HGBW: Ch. 134

Just as Tanaka was being suppressed by the raging storm, three elite Suna jonin raised their iron fans and swung them with all their might.

"Wind Release: Cast Net!"

The violent wind howled like a furious beast.

Crack!

Three intertwining streams of wind chakra, strong enough to tear the ground apart and split rocks, formed a net-like storm pressing down on Tanaka.

At the same time, the elite ninja, Sōta, quickly formed hand seals. Seizing the moment when Tanaka was restrained by the net-like storm, buried under flying sand and gravel, unable to open his eyes, lift his blade, or even move a step, he took a deep breath and unleashed:

"Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet!"

If this Drilling Air Bullet were used by a tailed beast, it would be a devastating missile strike. However, when used by Sōta, it was far weaker. Still, the only difference lay in the size and range of destruction. In terms of raw attack power, while it might not match Shukaku's version, it was only slightly inferior.

Whoosh!

With a sharp whistling sound, the Drilling Air Bullet shot through the air like a high-speed cannon, piercing through the net-like storm and blasting toward the immobilized Tanaka.

Then—

Boom!

A blinding white light flashed as the Drilling Air Bullet exploded, engulfing Tanaka in a ten-meter-wide chakra storm. This was the reality of the ninja war. It wasn't about fair duels or tactical skirmishes between ninja squads.

On the battlefield, everything changed in an instant.

There were no one-on-one fights, no honorable face-offs—only overwhelming numbers, ambushes, and ruthless eliminations.

Right after Tanaka had made his debut, he was immediately met with an all-out assault: three elite chunin, three special jonin, and one elite jonin—seven Suna ninjas in total.

Watching Tanaka being swallowed by the explosion and raging winds, Sōta and the other Suna ninjas who participated in the attack were all ecstatic. It wasn't just because of the reward promised by Chiyo. It was because they felt as if they had taken part in history—made history.

For the sake of Suna, they had eliminated the second coming of the White Fang. Just that alone filled them with immense pride and satisfaction.

However, while the Suna ninjas were still basking in their triumph, lost in the thrill of having "broken" Konoha's second White Fang, none of them noticed the expressions of the other Konoha ninjas.

Neither the restrained Hizashi nor the other Hyūga clan members, nor even the battle-hardened Konoha ninjas, reacted with shock or panic at seeing Tanaka struck.

No one screamed.

No one even flinched.

Their expressions remained as calm as still water, their gazes steady and unwavering.

Unlike the Suna ninjas, who only knew that Tanaka had mastered the Hatake-style swordsmanship, the Konoha ninjas understood why he was called the strongest genius in Konoha's history.

It wasn't just because he had learned the Hatake-style swordsmanship.

Slash!

The sudden sound of fabric and flesh being torn apart rang out.

A moment ago, Sōta had been overcome with joy and excitement. The next moment, he froze in shock. His gaze dropped to see a blade protruding from his abdomen. A searing pain erupted from his stomach. His pupils shrank as he slowly turned his head, his vision shifting behind him.

There stood Tanaka.

The very same person who should have been obliterated by the Drilling Air Bullet. Now standing behind him, back turned, holding the Kusanagi Sword. The blade had pierced straight through his spine and emerged from his stomach.

"H... How did you get here?!"

Sōta's pupils constricted in disbelief. Although he had slightly relaxed his nerves due to his overwhelming excitement, he was still an elite jonin of Suna, with undeniable strength.

For someone to approach him silently without a trace—it was simply impossible in his mind. Especially Tanaka, the one who had supposedly been obliterated by his Drilling Air Bullet.

Whoosh!

Tanaka glanced at him but said nothing. Instead, he vanished from behind Sōta in an instant, disappearing along with the Kusanagi Sword that had been impaled through his body.

Squelch!

At the same time, the sound of blades piercing flesh echoed repeatedly.

Both Konoha and Suna ninjas on the battlefield saw only a blur before their eyes. When they refocused, they realized that every single ninja who had just participated in the attack against Tanaka had met the same fate as Sōta.

Each one had been impaled from behind by a sharp blade that pierced through their stomach.

The sheer speed and brutality of it all sent chills down the spines of the remaining Suna ninjas, their hairs standing on end.

"So fast!"

"I couldn't even see how he moved!"

"That's impossible! At such extreme speed, there should have been some disturbance!"

The surrounding Suna ninjas were in utter disbelief.

Normally, regardless of what kind of Body Flicker Technique was used, the faster the movement, the louder the accompanying noise. Breaking the sound barrier should have created an explosive shockwave, shaking the ground and reverberating across the battlefield.

With the godlike speed Tanaka had just displayed, his movement should have caused an earth-shattering impact. And yet, he moved without making a sound.

This baffled the Suna ninjas.

Could it be a space-time ninjutsu? Damn it! Even while fighting against ten Uchiha ninjas simultaneously without faltering, Ebizō still had enough focus to analyze Tanaka's abilities.

He had no doubt.

Not every Uchiha was an Itachi.

Not every Sharingan evolved into a Mangekyō. Against Kage-level powerhouses, unless an Uchiha was the reincarnation of Indra himself, a mere three-tomoe Sharingan was hardly a threat.

Even a genius among the Uchiha was no exception. After all, to become Kage-level, one had to be the genius among geniuses.

It's space-time ninjutsu!

Chiyo's ten fingers moved rapidly, controlling the Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets as she relentlessly pressed Tsunade from all angles. Yet, out of the corner of her eye, she caught Tanaka's eerie speed.

Her heart pounded with shock as she quickly grasped the truth.

That Hyūga brat…

He wasn't promoted to jonin just because he learned the Hatake-style swordsmanship, it's because he mastered space-time ninjutsu.

No… wait! I remember that Senju Tobirama's Flying Thunder God Technique requires marks for teleportation. But he didn't mark them...

He… he actually created his own space-time ninjutsu!

In that split second, one terrifying realization after another flooded Chiyo's mind.

But, the battle would not stop for Chiyo and Ebizō's thoughts. And it would not pause for the Suna ninjas' growing fear.

The slaughter of seven Suna ninjas was not the end. It was merely the beginning.