"Clan leader..."
Three Tsugawa ninjas from different units hastily formed a temporary squad. One of them attempted to break into the central battlefield to support and assist their clan leader, who was locked in fierce combat with the enemy.
However, the other two disagreed.
"We should prioritize rescuing our clansmen. That enemy can be left to the clan leader—we must trust in his strength."
Another ninja immediately concurred:
"Right, we need to ensure our people's safety first. The entire village has become a battlefield now. If we don't protect them, those without combat ability will suffer tremendous losses."
"We must get the civilians out of the village as quickly as possible."
To put it bluntly, a powerhouse like the clan leader could handle both offense and defense—arriving a bit late to support him probably wouldn't matter much. But delay helping civilians by even a second, and they'd die right before your eyes.
Though many view ninjas as heartless killing machines, even such warriors have blood relatives they value.
Having lost considerable organizational structure, these ninjas began relying on personal judgment to determine their actions.
At such times, choosing to save one's own family members first was naturally an instinctive priority.
After arguing briefly, the minority yielded to the majority. Following some moral support for their battling clan leader, they chose to help the "ordinary clansmen" through action.
The three located and sheltered some civilians amid the flames of war, then escorted them toward the village outskirts.
Where some ninjas chose to protect civilians, others naturally insisted on helping their clan leader.
However, first, they were fighting individually without forming a cohesive force; second, even those wanting to support the clan leader encountered obstacles along the way.
Some, while rushing toward the battlefield, focused too intently on their leader's situation and ignored the complex environment around them. As explosion after explosion rang out, they were either killed or wounded.
Someone had laid numerous traps throughout the area.
Densely interwoven steel wires formed a spider's web, each strand lined with explosive tags that would detonate at the slightest touch.
Only by the occasional cold gleam reflected from the dancing flames in the night could these traps be detected... Setting traps was Gorō Fūma's specialty.
Yet the darkness concealed something even more dangerous than traps—a pair of Sharingan.
Besides that...
"Elder... you, why...?"
Several ninjas stood frozen in shock, unable to conceal their astonishment.
Just moments ago, they had witnessed their clan's sole remaining elder ruthlessly eliminate the last squad captain without hesitation.
Given their understanding, it was hard to imagine an expert like this elder falling under enemy Genjutsu control, so they instinctively assumed he had either been an enemy spy from the beginning or had betrayed them.
The next moment, this expressionless, blood-soaked elder charged toward them.
Fear and chaos are twin siblings—at this moment, they reinforced each other, left foot stepping on right foot, spiraling skyward.
...
Yūshin was slapped away, skipping across the water's surface before crashing into a nearby building with a thunderous impact.
After the massive tremor, dust billowed everywhere.
Severe pain from his chest and back nearly left Yūshin breathless, but fortunately he instinctively "White Zetsu-ified" his torso. The lingering pain immediately faded, and he instantly regained control of his body.
But Taishi Tsugawa, whom he'd kicked away, wasn't idle either. Landing on the water first, ignoring the intense pain in his abdomen, he began rapid hand seals: Water Release: Water Fang Bullet!
One after another, head-sized water spheres formed a continuous line, bombarding toward where Yūshin had fallen.
If Yūshin couldn't react in time, this saturation-style area attack could achieve excellent killing results.
However, Taishi hadn't expected the Yūshin who'd been slapped away to show no "stun" whatsoever—he burst directly from the rubble. By the time the water bullets struck the building, he had already returned to the water's surface.
Seeing Yūshin apparently preparing to use that chakra-squandering high-speed attack again, Taishi, having suffered once before, remained calm this time, already prepared with countermeasures.
Yūshin had only charged halfway when he felt his steps suddenly halt, while the surrounding water became incredibly heavy, enveloping him.
"This is..."
Water Prison Technique? Why could this person use Kirigakure... no, now it should be called the Hōzuki Clan... why could Taishi Tsugawa use Hōzuki Clan ninjutsu?
