Chapter 203: Puppeteering Blood Dragon Technique!
Shisui walked to the center of the training ground and began the routine physical training to maintain optimal combat power in the long term.
High-intensity taijutsu movements brought up whistling wind sounds, and sweat quickly soaked his temples.
After training ended, he walked under a big tree, sat on the exposed tree roots, took out his water canteen, and tilted his head back to gulp down several mouthfuls.
Cool water slid down his throat. He gazed at the fluttering flag of the Star Ninja Academy in the distance and the faint, vibrant training shouts coming from the direction of the military zone, his eyes somewhat vacant.
The scene of integrated peace was beautiful, almost illusory.
He let out a light sigh, which carried worry about Konoha’s current situation and yearning for the other possibility shown by the land before him.
At the same time, Natsuhi Squad had already left the warm range of Star Capital and stepped onto the road leading north.
The air clearly became colder, and everyone shuttled between tree branches and leaves, with unmelted residual snow beginning to appear on the ground.
“Hey, little guy.” Shita Junhito finally couldn’t hold back. While hurrying along, he turned his head to Chiyo, who was closely following behind Natsuhi, his tone still carrying a bit of provocation.
“You were bragging pretty hard earlier, Blood Pond Clan? Got any special ninjutsu? Don’t end up crying in fear at the sight of blood and dragging us down.” He had always reserved judgment on whether this suddenly joined, seemingly delicate and weak new teammate could adapt to cruel real combat.
Chiyo’s steps paused, her small face tensing up again. Just as she was about to retort, Natsuhi ahead spoke without turning her head: “Junhito, during the mission, focus on the objective.”
She paused, then added, perhaps to better enable tactical coordination among the three little guys: “Chiyo’s bloodline limit is ‘Blood Dragon Eye’, which has unique tactical value in specific real combat environments. What you need is to learn to cooperate, not question your teammate’s abilities.”
“Blood Dragon Eye?” Murahashi Hazuki looked at Chiyo curiously: “Sounds really impressive!”
Chiyo had been defended by Natsuhi and was now looked at with curious eyes by Murahashi Hazuki. The anger in her heart dissipated by more than half, replaced by an impulse to prove herself.
She raised her head, with a bit of small pride: “Yeah! Our clan’s Blood Dragon Eye is very powerful! It can…”
“Enough.” Natsuhi timely interrupted her words that might reveal ability details: “Specific abilities, you’ll naturally demonstrate when necessary. Now, conserve stamina, stay alert. After entering Snow Forest Area, we may encounter enemy ambushes at any time. Remember, the opponents are desperados who won’t show mercy.”
Natsuhi’s words were like a basin of cold water, calming the three young ones.
Shita Junhito no longer spoke, but his eyes still carried scrutiny.
Chiyo pursed her lips, swallowing her boasting words. Her small hand unconsciously pressed on her ninja tool pouch, vigilantly observing the increasingly desolate surroundings with thicker and thicker accumulated snow.
Chilly wind carrying fine snowflakes scraped across cheeks, bringing bone-piercing cold.
After half a day of dull and vigilant trekking, when the sunset dyed the western sky a gorgeous orange-red, an endless coniferous forest covered in thick white snow finally appeared before them.
Tall snow pines and firs stood silently like giants draped in plain white silk, their branches drooping low under the weight of accumulated snow.
Chilly wind shuttled through the forest, emitting whooshing sounds like ghostly wails, kicking up waves of snow mist and greatly reducing visibility.
The air was so cold it seemed to freeze breath.
“We’ve arrived, at the edge of Aga Snow Forest.” Natsuhi stopped on a tree, raising her hand to signal the squad to halt.
Her voice was very low, almost inaudible amid the howling wind, but clearly reached the three’s ears.
“From now on, enter highest alert status. The enemies are likely lurking in some corner of this forest sea.”
She quickly issued commands: “Shita, you cover the left flank. Hazuki, right flank. Chiyo, stick close to me, central support. Maintain triangular formation, spacing no more than ten meters. Watch for snow ground tracks and any unnatural sounds. The opponents are ambush experts; any movement could be a trap.”
