i am kimimaro

"Shadow Imitation Technique!"

Instead of waiting for the right moment, Shikamaru used his signature technique right from the start.

Knowing the enemy was with Orochimaru, Shikamaru assumed they already had his information.

Orochimaru, a former high-ranking Konoha ninja, knew Shikamaru well.

So there was no point in hiding his abilities. It was better to go all out from the beginning.

Out of the three, only Kurenai Yuhi's abilities might be unknown to the enemy.

As a newly promoted Jonin, Kurenai wasn't well-known in the ninja world.

Perhaps the only thing that stood out was her surname, Yuhi.

Among ninja who didn't specialize in eye techniques, the Yuhi clan's genjutsu was highly regarded.

As for Anko, a former disciple of Orochimaru, her information had long been leaked to the enemy.

In the ninja world's intelligence war, the three of them had already lost half the battle.

Therefore, in Shikamaru's plan, Kurenai Yuhi, whose information remained undisclosed, was their secret weapon.

Shikamaru and Anko would serve as decoys, while Kurenai would deliver the decisive blow.

Of course, this was just the initial plan.

The situation in battle could change rapidly, and Shikamaru, as the strategist, would adapt to any unexpected developments.

These thoughts flashed through Shikamaru's mind. Before the three enemies surrounded them, he had already informed Kurenai and Anko of his plan.

Now was the time to execute it.

A pitch-black shadow moved like a snake across the ground, approaching Kimimaro.

Kimimaro was well aware of the power of the Shadow Imitation Technique. He certainly didn't want to be the unlucky one controlled by the shadow. With a light tap of his foot, he easily evaded the shadow's pursuit.

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"

Anko didn't waste any time, launching one of Orochimaru's signature techniques.

Brown snakes shot out from her sleeves, biting towards Kimimaro.

The snakes opened their mouths, revealing their fangs, looking extremely ferocious.

But such a technique couldn't faze Kimimaro.

A flash of lightning greeted these ferocious snakes.

"Way of Destruction Number Four, Pale Lightning!"

Lightning flickered at his fingertips, and in the next moment, the attacking snakes were all electrocuted into roasted snakes, emitting an enticing aroma.

"Damn it."

Seeing her attack effortlessly countered by Kimimaro, Anko felt frustrated.

A lightning technique without hand seals was this powerful?

The Kaguya clan used ninjutsu?

Despite her doubts, it didn't stop Anko from launching her next attack.

She immediately took out a kunai and charged forward.

If ninjutsu didn't work, she would resort to taijutsu.

With Shikamaru's Shadow Imitation Technique providing cover, Anko felt she had a certain advantage.

She thrust her kunai forward and reached Kimimaro.

Compared to Gai's terrifying taijutsu, Anko's taijutsu seemed quite mediocre.

The kunai attacked, aiming to force him towards the shadow's location, but Kimimaro wasn't someone Anko's taijutsu could easily manipulate.

He divided his attention, dodging Shikamaru's Shadow Imitation Technique while blocking Anko's attacks.

With a swing of his bone sword, he deflected all of Anko's kunai.

For a moment, he seemed to be handling things with ease.

At this point, Kurenai Yuhi also made her move.

In a three-person attack, it would seem strange if she didn't participate.

So, making a timely move was also a way to conceal their true intentions.

Shuriken flew out!

Kurenai displayed impressive shuriken throwing skills.

At the same time, she formed hand seals.

"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"

This was a technique Asuma had taught her shortly before she was promoted to Jonin.

It was one of her few ninjutsu techniques.

Now, she executed it skillfully.

Genjutsu, her trump card, needed to be kept hidden for a while longer.

This Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique proved to be quite practical.

Originally, there were only three shuriken, but now, in mid-air, they multiplied, one into two, two into three. Soon, countless shuriken shot towards Kimimaro, their exact number indistinguishable.

Shuriken rained down from above, Shikamaru's Shadow Imitation Technique lurked below, and in the middle, Anko, the impulsive ninja, pressed her taijutsu assault.

Kimimaro raised an eyebrow. As the pressure increased, he couldn't help but admire the trio's coordination.

However, this overwhelming barrage of kunai even enveloped Anko.

Did Konoha ninja also sacrifice their comrades like those from Kirigakure?

Kimimaro didn't bother to think too much. A bone sword emerged from his right hand, and with a Spinning Shield technique, a white blade light deflected all the incoming shuriken.

Anko was completely covered by Shikamaru's shadow, and the shuriken didn't harm her at all.

Shikamaru's shadow could also be used for defense?

