Byakugan, activate!
The veins around Ao's eyes bulged, and his right eye's vision instantly pierced through the thick mist.
He first glanced around, but it was still the same, causing him to frown.
No, Darui's Jutsu was even interfering with his Byakugan slightly.
"No need to look around, focus on looking underground." Samui, who was beside him, said.
Shinji's eyes narrowed slightly. Was Kumogakure's reconnaissance Jutsu really that powerful?
Could it cross national borders and know things so clearly? Or was it something else?
Ao, who had received the reminder, changed his method of observation, focusing and strengthening his vision downwards, his sight instantly penetrating the rock layers.
"The underground structure is complex—hmm? There are multiple natural tunnels and a huge cavern."
"The depth is approximately sixty meters or more, and there are Chakra reactions—three of them. One is quite weak, like a flickering candle in the wind."
"The other two are very strong."
Hearing this, Shinji understood. Only two meant that Akatsuki was not extracting Tailed Beast Chakra here.
"Coordinates," Darui twisted his neck and asked.
"There's a barrier laid out inside, and it's a composite barrier. The energy node is half a meter below the third protruding rock on the southeast rock wall."
Darui, having received the precise coordinates, stood up. The mist created by his Jutsu gave him the most accurate sense of direction.
He raised his hands, clasped them together, and aimed, highly concentrated Chakra gathering at his fingertips, forming an extremely dazzling blue-white laser beam.
Storm Release: Laser Circus!
The laser shot out silently, with no explosion upon impact, only a faint sizzling sound.
Like a surgical knife, it instantly vaporized the barrier node and the rock layer, revealing an opening just large enough for one person to pass through.
Shinji and the others quickly reached the opening, looking at the smooth-edged hole, which led into a deep darkness.
Shinji raised his hand and paused slightly at the opening, then nodded and said, "The internal airflow has started to rush out."
As he sniffed, a faint scent of blood was quite evident.
Jiraiya, on the other hand, stood with his arms crossed. Having often traveled the Ninja World, he was more sensitive to certain special energy signatures.
"Inside, there's a very heavy evil aura."
Jiraiya's smile faded, and he said in a low voice, "Kids, follow the plan, and be careful."
Hearing the most experienced Jiraiya say this, the expressions of the others also turned grim. Their opponent seemed very troublesome.
Samui nodded. As the leader of the operation, she was the first to draw the short sword from her back.
"Let's infiltrate in order. Ao-, please continue to monitor the Chakra changes inside."
"Shinji, please take charge of the left flank. Jiraiya, please take charge of the right flank. Darui, rear guard."
—
Inside the cavern, the air was slightly viscous.
Only after entering the cavern did Shinji sense the pervasive, violent Tailed Beast Chakra.
This barrier bore an inexplicable resemblance to his Fuinjutsu.
Samui, at the forefront, moved quickly, with the others following closely.
In the deepest part, Han's body was tightly pressed onto a stone platform by twisted black runic chains, and the Tailed Beast's red Chakra was being extracted from him.
The terminal of the Chakra was absorbed into a tall figure, as Shinno laughed wildly with his mouth agape.
As expected of Tailed Beast Chakra!
He felt that his physical body would reach a new level after this.
The black tendrils around him danced joyfully like living creatures. Hiruko, floating at the top of the cavern, frowned at the sight.
This abnormal vitality made him particularly nauseous.
Hmm?
Hiruko, whose attention was initially on Shinno, suddenly froze, then his gaze swept over.
His black robe with red clouds stirred slightly, and a sneer appeared on his pale face. "Tsk, you managed to sneak in so silently? A good lineup indeed."
The mockery in his voice was obvious. "Just in time to replenish my collection."
"Target confirmed!"
"Execute tactics! Move!"
Samui did not hesitate, instantly issuing the command.
Boom—!
Storm Release: Laser Circus!
Darui, from the rear, was the first to act. Several dazzling blue-white laser beams instantly wove into a large net, covering Hiruko's figure.
Seeing Darui's Storm Release, Hiruko's lips curved into an arc, and he sneered, "Showing off before an expert!"
With that, his entire figure moved.
In the sight of Shinji and the others, Hiruko's body seemed to lose its physical form, leaving behind a dozen extremely fast afterimages in the air.
Darui's laser net was temporarily avoided, failing to hit his figure.
"A Swift Release that is infinitely close to the speed of light?"
Shinji's eyes rotated with Hiruko's figure, always locked onto the original figure.
"While it is indeed fast, that description is a bit exaggerated."
Honestly, this movement speed was nothing in Shinji's eyes.
Almost in the next instant, the moment Hiruko revealed his form, Shinji had already predicted his position.
Chidori!
Instantly, a blue-white lightning bolt appeared in Shinji's right hand. He concentrated Chakra in his feet, and his entire body transformed into a lightning bolt, rushing forward.
If it's about speed, then he would resolve it with speed.
Clang—!
Shinji's speed was so great that Hiruko, who had activated Swift Release, had to activate Swift Release again to forcibly shift his position.
Shinji's eyes watched Hiruko, who had escaped the initial fixed point, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his lips. He raised the Chidori in his hand and slashed upwards.
Puff—
The black robe with red clouds was torn, and Hiruko looked down at his abdomen.
Although he had tried his best to avoid it, he was still injured by the Chidori. His clothes around his abdomen were torn, and blood splattered. The residual electric current made his abdomen feel numb.
"You bastard! You've angered me!" Hiruko's cold words exploded in the cavern.
This was the first time he had been directly injured upon meeting someone.
Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!
Gonbei's voice rang out, but the Ninjutsu he unleashed was not for attack, but to compress Hiruko's movement space.
After all, the ability of Swift Release was too troublesome. Now that Shinji had created an opportunity for them, they naturally wouldn't miss it.
In the next instant, Darui's Ninjutsu was also unleashed.
Lightning Release: Wave of Inspiration!
Tiny lightning bolts spread wildly across the water surface created by Gonbei and the humid air, forming an electrified area.
This made Hiruko hesitant. Although touching it wouldn't do much, a momentary flaw would be enough for Shinji to strike him.
'Well done.' Shinji couldn't help but praise inwardly.
As expected of the elite Jonin of Kumogakure and Kirigakure. Even though they had never worked together before, their timing for Ninjutsu control was still perfect.
Seizing this opportunity, Shinji, Darui, and Gonbei together pinned Hiruko in mid-air.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Samui, who had issued the initial command, moved like a phantom, quickly arriving at Shinno's area.
Boom!
Shinno, who was in the process of absorbing, naturally noticed Samui's figure. To avoid having his absorption interrupted, the black tendrils, like giant pythons, slammed down towards Samui's figure with a rushing sound.