“Yes!” The three responded in low unison, immediately dispersing according to the orders, their movements clearly more cautious and nimble than during previous training.
Shita Junhito drew a kunai and gripped it, his sharp eyes scanning the snow-covered shrubbery and jagged strange rocks on the left side.
Murahashi Hazuki also gripped her weapon tightly, vigilantly staring at the deep forest on the right.
Chiyo followed closely behind Natsuhi at an angle, her heart pounding. Her small palms were sweaty, but she tried to control her breathing, widening her eyes and mimicking her teacher’s manner to observe the vast white snowfield ahead, distorted tree shadows, and any snow piles that might hide enemies.
The squad moved like ghosts blending into the snow, silently advancing deeper into the dense forest.
They shuttled on tree trunks, trying to avoid leaving tracks in the snow.
Icy air entering the lungs brought stinging pain, yet also made the mind exceptionally clear.
Time ticked away second by second in the highly tense stealth.
The last ray of sunset was swallowed by the towering giant trees, and the light in the forest quickly dimmed, taking on a layer of icy deep blue.
The chill grew ever more biting.
Suddenly, Natsuhi at the forefront abruptly stopped, her left hand quickly clenching into a fist and raising it—a halt and alert gesture!
Almost in the same instant!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Sharp sounds of air breaking tore through the wind and snow howl!
Seven or eight powerful, tricky-angled arrows shot out like venomous snakes from several snow hollows and tree holes half-covered by accumulated snow ahead and on both left and right sides!
Aimed straight at the four in the squad!
Arrowheads glimmered with eerie blue under the dim light, clearly coated with deadly poison!
“Enemy attack! Scatter!” Natsuhi shouted sharply, her voice like thunder in the silent snow forest!
Her reaction was lightning-fast!
At the moment the arrows were loosed, her body sidestepped to the right while her hands blurred into afterimages.
Clang clang clang! Several poison arrows aimed at her were precisely deflected by kunai, sparks flying!
Shita Junhito and Murahashi Hazuki also showed the competent qualities of genin.
Shita roared in anger, his body lunging leftward to the ground, barely dodging the arrows aimed at his chest and abdomen. His heavy frame crashed into the thick snow.
Murahashi Hazuki executed a nimble backflip, two poison arrows grazing her hair tips and boot soles, embedding deeply into the tree trunk behind her, the arrow tails still vibrating intensely!
However, the attack did not end!
Amid Chiyo’s shock from the sudden assault, she instinctively jumped to the ground. Upon landing, the seemingly flat snow beneath her feet suddenly caved in!
A snow pit trap disguised with extreme ingenuity!
At the pit bottom, several razor-sharp wooden spikes ground by ice and snow stood inverted!
Icy killing intent surged instantly from her feet to her head!
“Ah!” Chiyo cried out in alarm, her body losing balance, about to fall!
“Chiyo!” Natsuhi’s pupils contracted.
In this critical moment, survival instinct and the grueling training of the past three months overwhelmed fear!
A flash of resolute red glow appeared in Chiyo’s eyes!
She forcibly twisted her body mid-air, her right hand yanking out a kunai and stabbing viciously into the pit wall!
Rip! The kunai plunged deep into the frozen soil, sharply reducing her fall!
But her left calf was still slashed open by a sharp wooden spike, blood instantly gushing out, staining her pant leg and the icy snowflakes!
The intense pain turned her small face pale, and she grunted muffledly.
“Damn it!” Shita Junhito saw Chiyo in peril and injured, rage surging to his head.
No longer hiding, he roared while forming hand seals: “Earth Style: Earth Dome Spear!”
His palms slammed fiercely into the snow!
Rumble!
The ground not far ahead of Chiyo’s trap shook violently. Three sharp rock spears burst through the snow, with muffled roars thrusting viciously toward a bandit hideout where a head had just emerged!
“Ah!” A shrill scream rang out. A bandit in bulky fur, full-faced with savage flesh, had his thigh pierced by one stone spear, blood spraying wildly as he instantly lost combat ability.
