The Hidden Cloud Ninja surged forth like an unstoppable fountain, erupting wildly from the excavated holes and spreading out like a black tidal wave in all directions.
No one expected the enemy to appear from beneath the Tenshukaku. The defending troops were thrown into panic, many swallowed on the spot by flickering flashes of lightning.
"Emi, protect the Daimyo!"
After giving the order to Emi, Mei Terumī, along with Zabuza and the others, charged downward.
She didn't know if Toru had received the letter, but they had to hold this position until he returned!
"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!"
Mei Terumī spewed high-temperature acidic mist from a distance, causing large swathes of enemies to fall screaming. But immediately, more enemies crawled out of the holes. "Hiding in Mist Technique."
Zabuza followed closely behind. Thick white mist enveloped the enemies, and he plunged into it, his longsword swinging as he began his slaughter.
Yukino Airi wasn't idle either. As a Medical Ninja, her combat strength wasn't high, but she was capable of finishing off wounded enemies.
"Ice Release: Ice Bullets!"
Puffing out her cheeks, she spat forth dozens of ice bullets that flew out like a storm, causing the enemies attempting to sneak-attack Zabuza to fall one after another.
Under the coordinated efforts of the three, the Cloud's offensive momentum stalled, and the panicked defenders quickly calmed down and began to counterattack.
Until those two behemoth-like figures appeared.
"Lariat!"
A furious roar echoed as a figure flashing like lightning streaked past. A Kirigakure Jonin fell, head separated from body, without even a chance to cry out.
"It's the ab combination!"
Seeing the two, Mei Terumī broke out in goosebumps all over.
She hadn't expected Hidden Cloud to make such a grand move this time, even deploying the ab combination.
"I've wanted to meet them for a long time."
Zabuza turned his blade and drifted forward like a gust of wind.
"Hey, don't be impulsive!"
Mei Terumī shouted from behind.
Zabuza seemed not to hear, his eyes fixed only on A not far away.
He loved challenging the strong most of all, especially those Toru had challenged!
At this moment, Killer Bee had run to the other side to deal with enemies. A stood at the center of the battlefield, gripping the necks of two Kirigakure Ninja, one in each hand. Catching Zabuza in his peripheral vision, he snapped the necks of the two with a crack, then swung a fist at Zabuza.
Clang!
Zabuza's longsword clearly struck A's arm, but the sensation was harder than steel. Under the immense kinetic force, it simply shattered!
"What is this?!"
Zabuza muttered in shock, seeing a faint layer of blue light wrapped around A's thick arm. A grinned contemptuously at him: "Fool, a little knife like this won't hurt me. Maybe those swords of yours would be a bit more useful."
A had long activated his Lightning Release Chakra Mode. Even if not as powerful as his old man's, it was more than enough to deal with Zabuza.
Intense humiliation filled Zabuza's heart. "Don't look down on me!"
Gripping his broken sword, he charged again. On the surface, it was a desperate attack, but his right hand was secretly forming hand seals.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
He had just learned to form seals with one hand, and this was his first time using it.
No choice. As Toru's teammate, how could he not keep up!
With a swish, the broken blade, glinting coldly, was thrown spinning towards A. Simultaneously, a torrent of water like a mighty army engulfed A.
"One-handed seals, huh? Finally something a bit interesting."
A's voice suddenly sounded behind Zabuza, making him shudder in alarm.
He had just seen this guy swallowed by the water flow!
He had never seen the Lightning Release Chakra Mode and didn't know this ability greatly enhanced A's attack and movement speed. In A's eyes, his movements were barely faster than an old man's.
Zabuza felt a gust of wind whip up behind his head. Knowing he couldn't dodge this blow, he reached into his chest.
He always carried exploding tags on his body during battle, precisely for situations like this. Even if he couldn't defeat the enemy, at least he could blow himself up with them!
At that moment, he suddenly heard a sharp cry: "Ice Release: Ice Wall."
Crackle! A wall of ice rose behind Zabuza, and A's fist stopped.
"Airi?!"
Zabuza finally turned and saw the girl standing in front of him.
A Medical Ninja actually standing before A. Zabuza wanted to call her an idiot, but his usual sharp tongue failed him now.
"Zabuza-kun, run! I can hold on a little longer."
Yukino Airi's voice was as gentle and kind as ever, yet carried an undeniable tone.
She knew she couldn't stop A, but even buying Zabuza a second to escape would be enough.
"There's actually a member of the Yuki Clan left!"
Standing before the ice wall, A's eyes lit up.
Naturally, he wouldn't be blocked by a thin ice wall. He held back only for fear of killing this woman.
Hidden Mist Village was extremely short of Kekkei Genkai users. If he could kidnap Yukino Airi back, that bastard old man would definitely praise him profusely!
Thinking this, he retracted his fist. His bull-like body easily smashed through the ice wall, then he grabbed the still-unreacting Yukino Airi, knocked her out with a swift chop to the neck, and tossed her to a nearby Cloud squad.
That squad was already prepared. They tacit agreemently caught Yukino Airi and swiftly departed.
The whole sequence was fluid, clearly the work of a team experienced in kidnapping.
"Airi!"
Zabuza roared and tried to charge forward, but was blocked by a mountain-like body.
Clenching his fist, A sneered: "I recognize you. You're that Demon of the Bloody Mist, Zabuza, the one who killed his comrades, right?"
"Let me see just how powerful someone who can turn on his comrades really is!"
Zabuza tightly gripped his Kunai, his ferocious expression like that of an Asura.
"You don't know a damn thing."
99
He took one last look in the direction where Yukino Airi had been taken, then charged towards A blocking his path.
Suiyō Castle was in chaos, and the Cloud's rear camp was also in an uproar.
"Wonder how the frontline battle is going."
"Lord A is really something, why didn't he take us with him!"
"Heh heh, I heard Kirigakure Ninja are experts at infighting but useless in external wars. Seems it's true."
The Cloud Ninja Stay here were eager, many wanting to rush to the frontlines to reap heads.
Someone glanced at the few white-robed figures standing in the corner and let out a contemptuous sneer.
Noticing the The crowd gazes, the expressions of the few Kaguya Clan members turned ugly.
For a venerable founding clan of Hidden Mist Village, descendants of the brave and fearless Shikotsumyaku, to do something like colluding with the enemy and betraying comrades... even Kaguya Daisuke felt his face burning with shame.
"Everyone, ignore the barbarians' taunts. We're doing all this for the village!"
He soothe in a low voice the Kaguya Ninja who couldn't help but want to act, worried they might cause trouble here.
There was no turning back now. The only path was to see this through to the end!
"I hope everything goes smoothly over there."
Kaguya Daisuke glanced towards Suiyō Castle and murmured to himself.
In a place no one noticed, Toru quietly emerged from underground.
He wasn't in a hurry to reinforce Mei Terumī. They could hold out a bit longer over there; it wasn't a big problem for now.
Toru always preferred achieving the greatest results with the smallest cost. He could charge into Suiyō Castle and directly rout the Cloud forces, but the income wouldn't be big enough. As long as he could lurk in the shadows, stir up trouble, and be a disruptive force, he would never refuse.
Since Hidden Cloud stole his home, why couldn't he steal Hidden Cloud's home?
All tactics convert to home, after all.