"Aokawa?"
Asuma Sarutobi recognized the newcomer, and a trace of instinctive rejection first surfaced in his mind.
It's this guy again, the one who always has Kurenai completely enthralled. Now that Kurenai has come to the Front Lines, he actually followed her here.
However, he quickly realized that Aokawa was the only one here in perfect condition. If he could go get reinforcements... The moment this thought occurred, he disregarded his own injuries and shouted anxiously, "Even we are no match for them! You should get out of here! Hurry to the camp and bring reinforcements!"
Before he could finish his words, he saw Aokawa raise the Spirit Bow in his hand, aiming it at the wounded.
Asuma Sarutobi's heart skipped a beat.
Hey, I didn't say anything bad!
What does this guy think he's doing?
In the next moment, the string of Aokawa's Spirit Bow twanged lightly. What it shot out, however, were not the lethal blue-white arrows, but several gentle green shafts of light.
The light arrows traced warm arcs through the air, landing precisely on the Konoha ninja. They then transformed into a green radiance that adhered to their wounds.
The wounds that had been bleeding continuously stopped bleeding at a visible rate, and their pale complexions regained a touch of color.
This single move left everyone present utterly stunned.
Especially Rin Nohara, who was a Medical Ninja. She could clearly sense that the green energy was pure and immense, its healing effect far surpassing her own abilities.
What kind of Medical Ninjutsu is this? It can actually be released in the form of arrows?
"Take out that troublesome archer first!" Nii Yugito, recognizing Aokawa as an old acquaintance, immediately sensed the threat.
She gave the order, but her own figure blurred. Instead of charging at the distant Aokawa, she once again used her extreme speed to pounce towards Kakashi, who was nearest to her.
"So fast!" Kakashi's pupils contracted; he simply couldn't react in time.
This speed was on a completely different level compared to when she was fighting him earlier.
The next moment!
Something even more shocking to Kakashi happened.
Just as the claws were about to touch him again, a figure appeared without any warning between him and Nii Yugito.
Clang!
A harsh clash echoed through the forest, the sparks illuminating Kakashi's pale face.
He stared blankly at the back of the figure shielding him. The Spirit Bow, formed from pure energy, had somehow transformed into an exceptionally beautiful blue-white Spirit Blade, which was now steadily blocking Nii Yugito's gleaming cat claws.
Aokawa's figure stood as steady as a mountain. The blue energy Ninja Blade in his hand didn't waver in the slightest, firmly locking down Nii Yugito's seemingly certain strike.
"Impossible!"
A wave of shock surged in Nii Yugito's heart. He actually managed to block her, who was famous for her speed, even though he moved later.
This speed was even faster than when they had encountered each other on the city wall.
Has he grown so much in just this short amount of time?
Kakashi, who was so close, could feel the Aura emanating from Nii Yugito.
It was heavy, vast, almost suffocating him.
And Aokawa!
This former class dunce was now steadily holding back this Jinchuriki, emanating the same level of Aura.
Has his strength really reached this level?
Meanwhile, Yoshikawa Iwa and the other three Cloud ninja, who had just charged towards Aokawa, had lunged at his original position only to find it empty.
"You're asking for death!" Yoshikawa Iwa's furious roar broke the brief standoff.
Seeing Aokawa, the humiliation from the past and the anger of today intertwined, causing him to completely lose his reason.
Violent Lightning Release Chakra erupted from his body.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Dragon!"
At the same time, the other three Cloud Hidden Ninja launched attacks from different directions. Shuriken, Kunai, and short-range Ninjutsu formed an airtight net of attacks, sealing off all of Aokawa's possible escape routes.
They wanted to eliminate this sole variable in an instant!
Facing the siege from five people, Aokawa's gaze remained calm.
The Chakra at his feet stirred slightly as he was about to activate Hirenkyaku. However, his Byakugan caught a glimpse of the incapacitated people behind him.
He frowned, forcibly halting his movement.
Bringing his hands together, he shouted: "Water Release: Water Wall!"
A massive torrent of water rushed from his mouth, blasting away the incoming attacks. It then automatically split to both sides, rapidly extending to completely surround the people behind him, forming a circular curtain of water.
After obtaining the Water Release Mastery seal, Aokawa's control over Water Release had increased dramatically.
The Water Wall he executed was no longer just a single water curtain. Like the Second Hokage, he could now freely alter its form, turning it into a water barrier.
"How is this possible?"
Asuma Sarutobi's mind was in turmoil. He stared wide-eyed at the surrounding water curtain that blocked the sunlight.
Is this still the same dunce who only relied on his looks to seduce Kurenai?
To perform Water Release in a waterless environment... even the Second Hokage would be no better than this, right?
Before he could figure it out, Aokawa's figure suddenly vanished.
The next moment.
He and Kakashi were grabbed by Aokawa like piglets, one in each hand, and thrown to the rear.
His figure flickered several times within the water barrier.
By the time the water curtain fell, all the Konoha ninja had been moved by him to a spot near Uchiha Tetsubi, farther from the enemies.
Everyone was stunned by this unbelievable scene.
"All together! Kill him!" Nii Yugito was the first to react. She felt an unprecedented threat from this youth.
This person was growing too fast. He absolutely could not be allowed to leave alive!
As the order was given, Yoshikawa Iwa was the first to respond. Roaring, he charged forward first: "Die!!"
The remaining three Cloud Hidden Ninja no longer hesitated. The five of them, from five different directions, simultaneously pounced towards the only figure still standing in the field.
The glow of Ninjutsu, the cold glint of Ninja Blades, mixed with the violent lightning, instantly enveloped Aokawa completely.
Aokawa's figure left behind a fading afterimage at his original spot.
Yoshikawa Iwa's Ninja Blade sliced through empty air, striking the ground and sending up a shower of dirt and stones.
The attacks of the others also landed on nothing.
Aokawa's true body had already appeared several meters away.
The Spirit Blade in his hand transformed back into the Spirit Bow. Raising it, he fired over a dozen Chakra Arrows at the five.
The five were shocked and scrambled to respond.
One Cloud ninja, encountering this kind of opponent for the first time, failed to react in time. An arrow hit his shoulder, causing blood to flow freely.
"Bastard!" Yoshikawa Iwa roared, joining the other four in another coordinated assault.
The next second.
The same thing happened again. Aokawa's figure vanished once more, and all attacks missed their mark.
His true body appeared several meters away again, unleashing another volley of over a dozen arrows.
The five Cloud ninja were thrown into disarray again, looking utterly disheveled.
"Dammit! This fight is so frustrating!" Yoshikawa Iwa's face was full of rage. "This damn guy is relying entirely on his footwork to hold on. He doesn't dare to clash with us head-on."
A vicious glint flashed in his eyes. During the third charge towards Aokawa, he suddenly changed direction towards the injured Konoha group, his hands quickly forming seals:
"Lightning Release: Lightning Ball!"
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