Chapter 31

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"Hahaha, this time the Konoha ninjas don't even have the Hyuga clan with them! What good is genjutsu? You're all going to die in those traps!"

Inside the base of Kumogakure, one of their ninjas boasted loudly, "Genjutsu, huh? You can't even see me, let alone cast some stupid illusion!"

But in the next second, the same Kumogakure jōnin suddenly clutched his neck, convulsing wildly as he collapsed to the ground. His team members' faces paled in shock.

"Lord Druid?!"

Before they could rush to help, they too found themselves dragged into a genjutsu space, unable to resist.

Hunter 1 and Hunter 2 swiftly arrived at the Kumogakure outpost responsible for laying traps. With their team behind them, they moved in, finishing off the incapacitated enemy ninjas. This simple maneuver had been repeated over a dozen times.

Originally, the Hunter Group had only been tasked with dismantling traps and barriers. However, with Uchiha Shisui's powerful genjutsu, he single-handedly incapacitated hundreds of enemy ninjas, allowing the squad to eliminate not just the traps, but the ninjas stationed to guard them as well.

The process was unbelievably smooth. The Hunter Squad now understood why Shisui had been able to guard the border against Kirigakure so effectively, preventing any enemy ninja from even getting close.

"He's just that strong!" they whispered in awe.

Shisui was not just any jōnin. The title of "elite jōnin" wasn't an official rank, but it distinguished those whose skills placed them just below the Kage level, warriors who had earned fearsome reputations in the ninja world. The "elite jōnin" were those who were recognized by their skills, earning nicknames that struck terror into their enemies—people like Zabuza Momochi, Kakashi Hatake, and Minato Namikaze.

Before gaining the system, Toki had no significant achievements and was still classified as an ordinary jōnin, despite his growing strength. But unlike Shisui, who had already gained fame, Toki had yet to earn a title that marked him as an elite. As for the members of the Hunter Squad, despite their abilities, they had initially underestimated Shisui's prowess.

Now, after seeing his illusions in action, they were as meek as quails, their arrogance thoroughly crushed. The name "Shisui of the Body Flicker" was not just a reflection of his speed but also his unparalleled skills in illusion.

After the Hunter Squad had finished cleaning up the remaining Kumogakure shinobi, one of them let out a sigh of relief, looking at their prey with satisfaction.

"This is the last stronghold," he said excitedly, "and this guy was their commanding jōnin!"

Originally, these rookies had been worried that their lack of experience would hinder them in battle. But the skills they had acquired during training had been etched into their bones. On the battlefield, they found themselves acting almost on instinct, analyzing clues and dismantling traps as effortlessly as breathing.

It wasn't just the Hunter Squad that was impressed with Shisui's strength. Uchiha Shisui himself was staring in shock at his clansmen. The same ninjas who had once been little more than thugs in Konoha were now like completely different people. Their proficiency in taijutsu, the three basic jutsu, and even the Body Flicker Technique had improved dramatically.

Shisui could even see his younger self reflected in their movements. When he had graduated from the Ninja Academy, he wasn't necessarily as fast as they were now. What astonished him even more was their expertise in dismantling traps. They were able to find and disarm even the most intricately hidden traps with ease.

As he watched the Hunter Squad return, Shisui thought in disbelief, "When did our clan have so many geniuses?"

What he didn't know was that the squad had been specially trained by Toki, with techniques combining the talents of both Uchiha Shisui and Itachi. The squad excelled in setting and dismantling traps, using taijutsu and the Body Flicker Technique, and hiding and evading with skills similar to Hassan's assassin techniques.

"Lord Shisui, here's the captured loot," one of the Hunter Squad members said, presenting the sealed items with great respect.

In the ninja world, strength always commanded respect. The jōnin they had just captured wasn't particularly famous, but the fact that Shisui had taken him down from a distance with a single genjutsu was terrifying enough to cement his power.

Shisui, just a step away from becoming Kage-level, waved off the loot. "You all keep it. It's useless to me."

Shisui was already at the peak of his rank, with no more positions to climb except for the Kage title. Instead of accumulating achievements for himself, he preferred to give them to his fellow Uchiha to help raise their standing within Konoha.

Excited, the Hunter Squad member carefully retrieved the scroll. The bounty of a jōnin's head alone would be enough to promote a special jōnin to full jōnin status, given the significance of such a battle achievement.

At that moment, Toki arrived with the rest of the main force.

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