Maniwa had witnessed Leo’s strength and asked, “Yuriko, do you have the confidence to capture him?”
“I don’t have complete confidence, but I have to try,” Yuriko replied with a cold glint in her eyes.
Yuriko was obsessed with becoming an Onmyoji and defeating one in combat using her ninja skills as revenge for her father. Besides advancing in rank, this was her greatest wish.
Knowing that leaving peacefully wasn’t likely while on someone else’s turf, Maniwa gritted her teeth and said, “Yuriko, I’m counting on you.”
Yuriko looked at Sakai and ordered her, “Sakai, protect Maniwa. Leave this Atraria person to me.”
Sakai nodded subserviently, “Yes ma’am!”
Having previously raced against Leo in the capital city competition before, she knew of his prowess. She didn’t dare underestimate him now as she shielded Maniwa behind herself.
Yuriko locked eyes with Leo; a sharp gleam flashed across hers. Then she pointed her toe forward and charged towards him like lightning.
Leo’s expression darkened as he formed hand seals with his right hand, “Earth Spikes!”
A muffled sound came from underground before dozens of bamboo-like spikes suddenly shot up from beneath Yuriko’s feet.
With a low shout, Yuriko became even more elusive than before; moving faster like a spirit monkey dodging each spike attack effortlessly while still forming hand seals on the run.
“Water Prison Jutsu!”
Just like how she dealt with Rocky earlier on using this technique, a water dome shaped like an inverted bronze bell appeared out of nowhere around Leo trapping him inside it instantly!
The surface of the dome had some strange markings indicating that it was specially reinforced for added strength!
The water dome began contracting inwardly causing pressure within it to skyrocket!
Leo snorted disdainfully, “Trivial tricks!”
“Boom!”
With a thunderous explosion that shook the heavens, the water shroud imprisoning Leo shattered, followed by the majestic roar of a dragon. A colossal dragon, composed of flames, emerged in the sky above Leo.
This was a fire dragon formed by the external release and condensation of Spiritual Power, combined with the use of fire spirit symbols, possessing formidable attacking strength.
After breaking free from the confines of the water shroud, the fire dragon leaped into the air and descended towards Yuriko on the ground.
“Spatial Sword in the Sleeve!”
Yuriko formed a hand seal with her left hand, and with a flick of her right sleeve, a pitch-black short sword shot out. It swelled in the wind and struck towards the descending fire dragon.
The fire dragon was split in half by the Spatial Sword in the Sleeve, transforming into scattered sparks that rained down and extinguished.
Simultaneously, as the fire dragon dispersed, Leo unleashed his trump card-Purple Radiance.
As Leo’s hands formed intricate seals, a brilliant purple light radiated, multiplying into thirty-two Purple Radiance daggers that simultaneously appeared in front of Leo, forming a wall of blades.
This was the maximum number Leo could currently manipulate and manifest with his current cultivation level.
If Leo’s cultivation were to break through to the realm of an advanced Spiritual Master, the number he could manipulate and manifest would skyrocket to one hundred.
Gazing at the thirty-two Purple Radiance daggers before Leo, Yuriko’s pupils contracted once again as a tangible sense of danger overwhelmed her.
Leo pushed his right hand forward.
With a swift “swish,” the thirty-two Purple Radiance daggers, like a fishing net, explosively shot towards Yuriko, covering the sky and earth.
Yuriko’s face turned pale as she quickly retreated while forming another Ninja hand seal.
“Ninjutsu: Whirlwind Storm!”
At Yuriko’s command, three water vortexes appeared out of nowhere!
“This is… an S-class active defense Ninjutsu!” Sakai exclaimed with surprise upon seeing this move.
As another Ninja herself, Sakai knew how difficult it was to master an S-class Ninjutsu which also consumed vast amounts of chakra energy. Although Yuriko was only at Human Ninja level rank-wise, Sakai never expected she could use such an advanced technique so easily under attack. It showed just how talented Yuriko really was when it came down to being a ninja!
Thirty-two Purple Radiance first shot onto the first water vortex.
As the water vortex exploded, ten of the thirty-two Purple Radiance were consumed. The remaining twenty-two continued to burst towards the second water vortex.
After the second water vortex burst, blocking another ten Purple Radiance, the remaining twelve Purple Radiance shot towards the third water vortex.
In the end, only the true form of Purple Radiance burst out from the third water vortex, directly aiming for Yuriko’s brow.
A flash of fear crossed Yuriko’s eyes. She hadn’t expected Leo’s attack to break through an S-rank active defense ninja technique, the Vortex Storm.
At the critical moment, Yuriko had to employ a Ninja Vanishing Technique, disappearing on the spot.
Purple Radiance, losing its target, circled around and returned to Leo’s hands.
Grasping Purple Radiance, Leo’s gaze slightly hardened. This Orientia female ninja’s strength was not weaker than that of a lower-ranked Martial Cultivator at the Martial Saint level.
Moreover, the previous attack was a bit regrettable. If he possessed spiritual awareness, even the Ninja Vanishing Technique wouldn’t escape the attack of Purple Radiance.
Leo put away Purple Radiance and took out a talisman from his body.
Over the pine forest, dark clouds began to gather.
After the dark clouds rapidly condensed to a certain extent, a series of thunderous roars echoed.
“Throwing a piece of yellow paper can trigger thunder, this… this is a talisman!” Yuriko, appearing once again, looked up at the sky with a shocked expression.
The oppressive and dangerous feeling from the dark clouds and thunder was even stronger than the previous thirty-two Purple Radiance.
Although Yuriko was a ninja, she also possessed the spirit of a warrior, unafraid of death. A hint of ruthlessness flashed in her eyes as she bit her left and right fingertips, starting to form a series of complex and mysterious hand seals.
“Human Ninja Secret Technique, Spirit Awakening Technique, Three-Legged Divine Frog!”
With the completion of the hand seals, Yuriko’s hands separated, simultaneously pressing towards the ground.
A white circular pattern appeared on the ground immediately.
The pattern emitted a white light, and a three-legged frog crawled out of it.
This three-legged frog was terrifyingly large, like a small mountain, incredibly intimidating.
“This is Yuriko’s Spirit Communication Ninja Beast!”
The appearance of the three-legged frog caused Maniwa to widen her beautiful eyes involuntarily.
You see, not every ninja can have a Spirit Communication Ninja Beast. Yuriko, by chance, captured a three-legged frog in a secret realm in Orientia and spent three years refining it into her Spirit Communication Ninja Beast.