In an era when battles required hand seals, the advantage of ninjutsu that needed none was especially obvious. In truth, Juzo Biwa had died a rather miserable death. Under Yuhara's pressure, he had ultimately failed to use even a single technique.
Unable to form hand seals, and with taijutsu perfectly countered by Yuhara, Juzo Biwa's death could be considered "dying in the line of duty."
Blasted away by Juzo Biwa's final strike, Yuhara traced a perfect parabola through the air before crashing directly into the water. After rolling a long way, he extended his left hand and grabbed the surface as though it were solid ground. His body swung half a circle around his left hand as its axis before finally coming to a stop.
Yuhara did not stand up immediately. He panted violently, then began coughing hard. Several places on his body had already suffered severe burns, and with each breath, droplets of mercury began to seep from the surface of his skin...
Although Yuhara could control metal—in fact, his control could be called comprehensive—controlling metal vapor, with its extreme heat and chaotic fluctuations, was obviously incredibly difficult.
So with a technique that could easily injure its user, it was best not to use it unless absolutely necessary.
Fortunately, he could quickly force the heavy metal out of his body. Once he felt that most of the mercury had been cleared away, the lightning around Yuhara gradually faded, replaced by dark-red patterns... Blood Loss Technique.
After changing modes, the Nature Energy flowing through Yuhara's meridians immediately filled his body. The areas burned by the intense heat began to recover rapidly. However, rather than the effect of Nature Energy, this was more accurately the unique regenerative ability of Jugo's Factor.
While tending to his wounds, Yuhara rose to his feet. Then he reached down and removed Kubikiribōchō, which was still hanging from his waist.
On the other side, Juzo Biwa had already sunk to the bottom of the water. A small patch of the lake had been stained a faint red.
The fierce battle against an elite jonin had consumed a tremendous amount of Yuhara's Chakra. Although most of his techniques consumed very little, high-speed Lightning Release Nintaijutsu clearly did not fall into that category. His Chakra had therefore dropped below thirty percent.
If he kept fighting, he would be shutting down.
Just then, a half-transparent, human-shaped bulge appeared on the water ahead. A moment later, Hozuki Mangetsu's figure emerged once more.
Even though one of their own elite jonin had died, the other two young Mist Village ninjas did not react in the slightest!
What puzzled Yuhara was that his attack had clearly struck Mangetsu just moments ago, so why was the man still so lively? Moreover, perhaps it was only his imagination, but Yuhara felt that the young ninja's body was now more than a size larger than it had been at the beginning.
Could it be...
A Logia-type?
But now was not the time to consider that. Hozuki Mangetsu charged rapidly toward Yuhara, once again swinging the special sword in his hand.
Yuhara was no longer afraid of a head-on collision. If he had been in speed mode just now, then he was undoubtedly in pure power mode now!
Yuhara charged forward as well. He swung Kubikiribōchō in a full arc and brought it down on the chakra-emitting Hiramekarei...
No, "smashed" would probably be more accurate.
Under the force of that violent collision, Kubikiribōchō broke with a crack, while Hozuki Mangetsu was sent flying backward!
Yuhara glanced at the broken sword in his hand. After frowning, he casually tossed it into the water... This piece of junk was even worse than his Cold Plume Blazing Feather.
As for Hozuki Mangetsu, who had been smashed away, he flew even farther than Yuhara had rolled earlier, all the way back to Mei Terumi's side. Just as he finally came to a stop and prepared to attack again, Mei Terumi called out and stopped him.
"Speed and strength, both excellent. His offensive and defensive capabilities are far beyond the elite-jonin level, and his casting speed is especially outrageous. On top of that, he has the unique ability to control mercury...
The enemy should be a Magnet Release Ninja. Hozuki, you can't handle him with your abilities.
Don't get too close to him... I'll finish him with my technique."
By then, Mei Terumi had completed her hand seals. She opened her mouth and began spraying pesticide:
Boiling Release: Clever Mist Technique.
Pale-white mist began spreading from Mei Terumi, shrouding the entire lake. Yuhara instinctively sensed that it was dangerous. Then he watched the plants on the bank rapidly wither, carbonize, and vanish.
Acid mist?
Only then did Yuhara figure out the identities of these two young enemies. If nothing unexpected happened, they were the future Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi, and the elder brother of Hozuki Suigetsu.
Fortunately, both of them were miniature versions. Otherwise, Yuhara really would have died here.
Although this acid-mist technique possessed immense killing power, it was still relatively easy to counter. After seeing Yuhara defeat Juzo Biwa, Mei Terumi had misjudged his intentions. She assumed that a ninja with this level of strength would inevitably seek an opportunity to eliminate their group of Mist Village ninjas... And in a frontal battle, Boiling Release certainly did not fear Yuhara.
However, after witnessing this large-scale attack, Yuhara made a very dignified decision... He turned around and ran.
What a joke. Could any amount of pride be harder than Susanoo? This thing could even melt Susanoo.
Besides, Yuhara felt that his abilities were being slightly countered. After his mercury mist was infiltrated by the acid mist, it seemed even harder to control. Add in his nearly depleted Chakra, and if he did not run now, when would he?
Yuhara's purpose from beginning to end had been to delay the enemy's pursuit, but that objective had already failed from the start. The battle he was fighting here was therefore meaningless.
So by the time the mist covered the entire lake, Yuhara had already fled at full speed.
Not long after charging into the woods, Yuhara discovered the corpse of a Konoha Ninja. The man lay face-down on the ground, his neck twisted at an unnatural angle. He had probably been killed by a single strike from behind.
As Yuhara continued forward, he found more and more corpses. They all shared the same characteristic: each had been killed in one blow.
About fifteen minutes later, Yuhara saw the corpse of the youngest child in the group.
The tiny body of the eleven- or twelve-year-old leaned against a large tree, looking as though he were merely asleep.
Yuhara stopped instinctively. He went to the child, checked his breathing and heartbeat, and confirmed that the boy was truly dead.
The depression in his chest indicated that the child had most likely been struck in the front of the chest by an enemy's staff.
However, just as Yuhara stopped to examine the child's condition, a figure hidden in the darkness spotted him. The person then staggered out.
"Hey, the captain orders you to escort me out of here immediately!"
It was none other than Captain Hayase, who thought rather highly of himself. Clearly, he had realized that Yuhara's strength was far from ordinary.
In response to that order, Yuhara simply turned around and flung out his left arm.
The crystalline Mercury Longsword was flung out at the same time.
The sword severed something. Captain Hayase's body fell forward, but his head was still held steadily in midair by the blade.
"Captain, how do you think this child died?"
"Stop talking. I never want to hear your voice again."
Although Yuhara did not particularly like Konoha, he still could not help doing one good deed for Konoha.
Before you continue