The situation in front of him was very unfavorable for Tsune Cheonna, because he had misjudged the number of the Suna-nin team, which put Tsune Cheonna in a very embarrassing situation.
Whether he tried to block or evade Yuki's broadsword, Chao Yanqian would definitely be dragged into the desert by the underground sand and slaughtered. But if he ignored Yuki's attack, that would be even worse. He might survive being dragged underground, but if he were slashed by that massive blade, he would surely die.
Clang!
The metallic clash rang out as Yuki's broadsword was blocked by a kunai held by Chao Yanqian.
Immediately afterward, Chao Yanqian felt an irresistible force from beneath his feet dragging him into the ground, leaving only his head exposed.
He smiled bitterly in his heart. In the past, Chao Yanqian had often used the Heart Beheading Technique to humiliate others, but he hadn't expected to fall victim to the same jutsu today. Truly, fate is unpredictable.
In fact, the Heart Beheading Technique is a very effective ninjutsu, but when using it, the caster must grab the enemy's feet, which is a huge limitation. It has to be well-calculated before use, so ordinary shinobi rarely employ it in direct combat.
Chao Yanqian attempted to use Earth Release to escape, but he found that the surrounding sand had an intense binding force that prevented him from breaking free. It seemed the only way to escape was to wait until the chakra controlling the sand ran out — but his enemies wouldn't give him that chance.
"Tch! So it was just a kid. I didn't expect that fool Cangmu to get taken down by a brat like this. He was always bragging about how strong he was, and now he's dead so quickly!" Yuki glanced at Chao Yanqian with contempt, showing no sadness for his fallen comrade.
The Suna-nin who had lured Chao Yanqian into the trap emerged from the ground, kicked Chao Yanqian's exposed head, and said indifferently, "I always knew that guy was the type to die early."
Damn it… you dare to kick me in the head?
Chao Yanqian squinted at the Suna-nin, calculating in his mind how he would kill him shortly.
"What, brat? You dare stare at me like that?" the Suna-nin grinned viciously and said arrogantly, "Wanna die right here?"
"Remember that kick — I'll return it to you myself," Chao Yanqian replied coldly and provocatively.
"You little bastard, looks like you need to be taught a lesson," the Suna-nin growled darkly.
Just then, Asai approached and said, "Enough. Quit the chatter and take this kid back to camp. He might have some intel."
"Relax, let me play with him a bit first," Liangji said with a cruel grin, eyeing Chao Yanqian.
Seeing Yuki offer no objection, Liangji squatted in front of Chao Yanqian, kunai in hand, lightly tapping his face with it as he sneered. "Hey brat, say that again. I didn't quite catch it."
"I said..." Chao Yanqian slightly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and centered his mind. Then his eyes suddenly snapped open and, in a burst of energy, he erupted from the sand, thrusting a kunai into Liangji's throat.
Splurt!
Blood spattered, splashing across Yuki's face.
"I said… the kick you gave me — I'll return it to you myself!" Chao Yanqian shouted, then delivered a brutal kick to Liangji's face, which still bore a stunned expression, sending him flying.
He then quickly retrieved a soldier's food pill from his ninja pouch and swallowed it. The Heart Beheading Technique he had just forcefully broken free from had consumed a massive amount of chakra. Though his recent actions seemed bold and energetic, Chao Yanqian knew his current state was far from stable.
Luckily, Heart Beheading Technique was a jutsu Chao Yanqian was proficient in. He understood its weaknesses. If they had used any other jutsu to trap him, he might not have made it out alive.
"Die, brat!" Seeing two of his comrades fall to Chao Yanqian, Yuki screamed and slashed at him with his large sword.
The sudden death of Kuraki had caught Yuki off guard and filled him with fear.
This kid… he wasn't just any ordinary genin. In a four-on-one situation, he had already killed two of them — and aside from chakra depletion, he hadn't even been injured.
Yuki felt a chilling premonition: if this kept going, he might also die here.
They exchanged a few blows — kunai versus blade — and Chao Yanqian let out a small breath of relief.
Yuki's taijutsu wasn't impressive, and his swordsmanship lacked finesse. As long as Chao Yanqian enhanced his cellular regeneration with chakra, he could overpower Yuki with brute force. With the right timing and positioning, defeating him wouldn't be difficult.
And since Yuki was the team's leader, he should be the strongest among them. If even the captain was this sloppy, then that Asai guy couldn't be much better.
Suddenly, Yuki launched a powerful strike, pushing Chao Yanqian back. He then retreated quickly — creating distance between them.
Too naive.
A smirk flickered at the corner of Chao Yanqian's mouth as he immediately gave chase.
Behind him, Asai's ninjutsu was already prepared. But when he saw Chao Yanqian rushing toward Yuki, he grew anxious. In that moment, Asai noticed Yuki give him a subtle nod — the signal to release the technique.
Wind Style — Great Breakthrough!
A powerful gust surged forward. Yuki quickly stabbed his sword into the ground, stepped forward, and grabbed Chao Yanqian with both arms, anchoring him in place — directly in the path of Asai's jutsu.
"You underestimated me!" Chao Yanqian coldly smirked at Yuki. He quickly activated chakra through his body to heighten cell activity. His muscles swelled with strength, and with one explosive move, he spun around — switching places with Yuki.
"AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"
Great Breakthrough wasn't a lethal jutsu on its own, but the wind carried countless micro blades — sharp enough to flay skin. It felt like being shredded by a thousand knives.
"Captain!" Asai screamed, lunging toward Chao Yanqian in rage.
"If you want it, then take it back!" Chao Yanqian snarled. He took out his last two explosive tags, slapped them onto Yuki's now-wounded body, and kicked him away.
BOOM!
Bullseye!
To ensure that none of the four Suna-nin survived and possibly revealed any information, Chao Yanqian walked up to each one and finished them off. After confirming all four were dead, he turned and quickly left the battlefield.