In a dense forest less than five kilometers from the town, Pakura, having dispelled her Transformation Jutsu, stood with a kunai in each hand.
She crouched low, knees bent, eyes filled with murderous intent fixed on the dozen or so Mist ninja before her.
[Scorch Release: Extremely Steaming Murder] hovered at her sides as two blazing orbs, their intense heat counteracting the effects of the Mist ninja's [Water Release: Hiding in Drizzle Technique].
At her feet lay a dead Mist jonin, desiccated into a mummy-like corpse, completely lifeless.
Without preamble or threats, Fuguki Suikazan, one of the Seven Swords of the Bloody Mist, let out a sinister laugh and signaled to his comrades behind him.
The plan hadn't gone perfectly—not all the Sunagakure ninja had been lured into their trap. In fact, the Sand ninja were likely lurking in the shadows, preparing a counter-ambush.
But Pakura was the linchpin of the Sand squad. Eliminate her swiftly, and the rest of the Sand ninja would fall apart like scattered ash.
"[Water Release: Combined Technique – Great Exploding Water Wheel]!"
Fifteen Mist ninja under Fuguki's command simultaneously unleashed the technique. Huge torrents of water erupted from their mouths.
Their identical chakra natures and synchronized techniques fused their energy into a colossal wave, powerful enough to engulf everything in its path!
Pakura's eyes flickered with focus as she leapt and dashed, weaving through the surging waves crashing in from all directions.
Before she could expand the battlefield and break through the encirclement, the three Mist jonin behind Fuguki completed their hand seals.
[Summoning Jutsu: Black-Eyed Giant Crab]!
[Summoning Jutsu: Swordfish with a Great Blade]!
[Summoning Jutsu: Man-Eating Shark]!
Chakra-laced smoke filled the air.
From within the haze emerged three massive figures, immediately filling Pakura with immense pressure.
Before the smoke could clear, the three jonin, working in tandem with their summons, launched [Water Release: Water Chain Bullet].
Each chakra-charged sphere, over two meters in diameter, flew like a cannonball, unceasingly battering the surrounded Pakura.
Meanwhile, the original fifteen Mist ninja who had used the combined water technique didn't stop either.
Eight positioned themselves in eight different directions, maintaining the flow of chakra with hand seals to sustain the water techniques.
The remaining seven dove directly into the water, launching underwater strikes against Pakura.
The relentless water assaults rapidly extinguished Pakura's protective scorching flame spheres.
The seven hidden ninja emerged from the water one by one, continuing their attacks.
"Guhahaha! Pakura! Nowhere left to run this time!"
Fuguki yanked his massive sword Samehada off his back.
Watching Pakura—now wounded across her body, unable to mount an effective counterattack, barely dodging his onslaught—a surge of sweet vengeance surged through his heart.
He lunged forward, tightening his grip on Samehada as he charged directly at Pakura, dashing across the water's surface.
[Scorch Release: Blazing Torrent]!
As Fuguki closed in, Pakura kicked away two enemy ninja who were launching underwater attacks, exerting great effort.
Then, after forming several hand seals, she slammed both palms onto the water beneath her.
The searing heat began radiating from her palms.
The water beneath her feet roared and boiled, growing hotter with every passing second.
Several Mist ninja who had been ambushing her underwater scrambled to retreat, trying to flee the violently boiling currents.
But two were too slow, consumed by the searing torrent before they could escape.
As they struggled to climb out of the water, their bodies were already covered in painful blisters. They couldn't help but scream out in agony.
Even among the three massive summoned beasts, one vanished into smoke after failing to dodge in time.
The remaining two were also pushed back a distance.
"Using such a large-scale Scorch Release technique—you must be running low on chakra!"
Fuguki Suikazan's grin turned even more sinister as he sprang forward, vaulting across the scalding waters.
In his grasp, Samehada slashed downward toward Pakura's face while she was still forming hand seals.
[Scorch Release: Extremely Steaming Murder!]
Pakura swiftly formed the seals for her signature Scorch Release technique.
With both palms thrust forward, she unleashed a roaring fireball straight at Samehada.
"Hishaa~!"
Samehada shrieked in pain, its ashen-blue surface flaring red.
The blade twisted violently, its many spines rising sharply.
"Soon enough, my beauty, you'll feast on the sweetest chakra yet!"
Fuguki soothed Samehada briefly and, ignoring his already burned arms, continued swinging his blade without pause.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
With powerful, heavy strikes, Fuguki drove Pakura's kunai from her hands within seconds.
Her hands and forearms, having directly collided with Samehada during close combat, were pierced and torn by its spiny surface, now dripping blood.
A large portion of her chakra had already been siphoned away.
Battered by Fuguki's unrelenting assault and harried by multiple Mist ninja, Pakura knew she couldn't match their strength head-on.
She silently prayed for her comrades to arrive soon.
"Ahhh!"
"It's Sunagakure's Wind Release!"
"Dodge it quickly!"
Just as Fuguki was pressing his attack relentlessly, startled cries came from the Mist ninja surrounding him.
The eight Mist ninja stationed around the perimeter to contain the Water Release techniques were suddenly struck by Wind Release attacks.
Thanks to their preparedness, only one was decapitated outright.
The remaining seven managed to evade the ambush, though two sustained minor injuries.
However, their careful control over the Water Release dissolved instantly as their focus shattered.
Most of the advantageous terrain they'd painstakingly created disappeared in an instant.
Seizing Fuguki's brief distraction, Pakura launched her [Scorch Release: Extremely Steaming Murder] directly at Samehada in her hand.
Samehada shrieked wildly from the searing heat.
The scalding temperature traveling up the hilt forced Fuguki to release his grip temporarily.
Twelve Sand shinobi engaged the remaining Mist ninja in direct combat.
Their encirclement formation completely fell apart.
A brutal melee battle erupted.
Now freed from encirclement, Pakura pounced on the chance to strike a disarmed Fuguki, her killing intent surging as she immediately turned defensive into offensive.
Meanwhile, hidden within the town, Kei Yamanaka and Minato Namikaze waited for their moment.
Remaining translation:
Using [Sensor Ninjutsu] combined with the high-flying vision provided by his crows, he had been patiently waiting for the right opportunity.
As the Suna shinobi intentionally began luring the battlefield away,
They brought the Mist shinobi out of that dense forest filled with flowing water.
Several severely injured Mist shinobi and a Suna Jonin, wounded so severely he was nearly incapacitated, were left behind all alone.
Kei Yamanaka and Minato Namikaze immediately realized their chance had arrived.
Three crows carrying the [Flying Thunder God Formula] dived downward from above, flying in a triangular formation under Kei's control.
One dove straight for the injured Suna Jonin, who was no longer able to fight.
The other two: one aimed at the injured Mist shinobi, while the last targeted the falling location of [Samehada].
"[Samehada]!"
Kei's eyes lit up as he eagerly stared at Minato Namikaze.
[Samehada]!
Of the seven legendary blades from Kirigakure, Samehada was the most unique—it was the only living sword.
It could not only absorb an opponent's chakra and transfer it to its wielder, but also store massive amounts of chakra to stimulate cellular regeneration.
If appearance wasn't a concern, the wielder could even fuse with Samehada to become a shark-like hybrid, granting full adaptability to underwater environments and greatly enhancing aquatic combat abilities.
Although originally, it eventually betrayed its user Kisame Hoshigaki, becoming a double agent siding with B, the Jinchuriki of the Eight-Tails.
Under normal circumstances, though, it was extremely effective!
"You really are..."
Minato couldn't bring himself to say no to his dear friend, whose eyes were practically glowing with excitement. He just gave a helpless smile.
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