"Boom"
An iron arrow struck heavily against the earthen formation wall, but unfortunately, the hardness of the earthen formation wall was far beyond ordinary mud. With the augmentation of chakra, the earthen wall was essentially comparable to stone.
The iron arrow, capable of breaking the sound barrier, pierced halfway through the earthen formation wall, causing large chunks of earth to fly. However, it would take another arrow in the same spot to break through completely.
Meanwhile, the approaching bear goblins, unwilling to bypass the earthen formation wall, used their large bone clubs to smash against the wall. With twenty-four bear goblins swinging their clubs vigorously, such an assault caused the earthen formation wall to shake precariously. If Li Xi couldn't maintain the continuity of his subsequent attacks, the first line of defense would be breached, not to mention the lightning bombardment brewing in the Thunderous Rage Bear's mouth.
Suddenly, Li Xi leaped onto the earthen formation wall, tilting his head back and his chest heaving. He then spat towards the bear goblins, the beautiful slave owner, and the Thunderous Rage Bear before him.
"Water Style: Explosive Wave!"
It was as if a dam that had held back centuries of water had burst, or a reservoir had reached its maximum capacity and begun to release its floodwaters. No one understood how Li Xi could expel a lake's worth of water from his mouth in mere seconds.
This was the ninjutsu used by Kaguya Kimimaro when he second faced Guy, creating a vast lake in a desert and transforming the environment, which was initially disadvantageous to him, into one that was most favorable.
White waves rolled, and mist filled the air. Li Xi, standing on the surging waves, to the incredulous eyes of everyone present, the strong bear goblins wielding their large bone clubs had no ability to resist and were swept away by the immense wave. The beautiful slave owner behind them watched the approaching flood that had broken through all the trees in front with a deathly pale face. The Thunderous Rage Bear also sensed the danger, its eyes flashing fiercely as it unleashed the brewing electric blast towards Li Xi.
A cluster of pale silver lightning struck the water wave, exploding with a 'boom' that sent a water column tens of meters high. Several bear goblins, caught in the water, were torn to shreds, yet they could not stop the relentless surge of the waves.
The towering waves, dozens of meters high, could uproot entire trees, let alone the rootless Thunderous Rage Bear. It lasted only two seconds against the incoming tide before it was inevitably swept away.
The archers in the distance, witnessing this spectacle, unleashed a barrage of arrows, their hands a blur as they employed their most desperate skills, aiming each shot at Li Xi.
Regardless of the magic Li Xi was using, if they could interrupt his casting, they could save their companions, especially with such a technique that altered the terrain, equivalent to a minor forbidden spell. The backlash from interrupting such a spell would be enough for Li Xi to contend with.
However, after firing five arrows, which Li Xi dodged like he was gliding on the waves, a voice from behind him, one that sent chills down his spine, was heard:
"Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!"
Before the archer could react or even turn to look, his body was suddenly pulled into the ground, leaving only his head exposed. Before he could even catch a glimpse of Li Xi, he heard a sound like a giant wielding a battering ram, the wind whistling past his ears:
"Konoha Hurricane!"
The last thing the archer saw was a black whip-like leg kicking his head. Like a child swatting at weeds, his vision went black, and he knew nothing more.
The shadow clone, holding back its strength, kicked the archer unconscious. Then, like pulling a radish, it yanked the archer from the ground and leaped onto a large tree. Below, the surging floodwaters churned with white foam, carrying bear goblins, the beautiful slave owner, and the Thunderous Rage Bear.
Using the cold jade spider silk to tie the archer to the tree and confiscating his bow and the spatial ring on his finger, the shadow clone then sprinted towards the main body.
Seeing the floodwaters before them, which had formed a small lake in front of the three carriages, Faelan and Zuo Lin could only stare. Not only were there no enemies left, but apart from a few sturdy trees, everything on the surface had been leveled. If subsequent rainfall were sufficient, a watering hole favored by animals might form here.
If Li Xi hadn't been considerate of Nohan nearby and had slightly shifted his attack direction, it's possible nothing would have remained where they stood. Faelan and Zuo Lin, standing on the carriage, had their mouths agape, so wide that their stomachs from last night's meal could have been visible.
Such a spell, capable of altering the terrain on a small scale, could easily be classified as a minor forbidden spell. However, forbidden spells were the domain of Archmages, and the more powerful a large-scale magic, the longer its casting time should be. For a spell of this caliber, it should require at least the duration of an hourglass to cast. But Li Xi?
Faelan and Zuo Lin, watching from behind, had seen it clearly. After a wall of earth erupted to block the bear goblins, Li Xi first created a shadow clone, and within a few moments, completed the hand seals, leaped onto the earth wall, and successfully unleashed this immensely powerful water-based spell.
Such speed shattered Faelan and Zuo Lin's perception of spellcasters. They themselves were spellcasters, and Zuo Lin, in particular, was an Archmage with a deep understanding of magic. Yet, Li Xi's performance seemed to mock their slow and inept casting.
Speed determined everything. Zuo Lin was capable of casting such powerful magic, but a single large-scale master-level spell would drain his entire body, rendering him equivalent to a goblin before his mana could recover.