Yūshin found himself wrapped in a water sphere. Instinctively turning back, he indeed saw a Taishi clone standing outside the water ball, one palm thrust into it.
Water Prison Technique was merely a C-rank ninjutsu. Though highly practical with excellent binding effects, maintaining this effect required the caster to continuously provide chakra... meaning for Yūshin, this was a technique with very obvious weaknesses.
Yūshin was only puzzled for a moment before immediately regaining his composure. He thought: Have you really never seen how the underworld operates?
Taishi's water clone suddenly felt its chakra draining at an accelerated rate. In an instant, it could no longer maintain its form—the water clone dissolved into puddles, and the water prison shattered accordingly.
Seeing his "control skill" instantly broken, Taishi was surprised, but his gaze immediately hardened with determination.
Don't think you're the only one skilled at high-speed attacks—let me show you our Tsugawa Clan's Water Release movement technique:
Water Release: Single Wing Water Cutter.
A membrane thin as cicada wings appeared behind Taishi. With chakra exploding beneath his feet, he shot forward almost gliding across the water's surface.
Like a swallow darting through spring rain.
At this moment, Yūshin seemed not to have completely recovered from the Water Prison's negative effects, continuously coughing lightly, trying to expel all the water that had choked into his throat.
He noticed that numerous ninjas had already gathered around the area, but due to Shichimi Uchiha and Gorō Fūma's interference, they couldn't immediately provide assistance to their clan leader... Yūshin realized the "stage" was ready.
"Your Water Release is just so-so. Now it's time to witness mine..."
Taishi glided across the water's surface, wielding a short blade. At this speed, just a light touch could tear this enemy into pieces.
Yūshin crouched on the water's surface, even lowering his head to spit out water, seemingly oblivious to the approaching death.
However, just as Taishi charged to within two or three body lengths of Yūshin, the calm water surface suddenly rippled. Two figures burst up side by side from underwater, shoulders pressed together, arms joined—one with his right hand, one with his left—supporting a azure chakra sphere.
Yūshin was a ninja trainee with a year and a half of practice experience, fond of blue balls, basketball, and blue balls.
The Rasengan directly struck Taishi. Like a high-speed drill, it spun into his abdomen, then like an explosive planted inside his body, violent shockwaves burst from his back.
Rasengan is a ninjutsu emphasizing invasive internal destruction. Theoretically, after penetrating the enemy's body, it should "finely mince" some internal organs.
Yūshin's Rasengan's performance indicated his insufficient training—his chakra wasn't dense enough.
But it didn't matter; the killing power was already sufficient.
Facts proved that not every ninja possesses excellent perception to detect every seal the enemy forms... Precisely when Taishi had dismissed Yūshin for using too many hand seals, Yūshin had already secretly hidden two water clones underwater.
Using two techniques simultaneously naturally required more seals.
Yūshin's Rasengan couldn't be instant-cast; he could only use it through such roundabout methods.
After the successful hit, both water clones dispersed. Taishi's high-speed charge faltered—his feet touched the water's surface as inertia carried his body stumbling forward.
Yūshin always keeps his word. He began demonstrating his (known) Water Release ninjutsu: Water Release: Water Severing Wave!
Rasengan was already lethal enough, but Yūshin was ultimately someone who understood follow-up attacks.
The high-speed water blade first cut diagonally downward from this clan leader's right shoulder, then exited from beneath his left ribs... This kind of bisection death was treatment reserved for boss-level figures.
Taishi's expression at this moment showed nothing but bewilderment. Yūshin reached out and pressed his left shoulder, so half of him stopped in place for a friendly face-to-face with Yūshin.
The other half continued executing his brain's final command, running forward more than ten meters before dropping to his knees and slowly sinking beneath the water's surface.
Only now could Yūshin finally chat calmly with his opponent:
"Hello..."
"...Very pleased to meet you."
"Goodbye..."
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