Asuka expanded his perception but found no trace of Orochimaru's chakra nearby.
Only then did he realize he had been tricked. Orochimaru had likely used Earth Release to escape long ago.
However, Asuka wasn't annoyed.
Even if he had actually captured Orochimaru just now, he wouldn't have known how to let him leave afterward. In this situation, aside from making him look a little foolish, the outcome actually aligned perfectly with his expectations.
Asuka lifted his head and looked in the direction of Konoha, his mind becoming cautious.
"These famous ninja really are full of tricks. I can't afford to be careless in the future."
As he continued unlocking more mutant abilities, Asuka's mindset had quietly begun to change.
When he first awakened the Wolverine ability, he had been extremely cautious everywhere. At that time, his strength was still weak. Although Wolverine's regeneration made him difficult to kill, who knew when someone might appear and seal him?
In Asuka's view, the sealing techniques in the ninja world were simply outrageous.
They could seal massive creatures like the Tailed Beasts, imprison someone for hundreds of years without killing them, and even seal beings as powerful as Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
The sheer terror of sealing techniques could not be ignored.
But as Asuka's strength grew, his caution had gradually faded.
Especially after fighting Killer Bee, his confidence had grown into something close to pride.
Orochimaru's unnoticed escape just now rang an alarm bell in his mind.
Even though he hadn't gone all out, that arrogance could affect his future decisions and plans.
Asuka stood still and slowly exhaled.
He deliberately cleared his mind, discarding the trace of pride that had appeared.
When he opened his eyes again, they were calm and clear.
After the encounter with Orochimaru, Asuka no longer planned to sneak into Konoha's camp.
Since Orochimaru had already escaped, the element of surprise was gone.
Moreover, Orochimaru's appearance made Asuka realize something else.
Tonight's sneak attack by Kirigakure had probably already been anticipated by Konoha.
The main Hidden Mist force was likely already caught in a trap.
Thinking of this, Asuka turned and rushed toward the battlefield where the Kirigakure army was fighting.
---
Kirigakure Battlefield
The forces led by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were being bombarded relentlessly by Konoha's ninjutsu.
The defensive formation they hastily organized was quickly torn apart.
Minato Namikaze calmly commanded the Konoha ninja, dividing the battlefield and isolating the Kirigakure forces into smaller encircled groups.
Minato himself faced the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist alone.
Several kunai were scattered across the battlefield.
Seeing Minato preparing to challenge them alone, the swordsmen burst into laughter.
"Hey, hey, Jūzō," Munashi Jinpachi said jokingly, nudging Biwa Jūzō with his elbow. "Am I seeing things? That kid actually wants to fight the Seven Ninja Swordsmen by himself?"
Jūzō ignored the joke and stared seriously at Minato.
"He should be the ninja mentioned in the intelligence reports—the one who uses space-time ninjutsu. Don't underestimate him."
Raiga Kurosuki scoffed.
"What's there to worry about? We're the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist."
"Even the Mizukage wouldn't dare claim he could defeat all of us together."
"What does this brat amount to?"
At this time, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were still at their full strength.
As the pride of Kirigakure, they were accustomed to arrogance.
Legends in the ninja world claimed that the combined Seven Ninja Swordsmen could even contend with Kage-level opponents.
Therefore, most of them ignored Jūzō's warning about Minato.
While they were still talking—
Minato moved.
Using the Flying Thunder God Technique, he instantly teleported to the kunai nearest Kuriarare Kushimaru.
The moment he appeared, he lunged forward.
Kushimaru had been specifically chosen as Minato's first target.
His sword Nuibari was designed mainly for thrusting. Its slashing ability was weaker than ordinary ninja swords, and its long blade made quick defensive movements difficult.
Minato closed the distance faster than Kushimaru could react.
A kunai wrapped in Wind Release chakra slashed toward his chest.
Just as the attack was about to land—
A sharp sound tore through the air above Minato.
A massive sword came crashing down toward him.
Biwa Jūzō, who had been carefully watching Minato's movements, rushed in at the critical moment and blocked the attack.
