Whenever Ye Zi's whereabouts were discovered, the strategy was to pin him down until reinforcements arrived and now the main force had shown up!
Crackle!
After absorbing the chakra of one Root operative, Ye Zi activated Lightning Release Armor, moving at lightning speed to kill another member and breaking through the encirclement. Without hesitation, he quickly pulled back to gain some distance.
Only in Sage Mode could he activate Yin Lightning, which would allow him to ignore most of the attacks from the Root operatives and swiftly eliminate all of them. Unfortunately, his remaining chakra wasn't enough to sustain Sage Mode.
Even after absorbing one person's chakra, his reserves had only recovered to about 10%. In his current state, while the majority of the Root operatives posed no threat, Danzo's strength remained uncertain.
"Eighty-nine Root operatives… and Danzo," Ye Zi muttered coldly, his eyes fixed on the older man.
The Root operatives were clearly aware of his Spirit Transformation Technique and its ability to steal chakra, making them extremely vigilant. Otherwise, Ye Zi would have absorbed far more chakra in the earlier skirmish.
The black pupil in his right eye slowly transformed into a three-tomoe Sharingan before evolving into the Mangekyo Sharingan.
During his battle with Kushina, it was thanks to the Mangekyo Sharingan that Ye Zi could avoid her countless golden chakra chains with minimal effort. Now, against the 88 Root operatives before him, his Mangekyo would once again prove invaluable.
Danzo's team was meticulously prepared, it was a squad specifically assembled to counter Ye Zi.
Among the 88 members, there were close-combat specialists, ninjutsu users, genjutsu experts, and even medics. This all-encompassing formation was designed to overwhelm an enemy with depleted chakra. It was, without a doubt, a fight of the many against the few.
"Your Sharingan…" Danzo's gaze lingered on Ye Zi's right eye, a flicker of greed flashing deep within.
Slowly, he extended his right arm from under his robe. The arm was encased in a pale gold metallic sleeve, and the bandaged hand suggested the arm beneath was similarly wrapped.
Despite Ye Zi's weakened state and the presence of a specialized team, Danzo didn't dare underestimate him. Carefully, he began unsealing his right arm, prepared for any contingency.
Seeing Danzo's actions, Ye Zi instantly realized what was happening. Although he wasn't entirely certain of Danzo's abilities, he was well aware of the secrets surrounding that arm. Watching Danzo start to unseal it, Ye Zi would not stand idly by.
Crackle!
Lightning streaked through the air as Ye Zi shot toward Danzo. However, Danzo remained calm and composed.
The Root operatives reacted immediately. Over twenty close-combat specialists moved in perfect synchronization to block Ye Zi's path.
Simultaneously, over twenty ninjutsu users began forming hand seals, ready to strike when the opportunity arose.
Meanwhile, the dozen or so genjutsu specialists spread out, their primary goal being to trap Ye Zi in illusions. They didn't aim to completely overpower him, just a single second of delay would suffice.
One second would give the close-combat and ninjutsu teams enough time to launch a lethal attack.
As for the medics, they stayed back, not directly participating in the fight. However, they carried poisoned projectiles, ready to provide support when needed.
Danzo stood outside the combat zone, methodically unsealing his arm while observing the battle with a cold, calculating gaze.
This team of Root operatives, numbering nearly a hundred, had trained extensively in combination techniques specifically designed for Ye Zi.
When executed with precision and coordination, their combined strength far surpassed the sum of their individual abilities.
Twenty close-combat operatives intercepted Ye Zi with relentless precision. They didn't all rush at him simultaneously but attacked in a carefully timed sequence, coming from different angles to ensure there was no gap in their assault.
The sequence was seamless, each operative engaged Ye Zi with a single strike before retreating, allowing the next in line to attack. This relentless chain of attacks created a continuous assault, leaving no room for a counterstrike.
This highly refined technique was the result of countless hours of grueling training. Training designed specifically for Ye Zi.
Ye Zi's Mangekyo Sharingan darted in every direction, his gaze tracking every incoming strike. Standing his ground, he wielded his blade with unmatched skill, deflecting each attack with precision.
In this scenario, Ye Zi's Spirit Transformation Technique was rendered ineffective. The constant close-quarters pressure made it nearly impossible to control the spirit form properly.
Individually, these Root operatives' taijutsu and kenjutsu skills were decent but not enough to last two exchanges against Ye Zi. However, their synchronized teamwork made it far more challenging to eliminate them quickly.
This strategy relied on hit-and-run tactics, denying Ye Zi any opening to exploit.
The key lay in their terrifyingly precise coordination, the product of relentless training.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
On the forest path, the relentless clash of steel echoed as sparks flew with each collision of blades.
Ye Zi's blade, Chijin, crackled with lightning, its current capable of traveling through the enemy's weapons. However, the Root operatives' blades were also infused with chakra, allowing them to resist the lightning's effects briefly.
This countermeasure had been developed specifically in response to Ye Zi's known abilities.
While the close-combat team successfully pinned Ye Zi down, the ninjutsu team refrained from attacking immediately. They patiently waited for the right moment, a moment that could only be created by the combined efforts of the close-combat and genjutsu teams.
The close-combat team was there to restrain him. The genjutsu team's role was to entrap Ye Zi in illusions, causing even a momentary loss of control.
And one second was all they needed to deliver a fatal blow.
More than a dozen genjutsu specialists dispersed around the battlefield, continuously adjusting their positions.
The close-combat team's attacks came from all directions, forcing Ye Zi to constantly track their movements with his eyes. To respond effectively, his gaze had to shift repeatedly, following the trajectory of the incoming strikes.
This adjustment of his line of sight wasn't something Ye Zi was doing voluntarily, it was dictated by the close-combat team's relentless assault. Each member of the team was responsible for attacking from a specific direction, a fixed arrangement that didn't change. With 23 close-combat specialists, Ye Zi's gaze had to shift to 23 different directions in the span of each attack cycle, which lasted less than 20 seconds.
The attack order was predetermined, as the sequence of strikes from the close-combat team was also fixed.
The genjutsu specialists were fully aware of the attack vectors and sequence of the close-combat team. Even so, they had to carefully adjust their positions to find the perfect timing that aligned with the close-combat team's rhythm.
Once their alignment was perfect, they could strike from precise positions and at the exact moment, unleashing genjutsu directly into Ye Zi's eyes.
While the genjutsu team knew the attack pattern of the close-combat team, Ye Zi did not. However, after enduring two cycles of attacks, Ye Zi began to notice the pattern. Gradually, he was piecing it together in his mind. It wouldn't take long before he fully deciphered their strategy.
This combination assault technique was something Danzo had developed specifically to counter Ye Zi. The close-combat team had been meticulously trained for this purpose. These 23 elite members were carefully selected to use their taijutsu and kenjutsu skills to pin Ye Zi down.
Even so, despite Ye Zi's current weakened state, they were still unable to overwhelm him.
This was why the genjutsu team's support was critical. Their goal was to trap Ye Zi in an illusion during the close-combat team's assault. Once he fell into a genjutsu, the ninjutsu team could deliver the killing blow, decisively ending the fight.
If Ye Zi were in Sage Mode, this carefully prepared team, designed specifically to defeat him, wouldn't have stood a chance.
However, in his current weakened state, the situation was different.
Danzo had orchestrated this rare opportunity, using the lives of nearly a thousand Konoha ninja to bring Ye Zi to his current condition. For Danzo, this was the perfect chance, one he would not let slip away.
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Currently on Chapter 489 - The Life that Flashes Before Your Eyes and the Unspoken Regrets that Follow