"Words from someone hiding their face who would believe them?"
Katō Dan, his breathing not yet calmed down, reversed his grip on a kunai and assumed a combat stance, his gaze locked on this uninvited guest, his expression full of vigilance.
Just moments ago, three ninjas in their team had suddenly gone mad, attacking empty corners and even mistaking their comrades for enemies, showing no mercy in their strikes.
Subduing them had taken considerable effort. Yet when they tried to dispel the genjutsu on these three ninjas, they found no traces of genjutsu interference no matter what. After much deliberation, Katō Dan could only seal the three ninjas for later processing.
Judging by the chakra fluctuations and occasional bursts of flame in the distance, apparently similar events were occurring elsewhere. Even with the most optimistic estimates, Konoha's infiltration plan was as good as ruined.
And the culprit was likely this mask-wearing man... person?
Not good! I can't sense him at all...
Sweat unconsciously beaded on Katō Dan's forehead.
As the only ninja in Konoha to have successfully mastered the Spirit Transformation Technique, he prided himself on first-rate perception. Yet this figure in the black mask gave him a feeling of helplessness.
At first glance, just an ordinary figure. But the more he tried to perceive this person's state deeply, the more that indescribable ambiguity grew thick and intense.
Forget chakra level , by now, he couldn't even discern height, weight, body posture, or even whether the voice was male or female. As if this weren't a person at all, but a meaningless stroke of black abruptly painted onto a scene.
This intense sense of abnormality nearly made Katō Dan sick.
Anyway, first delay time, see if I can trick out more information...
As for his mastery of the Spirit Transformation Technique, it was hardly a secret in the ninja world. No surprise someone would want this forbidden technique.
Extremely difficult to master, quite limited in use, equally high risk. Yet in exchange, the Spirit Transformation Technique also possesses extremely powerful effects.
After separating one's spirit as a 'living soul' from the body, the spiritual aggregate, as a spirit body, could not only ignore distance and most obstacles to move freely, but also be immune to purely physical attacks.
Though it could also possess others to forcibly control their actions or simply crush their spirits and Katō Dan had indeed killed countless enemies this way the Spirit Transformation Technique's greater value lay in 'perception.'
In spirit form, one could sense others' souls, easily detecting even individuals without prior intelligence, and rapidly reach their location.
Strategically, this technique's value was immense.
Regardless, this technique could never be handed to an enemy.
forcibly suppressing stomach spasms, Katō Dan's expression grew increasingly condensed. Just as he was about to speak, the other interrupted.
"Ah, I see. Though originally designed to obstruct perception, the effect being even more pronounced on perception ninjas is quite unexpected."
The black figure raised a hand and lightly tapped his featureless mask, emitting a chuckle indistinct in pitch but with obvious amusement: "Thank you very much for providing this example. As compensation, I'll let you all return alive how's that? Quite a generous offer."
"Nonsense I don't understand a word!"
Katō Dan abruptly raised his voice, scolding the shadow. At the same time, his arm tensed as he flung several kunai forward to divert attention.
"If I kill you, that'll solve the problem too, won't it?"
Assisted by kunai blockade movement trajectories, two Konoha jōnin who had quietly moved slightly using forest shadows found good angles and charged from both flanks.
The not-so-distant distance was instantly closed by Shunshin. Icy blade light carved cold arcs through the forest. Simultaneously, Katō Dan slammed his palms against the ground.
Earth Release: Splitting Earth Palm!
"Who knows? Maybe my technique is the type that, once released, has nothing to do with me anymore?"
Wide cracks rapidly spread beneath the shadow's feet, great chunks of earth upheaving and crumbling. Yet even so, the shadow remained perfectly composed atop...
...a layer of iron sand floating in mid-air.
"Fall back!"
Katō Dan felt an inexplicable chill wind around him. Even before the other's words fully emerged, he realized the mistake in this trial attack.
But it was too late.
"Well, I suppose this means negotiations have broken down."
A torrent of black iron sand gushes from the cracks torn by Splitting Earth Palm, coalescing into dozens of arms tightly gripping the two Konoha ninjas' limbs.
"When your physical strength is insufficient and you lack defensive capabilities, choosing kenjutsu against an unknown enemy... do you think you're Konoha's White Fang?"
Thus taunting, Hii Kōri divided the iron sand into more than twenty streams, rapidly wrapping the two ninjas, then churned like grinding media.
Not even leaving room for a dying cry finely crafted short swords, clothing, flesh, blood, bones—indiscriminately, all ground to indistinguishable residue within seconds.
"Magnet Release—the Crimson of Agony?!"
Seeing such cruel methods and iron sand manipulation, Katō Dan immediately thought of that Suna ninja notorious in Konoha, silently acknowledging this temptation's price was far too great, yet his hands never paused.
Earth Release: Earth Return!
Slapping the ground again, raising a large stone slab to obscure the view, Katō Dan retreated unhesitatingly.
His teammates similarly understood his intent, Shunshin-ing to disengage from the battlefield, leaving only one burly man to confront or rather, stall for time.
Given the 'Crimson of Agony's' displayed methods, mere numerical advantage meant nothing. Thus, they'd have to rely on Katō Dan finishing this with Spirit Transformation.
"Come! Crimson of Agony!"
The rear-guard ninja roared as he charged Hii Kōri, his body continuously expanded.
"I don't much like that title makes it sound like I've done something particularly excessive. I've merely killed people. What difference is there between you and me?"
Leaving these cold words, Hii Kōri rode his iron sand cloud swiftly back, evading the giant palm that had swollen to over twice human size.
Mastering Expansion Technique, capable of greatly enhancing size and physical abilities the Akimichi clan member was indeed the most suited among those present to stall time here.
But—
"Crimson Blood Manipulation—"
***
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