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Naruto: IHCS Ch. 54
🕑 Added 2025-08-01 00:28:10 +0000 UTCShiratori followed far behind Chiba.
The distance between them had already exceeded the range of perception for an ordinary ninja. He wasn't worried about being discovered by Chiba, nor was he worried about losing track of him.
If he could lose the trail,could all those crows he deployed lose it too?
He was currently checking his personal information.
After returning from the cabin, he had activated two cursed spirits: Jogo and Kenjaku.
Having activated two cursed spirits, he must have also unlocked quite a few techniques.
Didn't I tell you to turn on the notification sound last time? he questioned the system in his mind.
[Notification audio disabled during active scenarios to prevent behavioral inconsistencies.]
Do you think I'm that emotionally unstable? Don't answer, just display recently unlocked techniques.
[Accessing Copy technique database...]
[Recently unlocked techniques:]
[Nishimiya Momo - Tool Manipulation: Flight: UNLOCKED]
[Yorozu - Liquid Metal - Mercury: UNLOCKED]
[Uraume - Ice Formation: UNLOCKED]
The moment he saw "Ice Formation," he knew he had hit the jackpot.
Wasn't this basically a simplified version of Ice Release?
But wait, Momo?
If he remembered correctly, her technique involved flying through the air on a broomstick, right?
[Technique specification: Imbuing objects with cursed energy to enable flight and combat applications.]
Isn't that just flying on a broom? Did I say anything wrong?
[Technique application flexible. Multiple objects compatible.]
Being able to fly actually wasn't bad at all, after all, in the shinobi world, unless you were somehow related to the Six Paths or were the Second or Third Tsuchikage, you couldn't fly.
But this type of flying required a broom, and he'd have to go find one.
Flying on a broom would seriously ruin his image.
Forget it, as long as he could fly.
Who the hell was this Yorozu?
He couldn't recall this character clearly.
[Yorozu: Appeared in Culling Game. Technique: Liquid Metal - Mercury manipulation. Body liquefaction and morphing capabilities. Controls liquid metal for offensive and defensive applications.]
Now that was an interesting ability.
---
Chiba, Sakikawa, and Kuroi dashed across the muddy terrain in a triangular formation for most of the night.
They had departed from Ame, heading straight for the border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Fire.
Chiba led at the front, rainwater streaming along his sharp jawline. Even though his body was exhausted, he remained on high alert. His right hand never left the hilt of his sword, ready for battle at any moment.
Kuroi and Sakikawa followed closely behind, both silent and focused on the road ahead.
The long, monotonous journey began to scatter Chiba's thoughts. He couldn't help but think of Shiratori.
Before leaving Ame, he had said some very cold and heartless things to him, but those words were all lies. He had long since seen Shiratori as his own brother.
If he could make it back alive this time, he would give him a sincere apology.
Kuroi's brows were furrowed, and under the relentless downpour, his face looked pale and worn.
"Something's wrong..."
He came to a sudden stop. Chiba and Sakikawa both noticed the grave tone in his voice.
Among the three, he had the strongest sensory abilities.
"What is—"
Before Chiba could finish his sentence, Shhk, a piercing sound tore through the rain.
A dense shower of kunai and shuriken suddenly rained down from both sides of the surrounding trees, sealing off every possible direction they could evade toward.
"Scatter!" he shouted, his voice booming like thunder in Kuroi and Sakikawa's ears.
Without the slightest hesitation, all three instantly responded.
Chiba rolled sharply to the left, drawing the long blade at his waist. Countless flashes of silver light erupted as his sword clashed violently against the oncoming kunai and shuriken.
Sparks burst through the rain, and the clang of metal striking metal echoed continuously.
A shuriken grazed Sakikawa's cheek, leaving a searing, bloody gash.
They were ambushed. And the attack wasn't over yet.
From within the brush, shadowy figures began to emerge, one after another.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
"Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere!"
A violent gale rose out of nowhere, instantly changing the trajectory of the falling rain.
At the same time, several high-pressure air bullets came howling toward them, targeting the trio just as they had recovered from dodging the earlier barrage.
Kuroi suddenly stepped forward, slamming both hands to the ground.
With a roar, two enormous rock fists erupted from the ground, charging toward the incoming wind blades and vacuum bullets.
Boom.
Crack
The stone fists held for barely two seconds before shattering against the furious wind release techniques, sending shards of rock and razor-sharp gusts flying in all directions.
He let out a muffled grunt as the blast wave threw him backward. Thankfully, Sakikawa managed to catch him, though blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Sakikawa quickly formed hand signs.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
A wall of water rose up to block and neutralize the remaining vacuum bullets.
Chiba's eyes turned cold, sword light reflecting in his pupils. He clashed with one of the dark figures head-on. In the blink of an eye, they exchanged dozens of blows.
When he saw the opponent's eyes, his heart immediately sank.
It was a puppet.
Zzzrip.
A curved hook scraped across his ribs, slicing open his clothing and skin, sending a burning pain and a sudden numbness through his body.
Poison!
By the time he realized it, it was already too late.
Seeing Chiba wounded, Kuroi became frantic. In his panic, he made a mistake, exposing a gap, a puppet slashed deep into his shoulder, blood gushing from the wound.
"We can't keep fighting here!"
Sakikawa spat out a mouthful of blood, voice hoarse. "These are all puppets! They'll just keep draining our chakra!"
"Retreat!"
Chiba gritted his teeth, forcing himself to endure the numbness in his side. He unleashed a burst of sword energy, temporarily forcing the puppets back.
The three began retreating while still fending off the attackers. But in the shadows, the Suna ninja who was controlling the puppets gave relentless chase.
"Cough... You two go ahead... I'll hold them off..."
He shoved Sakikawa and Kuroi away.
The poison was already spreading throughout his body. Darkness began to cloud his vision. He couldn't hold on much longer. If that was the case, he might as well stay behind to buy time for Kuroi and Sakikawa to escape.
No one had expected Suna would be willing to deploy such a powerful puppet master.
"No way!"
Sakikawa and Kuroi dragged Chiba with them, retreating with difficulty.
"Ugh..."
A muffled groan.
The three collapsed to the ground.
A puppet hidden underground had sliced through their Achilles tendons.