Yet, Li Xi was still energetically salvaging his spoils on the water's surface, carrying the beautiful slave owner, dazed by the tidal wave, on his shoulder. He kicked the floating bear goblins away like playing soccer, and with a discerning eye, dragged the Thunderous Rage Bear back.
Those who had been engaged with Nohan and the other soldiers, after the flood, scattered in disarray, fleeing for their lives, fearing Li Xi might turn his attention to them. Nohan and his men seized the opportunity, capturing four individuals, a considerable success.
Li Xi threw the Thunderous Rage Bear onto the ground. "The meat of such a high-level magical beast isn't something we get to eat every day. We're in for a treat today."
Then, pointing to the beautiful slave owner on his shoulder, he continued, "They should have bounty quests at the Mercenary Guild. Once we reach Pabidi, I'll hand them over to the guild and earn some more. Two payments for one quest, I'm truly excellent."
Nohan, carrying his greatsword, ran over, his head bowed in shame. He had almost succumbed to berserk rage out of desperation earlier.
The puppeteer behind the carriage, sensing the unfavorable turn of events, immediately retreated from the soldiers and fled. The shadow clone, who had been engaging the mages, also returned, carrying a thin old man whose bruised and swollen face indicated he had endured brutal torment before losing consciousness.
Faelan looked at the three captured members of the Hunter Squad. Out of their six official members, half had been captured alive. Hiring Mr. Li Xi had been incredibly worthwhile. Most importantly, after such an intense battle, Li Xi still appeared to be at ease, his depth unfathomable!
"Mr. Li Xi, it is our honor to have you with us," Faelan expressed his excitement with the sincerest words.
Flattery was always well-received, especially from a beauty. Li Xi laughed heartily and was about to respond with false modesty when, from the shadow cast by the moonlight behind him, a figure emerged, holding a short blade. In a flash, the blade plunged towards Li Xi's back.
The second member of the Hunter Squad, known for his unparalleled stealth, finally made his move at Li Xi's moment of relaxation. He hadn't attacked when Li Xi was preparing his ninjutsu, nor when his companions were defeated and captured, nor had he targeted Faelan and the others, the employers standing behind Li Xi.
Faelan, standing in front of Li Xi, saw the assassin appear behind him, her eyes widening in alarm. Li Xi, through Faelan's eyes, perceived the situation behind him.
Years of combat experience triggered Li Xi's instincts. He didn't dodge forward, left, or right. As his skin registered the piercing intent of killing intent, some dragon scales surfaced beneath his skin. Fortunately, they only appeared on his back, not his entire body, and were hidden by his clothes.
Then, he stomped his foot heavily and slammed backward. Perhaps sensing the danger, Matatabi, who had largely served as a power source, once again contributed its strength. Pale blue flames erupted from Li Xi's back, forming a large cat's paw that swiped towards the assassin's face.
This sudden move had always been effective. Matatabi had tricked several powerful individuals with this technique, saving Li Xi's life more than once.
This time was no different. The Hunter Squad members watched in astonishment as the large cat's paw suddenly appeared from Li Xi's body. Even the veteran assassin, accustomed to grand spectacles, couldn't fathom such a bizarre offensive capability. Before his hand could touch Li Xi's clothes, the cat's paw, made of blue flames, was deflected. The dagger, with a one hundred percent hit rate, sliced through Li Xi's clothes, grazing his back skin.
The faint scraping sound as the dagger met the dragon scales went unnoticed by everyone present, except for the assassin, whose expression changed slightly. He sensed something was wrong with the feel, such resilience shouldn't exist on human skin.
As the assassin grazed Li Xi's back, Li Xi's body slammed into his. The immense force, like a fully loaded truck, propelled the assassin out of the shadows he was lurking in.
Matatabi's large cat's paw swatted the assassin, making his eyes spin. Li Xi reached back, grabbed the floating assassin by the neck, and fearing the assassin might detect the dragon scales on his back, Li Xi's expression turned cold. With a forceful twist, the neck of this infiltrator, who could lurk in shadows, was broken. Few in this world could withstand Li Xi's strength; even a large creature like a dragon, if caught by Li Xi's embrace, could have its neck snapped, let alone this assassin, known for his fragile body and low health.
From the infiltrator emerging from the shadows, assassinating Li Xi, to the blue flames erupting from Li Xi's body, blasting the infiltrator out, and twisting his neck in return, it all happened within the span of a single breath.
Faelan, Nohan, and the others, who had been tense to the point of holding their breath, collectively gasped when Li Xi tossed the infiltrator aside like a sack of rags.
Zuo Lin, looking at the assassin in black, whose short blade allowed him to traverse shadows, was greatly surprised. "I never imagined the Hunter Squad would have such a special profession as a Shadow Walker. They are assassins among assassins. It is said that the number of people in this profession is even smaller than that of mages. No target they set their sights on has ever survived. And today, Mr. Li Xi has dealt with him."
Nohan looked at the tear in Li Xi's clothes. "Brother Li Xi, are you injured?"
Li Xi laughed heartily. "No, not even a scratch. I don't know if he was aiming for me or my clothes. With such accuracy, he's a subpar assassin."