To Shangguan Mo's surprise, even after taking a detour, they were still ambushed...
"Stop!"
At their instructor's uncertain command, the group of more than a dozen people instantly halted. The forest was eerily silent, as if even the insects and birds had vanished. It was this excessive quiet that made one's heart pound. Shangguan Mo's expression changed. Just my luck, he cursed inwardly.
He just wanted to lie low and develop, maybe synthesize a hundred or so summoning beasts before making a move. He didn't want to fight these inhuman Jashinists to the death. Even the entire village of Yugakure couldn't handle them. What could he, an academy student who wasn't even a Genin yet, do?
But fate had other plans.
Shangguan Mo drew his kunai and held it in a reverse grip, his sharp eyes scanning the surrounding trees and bushes. He then slowly moved behind a large tree for cover, preparing for a potential onslaught of shuriken or even ninjutsu. The other students, seeing his actions, shamefully followed suit, hiding behind trees and rocks. This basic self-preservation knowledge had been taught in the academy, but in a critical moment, they had forgotten everything in their panic.
Shangguan Mo perked up his ears, crouching behind the tree and carefully listening for any sound. Gradually, the unnaturally quiet forest was broken by a series of tight footsteps. The sound grew from faint to clear, obviously heading straight for them.
In just a few seconds, the quiet forest was filled with the sound of rustling wind and the sight of figures flitting through the treetops. Shangguan Mo suddenly heard a few nervous gulps from his cheap classmates.
In a flash, the figures in the distant treetops appeared in his line of sight. "One, two... twenty-eight people!" He quickly counted the newcomers, his pupils constricting in shock. Twenty-eight people, nearly twice their number! "I just don't know how many of them are ninja..." His heart sank, but he forced himself to remain vigilant.
From the group of Jashinists who had surrounded them, two who seemed to be of higher status stepped forward. They glanced at the forehead protector on Inoshita Rino's head, then at each other, their eyes filled with a killing intent that seemed to radiate from their bodies.
"A ninja from Yugakure?"
"Looks like you're an academy teacher. What, is Yugakure so desperate now that they have to send an old man like you with a bunch of brats who haven't even grown their hair out to cause trouble for our Cult of Jashin?"
Inoshita Rino didn't bother to answer. His face was grim as he quickly exchanged a look with Shangguan Mo on the other side. The meaning was clear: One for each of us!
No one would be on guard against a child who looked to be in his early teens, so these Jashinists were destined to die with their eyes wide open. That's what Inoshita Rino was thinking. And Shangguan Mo, having been underestimated, had already decided to teach these annoying guys a lesson.
"Not talking? You think you can survive by staying silent? I..."
Before one of the Jashinist ninja could finish, he heard a piercing sound from behind him. Swish, swish, swish! But with just a few quick steps, he was out of the range of the Iron Hedgehog's Myriad Arrow Volley.
"So fast! This guy is definitely a Chunin!" Shangguan Mo's heart sank. Although he had anticipated that his E-Rank summons wouldn't be very effective against a Chunin, he hadn't expected them to have no effect at all. The Myriad Arrow Volley covered a five-meter radius and launched over a hundred iron spines, yet it hadn't even scratched this guy. It just showed how strong he was.
However, while the Jashinist Chunin had dodged, the other cultists were not so lucky. The seven or eight ordinary followers within the five-meter radius were instantly turned into pincushions.
"Rino-sensei, he's a Chunin!" Shangguan Mo shouted, then charged at the other apparent leader. "You persistent bastards!" he roared, raising his kunai to slash at the man's throat.
"A little brat who doesn't even know ninjutsu dares to cause trouble for me?" The masked man sneered and casually swung his scythe, sending Shangguan Mo flying. In terms of both speed and strength, he was no match for him.
"Let's end this in one blow, you pitiful little brat!" the Jashinist Genin shouted, his hands beginning to form seals. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
The next second, a massive, scorching fireball shot towards Shangguan Mo. The temperature in the air rose rapidly. Staring at the giant fireball, he could clearly feel the intense heat on his eyes. It's close!
Although he couldn't see Shangguan Mo's face, the Jashinist Genin could already imagine his fear and despair. Seeing that he was about to die, he completely relaxed. "Hahahaha! What an ignorant little brat! Is this all the Yugakure Ninja Academy teaches? Such overconfident little..."
Shlick, shlick, shlick...
The cultist's maniacal laughter was abruptly cut off. Countless half-meter-long iron spines instantly pierced through his entire body.
When the flames from the fireball's explosion subsided, a person-high brown earth wall was revealed, having blocked the entire blast. The side facing the fireball was now charred yellow and covered in cracks, its moisture completely baked away.
Shangguan Mo stood up from behind the wall, his expression faint, but a hint of fear in his eyes. He scanned the battlefield where the ordinary Jashinist followers were and sneered, "Is this all you guys from the Cult of Jashin have got?"
The men subconsciously turned their heads and saw the body of their little captain, riddled with holes.
"Damn it! The captain is dead!"
"That guy knows ninjutsu!"
The Jashinists cried out in horror. A cultist who had witnessed the battle shouted in disbelief, "H-he didn't use any hand seals! I didn't see him use any hand seals!"
The surrounding cultists were even more shocked, and their movements became frantic. But Shangguan Mo had no intention of wasting time with them. After scaring them out of their wits, he immediately made his move.
Swish!
His kunai quickly slit the throat of an ordinary follower, and the next moment, his figure vanished again. Compared to a veteran Genin, Shangguan Mo's skills were indeed lacking, but against these ordinary cultists who didn't even have chakra, it was more than enough!
-------
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