Chapter 996

The three Rain ninja were already under her control, and without hesitation they carried out Kaguya-hime's orders.

They handed over their scrolls directly and fired a signal flare into the air.

As for how they would explain things to their supervising instructor after returning, Kaguya-hime had no interest in knowing; next she still had to plant more of these "land mines" in more villages.

After traveling alone for another stretch, within Kaguya-hime's Byakugan range another pair of Konoha ninja appeared—and they were acquaintances, the new generation Ino-Shika-Cho combo, and they seemed to be fighting someone.

"Partial Multiplication Technique!"

"Boom!"

The enlarged palm directly smashed the ground, kicking up a vast cloud of dust that blotted out the sky; Shikamaru rapidly formed hand seals and completed his Shadow Manipulation Technique.

"Ugh-ah, I-I can't move, help me!" The hit Takumi ninja frantically called for help from his companion; he even felt himself uncontrollably walking toward that fatty who could swat him dead with one slap.

The Takumi ninja hiding nearby with the "Camouflage Technique" had no choice but to drop out of his concealed form, sprint over, and toss a flash bomb above the trapped man.

With a bang, the blinding light completely illuminated a small area around them; the shadows on the ground rapidly receded, and Shikamaru, lacking enough shadows to use, had to interrupt the "Shadow Manipulation Technique" he was maintaining.

Having rescued his companion, this clever Takumi ninja grabbed the teammate who had just regained mobility but was still standing in place, while his other hand simultaneously pulled out a smoke bomb specifically for escape; he knew Shikamaru's team still had members who hadn't acted, and his own side already had one person who had lost fighting ability in a previous engagement with others—retreat was the best choice.

This time, seeing that the Konoha fellows seemed very weak, they had planned this ambush; if successful, it would also count as scroll points, especially since this scroll was "contributed" by the host village, so even if they failed to qualify for chunin and slinked back in disgrace, they wouldn't be blamed.

"Gah... you!" Suddenly a sharp pain struck the back of his neck; before passing out, this Takumi ninja looked utterly disbelieving—he had been attacked from behind by the companion who had just regained his freedom.

"Phew, 'Body Replacement Technique' successful!" This "Takumi ninja" shook out his hand; he hadn't gauged the force properly just now, and truly didn't know whether it would leave aftereffects on the other person.

The three's actions were entirely directed by Shikamaru; there was a little coordination, but they hadn't grown up yet.

Hmm?

Their next route was this way, wasn't it—if they didn't change direction, they were bound to meet next, and if asked where the other two companions were.

Kaguya-hime thought of the two people who at this very moment were still sleeping soundly in her other-dimensional space.

Now wasn't suitable for meeting them.

Lifting her foot, she stepped into her own "Yomotsu Hirasaka," and Kaguya-hime's figure vanished into the rippling air.

Time passed minute by minute; before they knew it, the long three days that had crawled by like years in those contestants' eyes had already gone by; on the evening of this third day, everyone's target.

The center of the Death Forest.

Around Gao Ta, from the vast sea of people after the first exam to now only a sparse few teams remained fighting for the final scramble.

Many people now understood: they only needed to arrange plans, familiarize themselves with the terrain, conserve stamina, set traps, and always be ready to ambush—then at full strength they could completely achieve final victory by defeating those exhausted forces who, after breaking through the encirclement, had accumulated large numbers of scrolls on them.