Pressure

Chapter 58: Pressure

Zeng Yang jolted awake, his face full of terror. The flickering campfire before him cast a deathly pallor over his features.

"What’s wrong? It’s not your turn to keep watch yet. Giants don’t move at night, so relax. That Armored Titan was injured by us and who knows where it’s hiding now. As for the guy secretly attacking and ambushing us, he only dares to use low-grade stuff like shuriken. He can’t amount to much."

Han Ju, the more straightforward of the group, tossed another stick into the fire, looking somewhat puzzled.

The Armored Titan that had suddenly appeared was powerful, but the three of them had easily defeated it together and were still tracking it.

As for the constant harassment attacks they had suffered along the way, they had been utterly insignificant. They had tried several times to catch that guy, but he always escaped, fighting in an incredibly cowardly manner.

Yet the more he acted like that, the more it proved how weak he was!

There was absolutely nothing to worry about!

Zeng Yang took a deep breath and spoke in a slightly strained voice.

"The attacks we kept suffering during the day didn’t trigger much of a warning from me, but now…"

"We may be in serious trouble…"

Wood Clone One stood atop a tree in the forest, quietly watching the distant firelight under cover of night. The Three Tomoe in his eyes slowly rotated.

Even from this distance, he could clearly see what was happening inside the camp.

There were three Veteran Reincarnators with abilities similar to those in the shared memories, along with four independent reincarnators who had entered this time.

They had probably used those four to find him.

He still carried an important mission item, so all he needed to do was stick to them and deny them the chance to use an item that would forcibly leave this world. There was no need for him to take risks himself.

Still, that bearded man’s ability was rather interesting. From what he had observed while harassing them, that man should have been the weakest, merely skilled with a gun.

Yet every time, he could detect him in advance. It wasn’t any kind of sensory ninjutsu. It was more like an intangible sixth sense. Whenever he launched a sneak attack, the man would always know beforehand.

Before the autumn wind stirred, the cicada sensed it first; death arrived unseen, and none knew.

It made Xu Yue think of another possible ability.

Based on the main body’s way of thinking, he should have already set out. But he would probably make a stop there first. Factoring in the return trip, he would likely catch up around midnight tomorrow.

As far as his Chakra reserves went, he could afford to be a little reckless.

Relying solely on shuriken and kunai really made it difficult to deal any substantial damage. The pressure needed to be stronger…

"Here he comes again!"

Ever since waking from that nightmare, the bearded Zeng Yang had been restless. Irritation surfaced on his face once more.

He had already been anxious over that sudden sense of danger, and now that harassing bastard had returned.

The moment he spoke, two Wind Demon Shuriken spiraled through the surrounding forest, slicing apart the foliage as they spun toward the three men with piercing whistles.

"Hmph, he’s finally brought out something bigger…"

Yan Jun snorted and was about to act when Zeng Yang’s expression changed and he warned him.

"Careful, it’s a feint!"

Almost at the same moment his voice rang out, blazing red light erupted from the severed bushes. A scorching fireball swallowed the entire camp.

Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!

Bzzzz~

Three figures trailing sparks burst out of the flames in a sorry state. Every one of them had suffered burns to varying degrees, their eyebrows and hair badly singed.

"Ah!"

"Save me!"

However, unlike the three of them, the other four independent reincarnators on this mission were not so fortunate.

They flailed wildly like human torches, but after struggling twice, they all collapsed to the ground without another sound.

Under normal circumstances, driven by Xu Yue’s usual habit of wearing a mask, he might not have minded sparing these lackeys.

But in a real battle, he would not deliberately hold back for their sake.

They had chosen the wrong boss. Who could they blame?

"I didn’t expect you to be this strong. Since that’s the case, why not come out and fight us properly?"

"Hmph, all you know is how to run. How can that be worthy of your strength?"

"You’re that person’s companion, aren’t you? You want what we have, right? Then come and take it."

Yan Jun and the other two naturally paid no attention to the lives of those cannon fodder, each of them trying to provoke him.

They had never expected that the person lurking in the shadows and tossing shuriken around could unleash a ninjutsu of such a level.

