In the blink of an eye, the bandits fell like harvested wheat, leaving only a few standing.
"Ahh...!!"
A few of them turned and fled in terror.
Shhhhhhh—
Xu Ming flicked his wrist, launching several shuriken. Three found their mark, striking their targets in the neck. Blood gushed out, and they collapsed instantly.
Only one remained. He drew a short sword, slicing a shuriken mid-air, and sprinted toward Xu Ming with astonishing speed.
Whoosh!
In less than half a second, he was upon Xu Ming, his short sword flashing with deadly intent.
Zheng!
The blade slashed toward Xu Ming's neck in a swift arc.
"A rogue ninja?" Xu Ming mused, surprised by the man's speed—it was faster than the average Chūnin.
But he didn't flinch. Lightning chakra surged across his body.
Zizizi—
"Lightning Style: Chidori Stream!"
A dense lightning grid expanded outward like a cage, slamming into the rogue ninja.
Zzzzt!
But the rogue ninja's body also crackled with lightning, negating Xu Ming's attack.
"Hmm?" Xu Ming narrowed his eyes and dodged swiftly.
But the rogue ninja was relentless. His short sword chased after Xu Ming like a shadow, each strike flowing seamlessly into the next. His technique was masterful—every slash followed through perfectly, curving back like water, striking again and again.
From a distance, a crisscross of flashing steel painted the air.
"Giant Big Ball Rasengan!"
Tired of dodging, Xu Ming stopped abruptly, extending his hand.
Whoosh!
Chakra rapidly condensed in his palm, swirling into a compact mass of turbulent energy. A bright, luminous orb formed—but it didn't stop there.
Under Xu Ming's control, the Rasengan expanded, swelling from the size of a bowl to that of an adult in an instant.
And it kept growing!
Xu Ming injected even more chakra, inflating the Rasengan to the size of a house!
"What the—?!"
The rogue ninja's eyes widened in shock. Instinctively, he slashed at the massive Rasengan.
Boom!
The sheer force rebounded through his short sword, sending him flying backward.
But Xu Ming wasn't finished.
With a gentle push, the colossal Rasengan shot forward like a meteor, hurtling toward the rogue ninja.
"Not good..."
The man's expression changed drastically. Lightning flickered across his body as he activated Lightning Style: Body Flicker Technique, vanishing in a flash.
Boom!
The giant Rasengan struck the ground, creating an enormous crater over ten meters deep. The impact pulverized the earth into dust, which hung thick in the air.
Tens of meters away, lightning crackled as the rogue ninja reappeared, his face pale with fear. He glanced at the crater, then at his damaged short sword, a pained look crossing his face. His expression hardened as he locked eyes with Xu Ming, filled with killing intent.
"Enough acting," Xu Ming said flatly, shaking his head. "Swordsmanship, Lightning Style Body Flicker, and that short sword—you must be Hatake Sakumo, senpai."
"No, I'm just a rogue ninja-turned-bandit!" the man denied, feigning ignorance.
Xu Ming: ...
Do you really have to keep up the act?
"And do you think I'm alone?" the rogue ninja smirked. "Look behind you—my companion has arrived."
Xu Ming: ...
A bad feeling crept up his spine.
He quickly formed a seal and released a Shadow Clone.
The clone's memories rushed back to him, revealing the so-called "companion" from another angle—a man with short, disheveled hair and the lower half of his face covered in an old cloth.
"Uncle Danzo..."
Xu Ming recognized him immediately, his lips twitching.
Such a pathetic disguise—he wasn't even trying to hide his identity.
"Haha, you're a strong young lad," the masked man chuckled. "Even that guy, Shimura Danzo, wasn't this powerful at your age."
Xu Ming's face darkened. He didn't even bother responding to the self-congratulatory remark.
"Enough talk—watch my moves!" Danzo declared.
He drew his sword and dashed forward, chakra refining into Wind Style, wrapping around his blade.
Whoosh!
In an instant, he was upon Xu Ming.
"Ah, I suppose I should join in too?" Hatake Sakumo, who had been watching, sighed. He reluctantly stepped forward, though he moved slower, seemingly reluctant to damage his short sword any further.
Xu Ming sighed, forming a one-handed seal while raising his other hand.
Chakra gathered once again, swirling into a massive orb. The ball expanded, reaching the size of a house.
Boom!
Hatake swung his sword, seemingly attacking the Rasengan but actually using the impact to propel himself backward, making his retreat appear natural.
"Konohagakure: Mikazuki Dance!"
Danzo roared, creating two Shadow Clones.
The three Danzos attacked simultaneously, striking from three angles—left, right, and above. Each blade was wrapped in razor-sharp Wind Style Chakra.
"This technique is so strong that only Earth Style can defend against it!" Danzo shouted, effectively revealing his own weakness.
Xu Ming: ...
Expressionless, he casually hurled the giant Rasengan at the clone attacking from above.
At the same time, two large bulges appeared on his back. With a sudden tear, two extra arms burst out, shredding his clothes as they emerged.