[NTU] [ARC-06-WAR] Chapter : 74 (Patreon)

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

Finally, some Sand Ninjas reacted, using this wind release technique—though lacking offensive power—to disperse the steam that obscured everyone's vision.

Clang!

With a casual flick, Toshiro used a ninja sword he had just snatched from a Suna Ninja to deflect an incoming kunai. He paused, shaking his head slightly as his scarlet and menacing Sharingan swept left and right. Observing the chaos, he did not rush to attack but instead waited leisurely for his opponents' next move.

At this point, the Sand Ninja had suffered heavy losses. Only about a dozen remained standing, far fewer than the nearly thirty who had initially surrounded him. Their morale was visibly shaken, and they hesitated to advance, clearly intimidated by Toshiro's prowess.

It wasn't ignorance that held them back; it was the fear instilled by Toshiro's powerful ninjutsu. The enemy they had thought of as a 'trapped turtle' had transformed into a ferocious beast, and they were struggling to come to terms with this reality.

Every Sand Ninja still standing expended a tremendous amount of chakra. Many of their comrades had been taken out in an instant, decimating their forces. The prospect of continuing the fight seemed daunting.

"How can this be?" muttered a bewildered Sand Ninja. "If he had such strength, why was he hiding?"

The disparity between their expectations and reality was jarring. They couldn't fathom how someone with such power could have been on the run for so long. Some had encountered Toshiro's shadow clones, which led them to believe his true abilities were only as strong as a Jonin. The stark contrast between those encounters and his current display of strength left them reeling.

"Hahaha!" Toshiro laughed arrogantly. "How about it! Didn't I tell you? With my strength, do you still think I'm unworthy of Ms. Pakura?"

Faced with Toshiro's taunts, no one dared to refute him. They seemed to tacitly accept his claim. Given the strength he had shown, if he were to join them, it would indeed be a significant gain for their Sand Ninja Village.

Clusters of flickering flames danced, casting uncertain shadows on the faces of the Suna Ninja. The camp was eerily silent, save for the crackling of tents and other items set ablaze. The Sand Ninjas understood that their mission had become exceedingly dangerous.

Given the strength Toshiro had just demonstrated, they realized it wouldn't take much effort for him to kill them all. Now, they could only wait. On one hand, they waited for Toshiro to make his next move; on the other, they hoped for reinforcements. They silently prayed that their comrades, who saw the signal, would arrive quickly to save them.

None of the Sand Ninjas dared act rashly—except for one.

"Don't be intimidated!" Pakura shouted. "It's possible that he's at his weakest now! He must have used some secret technique or a drug to unleash such power."

Pakura, repeatedly taunted by Toshiro, could no longer hold back. At sixteen, despite her usually bold attire, she couldn't bear the mockery in front of so many comrades. Her words stirred some of the ninjas, though none showed it openly. Instead, they began to secretly observe Toshiro.

"A bunch of cowards!" Pakura fumed, her anger rising as her words failed to rally her comrades. With no other solution, she decided to take the lead and test Toshiro's strength herself.

Contrary to Pakura's assumption, Toshiro's strength didn't come from any secret medicine. After a night's rest, he had recovered sufficiently and entered Sage Mode in the medical tent, allowing him to overpower his enemies.

Sage Mode took time to prepare and wasn't suitable for long-winded battles, but tonight's situation was perfect for it. Additionally, his Sharingan, known for its illusion and insight abilities, allowed him to see chakra clearly, providing a significant advantage in ninja battles. He could anticipate Pakura's moves and attack preemptively.

"Scorch Release..." Toshiro noted as he observed Pakura, now even more determined due to her embarrassment. He didn't underestimate her, despite her being a woman. Pakura's body was surrounded by four one-meter-wide fireballs, resembling enlarged magatama. Getting hit by these fireballs would be catastrophic.

"Go!" Pakura commanded, sending the fireballs flying towards Toshiro. Although her companions didn't act, they were ready to support her, their muscles tense and chakra surging.

"Fire Release: Fire Dragon jutsu!"

Toshiro, aware of the Scorch Release's characteristics, countered with the Dragon Fire Technique. A massive fire dragon, more than twenty meters long, roared as it charged at Pakura, swallowing her fireballs before continuing towards her.

