The Sand ninja girl's Tree Bind Killing illusion was a powerful trick. She transformed into a massive tree behind Hayashi, aiming to restrain his movements with its thick, unyielding branches.
Confident her technique had succeeded, the girl's lips curled into a smile. But before it could fully form, Hayashi moved. In an instant, he vanished from the grasp of the vines. His afterimage hovered above the air as he crossed his arms, his Sharingan spinning rapidly, radiating a chilling intensity.
"You're the first to use an illusion on me," Hayashi said with a smirk. "Should I praise your boldness or scold your arrogance?"
The Sand ninja girl's face flushed with embarrassment. My illusion… useless against him? Her body remained tightly bound, unable to resist. Humiliation burned through her as she realized her master's praised technique had failed.
"Karura… are you alright?!" Yekura shouted, panic in her voice.
But Karura's eyes had gone blank. She dropped her kunai with a clatter and fainted as if struck by an invisible force.
Hayashi, hearing the name, frowned. Karura? That sounds familiar… Shoulder-length sandy yellow hair, dressed in black ninja attire—cute yet drooling uncontrollably in her fainted state. The resemblance to Temari was uncanny.
Focus, Hayashi reminded himself. Thoughts of illusions and past battles briefly danced in his mind, but the current fight demanded attention.
The Sand ninja captain, seeing his subordinate collapse, surged forward. Using his right foot as a pivot, he twisted violently and unleashed a powerful wind-infused kick aimed at Hayashi's head.
Hayashi crossed his arms, lightning chakra crackling around them. He localized the energy, forming a defensive barrier of Chidori-infused arms, ready to paralyze any contact. The kick landed, but not with the full intended force—the captain's trajectory had been altered mid-strike.
Hayashi was propelled into the air, but his focus never wavered.
"Hayashi!" Yekura's voice rang out. She had broken through the defensive positions of Minato and Mikoto and leaped, prepared for a coordinated strike.
Sure enough:
"Scorch Release: Phoenix Ascending!"
Yekura erupted into the sky, surrounded by dozens of enormous fireballs. The move, crafted meticulously beforehand, surged toward Hayashi like a torrent of falling meteors, the heat radiating intensely even from afar.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!" Nawaki roared.
A towering wall of water surged from Nawaki's mouth, forming a circular shield around Hayashi. The B-rank Water Formation Wall, however, could not withstand the sheer force of Yekura's concentrated Scorch Release, and the fireballs shattered it instantly.
"Water Release: Water Bullet Technique!" Nawaki pressed on. Chakra surged through his body like never before. A Senju's massive reserves had rarely been strained, but now he poured it all into dozens of water cannons, scattering missiles in every direction.
Within mere meters of Hayashi, Water Release collided with Fire Release. Steam erupted instantly, thick and suffocating. Hayashi's face felt the burn of fire before rain soaked him, turning him dry again in seconds. The combination of heat and moisture created a thick mist, obscuring vision completely.
"It's unbearably hot," Hayashi muttered, shaking his arm and dropping to the ground, careful to avoid the scalding steam.
Landing safely, he quickly regained his stance. The battlefield had become a blinding cloud of white. Visual confirmation of enemy positions was impossible.
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