The Adventurous Gamer Ninja - Daichi Hekima [Vol. 02]

Chapter 342 - Traps, traps and more traps!

Five Leaf ninjas moved carefully through the dimly lit corridors of Orochimaru's base. Their footsteps were silent as each of them focused on their mission. They had already taken down eight weak mercenaries and disabled a series of traps along the way.

"With Asuma and his team taking on the heavy hitters, the rest of these guys left behind aren't all that much of a threat." One of the Chunin ninjas spoke. Even so there was an uncertainty in his voice. "But still..."

It felt almost too easy, but none of them voiced that thought aloud. This building was made by Orochimaru. They knew better than to let their guard down.

At the front was a Chunin, Tenchi Hyuga. He activated his Byakugan, his pale eyes glowing faintly in the darkness as veins bulged around his temples.

"I'm seeing three strong chakra signatures on the lowest floor," Tenchi muttered. He narrowed his gaze, focusing. "But something feels... wrong. It's like the signatures are flickering."

His teammate Kaito Inuzuka crouched beside him, his wolf-like features alert, nose twitching as he sniffed the air. His trusty ninken, conspicuously absent from his side.

"You sure about that, Tenchi?" Kaito asked, glancing at him. "Orochimaru's bases are full of weird stuff, but you've never mentioned flickering chakra before."

Tenchi nodded, his brows furrowed. "It's like there's interference. I can't get a clear read on them."

Shin Aburame, stood calmly behind the two, his hands in his pockets as his Kikaichū beetles buzzed quietly beneath his cloak. He was calm, methodical, the type who rarely spoke unless necessary. "Could be a trap," he said, his voice low and controlled.

The other two Leaf ninjas with them—standard jonin, no bloodlines or clan techniques to boast of—nodded in agreement. They trusted the instincts of their comrades. "This is Orochimaru's base. All kinds of traps are to be expected. Let's not forget what Commander Shikaku told everyone."

"We'll stay sharp," Kaito nodded, turning to the others. "Just because we haven't hit anything major yet doesn't mean there aren't any."

As they descended toward the lowest floor, the tension grew thicker. Tenchi kept his Byakugan active, scanning for any subtle traps or seals, but his face remained set in a grim line. 'Even with my Byakugan, why can't I see who those chakra signatures belong to? How did Orochimaru even accomplish such a thing?'

When they reached the bottom, the air felt colder. There was something off about this place—almost unnatural.

The walls were lined with old seals, barely visible in the gloomy darkness, and the chakra signatures Tenchi had sensed were close. But before any of them could make another move, the seals activated and the ground beneath their feet rumbled.

Tenchi's eyes widened. "It's a—"

BOOM! The floor erupted.

A massive explosion tore through the base, sending chunks of stone, metal, and debris in every direction. Fire roared through the corridors, and for a moment, it seemed like the entire structure was collapsing. The deafening sound of the blast echoed throughout the forest outside.

But the Leaf ninjas caught in the explosion didn't cry out. They didn't panic. As the flames cleared, it became evident—their bodies, torn apart by the explosion, flickered for a brief moment before dissipating entirely in different forms.

The Aburame ninja exploded into several small insects before being consumed by flames while the others in the team vanished in a puff of smoke.

All of them were clones.