Murahashi Hazuki swiftly counterattacked, hands waving repeatedly: “Multiple Shuriken!”
Several shuriken turned into a swath of cold light, covering the direction from which another arrow had come, forcing two bandits who had just poked out to shrink back in panic.
“Well done!” Natsuhi praised, her icy eyes locking ahead.
“The main force is out!”
About twenty meters ahead, behind several thick snow pines, accompanied by rustling falling snow, seven figures slowly emerged, blocking the path.
They wore dirty, heavy garments pieced from various furs and rags, their faces bearing the fatigue of long escape and the ruthless ferocity unique to desperados.
Leading was a one-eyed burly man with a ferocious knife scar from left forehead to right jaw, holding a heavy machete stained with dark red blood.
Beside him, a gaunt man with snake-like sinister eyes held several edge-sharpened poisoned shuriken, and an archer with a longbow and quiver on his back.
The remaining four also gripped various weapons—axes, spears, flails—their eyes filled with beast-like bloodthirsty glow.
They all emitted faint, chaotic yet killing intent-laden chakra fluctuations.
“Star ninjas? Just sending these few brats not even fully grown to die?” The one-eyed burly man licked his cracked lips, revealing yellow teeth, his voice hoarse and grating, full of mockery and killing intent.
“Perfect, use your heads to honor my dead brothers!” He thrust his heavy machete toward Natsuhi Squad, roaring fiercely: “Brothers! Tear them apart! Leave none alive!”
“Kill!!!” The remaining bandits let out beast-like howls, brandishing weapons, trampling snow as they charged like a pack of mad wolves!
Snow was kicked flying by their heavy footsteps!
“Quickly finish them!” Natsuhi commanded, her figure already shooting out like a loosed arrow, targeting straight at the one-eyed leader with the strongest chakra fluctuation!
The kunai in her hand traced an icy arc.
“Hazuki, cover me!” Shita Junhito roared, fearlessly charging the bandit wielding a flail, burly as a bear.
He forwent seals, opting for his specialty taijutsu close combat, his heavy fists whistling toward the opponent!
“Got it!” Murahashi Hazuki cried out delicately, her nimble form darting across the snow, hands flipping as shuriken and kunai precisely shot at enemies trying to flank Shita Junhito from the side, providing fire suppression and interference.
Her throwing technique was highly skilled, angles tricky, forcing those two bandits to dodge and block repeatedly, unable to form an encirclement for the moment.
Chiyo endured the burning pain in her left leg, gritted her teeth, and climbed up from the pit edge, leaning against a big tree to pant heavily.
Blood stained the white snow at her feet, the glaring crimson entering her view.
She watched the enemies charging like beasts nearby, watched the sparks from Teacher Natsuhi’s fierce clash with the one-eyed leader, watched Shita Junhito roaring as he clashed head-on with the giant man, watched Murahashi Hazuki deftly shuttling to harass and restrain.
Fear and intense pain made her body tremble slightly, but a stronger emotion burned madly in her heart—anger!
And the desire to prove herself!
A bandit noticed the isolated and injured Chiyo, a cruel greed flashing in his eyes.
“Little girl! I’ll take you out first!” He grinned ferociously, swinging a rusty but razor-edged cleaver, bypassing Murahashi Hazuki’s restraint, charging at Chiyo like a starving wolf pouncing on prey!
Shita Junhito caught sight of this from the corner of his eye, heart tightening. Wanting to aid but entangled by the fierce giant before him, unable to break free, he hurriedly roared: “Watch out!”
In the instant that bandit rushed within five meters of Chiyo, cleaver raised high, bringing a foul wind slashing down viciously!
Chiyo, who had kept her head low, suddenly lifted her face!
Her eyes were no longer clear black, but a heart-palpitating scarlet like the purest rubies!
Blood Dragon Eye, activated!
Deep in her pupils, two faint red straight marks emitted eerie glow!
A coldness, brutal, soul-chilling eye power locked onto the charging bandit like an invisible shockwave!
