Ninjas are fast. Especially when they are all elites.
In just a moment, the Sand ninjas had already chased Kaede several miles.
However, aside from Pakura, who led the pursuit, and a few other elite Jōnin who had managed to close the distance slightly, the rest of the large ninja force had already been left far behind.
"He's no ordinary ninja..." Pakura furrowed her brow.
This speed was beyond what an ordinary ninja could possess. unsure of which village he was from, she feared that he might be a Jōnin!
If a Jōnin, whose origins were unknown, had noticed their movements, it would spell trouble. Even if he were a Rain Village Jōnin, he could still send word to Konoha, jeopardizing their plan to ambush the Konoha camp.
"Rear units, halt and rest!"
"Yuki, Moku... You five, follow me and continue the pursuit!"
After a brief flash in her eyes, Pakura issued the orders with a serious tone.
Kaede was a Jōnin, and keeping the entire force on his trail seemed foolish. Not only would they not be able to catch up, but their large numbers would make them an easy target for detection. If they were spotted by someone else or Kaede ran into a village, the likelihood of their plans being leaked would skyrocket.
The best course of action was for her and a few other Jōnin to pursue, significantly reducing the chances of exposure.
"understood!"
A few ninjas responded quickly, relaying the orders to the rear, and the rear forces stopped.
Pakura and her selected group continued to chase after Kaede.
Whoosh! Whoosh!!
As the pursuit continued, the distance between Pakura and Kaede gradually shrank. Once they were within range, one of the Jōnin beside her flickered his eyes coldly.
"Enough distance!"
"Earth Style! Earth Surge Technique!"
With a low shout, he rapidly formed hand signs and slammed his hands to the ground.
In the damp climate of the Amegakure, Earth Style techniques are usually weakened. However, some specific jutsu, like Earth Flow River or Earthquake techniques, actually increase in power and range!
With the release of this Earth Style jutsu, the ground ahead suddenly surged, like a giant carpet, trapping Kaede. His footing was disrupted, and his speed dropped dramatically.
"Die!"
Without hesitation, another Sand ninja, wielding a short sword, leapt forward and slashed at Kaede from behind.
Swish!
Kaede, hindered by the shifting ground, barely dodged the strike. In mid-air, he managed to avoid it to some degree but was still struck, the sword cutting from his left shoulder to his right side, cleaving him in half.
But instead of blood, Kaede turned into a puff of white smoke and vanished.
A Shadow Clone Jutsu!
"He's to your right!"
A voice from his teammate came from behind.
The Sand ninja with the short sword didn't hesitate, slashing at Kaede to his right, where Kaede appeared, this time holding the Kusanagi sword.
Clang!
The sound of metal against metal rang out as Kaede's figure landed behind.
"used to short blades... but this Kusanagi sword feels a little awkward. Seems like it can't extend or retract..."
Kaede glanced at the Kusanagi sword in his hand, then quickly formed hand seals with his left hand. The sound of chirping birds filled the air as lightning crackled around the sword.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!!
At the same time, three figures rushed toward Kaede from three different directions, attempting to overwhelm him with sheer numbers. They were not using jutsu, clearly trying to avoid friendly fire and relying on taijutsu to take him down.
"Die!"
Cold glints flashed in the eyes of all three.
With their encirclement closing in, it seemed impossible for Kaede to escape. He was about to be torn apart.
At that moment, a golden clock-like shimmer flashed deep in his pupils, and his speed suddenly became unnatural, almost eerie. With a flick of his sword, he slipped out of the encirclement!
Then—
Silver light surged as crackling arcs of lightning danced around him, and an intense, violent chakra burst forth from Kaede's body, causing Pakura and her group to change their expressions dramatically.
"This chakra... Who are you?!"
Pakura stared at Kaede, her eyes narrowing in wariness.
Such chakra levels were beyond that of an ordinary Jōnin, stronger even than hers. This ninja was definitely not an unknown figure in the ninja world, but she didn't recognize him, and his appearance was far too youthful!
"Konoha, Jōnin."
Kaede casually replied, his voice almost too soft to hear, as his body turned into a streak of silver light, vanishing in an instant. He rushed toward one of the Jōnin who had attacked him earlier.
The Jōnin's face turned pale, his hairs standing on end. He couldn't believe that the Kaede, who had appeared slower than them just moments ago, could now exhibit such terrifying speed!
"...Too late!"
At this speed and distance, no substitution jutsu or instant movement jutsu could save him. He could only pour chakra into his kunai and slash at the silver flash.
As a Jōnin from the Sand Village, even in a panic, his movements were incredibly fast.
But—
To Kaede, everything appeared in slow motion, as if time had slowed. He could clearly see the trajectory of the Sand Jōnin's kunai.
The ability to accelerate time wasn't just about increasing his body's speed; everything within his range, his awareness, his vision, was all moving at four times the normal speed. From Kaede's perspective, the entire world was four times slower!
What did this mean?
Even a Jōnin and a Chūnin would find it nearly impossible to have such a gap.
This was why, in close combat, any Jōnin who dared to engage Kaede would struggle to even last one exchange. only with substitution or instant movement techniques could they barely evade. This was because in the state of time acceleration, their timelines were running at different speeds, essentially placing them in two entirely different worlds!
Swish!!
The silver light flashed by.
The Sand Jōnin's face froze, his eyes still holding onto a trace of horror and disbelief. He had never imagined he would be completely unable to block a single attack from this opponent, despite being a Sand Jōnin!
"Yuki!!"
Nearby, several other Sand ninjas exclaimed in shock.
They saw Kaede, a silver flash, zip past. Yuki's body froze in place, and then he was torn apart, blood splattering everywhere.
"Dammit!"
"This guy... He's doing it on purpose!"
Pakura's pupils constricted as she watched the scene unfold, her expression changing.
With such speed, there was no way they could catch up to him. The only reason they had managed to pursue him so far was that he had been letting them!
"Shakuton! over-Steam Kill!"
Without hesitation, she unleashed her signature jutsu—Shakuton, the Kekkei Genkai of the Sand Village, formed by combining wind and fire chakra elements to create devastating attacks.
Kaede, bathed in silver light, tilted his head slightly and remarked, "I thought something seemed familiar. So you're the famous Shakuton user, Pakura of the Sand Village?"
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