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This is the war between shinobi.
The moment two sides meet, there's no time for words-the first move is immediate, unleashing combined ninjutsu to clear the battlefield with large-scale techniques.
If the opponent reacts too slowly, the attacker gains the upper hand.
But clearly, Kirigakure reacted swiftly.
Fuguki Suikazan, wielder of the great sword Samehada and possessing chakra comparable to a Tailed Beast, no longer concealed himself upon seeing Pakura. Carrying Samehada on his back, he leapt into midair and quickly formed hand seals.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Surge!"
A terrifying torrent of water blasted from Fuguki Suikazan's mouth, instantly forming a massive wave covering five hundred meters, crashing fiercely into the sea of fire. This was far stronger than his previous Water Release.
Obviously, Fuguki Suikazan had held back before.
Boom!
The fire sea and water wave collided. The fire, empowered by Wind Release, was not suppressed by the water. They clashed fiercely, quickly turning into thick white steam blowing apart.
"Scorch Release: Thermal Pressure!"
Before the white steam could reach them, Pakura extended her right hand. A high-temperature heat wall materialized twenty meters ahead, evaporating all the incoming white steam.
Seeing Kirigakure unleash such a large-scale Water Release in the desert, Pakura instantly understood the enemy's strength.
She couldn't allow the white steam to obscure their vision and create a mist-like effect.
Her weak chakra sensing would be hindered by obscured sight, disadvantaging her and benefiting Kirigakure's elite.
Whoosh!
A flash of cold light arrived first. Pakura's caution was justified. Using the white steam to disrupt vision, Kurisame Chōmaru struck, firing his long sword Nuibari across dozens of meters.
Had Pakura not evaporated the white steam in advance, she might have been injured due to slow reaction.
Now, Pakura leapt back while simultaneously forming a scorching fireball and throwing it forward.
Boom!
The Scorch Release fireball exploded fiercely, instantly consuming most of the white steam and revealing the scorching desert scorched by high heat.
Kirigakure's forces had already dispersed, avoiding injury.
Thud thud thud… Using the attack as cover, Kirigakure's forces successfully surrounded Pakura's group.
The seven members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, including Fuguki Suikazan, revealed themselves, their eyes mocking Pakura.
Clearly, they considered Pakura a mere meal, confident she wouldn't escape.
"It's the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!"
Beside Pakura, the three squad members and the three rescued shinobi quickly formed a circle. Upon seeing the special swords held by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, their expressions changed.
Though Pakura was strong, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were renowned warriors.
Over the past year, they had made a name for themselves on other fronts against Sunagakure.
One clan leader of Sunagakure's Ten Great Clans had fallen to three of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
Now, the entire Seven Ninja Swordsmen had mobilized.
They were tense, for it was said that when the Seven acted together, they could hunt down Kage-level shinobi.
"Heh… the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!"
Pakura showed no fear. She glanced at the so-called Seven Ninja Swordsmen, seeing their arrogant expressions, and sneered, "Do you really think a few rusty swords can defeat me?"
How naive!
I am no longer who I was.
Pakura formed hand seals instantly. Fuguki Suikazan and the others reacted quickly.
"Attack!"
"Duck down!"
Fuguki Suikazan's voice and the three squad leaders' voices rang out simultaneously.
Kirigakure's forces charged at Pakura and her group.
Pakura's Sunagakure comrades instantly crouched.
Smack!
At that moment, Pakura finished her hand seals first. Clasping her hands, she struck forward fiercely, her sharp gaze piercing Fuguki Suikazan, who charged head-on, a mocking smile on her lips.
"No!"
A sudden chill ran through Fuguki Suikazan's core-not from himself, but from Samehada sensing a fatal threat and warning him to dodge quickly.
"Scorch Release: Piercing Flash!"
Hiss… a blood-red, ultra-high-temperature compressed heat beam shot from between Pakura's fingers.
The speed was so fast that even with Samehada's instinctive warning, Fuguki Suikazan couldn't evade. His belly was pierced instantly.
Whoosh… Pakura spun, the heat beam rotating like a red laser sweep.
In an instant, fifteen Kirigakure shinobi failed to react and were sliced in half.
Only six of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen reacted in time, dodging or ducking.
Thanks to Fuguki Suikazan attacking first, they had a moment's warning; otherwise, they too would have been cut in half.
"Scorch Release?!!"
Fuguki Suikazan was not dead despite half his belly being cut open. Thanks to Samehada's chakra regeneration, he recovered quickly.
Still, Pakura's strike shocked him.
Among the pursuing Kirigakure, aside from the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, all others were cut in half.
"Retreat!"
The surviving Seven Ninja Swordsmen instinctively leapt back, distancing themselves from Pakura.
"What…"
"No…"
"Ah…"
"Help me…"
Thud thud thud… The half-severed Kirigakure shinobi writhed in pain on the sand but were beyond saving.
"What jutsu was that?"
"Why was there no intel about it before?"
Biwa Jūzō broke into a cold sweat, narrowly escaping being cut in half.
The Scorch Release intel they had was incomplete; they couldn't tell if it was a new jutsu or a variation of Scorch Release.
"Fuguo, where's your Samehada?" Kuroshiki Raiga demanded.
Fuguki Suikazan's face darkened. "That attack was an ultra-high-temperature compressed heat beam. Samehada couldn't absorb it."
Samehada couldn't absorb all jutsu chakra. Highly compressed chakra techniques, especially high-temperature ones, were difficult or impossible to absorb instantly.
Especially for a water-based chakra like Samehada's, high-temperature chakra was even harder to absorb.
Pakura's attack was not only highly condensed chakra but terrifyingly hot, instantly melting-no, vaporizing-the flesh on Fuguki Suikazan's belly.
Terrifying!
That attack!
Fuguki Suikazan's gaze locked on Pakura. He would react instantly to any movement.
Otherwise, he couldn't dodge-the attack was too fast.
"Scared already?"
Pakura mocked the fear in the seven's eyes mercilessly.
Her Sunagakure comrades looked at her with admiration.
So strong!
So reliable!
Pakura's displayed strength earned their respect.
Fuguki Suikazan and the others were furious at her taunts but kept their composure, not rushing recklessly.
The attack was indeed too fast.
Charging blindly would only get them killed.
"If you won't come, then I will!"
Pakura said, signaling her comrades, then formed a high-temperature compressed heat blade with both hands and charged at the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
"Mano, Haibara, you lead Moku's group back. Our squad stays to support Lady Pakura."
"But…"
"No buts!"
"...Fine."
Of the three squads supporting Pakura, two led the three pursued shinobi back, leaving one squad to follow Pakura forward.
The battle erupted quickly!
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