The night was hazy.
Haruto Saito sprinted eastward at full speed. It looked as though he was in a hurry, but in reality, he was on high alert, every nerve taut with vigilance.
He had deliberately exposed himself to Hinata Domon's sight, making it seem like a chance encounter. This was all part of his plan.
As he ran, he carefully calculated the time and distance in his mind. He wasn't sure if Hinata Domon would move from his position, whether he was lying in ambush or planning to reveal himself and feign camaraderie. Everything was uncertain, but one thing was for sure—Hinata Domon would appear and make contact with him.
Run! Run!
Haruto Saito dashed between two large trees.
Suddenly!
A flicker of movement appeared behind the tree he had just passed. A hand, as sharp as a blade, stabbed straight at the vital point under his ribs!
Fast—too fast!
Hinata Domon had chosen to strike directly!
But Haruto Saito was prepared. With a sudden shift of his body, he narrowly avoided the deadly strike. The fingertips missed his vital point but still landed a heavy blow on his ribs, sending him flying!
Whoosh!
Haruto Saito shot out like a cannonball, crashing into a tree before bouncing onto the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
Hinata Domon looked at him, surprised by how easy it had been.
Just one strike, and Haruto was already half-crippled!
Haruto struggled to get up, clutching his ribs, his face twisted in pain.
In his mind, he was cursing Hinata Domon's ancestors for eighteen generations!
Even though he had planned to take a hit, it still hurt like hell! That strike had nearly broken his ribs—and these were bones reinforced by the Corpse Bone Pulse!
"You! The Hinata Clan—you?! Why?! How could you?!" Haruto Saito gasped, his expression filled with fear and disbelief.
Hinata Domon, his face wrinkled and cold, let out a sinister smile.
Everything was in his control.
He remained composed, not rushing to finish Haruto off. Instead, he spoke in an icy tone: "Haruto Saito, hand over the lost secret technique of my Hinata Clan, and I will spare your life."
"What? How do you even know—" Haruto's face turned pale, and he immediately shut his mouth, as if he had let something slip.
"Hand over the technique!" Hinata Domon demanded again.
"I—I already destroyed it!" Haruto gritted his teeth.
"Heh!" Hinata Domon sneered, feeling utter contempt for Haruto. His reaction was too panicked, too immature. But then again, he was just a kid. It was understandable.
"I won't waste words with you. Give me the technique, and I will let you live. Otherwise, I will make you suffer a fate worse than death!" Hinata Domon threatened.
"I! I—" Haruto stepped back, then suddenly turned.
Run!
Run for his life!
"You think you can escape?!" Hinata Domon blurred into motion, giving chase!
His speed far exceeded Haruto's. Though Haruto had the head start, within seconds, Domon was closing in. But just as he was about to catch up, Haruto completed a series of hand signs mid-run—and vanished!
Earth Escape!
Hinata Domon came to an abrupt stop, activating his Byakugan to scan the surroundings.
Moments later, Haruto reappeared 400 meters southeast, still sprinting at full speed!
"Heh! Earth Escape?" Hinata Domon resumed the chase, quickly deducing that Haruto had mastered this technique but couldn't stay underground for long.
The gap between them steadily shrank.
When Hinata Domon was once again within striking distance, Haruto vanished again.
Earth Escape!
Shortly after, Haruto appeared a few hundred meters away, forcing Domon to chase once more.
Again and again, Haruto repeated this tactic.
It looked like he was desperately using every trick he had to escape. But in truth, he was luring Hinata Domon into chasing him. He had even taken that earlier hit on purpose—to appear weak!
If Hinata Domon underestimated him, victory would be much easier.
Still, Haruto wasn't entirely sure if this reckless plan would work. That's why he had carefully set everything up.
After running east for nearly 17 kilometers, they entered a thick, gray fog.
The fog was toxic.
This was the battleground Haruto had chosen for his showdown with Hinata Domon!
There were two reasons for this choice.
First, the poisonous mist kept the Blue Feather Hawks away. The toxin wasn't a serious threat to high-level shinobi, but to those small scouting birds, it was instantly lethal.
That meant even if the Mist Seven Swordsmen received intelligence about a battle, all they would know was that a fight was happening here—nothing more.
Second, Haruto had laid traps throughout this fog-covered forest.
…
"You can't escape, brat! Using that secret technique again and again—how much chakra do you even have left? Give up!" Hinata Domon sneered.
He had followed Haruto into the toxic mist, though the fog wasn't thick enough to hinder his vision much.
"Don't chase me! I don't have the technique—cough, cough!" Haruto Saito gasped, feigning exhaustion.
"Hmph! You brought this on yourself!" Hinata Domon sneered. Victory was within reach, and his excitement was growing.
He tensed, chakra flaring, and his speed exploded!
The gap between them was now just 100 meters.
In five seconds, he had closed 90 meters.
Only 10 meters left.
"Damn, he's fast!" Haruto cursed. He couldn't let Domon catch him yet—he still hadn't reached the ambush point!
Channeling chakra into his legs, he surged forward with a sudden burst of speed!
Domon continued gaining on him, but more slowly now.
10 meters…
8 meters…
6 meters…
4 meters…
At 3 meters apart, Haruto dashed through a patch of tall grass. Domon followed closely behind—
And at that moment!
Two blood-red figures burst from the ground, blades flashing as they lunged at Hinata Domon!
Haruto's blood clones!
Domon reacted instantly, pulling out two kunai and blocking their strikes. Despite the ambush, his defenses held.
He smirked. "You think this is enough to—"
Then he sensed it.
A violent surge of chakra erupted from the blood clones.
Domon's face froze, his pupils contracting in horror.
Without hesitation, he opened all his chakra points, pouring energy outward, and began to spin—
BOOM! BOOM!
A massive explosion ripped through the fog, flames surging dozens of meters high, the shockwave sweeping outward in all directions!