Biwa Juzo Dies!

"Fire Release: Crimson Fire Cannon!" Yei charged forward, forming hand seals. A flicker of fire appeared in his right palm, followed by a millstone-sized fireball trailing flames as it blasted toward his opponent!

This was Way of Destruction No. 31: Crimson Fire Cannon!

"You can use Fire Release too?" Surprise flashed across Biwa Juzo's face again. He could use Fire Release as well?

You're a Hyuga Clan member—did you really have to be this unprofessional?

Wouldn't it be better to properly cultivate your clan's inherited Gentle Fist?

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!" But he reacted quickly, forming hand seals and unleashing a Water Dragon Bullet Technique!

Water Release was the natural counter to Fire Release!

He had thought his Water Dragon Bullet would easily extinguish the other man's Fire Release, but in the next moment, Biwa Juzo witnessed a scene that horrified him. The instant his Water Dragon Bullet touched the fireball, it was blasted apart. Water sprayed in every direction as white steam surged skyward!

Though the fireball had shrunk somewhat, it still charged toward him with undiminished force!

"Damn it! Who do you think you're looking down on?!" Having his Water Release broken by Fire Release made Biwa Juzo feel that Yei was belittling him. His face darkened as though water could drip from it, and he swung the Executioner's Blade, slashing directly at the fireball!

Boom!

The Crimson Fire Cannon collided with the Executioner's Blade, erupting in a thunderous explosion the next instant!

Flames shot into the sky and black smoke billowed. Struck by the sudden blast, Biwa Juzo was sent flying uncontrollably. He crashed through a large tree, skidded across the water for a moment, and only then barely managed to steady himself.

"Damn it!" Biwa Juzo's expression turned completely grim. The power of that Fire Release was actually this great!

His body was covered in burns, charred black in many places. His clothes had also been scorched away by the flames, leaving him in an utterly miserable state.

"You can't escape." Yei's indifferent voice came from behind him. Biwa Juzo was startled and turned around, only to see another Yei charging toward him. "A Shadow Clone?"

Just as he was about to retreat, his body went numb. An electric current traveled across the water and struck him directly, the raging electricity causing his body to stiffen for a moment.

Yei's clone used Chidori Current to spread a bolt of lightning that struck Biwa Juzo. Panting heavily from the immense expenditure, he did not stop moving and shouted, "Lightning Release Seal: Beak Thrust Three Flash!"

Three interconnected beams of lightning bound Biwa Juzo's body. The electricity invaded him once more, stiffening his body and pinning him in place!

Yei's original body was also panting heavily, but he had no intention of letting Biwa Juzo recover. He swiftly charged in like a phantom, lightning raging in his hand and extending into a blade of thunder. "Chidori Sharp Spear!"

"Trying to kill me won't be that easy!" Faced with Yei's assault, Biwa Juzo's sense of danger went wild. But bound as he was, he could no longer evade it.

In this certain-death situation, madness appeared in Biwa Juzo's eyes. Chakra boiled through his body as he formed hand seals and pressed both hands against the water's surface. "Water Release: Water Gun Technique!"

The water suddenly rippled, then a spear-like stream of water condensed and spiraled toward Yei!

"Hmph, a dying struggle!" Yei showed no fear, his speed not slowing in the slightest. Observation Haki sensed the Water Gun's point of attack, and his lightning blade slashed down, cleaving it in two as water splashed everywhere!

Yei then reached a point not far in front of Biwa Juzo without losing speed and swung his sword fiercely in a horizontal slash, severing Biwa Juzo's head!

Blood gushed wildly as Biwa Juzo's head flew into the air, his eyes still filled with utter disbelief. He could not believe that he had actually died here!

Against Yei, who had erupted with all his strength, death was the only path that awaited him!

Biwa Juzo, dead!

