Kapitel 268: Chapter 268: Expanding the Battlefield and Imminent Peril

In terms of Wood Release mastery, Kotoe couldn't quite match Ye Zi. The growth speed of her thorn technique couldn't compete with her swift shuriken attacks, so she had to rely on the element of surprise or seize opportunities as they arose.

The initial surprise attack had only poisoned one Mist ninja, but with the delayed effect of the poison, there would be a critical second chance. This special plant toxin only became lethal once it reached the heart through the bloodstream, allowing her a brief window before it took effect, during which her enemies would likely be unaware of its presence. Still, it left some risk that they might retaliate before succumbing to the poison.

Kotoe resolved to take down as many as possible before the poison acted.

"Even if it costs my life, I won't let you get in Ye Zi's way."

Her green eyes gleamed with fierce determination.

While Kotoe faced six opponents alone, Shin's task was comparatively lighter. He had taken down one enemy right from the start with Genjutsu, but with the others now on high alert, his illusion techniques would not be as effective a second time.

Gripping his blade, Eihō, Shin's focus was largely on Kisame, wielding his long sword. Though their initial encounter had been an illusion, Kisame's seamless two-strike combo was deadly—his swordsmanship was not to be underestimated.

"My swordsmanship might fall short, but I have the Sharingan. I won't go down in two strokes. I don't need to defeat him; I only need to delay him."

His red Sharingan eyes rotated, perceiving even the smallest particles in the air.

"Even if they're wary of my Genjutsu, I can still look for an opening. And…I have Wood Release."

In moments, Shin had a plan.

As Ye Zi trusted Kotoe and Shin, he turned away after kicking Yagura, focusing on the battle. With the massive snake Manda as their ally, he left the others to handle the remaining Mist ninjas. His primary goal now was to capture Yagura.

Ye Zi's powerful kick had launched Yagura nearly five or six hundred meters, the distance only shortened by the trees Yagura collided with along the way.

The kick, powered by both Lightning Release and chakra, carried immense force that would have been lethal to anyone without Yagura's protective cloak of Tailed Beast chakra. Yagura's cloak protected him, so he emerged relatively unscathed, gazing at Ye Zi as he rushed forward like a streak of lightning.

Even before becoming a rogue ninja from the Konoha, Ye Zi had garnered significant fame, making him a subject of interest for every major ninja village. Just before the Third Shinobi War, these villages had prepared for him, only to hear of his supposed death before the war even began.

In a twist, after the Third Shinobi War, Ye Zi reappeared, reborn as a rogue Konoha ninja, his name once again spreading across the shinobi world.

"So, I'm the target…"

Yagura's expression grew stern as his chakra cloak, initially bubbling and swirling, began to deepen into a dark red hue, progressing into the second stage of Tailed Beast transformation, the partial transformation.

Dark red chakra enveloped Yagura's body, transforming him into a miniature version of the Three-Tails. His limbs grew stockier, his posture lowered to the ground, and three flat, spiked tails whipped the air behind him, emitting a piercing sound.

"Going into Tailed Beast form immediately, just like with the Four-Tails Jinchuriki."

Standing at the edge of the forest, Ye Zi noted the shift in Yagura's posture. This dark red chakra was a formidable shield, but his Lightning Release could penetrate it. Nevertheless, Wood Release was his best option for dealing with Jinchuriki.

Yagura's white-ringed eyes narrowed coldly as he turned away and started running.

"Hmm?"

Surprised by Yagura's unexpected retreat, Ye Zi immediately dispersed the chakra-draining Lightning Prison and switched to a standard Lightning Release technique, following without hesitation.

Yagura's retreat was exactly what he needed; it meant less risk of interference from the others.

"I need to increase the distance to safely use the Tailed Beast Bomb without injuring my team," Yagura thought, focused on his allies' safety.

The Tailed Beast Bomb was his most powerful weapon, and with full control over his Tailed Beast, he could use it repeatedly. Even against Ye Zi, he felt no fear.

Both ninjas had confidence in their abilities, Yagura as a Jinchuriki, and Ye Zi as a former Leaf prodigy.

In his semi-transformed state, Yagura's speed was tremendous. Plowing through the trees like a tank, he left a path of destruction in his wake, breaking through the forest's ecosystem with ease.

Still, he couldn't outrun Ye Zi, whose Lightning Release granted superior speed. Both of them refrained from attacking, focusing instead on widening the battlefield.

After several kilometers, they emerged from the forest into a wide plain. Yagura ran another few hundred meters before abruptly halting, spinning around to face Ye Zi. Without hesitation, he opened his mouth and began preparing a Tailed Beast Bomb.

The tangible chakra radiated an intense, overpowering aura as it compressed within Yagura's mouth, swiftly forming into a small black sphere, its surface covered in clusters of tiny bubbles.

Even for someone without sensory abilities, the raw, terrifying energy contained within the small black sphere was undeniable.

Ye Zi, a sensor-type ninja, felt his typically calm expression shift the instant he saw that sphere. Since the battle began, this was the first time his composure noticeably wavered.

Whoosh!

The Tailed Beast Bomb shot toward Ye Zi like lightning, trailing a dark, lingering streak as it sped through the air like a comet.

The close distance between them made evading this sudden, perfectly-timed attack from Yagura nearly impossible. In the split second it took Yagura to turn and launch his attack, Ye Zi was mid-air, having leapt from the last tree onto the plains, leaving him utterly exposed.

In that instant, peril loomed as the Tailed Beast Bomb closed in on him.

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Currently on Chapter 319 - Ye Zi vs Sakumo Hatake