“Uh?!” The bandit’s ferocious grin froze instantly, replaced by ultimate fear!
He felt his blood ignited and frozen by those terrifying eyes!
His mind blanked, body movements uncontrollably stiffening for an instant!
The raised cleaver halted mid-air!
In just this instant!
Chiyo endured the sharp pain in her leg, her small face full of resolute ferocity!
She formed no seals, merely emitting a childish yet powerful screech!
“Hah!”
Scarlet glow surged in her eyes!
The pervasive bloody scent in the air seemed drawn by an invisible force!
The blood from Chiyo’s injured left leg, and the blood spraying from the thigh wound of the bandit not far away who had been pierced, detached from gravity like living entities, forming two slender, viscous scarlet blood threads that rapidly coalesced in the air!
Pfft!
In a flash, a blood dragon fully condensed from viscous blood, several meters long, formed!
It exuded thick bloody stench and nauseating coldness chakra fluctuation, its dragon head ferocious!
Under the dead lock of Chiyo’s Blood Dragon Eye, this scarlet blood dragon tore through the air, emitting a shrill piercing roar, piercing precisely into the chest of the bandit charging at Chiyo with thunderous speed!
Thud—!
The muffled sound of penetrating chest was clearly audible!
The bandit’s forward charge halted abruptly as if struck by an invisible giant hammer!
In disbelief, he lowered his head, looking at the cavity in his chest pierced by the scarlet blood dragon, his face’s fear solidifying into eternal despair.
“Guh… guh…” Unintelligible gurgles came from his throat, his cleaver clanging to the snow, body swaying like boneless before softly pitching forward, kicking up a spray of scarlet snowflakes.
Warm blood rapidly spread beneath him, melting the icy snow.
Time seemed to freeze in this moment.
The howling cold wind appeared to pause an instant.
Shita Junhito and Murahashi Hazuki in combat, and the ferocious bandits—all actions stagnated for a moment.
Gazes of shock, disbelief, or deep fear focused uniformly on that small figure in the field.
She leaned against the rough tree trunk, left leg wound still bleeding, small face pale from blood loss and intense chakra consumption.
And her eyes, scarlet and piercing!
After brief dead silence, Chiyo’s body swayed sharply, intense nausea and chakra exhaustion dizziness crashing like a tidal wave.
She could no longer hold back, bending over with a “wah” and vomiting violently, her small body shivering in the cold wind.
That bloody scene and the impact of personally ending a life were far harder to bear than the leg wound.
“Blood… bloodline limit…” A bandit looked at the eerie blood dragon on his companion’s chest slowly dissipating into filthy blood soaking into the snow, voice trembling with fear.
“Mon… monster!” Another bandit retreated a step in terror.
Shita Junhito looked at that vomiting small figure, then at the corpse on the ground pierced through the chest and rapidly cooling, his habitual disdain and arrogance completely gone, replaced by unprecedented gravity and shock.
He finally understood what Teacher Natsuhi’s words “has its unique tactical value” meant.
This was absolutely no greenhouse flower!
“What are you spacing out for!” Natsuhi’s icy voice exploded like thunder, instantly shattering the eerie silence.
Her kunai stabbed out like a venomous snake, straight for the knife-wielding wrist of the leader!
“Ah!” The one-eyed leader screamed, his right hand and machete dropping.
After all, just a robber with some chakra, strength equivalent to genin, unable to last a round against Natsuhi.
She mainly wanted her three little ones under her to smell blood and gain some combat experience.
“Finish them!” After casually taking out the bandit leader, Natsuhi’s command was concise and murderous.
Snapping back, Shita Junhito and Murahashi Hazuki had no hesitation in their eyes, battle intent fully ignited by Chiyo’s stunning and cruel strike!
The two pounced like tigers down the mountain at the demoralized remaining bandits!
Natsuhi, one foot on the thoroughly dead bandit leader’s corpse, watched her young ninjas on the scarlet-stained snow ground systematically eliminate the despairing bandits trying to flee.