Yei panted heavily. The Chakra he had forcibly refined had been exhausted once more, but he showed no weakness. His gaze remained icy as he looked toward Hoshigaki Kisame, who had been watching from the side. "The people of Mist truly are ruthless. You just stood there and watched your former companion die at an enemy's hands?"

When Hoshigaki Kisame looked at Yei, surprise also appeared in his eyes. He had not expected this Hyuga Clan Anbu of Konoha to be so powerful. After erupting repeatedly, he had even killed Biwa Juzo, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

"A rogue ninja has only one ending. As long as he isn't taken away by another ninja village, it makes no difference whose hands he dies by!" Hoshigaki Kisame looked at Yei, his tone somewhat indifferent.

That was the Village of the Bloody Mist's way of doing things.

There was only one fate for ninja who defected and were captured by them: death!

Hoshigaki Kisame looked at Yei and grinned viciously. "Besides, I've achieved my objective. How much Chakra do you have left now?"

"Why don't you try and find out?" Yei sneered without the slightest fear. He swallowed another Soldier Pill and fixed Hoshigaki Kisame with a murderous gaze!

Yei could tell that Hoshigaki Kisame was not as strong as he had been in the original story. He had initially thought it was some sort of disguise, but after hearing Kisame's words, he was now almost certain.

At this stage, Hoshigaki Kisame was definitely nowhere near as strong as in the original story. At most, he was only somewhat stronger than the other Mist Jonin; the gap would not be too great!

However, Hoshigaki Kisame was right. After erupting repeatedly, the Chakra Yei had forcibly refined earlier was already running dry. Even standing had become extremely difficult...

Of course, if he wanted to, he could still continue stimulating his cells to accelerate regeneration and forcibly refine more Chakra!

It was just... whether it was worth it was another question!

After all, this would consume his lifespan...

Now that every culprit behind the attack on Konoha's Border Outpost had died, was there any need to risk his life fighting the people of Mist?

Hoshigaki Kisame narrowed his eyes as he sized Yei up. Before figuring out Yei's condition, he did not rashly make a move. Though he loved battle, he did not think he was a match for Yei, who had killed Biwa Juzo...

At present, he was merely an ordinary Jonin of Mist, and his strength was not particularly great!

In the original story, when he was surrounded by Konoha ninja, he had not even had the courage to fight. After killing several teammates to prevent intelligence from leaking, he fled in panic.

Later, after obtaining Samehada, perhaps because he was especially compatible with it, his talent was fully developed, allowing him to gradually rise to the Kage level...

Yei remained wary of Hoshigaki Kisame and did not make a move. The Byakugan's nearly three-hundred-and-sixty-degree field of vision allowed him to observe everything on the battlefield at once.

His gaze shifted toward Shisui's side...

Over here, Asuma came to Kakashi's side and asked a few simple questions. Upon learning that Kakashi's injuries were not serious and that he had merely overexerted his Chakra, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Now that everyone who attacked the Border Outpost has been killed, what should we do next?"

Kakashi pondered for a moment before saying, "Find a time to leave this place. None of us are in very good condition right now, and Yei has already reached his limit..."

Kakashi looked at Yei and could tell that the Chakra within Yei's body, like his own, was already close to exhaustion...

Asuma looked toward Shisui, who was fighting Suikazan Fuguki, worry in his voice. "Over on Shisui's side..."

"Those eyes of Shisui's should place a huge burden on his body..." Kakashi covered his left eye. He possessed a Sharingan as well and knew how taxing the Sharingan was on a shinobi!

Even if Shisui's eyes were his own, the burden would not be as severe as Kakashi's.

But Shisui's eyes were likely stronger than his own Three-Tomoe Sharingan, so the burden would certainly be even greater. Kakashi had realized this after Shisui saved them from the Exploding Tag blast earlier.

Although Shisui currently held the upper hand against Suikazan Fuguki...

That kind of power had to be putting a considerable strain on Shisui's body. He probably would not be able to keep it up for much longer...