Chapter 118: Is This All You've Got?

Lian Ye and the others had just hidden in the bushes when three Sand Ninja came running from afar.

They approached and began to slow their pace.

"Captain, did you find something?"

The lead Sand Ninja said in a low voice, "I heard movement over here just now. Might be my ears playing tricks on me."

Lian Ye, concealed in the bushes, gestured with his hands at Tuan Cang and Xiaochun.

【Only three. Take them out, but don't make too much noise.】

The two nodded back instinctively.

Lian Ye gripped his sword hilt, three black Curved Jewels surfacing in his eyes.

The instant the three Sand Ninja turned around, Lian Ye burst from the bushes, his sharp blade slicing through the air.

Zhi Cun Tuan Zang and Xiaochun Zhuanqin leapt out after him, raising their hands to hurl several Kunai straight at the enemies' backs.

Their division of labor was clear—one person per enemy.

Hearing the commotion behind them, the three Sand Ninja turned and saw the group's attack, their expressions changing.

Out of pure instinct, they subconsciously created distance.

The lead Sand Ninja saw the Tachi slashing toward him and was about to dodge when he suddenly met a pair of scarlet eyes.

Before he could react, the blade fell across his neck, and his head separated from his body in an instant.

The two Sand Ninja who had just dodged the Kunai saw their captain die a gruesome death, their faces turning ugly.

"Damn Konoha Ninja!"

They never expected that Konoha's ninja would hide in the bushes to launch a sneak attack.

They had been careless. If they'd known this, they should have checked every spot nearby that could conceal someone.

Tuan Cang and Xiaochun ignored the two and charged forward, Kunai in hand.

Seeing the two approaching, a glint of cunning flashed through the two Sand Ninja's eyes.

They drew two Kunai from their waists and engaged the two in close combat.

Lian Ye keenly noticed the look of a successful scheme on their faces, a trace of doubt flashing through his eyes.

Two Chunin facing two Jonin—how could they wear such expressions?

He instinctively looked at the Kunai in the Sand Ninja's hands; dark stains of pale blue lingered on the black Kunai.

Lian Ye understood at once—they had smeared poison on the Kunai.

If they adopted a life-for-life fighting style, it was entirely possible that Tuan Cang and Xiaochun might actually fall for it…

His expression turned somewhat odd. Why did this fighting style feel a bit familiar?

"Tuan Cang, Xiaochun, be careful. There's poison on the Kunai." Lian Ye spoke up to warn them—he certainly didn't want the two to be caught off guard.

By then he'd have to waste time detoxifying them.

At first the two had wondered why the Sand Ninja were using such a reckless fighting style, disregarding their own injuries entirely just to stab at them with Kunai.

After hearing Lian Ye's warning, they understood at once.

So the Sand Ninja had smeared poison on the Kunai…

The two immediately created distance. Seeing this, the Sand Ninja glared at Lian Ye with faces full of rage.

If it hadn't been for this guy's warning, they would have nearly succeeded!

To them, trading their own lives for the lives of Jonin was an extremely worthwhile deal.

So during the fight, they had only attacked and defended for the sole purpose of opening a wound on their opponents.

This poison was developed by the village's Genius Poison Maker.

Once it took effect, even a Jonin would be helpless!

Now that Tuan Cang and Xiaochun had proactively created distance, they had no way to cope at all.

"Damn you, go to hell!"

The two Sand Ninja hurled their Kunai at Lian Ye, unwilling to accept defeat.

In their eyes, it was this guy in front of them who had cost them their chance.

Since they weren't going to make it out alive anyway, they'd take someone down with them.

Both of them, independently of each other, chose Lian Ye, the one who had ruined their plan.

The instant the Sand Ninja threw their Kunai, Tuan Cang and Xiaochun Zhuanqin followed suit, their Kunai striking the enemies' bodies with precision.

The two Sand Ninja collapsed to the ground, looking at Lian Ye with faces full of anticipation.

They hoped Lian Ye hadn't dodged, so that someone could die alongside them.

Unfortunately, their anticipation came to nothing.

Lian Ye easily dodged the Kunai flying toward him.

Seeing this, the Sand Ninja wore expressions of unwillingness and died completely.

After the battle ended, Lian Ye picked up the Kunai the Sand Ninja had dropped on the ground and looked at the pale blue Poison Liquid on it, curling his lip in disdain.

"Is this all you've got?"

"What trash."

He had actually thought this poison was formidable, worrying that once the two were poisoned, there wouldn't even be time to save them.

Turns out he had overestimated the poison the Sand Ninja developed.

He could easily tell that this poison wasn't immediately lethal—it would only cause the victim's body to spasm and make it difficult to mobilize chakra.

After a while, the wound would begin to ulcerate.

As time passed, the Toxin would gradually spread throughout the entire body, causing large-scale decay, ultimately resulting in death in agony.

"Sand Ninja just love developing this kind of disgusting thing." Lian Ye plunged the Kunai into the ground, contempt flashing through his eyes.

In his view, this kind of poison was just a petty trick that couldn't be brought out in public.

A real poison would erupt silently and instantly; by the time you realized you'd been poisoned, you'd already be on the verge of becoming a corpse.

It wouldn't give the poisoned person any time to react, and would never allow the opponent a chance to strike back in their dying moments.

Sand Ninja poison doesn't kill immediately.

Even after being poisoned, you could still fight to the death and kill the one who poisoned you!

Especially after knowing you've been poisoned, you'd have no more reservations.

You're going to die anyway, so drag someone down with you.

That would only result in mutual destruction.

Unless your strength far surpassed your opponent's...

If your strength truly exceeded your opponent's, then whether or not you used poison wouldn't matter anymore.

Zhi Cun Tuan Zang picked up the kunai from the ground and asked, "Lian Ye, is this poison as strong as the kind you develop?"

Xiaochun Zhuanqin looked at Lian Ye curiously, anticipating his answer.

Sand Ninja were famous for their use of poison, and KuoLei Shi in particular were masters of it.

They wondered, between Lian Ye and the Sand Ninja, whose poison was more potent?

Lian Ye glanced at the two of them coolly. "Poison of this caliber isn't even qualified to be mentioned in the same breath as mine."

In his view, Sand Ninja poison was nothing but child's play, not even worthy of being compared to his.

Hearing this, the two immediately understood.

They had thought Sand Ninja's use of poison in combat was dirty enough.

They hadn't expected Lian Ye to be even dirtier than the Sand Ninja...

Zhi Cun Tuan Zang quietly distanced himself from Lian Ye.

Truly worthy of being an evil Uchiha!

It seemed he'd have to be on guard against Lian Ye from now on, or else he might get poisoned one day without even knowing it.

With this guy's ability, he really could pull it off!

Lian Ye took out the map again and began leading the way according to its directions.

After encountering the Sand Ninja, Tuan Cang and Xiaochun no longer questioned Lian Ye.

With Sand Ninja present, this was definitely the Southwest Battlefield.

They were both somewhat surprised — Lian Ye really had learned to read a map!

Noticing the two's expressions, Lian Ye looked smug.

"Believe me now? I really can read a map."

"Lian Yejun, that's amazing!" Xiaochun Zhuanqin praised.

Hearing this, the corners of Lian Ye's mouth turned up slightly.

Zhi Cun Tuan Zang, on the other hand, was speechless. This was something even a student at the Ninja School could master proficiently — what was there to show off about?

However, he only dared to complain in his heart and didn't say it out loud.

As a team member, it was best not to offend the team leader.

Yes, that was it!

It absolutely wasn't because he was afraid of Lian Ye poisoning him!