"Zabuza-sensei!"
A shout rang out, and in the next instant, a surging wave of Water Release swept forward like a blade.
The rushing current tore through the battlefield, instantly forcing back the Ōtsutsuki on both sides. One wave followed another, relentless and sharp.
Zabuza watched the familiar Water Release techniques and couldn't help but grin.
"So even you brats were sent by the Mizukage?"
Moments later, more than a dozen Kirigakure shinobi appeared beside him. Each held a ninja blade, their gazes sharp and unwavering.
They were all elite swordsmen of the Hidden Mist, the most promising candidates to inherit the title of the next Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
Not only were they masters of kenjutsu, but they also came from powerful bloodline clans such as the Hōzuki Clan, the Kaguya Clan, the Yuki Clan, and several other prominent families.
"If Zabuza-sensei is here, how could we stay behind?" one of them said.
"It's not just us. The Mizukage has deployed elite forces from every major clan."
Zabuza nodded and glanced around.
"…Still feels like too few."
"That's intentional," another replied calmly. "The Mizukage said only elites are needed."
Against the Ōtsutsuki, sending mediocre shinobi would only get them killed and drag others down.
Zabuza smirked and tightened his grip on the Kubikiribōchō.
"Good."
"Then let's wipe them out, every last one of them."
His killing intent surged.
Haku and Ringo both smiled, their expressions sharp with resolve.
Meanwhile, within Konoha, the hidden Leaf shinobi cautiously observed the battlefield from their concealment.
"…Those are Kirigakure shinobi?"
"So many. Why are they here?"
"…Did they come to help us?"
Though Shigure had only brought one hundred and twenty shinobi, every single one of them was elite. Their strength was undeniable.
Even against ordinary Ōtsutsuki enhanced by Tenseigan chakra, they could hold their ground without falling behind.
Across the battlefield, Mist shinobi engaged the Ōtsutsuki in fierce combat. The fighting was intense and dazzling.
The major clans of Kirigakure had all sent their best.
The Hōzuki Clan unleashed massive chakra reserves, maintaining continuous high-level Water Release techniques. Waves rose across Konoha, surging like a tide and crashing toward the Ōtsutsuki.
Although the water alone could not deal decisive damage, it created the perfect opening.
The Yuki Clan followed immediately.
Ice Release activated.
As the water swept through, freezing cold spread instantly. In the blink of an eye, the flowing currents solidified into ice, and any Ōtsutsuki caught within were frozen along with it.
"Damn it!"
The Ōtsutsuki roared in anger, only to be met with crushing force.
Members of the Kaguya Clan charged in, their Shikotsumyaku-enhanced bodies erupting with monstrous strength. Even with Tenseigan chakra reinforcing them, the Ōtsutsuki could not fully withstand such brute force.
Bang! Bang!
One after another, they were sent flying.
But the assault did not stop there.
From another direction, scorching flames erupted.
Guren's Crystal Release shimmered alongside blazing Fire Release, while other shinobi unleashed lava-like techniques. Fire and molten force intertwined, forcing the Ōtsutsuki into constant retreat.
They could only evade in disarray.
At that moment, the Hōzuki Clan struck again.
Timing their attacks perfectly, they targeted weakened Ōtsutsuki whose Tenseigan chakra had already been heavily drained.
Clean and precise kills.
The sudden coordination caught the Ōtsutsuki completely off guard, and their rhythm collapsed.
Amid the chaos, certain shinobi moved silently. Their presence was nearly impossible to detect.
While chakra itself could not be fully concealed, the battlefield was saturated with chaotic fluctuations. In such an environment, distinguishing individual signatures became nearly impossible.
And that was when they struck.
After several Ōtsutsuki were killed in succession, more Mist shinobi stepped onto the battlefield.
Members of the Hōzuki Clan emerged from concealment, followed closely by Kaguya Clan warriors and other elite units. They moved with precision, intercepting and holding back the strongest Ōtsutsuki.
From their hiding places, the Konoha shinobi watched in stunned silence, and their blood began to boil.
The same enemies who had crushed them moments ago were now being completely suppressed. The Ōtsutsuki still held a clear numerical advantage, yet the Mist forces numbered only a few dozen, and even so, they dominated the battlefield.
"How is this possible…?" many of them muttered, unable to understand what they were seeing.
"Kuji-sama!"
Near the Tenseigan ruins, Kuji was lifted by two Kaguya Clan members. Seeing his shattered body, their eyes immediately reddened with rage.
"They actually pushed you to this state. Those bastards deserve to die."
They were about to charge back into battle, but Kuji stopped them.
"Don't be reckless."
The Kaguya Clan's bloodline granted immense power, but it also made their emotions unstable. Charging in blindly would only get them killed.
"…Where is the Mizukage?" Kuji asked.
As his voice fell, a figure appeared before him.
At the same time, the sky began to change. Dark clouds gathered over Konoha, thunder rumbled, and rain started pouring down in an instant.
The hidden Konoha shinobi were stunned.
"What is happening?"
"Why is it suddenly raining?"
Then something even more shocking occurred.
The falling rain began to gather, streams of water converging and rising into the sky. They formed a massive water dragon that coiled through the clouds, while lightning surged along its body, crackling violently.
A thunder-infused water dragon loomed above Konoha.
At that moment, the Konoha shinobi understood.
"Kirigakure…"
"The Mizukage has arrived."
Hope surged among them.
In the next instant, the Water Release, Water Dragon Bullet Technique crashed down toward the largest concentration of Ōtsutsuki below.
A deafening roar erupted as the attack struck.
Water surged outward like a tidal wave, carrying lightning in all directions. The Ōtsutsuki were swept away, their bodies paralyzed by the lightning as screams echoed across the battlefield.
Amid the chaos, Shigure landed beside Kuji and dropped into a half-crouch.
He raised one hand, gathering water infused with dense chakra, and pressed it toward Kuji's body.
The destroyed half of Kuji's body began to regenerate, flesh and bone reforming rapidly under Shigure's control.
…
(End of Chapter)
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