Hōzuki Chien tugged lightly on the golden drawstring.
The pouch opened.
He didn't even have time to look inside.
A dragon's roar—deep, ancient, and suffocating—erupted from within, tearing through the Mizukage Building like a physical force. Dense black mist burst outward, and a colossal serpent formed midair, scales ink-dark, its presence instantly crushing the room's atmosphere.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen retreated almost reflexively.
This was not chakra pressure.
It was something colder. Heavier.
The Ink Dragon completed its manifestation in a single breath, coiling around Shui Bing'er and the four others. Its body expanded violently, smashing through the ceiling as if it were paper. In seconds, its length exceeded a hundred meters. When it reared upright, its upper body towered over thirty meters high, casting an enormous shadow across the village.
Shui Bing'er and the others stood protected atop its coils.
Before Hidden Mist could even finish screaming in alarm, a phoenix's cry split the sky.
A streak of green light burst from the fallen pouch on the floor, unfolding into a massive avian form. Feathers shimmered like jade as the Azure Phoenix soared upward, its wingspan spreading wider and wider—until it eclipsed rooftops. With a single beat of its wings, hurricane-force winds tore through the streets, collapsing dozens of nearby buildings.
Chaos detonated across Hidden Mist Village.
—
Yagura Karatachi had been staring at the blood on the ground only moments earlier.
He was still trying to make sense of the Mizukage's actions—wondering whether the old man had finally gone mad and was preparing some reckless alliance aimed at Konoha—when the Mizukage Building collapsed inward with a thunderous crash.
A black serpent rose from the ruins.
The cold it exhaled froze more than a dozen ninja mid-step.
Then the sky darkened.
Yagura's pupils shrank as the Azure Phoenix spread its wings above the village, its presence rivaling the serpent below.
"That's enough!" Yagura barked, leaping out of the building. "Evacuate civilians immediately! All ninja, surround them—limit their movement! Force that serpent out of the village!"
The order barely finished echoing.
Seeing armed forces converging from all directions, the Ink Dragon no longer waited for instructions. It lifted its head and roared again—its voice vast and merciless. Above it, the Azure Phoenix responded, its cry sharp and ethereal.
The Hidden Mist ninja didn't even have time to scatter.
The Ink Dragon opened its jaws. Frost condensed in an instant.
The Phoenix beat its wings.
Wind howled. Ice surged.
The combined attack exploded outward, transforming into a devastating ice storm that swept across the district in a wide fan. Buildings shattered. Streets vanished. A frozen wasteland nearly a thousand meters across replaced what had once been living quarters.
Hundreds died in seconds.
Yagura's eyes burned red.
He formed seals without hesitation.
Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!
A massive flood surged upward, its thickness nearly ten meters, its height towering over forty. Chakra poured into it relentlessly, reinforcing its density and force as it slammed toward the serpent.
The Ink Dragon assessed the wave in a heartbeat.
Three of the original attackers were already dead. Two were crippled. The remaining three were buried among the human crowd below.
Risking the five on its head wasn't worth it.
With a single flex of its body, the dragon rose—straight into the sky.
Yagura froze.
A serpent… flying?
High above the village, frigid winds tore at the clouds, but under the Ink Dragon's protection, Shui Bing'er and the others felt none of it. They had awakened fully now, the dragon's roar having ripped them from the Water Prison.
When they learned of Sarutobi Soulin's death, the silence among them was heavier than the cold.
"Kill them," Huo Wu said hoarsely. "Every last one."
"Three are dead. Two are incapacitated. The remaining three are hiding among civilians," the Ink Dragon replied evenly. "Indiscriminate attacks will cause collateral casualties."
Lady Snow Princess's warning echoed in its mind.
Boss Li did not tolerate meaningless slaughter.
Shui Bing'er clenched her fists, forcing her breathing steady. "Transmit this clearly."
The Ink Dragon's eyes glowed.
"Hand over the five who initiated the attack—and Sarutobi Soulin's body. Negotiations may continue. Refuse, and Hidden Mist Village will be considered to have declared war on the Sacrificial Shop."
Its voice, magnified by spirit power, rolled across the entire village like thunder.
The Ice Domain activated.
Within a thousand meters, the temperature plummeted. Genin and Chunin collapsed instantly. Those who refused to retreat found frost creeping across their skin, blood thickening, chakra circulation stalling as fear gnawed at their thoughts.
Yagura exhaled sharply.
They still wanted to negotiate.
He seized the opening. "Summon Elder Genma. Now. And find the Mizukage."
His teeth ground together as he spoke the last words.
Before the messenger could depart, Biwa Jūzō arrived, supporting the grievously injured Third Mizukage.
"Issue evacuation orders," Jūzō said grimly. "Tell Elder Genma to assume command. Stay alert against Konoha."
The Mizukage's voice was weak but lucid. "I… was under Genjutsu. An Uchiha. Years ago."
Yagura's blood ran cold.
"He infiltrated the building… controlled me instantly with the Sharingan. Since then, every order I gave followed his will. Including today." The Mizukage coughed violently. "He ordered me to capture those youths alive."
"The dragon's roar… broke it."
The price was obvious.
Cold had invaded his body, sealing meridians, devouring vitality.
"Hand me over," the Mizukage whispered. "Spare the village. Execute Nurui Jinpachi, Kuriarare Kushimaru, Munashi Jinpachi, and Suikazan Fuguki. Blood Mist faction. Some colluded with the Daimyo."
Tears slid down his face. "Don't leave my corpse here."
Yagura roared the order to inform Genma.
Moments later, the Mizukage's chakra dissipated.
His eyes remained open—still yearning for the village he had ruined.
The air filled with killing intent.
The Ink Dragon listened to everything.
When it relayed the truth, Shui Bing'er and the others finally understood the shape of the trap they had walked into.
Yang Xian spoke first. "We go down. We return Sarutobi Soulin's body. And those four die."
The Ink Dragon inclined its head.
Below them, the mist churned—no longer hiding uncertainty, but something far more dangerous.
I also read novels also read novels as you all know today i found more than 1 such person that was selling their novels for up to 150 USD[each book] i mean daammn and two were selling translations for 40 USD i mean ok but i have to say either i have been poor my whole life and dont know jack shit about this market or may be i am just a saint [damn the war is effecting the price of novels as well???]
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