotten medical bugs like this?
And something this convenient?
Souma ignored them.
His attention was fixed solely on Kimimaro, and Kimimaro's eyes never left him.
"Orochimaru-sama told me that to fight you, I have to go in ready to kill," Kimimaro said seriously. "So I won't be holding back. Please, allow me to test you."
"Hey, hold on," Tenten cut in. "Pretty sure we have more people on our side, you know?"
Kimimaro chuckled.
"Numbers often don't matter."
With the bone sword completely drawn, he exhaled and said:
"I heard you're skilled with the blade. Why don't we have a sword duel?"
"Quit messing around, Kimimaro!" Guren snapped from behind him. "Help me get rid of that bug bastard first!"
The guy had completely forgotten she even existed the moment he saw Souma. She'd been getting eaten alive out here by insects.
Kimimaro glanced at Yoshihiro and smiled faintly.
The next instant—
His figure vanished.
Dance of the Willow.
Fast, clean, and lethal swordwork.
But as he appeared in front of Yoshihiro—
Clang!
Before Yoshihiro even processed what was happening, two figures flashed into his vision.
Kimimaro.
And Souma.
Both moved faster than normal eyes could track.
Too fast!
Bone spikes sprang from Kimimaro's arm, chest, and thigh—two on each—
but every time, the first spike was cleaved clean off.
Against a normal opponent, that would've been instant death.
What terrifying swordsmanship.
"Very fast iai," Kimimaro said, expression gravely. "Strong too. As expected, you're a formidable opponent."
"Same to you," Souma said calmly.
He'd nearly gone all-out with that one slash—
Sage Mode aside, he'd poured everything else into it, changing his strike angle three times mid-swing.
And still—
Shikotsumyaku's bone armor had blocked it.
Kekkei genkai really were monsters.
Looks like…
He'd have to use Sage Mode.
"Souma-kun," Kimimaro said quietly, "I'll be getting serious now."
"What a coincidence," Souma replied, eyes narrowing. "So will I."
Behind them, Guren quietly gathered chakra.
Seeing Kimimaro's bone defenses get sliced…
she suddenly wasn't sure it was a good idea to keep playing around with him.
She was already thinking about retreat.
But abandoning Kimimaro had consequences too.
Orochimaru definitely wouldn't forgive that.
Guren gritted her teeth.
"I'll handle him. You go kill the others!"
"You're not his match," Kimimaro said, stepping forward again.
Dance of the Camellia.
The bone blade flourished in a rapid flurry.
But in that instant—
Souma's chakra surged, his aura changing in a heartbeat.
Before anyone could react, he flickered forward. Kimimaro was suddenly on the receiving end of a brutal combo, sent flying by a flurry of invisible fists.
Then Souma's sword flared gold—
One slash came down.
Kimimaro's "unbreakable" bone was sheared through.
His arm fell to the ground, severed cleanly at the shoulder.
The sudden explosion of power caught him completely off guard. He hadn't expected Souma to be hiding something like that—
one burst of Sage-enhanced strength, and he'd lost an arm.
Guren just stared, stunned.
Then—
She immediately launched a huge Crystal Release, sealing everyone in the area, grabbed Kimimaro, and bolted with a body flicker.
In her eyes, Kimimaro had been nearly unbeatable.
Other than Orochimaru, she'd never seen anyone who could overpower him.
And now this guy had just smashed his perfect defense and lopped off his arm.
Completely absurd.
If Souma alone was already this strong, and more Konoha shinobi kept arriving…
Their original mission plan was already clearly impossible.
Staying meant getting buried here.
But her full-area crystal seal barely lasted a moment—
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The sound of shattering crystal echoed from inside, followed by a familiar buzzing roar.
Guren's face tightened.
A heartbeat later, the crystal prison exploded apart.
The Konoha ninja were free.
She pushed the maimed Kimimaro ahead of her.
"Move!"
"No. My body…" Kimimaro started.
"You're stronger than I am, so save the whining," she snapped. "Orochimaru-sama doesn't need a broken cripple like me, but you still have value. I'll hold them. You—just go! I still have my Curse Mark."
"I…"
Guren clenched her teeth, then turned and ran.
Kimimaro watched her leave, then slowly turned back toward the tunnel.
"Oh, and… that burst of power just now," he murmured, thinking of Souma. "It felt… a little similar to the Curse Mark. I might be wrong, but… please tell Orochimaru-sama."
"I'll deliver the message!" Guren called back, already retreating down the passage.
If she'd known it would turn out like this, she would've just forced Kimimaro to run from the start.
Who could've guessed the enemy had something like that up his sleeve?
They knew far, far too little about Souma.
Guren cursed silently.
Kimimaro threw several explosive tags behind him, intending to collapse the corridor and block pursuit—but before they could go off, thick trees burst up from the ground behind him, propping up the tunnel ceiling and tearing the earth open.
The ANBU had joined in too.
Souma looked down at Kimimaro from above.
"You guys go after the woman," he said. "Kimimaro's mine."
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