A fracture in his left arm.
That was the conclusion Darui came to after checking himself. It was far from good news—his left hand could no longer form hand signs effectively, which severely limited his fighting ability. For a ninja, the speed of forming hand signs was crucial. Even if you could clap your hands and make things happen instantly, a fractured arm still hurt!
"What kind of monster is this?"
Despite his injury, Darui didn't lose focus. His attention remained fixed on the thick-browed man who had kicked him. The speed and strength of that man were terrifying. While Darui knew he wasn't as physically strong as the Raikage, he was no pushover either, especially being skilled in the Lightning Release technique that enhanced his body. Yet, this man in the ridiculous green bodysuit had fractured his arm with just one kick.
Darui looked at his empty right hand, then pulled out a kunai from his pouch. His sword was still lodged in Hiashi Hyuga's shoulder, and he wasn't in the habit of carrying multiple backup weapons. The kunai would have to do for now.
What confused Darui most was that he didn't recognize this thick-browed man. Over the years, his village had sent countless spies to Konoha and the Land of Fire, collecting information on their powerful ninjas. Yet, no report had ever mentioned this man.
A warrior this strong shouldn't be unknown!
Guy helped Hiashi Hyuga to his feet. "Hiashi-senpai, are you alright?" He glanced at Hiashi's shoulder, concerned. Though Hiashi had managed to control his muscles to prevent heavy bleeding, a wound like that couldn't be ignored.
"It's pretty bad," Hiashi sighed. "But I'm not dying just yet. Are you the only backup we've got? What about Sougen? Has he arrived?"
"Sougen-sama hasn't arrived yet," Guy shook his head. "But we didn't come empty-handed. Shibi-senpai, Ega-senpai, Todou-senpai, and even Shisui-kun are here... About a dozen of us!"
Hiashi let out a disappointed sigh upon hearing that Sougen hadn't come, but he felt slightly relieved when Guy mentioned other strong reinforcements like Shibi and Ega. With them, they might be able to hold off the Cloud Ninjas for a while longer.
Hiashi could barely stand without Guy's help, his chakra completely depleted. The surrounding Cloud Ninjas, who had originally closed in with Darui, were now oddly quiet, suggesting that someone else was dealing with them. Guy had saved him, but it seemed there were others in the shadows handling the rest.
Clearly, Hiashi wasn't the only one who noticed this.
Darui, too, realized that many of his subordinates had been taken out. His left arm was fractured, and now, when he tried contacting his men via radio, only a few responded. Switching channels, he called for backup from another squad.
Darui was almost 17, but his laid-back personality meant he didn't share the impulsiveness typical of most his age. He had no intention of being a hero, especially when they still held a significant advantage, and they had Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails jinchūriki, on their side.
Still, he couldn't just sit and wait for Yugito's support. They had finally trapped Hiashi Hyuga, and he wasn't about to let Guy and the others take him away so easily. A mere fracture in his arm wouldn't stop him from trying to capture Hiashi alive.
"Hiashi-senpai, you can't walk right now, can you?" Guy asked, assessing his condition.
"That's right. I can barely stand," Hiashi replied, though in truth, he was worse off than he let on. The backlash from consuming too many military ration pills had hit him hard, causing his chakra pathways to spasm in pain. But through sheer willpower, he endured.
"Guy, don't push yourself. Even if you manage to defeat Darui using your father's forbidden technique, the Cloud Ninjas still have Yugito Nii and an overwhelming number of troops. They'll wear us down."
The Eight Gates Formation.
This forbidden technique was shrouded in mystery, but records in the Hyuga Clan's documents from over 200 years ago mentioned it. Hiashi had only learned about it after hearing that Guy's father, Might Duy, single-handedly defeated the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. After researching it, he found out just how terrifying this technique was.
Unfortunately, it was incredibly difficult to master. Even after acquiring its secrets, the intense training required to master the Eight Gates was beyond what most, even the most hardened of ANBU, could handle.
"If you can't take me out of here alive, make sure my body doesn't fall into the hands of the Cloud Ninjas," Hiashi said resolutely. He had already accepted the possibility of death.
But Guy gave an unexpected answer. "Don't worry, Hiashi-senpai. Someone is already handling the Two-Tails jinchūriki. We just need to get past these Cloud Ninjas and we can leave."
Hiashi was stunned. "Who could possibly handle Yugito Nii if Sougen hasn't come? Shibi with his poison bugs? Todou and the Ino-Shika-Cho formation?"
Guy smiled. "It's Shisui."
"Shisui? Uchiha Shisui?" Hiashi repeated in disbelief.
Without further explanation, Guy bent low and sprang forward like a bullet, shattering the ground beneath his feet as he launched himself toward Darui. His speed left Darui no choice but to prepare for a counterattack. His reinforcements had arrived, so there was no need to delay further.
"Scatter!" Darui ordered, and the Cloud Ninjas dispersed. "Attack as planned!"
They didn't fight recklessly. Under Darui's command, half of them unleashed Water Release, while the other half used Lightning Release to create a deadly combination.
Streams of water filled the air, followed by arcs of electricity, weaving together to form a net.
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"Did he dodge? How?" Darui frowned. His timing had been perfect. Given the thick-browed man's speed, he shouldn't have been able to dodge that.
Then he realized: this man was even faster than before.
"Darui-sama, behind you!!"
The warning came just as Darui sensed the danger himself.
"Leaf Strong Whirlwind!"
With a mighty shout, Guy's spinning kick was aimed right at Darui's head. Just as the attack was about to land, the sharp crackle of lightning echoed, and Darui's body vanished.
Guy's kick struck a nearby tree, splintering it with a loud crash.
"You're fast!" Guy grinned, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Don't underestimate me," Darui said calmly, his body crackling with black lightning as he appeared behind Guy. He lunged forward, kunai in hand, aiming for Guy's back.