Kimimaro was slightly surprised.

Indeed, compared to Shikamaru, Shikamaru's son, Shikadai, was still too inexperienced.

The Nara clan's shadow techniques had more uses than just that.

This technique of enveloping the entire body with shadows for defense was quite practical.

The shuriken fell, scattering all over the ground.

The shadow dispersed, revealing Anko once again. By now, she had finished forming hand seals.

She hadn't been idle while within the shadow.

"Fire Style! Dragon Fire Technique!"

With the hand seals complete, crimson flames erupted from Anko's mouth, shooting directly at Kimimaro not far away.

The scorching flames surged forward with enough force to easily pierce through a twenty-centimeter thick stone wall.

The flames rolled, but Kimimaro didn't dodge or evade. He swung his sword!

Sword Pressure!

By focusing chakra into his sword swing, he created something akin to a wind blade.

The oncoming flames were actually split in half by this sword pressure!

The flames parted to both sides, with the bone sword at the center!

Kimimaro's clothes fluttered in the wind.

Apart from that, there was no other effect on him.

Anko's eyes widened in disbelief.

He could split flames like that?

Suddenly, Kimimaro's ears twitched, and he swung his bone sword again!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Several shuriken flew out from the separated flames.

With consecutive swings of his bone sword, Kimimaro deflected all the incoming shuriken.

As the flames dissipated, they saw that Shikamaru had used his shadow to pick up the shuriken from the ground, launching a secondary attack.

"This shadow is elusive, truly troublesome. And in this location, he has many shadows he can utilize."

Kimimaro surveyed the surroundings, realizing that fighting here was disadvantageous.

They were inside the venue, with numerous pillars and roofs nearby.

The shadows cast by these objects would all become Shikamaru's advantage.

But avoiding them seemed impossible.

The more shadows there were, the greater the Nara clan's combat power became.

One careless mistake, and they would fall into his trap.

Although Kimimaro didn't consider himself stupid, he wouldn't dare claim his intelligence could rival the Nara clan, known for their high IQ.

And this was their clan head, the most outstanding among a group of intelligent individuals.

"I need to end this quickly."

Kimimaro thought to himself, but suddenly realized Kurenai Yuhi had disappeared.

In the next moment, a large tree appeared behind him.

The tree extended its branches, tightly wrapping around him.

Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!

"It's over!"

Kurenai emerged from the tree, holding a kunai, ready to stab Kimimaro.

Genjutsu!

While Kimimaro was dealing with Anko and Shikamaru, Kurenai finally completed her genjutsu.

"Such a genjutsu is far from enough to trap me."

Kimimaro naturally wouldn't take this Tree Binding Death, which had become infamous due to Itachi's use, seriously.

Although his genjutsu skills weren't particularly strong, he still possessed the ability to break free from genjutsu.

And contrary to Shikamaru's assumption, Kimimaro was aware of Kurenai's genjutsu talent and had been on guard.

If Shikamaru had known that a month ago, a Otogakure genin had praised Kurenai's genjutsu, perhaps he wouldn't have assumed the enemy was unaware of Kurenai's information.

In her haste, Kurenai had also forgotten about this incident.

After all, the person who praised her back then was Kimimaro, not the person in front of her now.

She had no idea that this person was actually Kimimaro in disguise.

"Illusion!"

The Clow Card, "The Illusion," activated!

Kurenai Yuhi thrust her kunai towards Kimimaro, but the moment it struck, everything before her rippled like a stone thrown into a lake.

The illusion shattered!

Kurenai was startled, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.

Backlash!

When a genjutsu is forcefully broken, the caster suffers a backlash.

The backlash wasn't severe, but Kurenai was deeply shaken.

She hadn't even seen how Kimimaro had broken her genjutsu.

With the illusion shattered, Kurenai knelt on the ground, Kimimaro standing beside her unharmed.

"It's over."

Kimimaro swung his sword!

"Kurenai!"

Anko was alarmed and wanted to rush to the rescue, but it was too late.

Who would have thought that Kurenai's genjutsu, which they considered their trump card, would be broken instantly.

Moreover, this sword strike was too fast.

So fast that Kurenai didn't even react.

If this sword landed, she would undoubtedly die.

But just as the blade was about to touch her neck, the bone sword suddenly stopped.

Both Anko and Kurenai looked puzzled.

Did he show mercy?

Impossible!

Kimimaro frowned slightly, his body unable to move.

"This is..."

In the distance, a slight smile appeared on Shikamaru's lips as he softly said, "Shadow Imitation Technique, success!"

(End of Chapter)