Immediately after, Uchiha Gen threw several more kunai, striking the ends of the previous kunai with unerring precision.
The second volley plummeted rapidly to the ground, while the initial ones, bolstered by this added force, surged in speed and shot toward the area in front of the Rain Ninja Squad Leader.
At that exact moment, the exploding tags ignited.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
A continuous series of explosions accompanied by flashes of fire rang out, sealing off the Rain Ninja Squad Leader's escape route.
The power of an exploding tag depends on the maker's skill and materials, but any standard tag is easily comparable to the Fire Release of an average ninja.
Furthermore, due to their instantaneous detonation, their immediate lethality is even more staggering.
The Rain Ninja Squad Leader was forced to stop and turn back to face Uchiha Gen, who had landed behind him.
"Brat, aren't you afraid of a mutually destructive end?"
"The net is already secure; how could I let a big fish like you get away?"
Uchiha Gen smiled and gestured around with his Warring States ninja sword.
About a dozen ninja wearing Konoha forehead protectors were rushing toward them from the distance.
These were members of several squads stationed in the adjacent defense sectors.
Leading them were two Special Jōnin under Lord Orochimaru's command whom Uchiha Gen had met not long ago.
One was Gekkō Hakuan, and the other was a commoner-born Special Jōnin named Iwate Kin.
"Hidden Rain Village Special Jōnin, Chiame. It seems we've crossed paths on the battlefield before; the wound you gave me has only just healed."
Iwate Kin carried a unique ninja tool shaped like a heavy hammer on his back, a cold sneer on his face as he looked at the Rain Ninja leader, Chiame.
Exactly one month ago, he had fought this man.
Their strengths were actually quite evenly matched, but he had been caught off guard by the opponent's unique Water Release Nature Transformation and suffered some injuries.
Because of this, Iwate Kin was somewhat surprised.
He knew Chiame.
Although the man had no serious injuries, he appeared somewhat disheveled.
The other two battlefields were in the heat of combat, yet Uchiha Gen had clearly held this opponent back for so long without any support from his teammates, and he was similarly unscathed.
This meant that even if there was a gap between Lord Orochimaru's disciple and the opponent, it wasn't large.
Their overall combat power was roughly in the same tier.
"So he's an acquaintance of yours, Kin. Any intel to share? This fellow seems quite formidable if he managed to wound even you."
Gekkō Hakuan held a slender ninja sword, a smile on her soft features, yet her eyes glinted with killing intent as she, Iwate Kin, and Uchiha Gen cornered Chiame.
"His Water Release Nature Transformation is Gelatinization. Also, watch out for gas bombs made from Hanzo's salamander venom; just use Wind Release to blow it away if he uses them."
A steady voice came from Iwate Kin.
In the next instant, several Ninjutsu were unleashed almost simultaneously.
The battlefield immediately descended into chaos.
At the other two battlefields where Sarutobi Enjun and Uzuki Ruri were fighting, the remaining eight or nine Konoha ninja rushed over to provide support.
About ten minutes later.
The Rain Ninja Squad Leader, Chiame, was covered in wounds.
He leaned heavily against a large tree, panting for breath as blood flowed incessantly.
Droplets of blood mixed with the rain, staining the puddles on the ground red.
Looking around, Konoha ninja holding various weapons had him completely surrounded.
"Quite tenacious, aren't you?"
Uchiha Gen landed at the front of the formation, looking at this skilled Rain Ninja.
In terms of both strength and combat prowess, this man was the strongest opponent Uchiha Gen had encountered so far.
Without reinforcements, the outcome between them would have been uncertain.
It likely would have turned into a war of attrition, determined by whose Chakra lasted longer and who made fewer mistakes.
The enemy might have died, but so might he.
"The Land of Rain is inherently chaotic. Many of these Rain Ninja who rose with Hanzo are battle-hardened elites."
"Though the Land of Rain is small, their will to fight is no less steadfast than that of ninja from any of the Great Hidden Villages."
Gekkō Hakuan spoke in a crisp voice, holding her blood-stained slender blade in a reverse grip.
"He's exhausted. Try to capture him alive if possible; if not, at least leave the body intact."
"A ninja of his caliber surely possesses valuable intel."
"Handing him over to the Yamanaka Clan ninja in the Intelligence Division will yield plenty of useful information."
Iwate Kin stared at Chiame, who looked as though he didn't even have the strength to move.
"How do we confirm he can no longer resist?"
Uchiha Gen asked.
Iwate Kin explained:
"The best option would be Genjutsu, but your Sharingan isn't at a high enough level yet, and we don't have any powerful Genjutsu masters here."
"However, since his mobility is already restricted, we'll naturally use poison and binding Ninjutsu."
"Finally, we'll use a Sealing Technique or the Hyuga's Tenketsu striking to seal his Chakra flow."
Hearing this, Uchiha Gen hummed in response and nodded silently, committing this battlefield experience to memory.
Then he asked,
"What if he tries to commit suicide? If we can't stop him in time, do we just hope to keep the body intact?"
"Correct. But we're all watching; he won't die that easily."
"Besides, didn't you already have your summoned snakes inject venom into him? That move really captures the style of Lord Orochimaru."
Gekkō Hakuan pointed at several small snakes coiled around the tree trunk.
As expected of Lord Orochimaru's disciple; this deviousness was truly inherited.
"Ahem, then we'd better hurry. I didn't realize it before, but the venom I used is quite dangerous."
"If we wait another half hour, he'll be dead. Though, he should have lost consciousness by now anyway."
Uchiha Gen felt a bit embarrassed.
He raised his sleeve and released several long snakes to bind the Rain Ninja.
The latter tried to move, only to find his limbs were already paralyzed.
He could only open his mouth weakly and squeeze out two words:
"Des...picable..."
A second later, a Konoha Chunin around thirty years old threw out a large bundle of cloth covered in sealing runes from his back, firmly binding Chiame's limbs and torso.
Uchiha Gen took out a long syringe filled with transparent liquid from his ninja tool pouch.
He stepped forward and injected it into a vein in the neck of the sealed Rain Ninja.
Inside was the antivenom serum extracted from the poisonous snakes.
"We've finally dealt with this guy. Senior Iwate, Senior Gekkō, thank you both for leading your teams to help."
Uchiha Gen thanked the two Special Jōnin and the other Konoha ninja who had come to assist, one by one.
His humble and polite manner showed no trace of arrogance, forming a sharp contrast with most Uchiha, who were typically cold to outsiders.
"Don't mention it. I know how strong this man is."
"To have such power at your age... you're almost on par with Lord Orochimaru back in the day."
Iwate Kin said with a sigh of admiration as he looked at Uchiha Gen.