Chương 139

Kaen shot forward without warning, a smile carved across his face as his eyes spun to life. The Sharingan's crimson glow sent a shiver through the first thug, who hesitated for a heartbeat before swinging a rusted sword in panic. Kaen had already seen the arc of the strike, sliding under it with predatory grace. The second thug, showing surprising coordination, brought his stick down toward Kaen's low position.

Kaen's foot pressed into the dirt, muscles tightening, before he kicked off with explosive force, launching himself into the air and barely missing the swing to close the distance. He spun the moment he passed the strike, momentum carrying through his body, and his heel whipped out, crashing into the thug's neck with a sickening crack. The man flew forward, slamming into his ally, and the two collapsed together in a heap. I slapped my hands down, chakra flooding into the seal I had prepared earlier.

The Arc Net burst alive, lines of blue lightning racing across the ground in a deadly grid. Sparks shot upward the moment the pair touched down. Bolts raced along their limbs, locking their muscles and ripping screams from their throats. The current was far too much for civilians. They convulsed for several seconds before collapsing limp, smoke rising faintly from their clothes. I allowed myself a grin, but Kaen's voice cut in sharp and annoyed.

"Stop stealing my wins." I rolled my eyes, but Kaen didn't wait for my reaction. He shot toward Hidaka, his movements feral and eager, as if the blood on the ground only spurred him on. Hidaka's men faltered, staring wide-eyed at the glowing grid that had swallowed two of their companions whole. They weren't used to seeing lightning rip through flesh. Fear wavered in their eyes, but Hidaka's roar cut through it.

"They are just kids! Overwhelm them! They will run out of chakra soon enough!" The sheer force of his voice drove them on. Five broke away and charged at me, fear drowned by the threat of their leader's wrath. Sena didn't hesitate. A smoke bomb burst at her feet, spilling gray clouds into the narrow street. She pulled Kobaru back toward safety, using the cover to mask her movements as she slipped flash tags onto the walls and crates.

Hidden in the haze, her traps were invisible, the alley funneled into a perfect bottleneck that would punish anyone reckless enough to give chase. The five thugs barreled toward me with false courage. They spread out smartly for criminals: two cutting wide, two pressing in close, and one charging straight down the center. The one in the middle flung a kunai, aimed carefully at my hands. He knew enough to try and disrupt my seals. Chakra surged through me.

The Arc Net flared again, the ground beneath us burning bright blue. Lightning screeched as it spread in jagged lines.

"Step back now!" their leader barked, panic sharpening his tone. Three obeyed instantly, leaping back from the flare, but one was too slow. The net swallowed him whole, electricity seizing his body before dropping him unconscious to the dirt. The others cursed, fear written across their faces, but I was already weaving signs. Chakra condensed on my fingertips, small sparks humming before leaping into sharp spheres of light. Current Shots. I deliberately held back the charge.

They were criminals, not shinobi soldiers. They didn't deserve death, but pain? That I could deliver. The bolts cracked through the air, blue streaks darting like serpents. They slammed into the thugs' chests, launching them backward in bursts of smoke and sparks. Their weapons flew from their hands as they writhed, gasping and clutching their ribs, struggling for breath as the current left their lungs burning. One slipped past the far side in the chaos, sprinting toward Sena. I let him.

The moment he reached the bottleneck she had prepared, his foot pressed onto one of her tags. A violent flash erupted, white light exploding across the alley. His scream cut sharp as he clawed at his blinded eyes, just in time for my shadow clone to rush him from behind. A swift strike to the neck dropped him unconscious. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The last of the five, the one who had given orders, came at me with a rope-sickle.

The blade spun, hissing through the air with surprising speed. My eyes narrowed, intrigued despite the danger. His control wasn't perfect, but it was far more deliberate than the wild swings of his comrades. My legs exploded with sparks as I flicked back, tossing a kunai in reply. To my surprise, he twisted aside, barely evading it, before whipping the sickle again. The blade snapped toward me, and for the first time I realized he wasn't just fighting with desperation.

He was pushing his body beyond what pain should allow. I jumped high, chakra gathering again. A Current Shot lashed down, striking his legs. His body convulsed violently, teeth clenched, yet he still forced himself forward. His scream tore free, but with a surge of effort he yanked on the rope and swung the sickle upward in a surprising feat of strength, hurling it toward me with raw defiance. The blade whipped close. I twisted in midair, spinning with the momentum.

My fist slammed into the weapon's handle with every ounce of strength. The shock rattled through my bones as the weapon wrenched wide, his body stumbling. My clone struck at the same moment, a Current Shot bursting into his chest. The man seized, twitching as lightning crawled across his frame, then collapsed to the ground gasping, his limbs shaking uncontrollably.

At the same time, I looked toward Kaen and, without hesitation, chakra roared through my coils as I crammed it into a Current Shot, reckless and overflowing, and hurled it at him with every ounce of power I could force out in the narrow window of time I had. Kaen's POV I shot forward toward Hidaka, who held a huge wooden club. The man was massive, with bulging muscles and a tough-looking body. However, someone like him had no chance against a Sharingan user like me.

I saw the swing trajectory of his club before stepping aside as it smashed into the ground, rubble shooting up. I wanted to use ninjutsu, but I was sure Shisui-sama would not approve of me using lethal means against regular street thugs. So, I jumped back to evade the debris while sending a kunai his way. To my surprise, he did not evade, choosing instead to leap toward me, taking the strike near his shoulder. Even then, he tried to grapple me, but I was too fast.

I slipped under his attempt, using my smaller frame, and drew another kunai, slashing across his side and causing another injury. He swung his club upward without hesitation. I smiled as I used the upward swing, coating my legs with chakra and matching the club's momentum as much as I could. Using the force of the push, I jumped high while sending more kunai his way. This time he tried to evade, but two hit him. One in the leg, not deep enough, and another in the arm, which seemed to cause some damage.

I was not sure what this man had consumed to endure such pain and still move unhindered. He spun and swung his club vertically with brutal strength, aiming to smash my flailing frame. I kicked him in the chest, using the push to leap away from the swing. The moment I landed, I shot forward with speed he could never match. I went low toward his huge leg, stabbing my kunai into his inner thigh. The scream that followed drew a smile across my face.

I looked up, expecting him to collapse, but he did something I did not expect. He yanked his injured leg upward, kunai still embedded, dragging me with it as he swung his club down. Shock hit me as I realized he was immune to pain enough to risk his own leg, willing to smash both me and his already wounded limb. His madness caused me to hesitate for a moment. Before I could react, a lightning streak split the air. A bolt slammed into the club, exploding it into pieces. Hidaka's face twisted in surprise.

I jumped back as fast as I could while we both stared at the trail of lightning left hanging in the air. However, before he could even react, another bolt crashed into his other leg, and the sound of breaking bone echoed painfully. A third bolt hammered into his chest, followed almost instantly by one that cracked into his forehead, launching him backward. He crashed into a nearby wall and collapsed, unconscious but still breathing with clear difficulty.

The rasping sound of his chest made it obvious that several ribs were broken as well. I stood there, kunai dripping, chest heaving with exhilaration. The grin faded into a scowl as I looked at his twitching body pinned against the wall.

"Tch. Some people just can't stand to let a real fight play out."