In Sage Mode, even Toshiro's ordinary ninjutsu were incredibly powerful, and the Fire Dragon was no exception. Although it didn't hit Pakura directly, it neutralized her attack and flew hundreds of meters away.

Rumble.

The distant explosions made even Pakura, who prided herself on being a genius, twitch in disbelief. She hadn't expected Toshiro to unleash another powerful fire ninjutsu right after his first. Watching the fire dragon consume her carefully crafted fireballs and disappear, she felt a shiver of awe.

Glancing at the landing point of Toshiro's attack, Pakura took a deep breath and prepared for her next move. She pulled out two kunai, holding them in reverse grips, and charged at Toshiro. She was determined not to give up, even if it meant risking her life until reinforcements arrived. She vowed to make Toshiro pay.

'Ninjutsu won't work. I'll have to use taijutsu!' she resolved, disregarding the option of using illusions entirely.

As Pakura rushed toward him, Toshiro observed her through his Sharingan. Behind her, the Sand Ninjas were tense, chakra surging in their legs, ready to explode into action.

It seemed they were not ready to give up. With a casual wave of his ninja sword, Toshiro decided to crush their hopes and avoid unnecessary bloodshed. He had no interest in killing more Sand Ninjas unless provoked.

If his prediction was correct, the war between Konoha and Suna Ninja would soon be over. Without hesitation, Toshiro swung his sword toward Pakura's upper body as she charged.

Though his strike wasn't fully serious, the mere force of his swing caused Pakura's face to change drastically. She managed to block the attack, but the strength behind it made her drop her kunai.

"How is it possible? The gap is so huge!"

Pakura struggled to accept the result. Despite his unassuming size, Toshiro's attack was terrifyingly powerful. Her bleeding hands confirmed the harsh reality.

Even the Sand Ninjas behind her, seeing this, stopped their chakra buildup. Toshiro's sword strike had shattered their hope of waiting for reinforcements.

Toshiro's strength, speed, defense, and chakra were all overwhelmingly superior. Casually sheathing his sword, he glanced at the Sand Ninjas before turning to leave. He couldn't maintain his current state for long and needed to avoid reinforcements.

As for killing Pakura, he had no such intention. She was a tragic figure in the original story.

"Stop! You bastard, don't think you can leave so easily!"

Enduring the pain, Pakura picked up the sword Toshiro had planted in the ground and pointed it at him with determination.

"Pakura! That's enough! The mission failed! Don't make a pointless sacrifice."

The jounin puppet master, worried for her, quickly intervened. He couldn't understand why Toshiro hadn't finished them off, but Pakura's continued provocations were suicidal.

Seeing her stubbornness, Toshiro felt a headache coming on. He had spared her because of her tragic future and because she was a beautiful woman. Otherwise, no Sand Ninja could have stopped him from killing her in his current state.

'This girl is too stubborn!'

'Well, Maybe it was because of her stubbornness, that she got betrayed by her village.'

He watched her charge at him again, thoughts racing through his mind. Despite her determination, Pakura was in poor condition after searching for him non-stop and expending a lot of chakra to save her companions.

Toshiro's Sharingan rotated, analyzing her trajectory and flaws. He extended his left hand, caught the blade between his fingers, and pushed it back.

He then struck her chest with his right hand. As she moved to protect herself, he turned his fist into a palm, blocking her left hand.

"Single palm Squeeze..!"

Then…

"You disgusting pervert!!"

His palm hit her chest solidly, sending her flying. He followed up by leaping into the air, crossing his legs, and gathering chakra.

He descended with a powerful strike, kicking up dust where Pakura had landed. Amidst the dust cloud, she she scrambled away, cursing him.

"Despicable, shameless!"

She was furious, not just at the inappropriate contact but also at the absurd names of his moves. She couldn't believe someone could be so shameless.

Just as she escaped the smoke, Toshiro appeared in front of her.

"Crouching dragon fist!"

With a sharp, upward punch to her abdomen, he sent her flying, forming a V shape. She landed, groaning and retching from the pain.

At this moment, Toshiro felt a transcendental comfort, as if his soul had reached a new level of peace.

"You! You! You!"

If looks could kill, Toshiro would have died countless times under her glare.

Then she fainted.

Did she pass out from anger?