In the dense forest less than five kilometers from the town, Pakura dispelled her Transformation Jutsu, gripping a kunai in each hand.
Crouching slightly, she glared at the dozen Kirigakure shinobi before her, murderous intent radiating from her gaze.
Two blazing spheres of Scorch Release: Extremely Steaming Murder hovered at her sides, their intense heat nullifying much of the effectiveness of the Hidden Mist Jutsu shrouding the area.
At her feet lay the shriveled corpse of a Kirigakure jōnin, long devoid of life.
There were no words exchanged, no threats or taunts.
Fuguki Suikazan, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, merely sneered and signaled to his comrades behind him.
While the plan had not gone perfectly—the entire Sunagakure squad hadn't been lured out, and some of them were likely lying in ambush, waiting to counterattack—taking down Pakura, the core of the Sunagakure force, would ensure the rest of them fell into chaos.
"Water Release: Coordinated Great Exploding Water Wave!"
Under Fuguki Suikazan's command, fifteen Kirigakure shinobi simultaneously launched the Great Exploding Water Wave technique. Torrents of water surged from their mouths, merging into a massive tidal wave powerful enough to submerge everything in its path!
Pakura's eyes flashed as she leapt, darting through the ever-colliding, towering waves, avoiding the relentless water attacks from all sides.
Before she could reposition herself and disrupt their encirclement, three Kirigakure jōnin behind Fuguki Suikazan completed their hand seals.
"Summoning Jutsu: Black-Eyed Giant Crab!"
"Summoning Jutsu: Great Swordfish!"
"Summoning Jutsu: Man-Eating Shark!"
Thick chakra smoke filled the battlefield, revealing three towering summoned beasts that loomed over Pakura menacingly.
Even before the smoke cleared, the three jōnin and their summons launched a coordinated Water Release: Water Bomb Jutsu attack. The enormous, chakra-infused water spheres, each over two meters in diameter, blasted toward Pakura like a relentless artillery barrage.
Meanwhile, the fifteen Kirigakure shinobi continued their assault. Eight of them maintained their chakra output, preventing the water from dissipating, while the remaining seven dived beneath the surface, launching attacks from below.
The overwhelming waves of Water Release attacks quickly extinguished Pakura's rotating Scorch Release fireballs. The submerged shinobi surfaced one after another, striking with precise attacks.
"Guhahaha—Pakura! Let's see where you can run this time!"
Fuguki Suikazan drew his massive sword, Samehada.
Watching Pakura struggle to evade the onslaught, fresh wounds accumulating on her body, he reveled in the satisfaction of impending revenge.
With a swift step, he rode the waves forward, Samehada in hand, charging directly at Pakura.
"Scorch Release: Blazing Heat Current!"
Seeing him close in, Pakura gritted her teeth and forcefully kicked away two submerged shinobi attempting to ambush her. She then slammed her palms onto the water's surface, sending a surge of heat radiating outward.
Within moments, the once-surging waters turned into a boiling inferno.
The hidden Kirigakure shinobi desperately tried to retreat, but two of them were too slow. The scalding water engulfed them, and they surfaced moments later, their bodies covered in burns, wailing in agony.
Even the massive summoned creatures weren't spared—one of them failed to evade in time and vanished into smoke, while the remaining two were forced to retreat.
"You think you have enough chakra to keep up such large-scale Scorch Release attacks?!"
Fuguki Suikazan's grin grew even more menacing as he leaped high, soaring over the boiling waters. Samehada was already mid-swing, aiming straight for Pakura's face.
"Scorch Release: Extremely Steaming Murder!"
Pakura rapidly formed hand seals, releasing a sphere of superheated fire straight at the descending blade.
"Tsssssshhhhh—!"
Samehada shrieked in pain as its gray-blue scales turned red from the heat. The sword wriggled violently, its barbs standing on end in protest.
"Easy, my friend! Soon, you'll feast on the most delicious chakra yet!"
Fuguki Suikazan cooed at his weapon, ignoring the burns forming on his own hands. He continued his relentless assault, swinging the sword with forceful strikes.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Within mere moments, Pakura's kunai were sent flying, her arms bloodied and torn from the sword's serrated barbs. Worse still, her chakra was steadily being drained by Samehada.
Realizing she couldn't win in a direct confrontation, Pakura silently prayed her allies would arrive soon.
"AHH—!!"
"It's Wind Release! Sunagakure reinforcements!"
"Dodge, quick!"
The sudden shouts from the Kirigakure shinobi made Fuguki Suikazan falter for a moment.
The eight shinobi maintaining the battlefield's water flow were abruptly attacked by Wind Release techniques from unseen assailants. Though they had been on guard, one was instantly decapitated, while two others suffered minor wounds. The remaining five managed to evade, but the coordinated attack broke their formation.
Without their chakra control, the artificially created water terrain quickly dissipated.
In that instant, Pakura seized the opportunity. A scorching fireball shot from her hands, striking Samehada directly. The sword howled in pain, thrashing uncontrollably.
The unbearable heat forced Fuguki Suikazan to momentarily release his grip, dropping the blade.
Twelve Sunagakure shinobi charged into battle, engaging the remaining Kirigakure forces. The once-tight formation collapsed, and the battlefield plunged into chaos.
Freed from her encirclement, Pakura's killing intent surged. Seeing Fuguki Suikazan without his weapon, she immediately shifted from defense to offense.
...
Back in the town, Yamanaka Shinno and Namikaze Minato had been patiently waiting for their moment.
Through sensory techniques and the vantage point of crows circling overhead, they had observed the battle unfold.
The moment they saw the Sunagakure forces deliberately pulling the Kirigakure shinobi away from the now-drained forest battlefield, they knew their chance had come.
A few heavily wounded Kirigakure shinobi and a critically injured Sunagakure jōnin had been left behind, isolated.
Yamanaka Shinno and Namikaze Minato exchanged glances.
Three crows, each carrying a Flying Thunder God seal, dove from the sky in a precise formation.
One targeted the incapacitated Sunagakure jōnin.
Another aimed for the injured Kirigakure shinobi.
The last locked onto Samehada, now lying unattended.
"Minato, the sword! Samehada!"
Yamanaka Shinno's eyes gleamed with excitement.
Samehada—the most unique of the Seven Swords of the Mist, and the only one alive.
It could not only devour an opponent's chakra and transfer it to its wielder but also stimulate cellular regeneration and, if one didn't mind the grotesque transformation, merge with its wielder, turning them into an aquatic being for superior water combat.
Although in the original timeline it had betrayed its master Kisame Hoshigaki to join Killer Bee, under normal circumstances, it was an exceptionally powerful weapon.
"You really are something else..."
Minato chuckled at his friend's enthusiasm, unable to refuse his request.
With a flicker of yellow light, he vanished, activating the Flying Thunder God Technique.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
Read more than +100 chapters and support me on Patreon
Patreon(.)com/Jixo