Chapter 140: Desperation

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The scorching steam swept toward Ye Zi, causing his expression to change. He quickly shifted direction in an attempt to dodge the steam, but it was too late. His right shoulder was grazed by the steam, instantly burning the area.

Ye Zi frowned. Even his Lightning Release armor couldn't block the steam. Without pausing, he turned into a flash of lightning and charged directly toward the Jinchūriki, Han.

Seeing this, Han grinned, waiting for this moment. While Ye Zi's speed was indeed remarkable, Han's strength lay in taijutsu. His years of physical training gave him the instincts to track movements like these.

"Die!" Han shouted as his steam-covered hand shot toward Ye Zi.

"Hmph!" Ye Zi snorted, slashing his blade toward Han's hand with his Raiga.

Han's eyes narrowed as he retracted his hand and kicked toward Ye Zi's ribs.

Ye Zi's slash missed, but with a mid-air twist, he stepped on Han's incoming leg. Using the momentum, he bent his knee slightly, preparing to launch like a cannonball.

His cold, emotionless eyes locked onto Han's, and with a swift motion, the blade of Raiga aimed straight for Han's forehead.

But Han reacted quickly. Steam burst out from his body just as Ye Zi lunged forward.

Sensing the danger, Ye Zi used the force of his thrust to flip backward in mid-air. His foot landed squarely on the back of Han's head, using it as a springboard to propel himself like a bolt of lightning into the sky.

The steam came too late—Han was knocked down to the ground by Ye Zi's kick.

Ōnoki arrived just in time to witness the electrifying speed at which Ye Zi moved, his body cloaked in lightning. Watching this young shinobi, Ōnoki felt a complex mix of emotions. Despite Ye Zi's youth, his strength was undeniable. He even reminded Ōnoki of the Raikage.

Konoha truly was a village that produced countless geniuses.

"And so... I must stop you!" Ōnoki's eyes flashed with ruthless resolve. Casting aside his previous concerns, he raised his hands toward Ye Zi.

"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World!"

A white light formed in his palm, quickly expanding into a rectangular beam that shot toward Ye Zi's back.

Ye Zi was preoccupied with evading attacks when he suddenly noticed the beam of light. His reaction came too late. He dodged, but due to his injured right arm, his movement wasn't swift enough. The beam struck his right arm.

In an instant, Ye Zi felt no pain, only the sudden absence of his right arm.

The white light dissipated, leaving his right side completely empty—his arm was gone.

Ye Zi's eyes widened in disbelief, unable to comprehend how he had just lost an arm. Then, the pain hit, accompanied by a spray of blood. He gritted his teeth, glancing back at the Tsuchikage, his eyes filled with cold hatred, like a bloodthirsty wolf bent on revenge.

While still moving at high speed, Ye Zi used his remaining hand to burn the wound closed with lightning, cauterizing it to stop the bleeding. He didn't flinch once during the painful process.

Now that he had lost an arm, Ye Zi knew he couldn't stay any longer. He had to escape the village.

His blade, Raiga, gleamed brightly in the night as it cut down enemies in seconds.

Just then, another beam of white light shot toward him. Ye Zi narrowly dodged it, but the air around him seemed to thicken with pressure. His heartbeat quickened, and his body tensed in response.

Dealing with a Kage-level shinobi was no easy task. Dust Release, capable of disintegrating matter, was a terrifying jutsu. If that beam had hit his head, he'd be dead by now.

Ye Zi took a deep breath. He needed to break through. Surrounding him were countless Iwa-nin, hurling jutsu and throwing weapons at him. Behind him, the real threats were Han, the Jinchūriki, and the Tsuchikage, but he had no time to focus on them.

Squeak! Squeak!

Determined, Ye Zi's eyes flashed with resolve. His lightning surged, forming a deadly blade of light.

Roar!

Suddenly, an inhuman roar echoed through the air.

Ōnoki's face changed slightly upon hearing the roar. He glanced at Han, a trace of helplessness in his old eyes.

Han's body was covered in a layer of chakra, manifesting into a physical form as he partially transformed into the Five-Tails. Two tails flailed wildly behind him, signaling his rage.

At this point, Han had been pushed too far. The kick to the back of his head had sent him over the edge.

Even with only two tails, Han's chakra and strength were immense.

Steam surged from his body.

In an instant, Han charged forward at blinding speed, even faster than Ye Zi. This was the terrifying power of a Jinchūriki.

The Iwa-nin, used to Han's behavior, quickly moved out of his way. The steam emanating from his body was incredibly hot, capable of severely burning anyone who came too close.

Roar!

Han let out another roar as he charged toward Ye Zi.

Hearing the monstrous roar behind him, Ye Zi knew Han was on his tail, but with Ōnoki also in pursuit, he couldn't afford to be distracted. His only focus was breaking through the enemy lines.

This was a race of life and death. Without the enhanced Spirit Transformation technique, Ye Zi would've had no chance of survival.

Ahead of him were scattered Iwa-nin, while behind him, the core forces of Iwagakure, including the powerful Tsuchikage and the raging Jinchūriki, were closing in.

In front of him lay wolves, and behind him were tigers.

Ye Zi had to map out a path to escape.

Fixing his eyes ahead, a faint trajectory appeared in his mind. It twisted and turned, but soon a clear route leading out of the village revealed itself.

Squeak! Squeak!

His eyes sparked with lightning, and with a surge of chakra, Ye Zi became a bolt of lightning. Before the Iwa-nin could react, he darted through them, weaving between them at impossible speeds. In the blink of an eye, he was hundreds of meters away, nearing the edge of the village. He was only steps away from escaping.

The Iwa-nin closest to Ye Zi were stunned, only realizing moments later that he had already broken free of their encirclement. If Ye Zi had wanted to kill them, they would've been dead the moment he passed by.

Neither jutsu, weapons, nor a wall of bodies could hold Ye Zi back. The Iwa-nin assigned to block his escape were left powerless.

Ye Zi's final burst of speed had drained his energy, but fortunately, his eyes were capable of keeping up with such a rapid pace.

As Ye Zi sped away, Han wasn't far behind. With flames of anger still burning inside him, Han jumped out of Iwagakure, determined to tear Ye Zi apart.

Ōnoki, watching Ye Zi's escape route, gave a cold, sharp order for the strongest Iwa-nin to continue the chase. The others were to remain in the village. After issuing the command, Ōnoki himself followed Han in pursuit.

Once again, Ye Zi's actions had left Ōnoki in awe.

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