Ch-08 Brutal Killing.

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Despite the starkness of the circumstances, Kratos retained his mental fortitude. Quite the opposite, his focus intensified. He persistently expanded the scope of his sensory technique, methodically conducting a comprehensive scan of the surrounding area. Upon completing this meticulous process, he meticulously tallied the number of ninjas lurking other than the Senju Clan, revealing an astonishing total that exceeded a daunting four hundred.

With determination etched across his face like an indelible mark, Kratos rose from his seated position. He realized that the salvation of the Senju Clan rested on a singular option — a direct confrontation at their location to effect their rescue. Axe firmly gripped in his left hand, he commenced a purposeful sprint towards a towering tree, launching himself into the air with a powerful leap that carried him nearly ten meters above the ground.

The ninja positioned on the same tree, sensing the imminent threat, sprang into alertness. It swiftly unsheathed its sword, anticipating the clash with Kratos's impending attack. The collision between Kratos's imposing axe and the ninja's weapon occurred in the blink of an eye.

Yet, the frail strength of the ninja proved woefully inadequate against the indomitable might of Kratos. In a singular, forceful stroke, Kratos's axe sent the ninja's sword careening away. Unfazed and unstoppable, Kratos's axe connected with the ninja's shoulder, effortlessly tearing through flesh and reaching its chest. Accompanied by a resonant shout, "Yaaah," Kratos exerted even greater force, cleaving the ninja in half. A deluge of bright red blood erupted from the ninja's bisected form, and when this ominous substance splattered onto Kratos, it bestowed upon him an even more foreboding appearance.

Just at this pivotal moment, a kunai adorned with an 'Explosive tag' swiftly hurtled toward Kratos. Drawing upon the vast reservoir of battle experience etched into his instincts, Kratos promptly pivoted, wielding his axe skillfully to intercept the incoming projectile. With a deft swing, the kunai was sent careening away, meeting the ground with a thunderous "Boom!"

While the explosive kunai failed to inflict any harm upon Kratos, its trajectory served as a marker, revealing the presence of yet another lurking ninja. Without a moment's hesitation, Kratos flung his trusty axe towards the targeted tree. The axe embedded itself into the sturdy trunk, and with a powerful yank of the chain affixed to its handle, Kratos propelled himself with remarkable speed to another adjacent tree.

The ninja, witnessing Kratos seamlessly transition to the tree branch of tree on which he was currently situated, displayed a visage of horror as the imminent threat approached. Before the ninja could orchestrate an escape, Kratos's fist met the face of ninja in a forceful punch and the face of ninja was deformed beyond measure. The ninja, now bearing irreversible damage to its face, was propelled through the air, colliding harshly with the tree trunk before descending to the forest floor and the ninja died on the spot.

As this ninja fell, a barrage of over ten kunai and shuriken descended upon Kratos from various directions. Unfazed, Kratos abandoned the safety of the tree branch, executing a graceful descent that culminated in a seamless landing on the forest floor.

The moment Kratos touched down, a cohort of ninjas emerged from multiple directions, converging swiftly to form a tight circle around him, effectively blocking any potential escape routes. Kratos surveyed this encircling force, confirming his earlier suspicions that they were indeed ninjas of Sunagakure.

In this critical juncture, a Sunagakure Jonin, assuming the mantle of leadership, issued a tactical directive to his teammates: "Refrain from engaging in close combat with this formidable man. Instead, employ long-range attacks to maintain a strategic advantage." The leader Jonin's command was grounded in astute observation, recognizing Kratos's exceptional proficiency in close-quarter combat and deeming a long-range approach as a more prudent strategy.

All the other ninjas nodded in unison, clearly indicating their acknowledgment of the leading Jonin's command. However, just as they were poised to launch their attack on Kratos, a sudden transformation swept across the countenance of the leading Jonin. It became evident that the leader ninja had a premonition of a formidable force rapidly approaching from behind. Without a moment's hesitation, he swiftly moved away, urgently uttering, "Scatter immediately!"

The intuitive foresight displayed by this Sunagakure Jonin proved to be remarkably accurate, as Gradungr appeared behind the unsuspecting ninjas at that very moment. Gradungr, with a deliberate motion, raised its front two legs into the air and forcefully impacted the ground. Following this impactful gesture, Gradungr unleashed a formidable wave of ice that traversed in a perfectly straight line. Regrettably, five ninjas, despite the leader ninja's directive, found themselves ensnared in the freezing grasp of the ice sculpture.

Demonstrating an unrelenting pursuit, Gradungr was resolute in denying the five frozen ninjas any opportunity for recovery. Swiftly and with unparalleled speed, Gradungr maneuvered, employing its horn to cleave a passage through the frozen ninjas. Subsequently, the lifeless bodies of these ninjas descended to the ground, fractured and defeated.

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