Minato was forced to lower his body to dodge the strike.
Even so, his kunai still cut a deep wound across Kushimaru's abdomen.
Immediately after evading the attack, Minato flickered again—this time targeting Raiga Kurosuki.
By now, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had fully reacted.
Their combat experience and coordination quickly came into play.
Facing Minato's attack, Raiga crossed the Lightning Blades: Kiba in front of him.
Electric currents crackled along the blades.
Minato's wind-enhanced kunai collided with the Lightning Blades but failed to break through instantly.
At the same moment, the other swordsmen launched attacks from multiple directions.
The first to strike was Akebino Jinin with the Blunt Sword: Kabutowari.
Known for its devastating physical power, Kabutowari smashed downward.
Minato did not dare take the attack head-on.
He activated Flying Thunder God again and disappeared.
When he reappeared several meters away, his hand seals were already complete.
Wind Release: Gale Palm
A violent gust mixed with razor-sharp wind blades surged toward the swordsmen.
Jūzō reacted first once again.
He formed hand seals, raising a wall of water to block the attack.
Water Release: Water Encampment Wall
As the wind blades clashed with the water wall, the battlefield filled with scattered droplets.
Suddenly—
A long blade shot through the mist.
Nuibari.
Minato tilted his head, barely dodging the attack.
But he immediately noticed the thin steel wire attached to the sword's handle.
Kuriarare Kushimaru pulled on the wire with a cold snort.
The sword abruptly changed direction.
The steel wire wrapped toward Minato's body while the blade turned in midair and stabbed toward his back.
Just as the wire tightened—
Minato vanished again.
"Clang!"
The sound of weapons colliding rang out.
This time, Minato had appeared in front of Suikazan Fuguki.
However, the moment their weapons met, Minato sensed something wrong.
The Wind Release chakra wrapped around his kunai was being absorbed by the massive blade in front of him.
A strange suction force even tried to draw the chakra out of his body.
Samehada.
Fuguki grinned, revealing sharp teeth.
The hair at the back of his head suddenly shot forward, wrapping toward Minato.
The strands pierced straight through Minato's body—
But in the next moment, the body dissolved into smoke.
A Shadow Clone.
Realizing the deception, Fuguki quickly turned his head.
But his vision was suddenly overwhelmed by a blinding flash of light.
Screams erupted around him.
This was Minato Namikaze's signature move:
Spiralling Flash Super Round Dance Howl Stage Three
The technique combined Flying Thunder God with flash bombs.
By scattering specially marked kunai across the battlefield and using blinding flashes to disorient enemies, Minato created perfect opportunities for assassination.
While the Shadow Clone distracted them, Minato used the flash to blind his enemies and launched a sudden attack.
However, ninja capable of earning fame across the ninja world were never simple.
Even while blinded, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist relied on instinct and combat experience to protect their vital areas.
Although Minato's attack inflicted serious injuries, it failed to kill most of them.
Except one.
When the light faded, Minato was already in front of Funano Konishi, the wielder of the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei.
Seeing Minato suddenly appear, Konishi hurriedly swung Hiramekarei.
A powerful chakra shockwave blasted toward Minato.
At the critical moment, Minato dropped a kunai and vanished instantly.
Konishi barely had time to breathe—
Minato reappeared beside the dropped kunai.
In his hand was a swirling sphere of chakra.
Rasengan!
The attack slammed directly into Konishi's back.
Like most conventional ninja who focused on offense rather than defense, Konishi collapsed immediately.
Before the other swordsmen could assist him, the heavily wounded Konishi coughed up blood.
Minato calmly stepped forward and thrust a kunai into the back of his head.
Funano Konishi died on the spot.
This was Minato's terrifying dominance in a world where most ninja had fragile bodies.
Aside from a few rare exceptions like Asuka, who possessed extremely durable physiques, almost no one could defend against Minato's assassination techniques.
Even members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist would fall instantly if Minato found an opening.
--------------Author---------------
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