From a cost-performance perspective, taijutsu was unquestionably one of the most practical forms of combat.
Precision.
Efficiency.
Lethality.
These three words summed up high-level taijutsu perfectly.
For any shinobi, facing a true taijutsu master one-on-one was an absolute nightmare. And someone like a fully matured Might Guy, capable of freely opening the Eight Gates, was essentially unbeatable in a duel.
Compared to flashy ninjutsu, taijutsu tended to be low-key and unadorned. Without special effects, its visual impact was limited.
But that didn't mean taijutsu lacked spectacle.
In fact, taijutsu was extremely impressive.
Amid the dense ranks of Kirigakure shinobi, White Yaksha spun, leapt, and—
cough—never mind.
From the perspective of the Konoha ninja, Hagoromo had charged alone into the enemy formation.
At times, he vanished into the Mist ranks.
At times, he burst back into their field of vision.
Whether he was delivering lethal strikes, crippling blows, or attacks that were completely blocked, the pattern never changed:
One strike.
Immediate disengage.
He never lingered.
Not only did he refuse to grapple—he rarely even delivered a second attack.
Hagoromo moved in straight, continuous lines, never pausing at any location.
Like a fish swimming through a school, he darted chaotically through the enemy ranks, constantly disrupting Kirigakure's formation.
More importantly, his presence made it impossible for the enemy to use large-scale ninjutsu.
Because wherever Hagoromo was—
There were always Kirigakure ninja nearby.
And never just one.
Using wide-area techniques in that situation wouldn't just kill Hagoromo. It would kill their own people first.
Worse still—given this guy's ridiculously sharp movement—there was a real chance the technique wouldn't even hit him.
Which meant…
You'd just be nuking your own allies.
Killed not by the enemy, but by friendly fire.
Have you considered how your fallen comrades would feel?
And Hagoromo wasn't the only one wreaking havoc.
The shinobi who had charged in before him—Uchiha Shisui—was causing even greater destruction.
Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say far greater.
Up to now, Hagoromo hadn't transformed into Raikyū even once—clearly slacking off a bit.
Shisui, on the other hand, was giving it his all.
His repeated use of Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique was proof enough.
For the Uchiha clan, Great Fireball was their signature technique second only to the Sharingan itself.
Given the low activation rate of the Sharingan, one might even call it the clan's most universally representative jutsu.
An Uchiha might not awaken the Sharingan—
But not knowing Great Fireball?
Unacceptable.
And though it was technically a C-rank ninjutsu, its effectiveness varied wildly by user.
As for Shisui's version?
It deserved the name:
Fire Release: True Great Fireball Technique.
Compared to Hagoromo, Shisui's movement range was smaller.
Thanks to his naturally high-spec, high-speed, ultra-HD dual-camera system—
His defensive awareness was clearly superior.
Insight was simply unfair to compare.
And if he ever found himself surrounded?
All it took was a glance from those crimson three-tomoe Sharingan.
Instant paralysis.
After triggering a momentary genjutsu, no matter what the enemy had planned, they would freeze—
And patiently wait for Shisui to slit their throats.
If necessary, he could even make them slit their own.
Whether those eyes were cursed or not was debatable.
But their convenience was undeniable.
Which was precisely why the Uchiha were so terrifying.
And also why they appeared on so many "wanted lists."
Plenty of people wanted to add those eyes to their life menu.
And some had even succeeded.
Seeing that the Konoha reinforcements had charged in yet were standing there dumbfounded instead of attacking, Hagoromo felt a sudden urge to curse.
What are you staring at? Get moving!
He had no idea they were busy appreciating the gallant figures of White Yaksha and Shisui of the Body Flicker, and were moments away from breaking into a rousing rendition of "Gonna Fly Now."
Even if he had known, he would've cursed anyway.
I'm already dressed for war, not fashion—what's there to admire?
Get over here and start killing!
Fortunately, Konoha ninja had solid professionalism.
They wouldn't sabotage their own allies.
The hesitation lasted only an instant.
Then they surged forward and attacked.
Seeing this, Hagoromo finally relaxed.
With the main force engaged, he planned to quietly withdraw to the rear, switching from frontal assault to mobile harassment.
Sniping opportunistically was easier—and far more efficient.
But just as he was about to slip away—
Things didn't go so smoothly.
Showing off and leaving?
No such luck.
"Move aside! This one's mine!"
⚠ High-energy target detected! Incoming projectile: Salted fish (Sentient weapon)! ⚠
Airflow shifted behind him. A violent whistling cut through the air.
Based on that alone, Hagoromo knew—
A heavy weapon was incoming.
He sidestepped instantly, ghostlike, evading the blow.
At the same time, his right middle finger hooked a kunai from his pouch, and he casually slit the throat of a nearby enemy.
Only after that—
BOOM!
Something massive slammed into the ground.
Hagoromo turned.
First, cracked earth.
Then—
A gigantic, bandage-wrapped greatsword embedded tip-first into the ground.
And the hand gripping it.
The arm belonged to a massive, orange-haired man who looked suspiciously like one of Jiraiya's summons.
"…."
Hagoromo was fairly sure he knew who this was.
He'd seen him in intel manuals.
Once, from afar.
Coincidentally, the man also knew exactly who Hagoromo was.
"White mask and white hair. Iron gourd on your back," the man rumbled.
"You're one of the duo who killed Biwa Jūzō, right?"
"The Konoha ninja who used a special method to nearly cripple Yagura—that was you too, wasn't it?"
Nearly crippled?
If that attack had landed cleanly, anyone without Raikage-level durability would've been blown apart.
Well… "crippled" was technically correct.
You just couldn't put the pieces back together.
Hagoromo wasn't surprised his identity had been exposed.
He stared at the massive blade calmly.
"Samehada…" he said.
"One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist—Kisame Hoshigaki."
Being able to wield such a weapon one-handed—
This guy wasn't simple.
Hagoromo didn't know much about Samehada yet, and had no idea it was literally a living, chakra-eating monster fish.
But while Kisame was worth paying attention to, that didn't mean Hagoromo intended to retreat.
If multiple Swordsmen showed up, he'd turn and leave immediately.
But one-on-one?
Whether he could kill Kisame—
He'd have to try killing him to find out.
A friendly reminder to Kisame Hoshigaki:
You can still run.
After all—
White Yaksha specializes in chopping melons and slicing vegetables.
Which raised an important question.
Does a watermelon count as a fruit… or a vegetable?
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