They knew something about the Great Fireball Technique. It was a highly practical ninjutsu, but the fact that he could unleash such power was enough to prove that he was strong—far beyond what an ordinary official reincarnator could achieve!

Looking at the masked figure dressed as a ninja, they could not help but feel wary.

"Hmph."

After setting the fire, Xu Yue retreated again right in front of the three men, intending to disappear into the forest.

But at that moment, the most straightforward man raised his blade at an angle and locked onto Xu Yue. As though he possessed some skill that could lock onto an opponent’s aura, he moved with dreamlike footwork and chased after Xu Yue with a slash at a speed far beyond before.

You kept dodging and never gave me a chance to lock onto you. This time, you sought your own death!

Yet just as he launched that aura-guided charge, Zeng Yang’s face changed and he shouted.

"Careful, it’s a trap!"

"What an annoying ability."

Xu Yue murmured softly. His retreat suddenly halted, and using the swordsman’s sudden burst of speed that had separated him from the others, he directly created a brief one-on-one situation.

He had first scattered the three men by setting fire to the camp, then lured one of them away from the scattered group.

At last, he had managed to create this rare, brief local standoff!

Warned by his companion and seeing his opponent’s reaction, the straightforward Han Ju immediately understood. Rage surged through him.

What did that mean? Did Xu Yue think he could defeat him in such a short time?!

His blade swept out with the savage force of a tiger, engulfing Xu Yue.

His movements were broad and forceful, utterly domineering.

One force broke ten techniques!

But what he faced were a pair of crimson Three Tomoe eyes that spun without pause!

Every move, every opening, was completely under control.

Combined with the terrifying close-combat ability granted by Intermediate Body Mastery, Xu Yue merely swayed his body a few times before weaving through the domineering blade light as casually as if taking a stroll, directly entering close range.

Han Ju’s expression changed, and his free left hand hurriedly moved to guard his chest and abdomen.

But Xu Yue raised his hand and struck upward, hitting Han Ju’s sword-holding right hand and bending it directly into a ninety-degree angle, completely ignoring the left hand guarding his vital chest and abdomen.

A tooth-grinding crack of bone rang out. Han Ju clenched his teeth and endured the pain, but even so, his movements inevitably became distorted.

Xu Yue seized his left arm with both hands and twisted it, then pulled again.

Crack~

That arm was completely deformed as well!

As he twisted, he pulled Han Ju’s mangled left arm aside and drove his palm into Han Ju’s lower abdomen.

Bang~

An explosive burst of air erupted. A ring of force appeared where his palm landed, while the entire back of Han Ju’s clothes tore open.

Han Ju was sent flying backward, spitting blood mixed with fragments as he hurtled toward Yan Jun, who was rushing over.

Not a single instant of time or motion had been wasted.

Short, steady, fast.

The movements were simple and fluid, completed in one breath!

Yan Jun had no choice but to stop and catch his heavily injured teammate.

His eyes were filled with disbelief.

There had been nothing particularly exceptional about Xu Yue’s speed, strength, or technique. His attacks had been casual combinations with no obvious advantage, yet he had severely injured his teammate in such a short time!

"Tsk, cooperation mode really is troublesome."

After knocking Han Ju back and seeing the other two arrive at the same time, Xu Yue abandoned the thought of continuing his attack. With a backward leap, he entered the shadows.

The damage reduction under cooperation mode had caused him to miss this chance to cripple one of them.

Fighting barehanded made it easier to break through an opponent’s defenses and land hits, but weakened by the damage reduction, his taijutsu still lacked a decisive finishing effect.

What a pity…

Yet as Yan Jun and Zeng Yang supported Han Ju and continuously used special items from the Medical Kit to heal him, their expressions were extremely grave.

At first, they had thought the harasser was nothing to worry about, but his strength was actually this formidable.

And why had he kept harassing them without launching a full assault? What was he worried about?!

Could it be…

Did the other side have more people?!

That vanished figure weighed on their hearts like a massive boulder…

It was only the first day of six days of work, and there were already two updates. Shouldn’t you show some appreciation?