Thirty-Eight: Rage, Absolute Violence
"Let's go."
Mingren turned and left.
With Nagato as Akatsuki Organization's trump card, it was not his place to worry.
"..."
Asuka gave a slight nod and swiftly led her people in retreat as well.
In this kind of multi-sided melee, they could bite chunks out of each other's fur for all she cared.
Having been influenced since childhood and having experienced it firsthand, Asuka held no goodwill whatsoever toward Iwagakure, Sunagakure, Konoha, or Akatsuki.
So she did not hesitate in the slightest and intended to withdraw alongside Mingren.
Once they reached a safe area, she would try inviting him to join Amegakure.
Here, experts faced experts.
Pakura had long wanted to test herself against Minato Namikaze, someone of the same era and age.
Both had clawed their way up from the bottom and been promoted by their respective hidden villages as representatives of the younger generation.
So, who was stronger?
Orochimaru, meanwhile, turned his gaze toward Akatsuki.
He truly wanted to see what the three orphans Jiraiya had raised for three years were capable of.
Before the battle began, Konan and Nagato received Yahiko's hand signal and, without the slightest hesitation, led their people away from the open ground and retreated toward the town.
Akatsuki Organization's strength lay in guerrilla warfare.
Using this deserted open ground as a battlefield put them at too great a disadvantage.
Once they reached the streets, Akatsuki Organization could exploit its familiarity with the terrain and divide the enemy, making itself invincible.
That was how they had fought in countless battles, large and small, in the past.
"Don't think you can run!"
Several of Kitsuchi's subordinates shouted and immediately chased after Akatsuki.
After weighing their options, they knew very well whom they could provoke and whom they could not.
Orochimaru, the Yellow Flash, and Pakura were all troublesome opponents.
The main purpose of this mission was to find the culprit behind the Underground Exchange murders. There was no need to fight them head-on.
The four forces each employed their own schemes and methods.
In an instant, no one remained on the open ground.
Watching Akatsuki Organization withdraw toward the busy district, Mingren's eyes filled with gravity.
What was wrong?
Seeing Mingren suddenly stop, Asuka blinked.
Then, he moved, chasing after Akatsuki Organization as well.
"..."
Within the shadow of a tall building.
Hanzo silently watched everything unfold.
He took in everyone's reactions.
The chaotic battle between several forces reminded him of his own experiences during the three Ninja World Wars.
"In the end... they still started fighting at the slightest disagreement..."
And after the fighting, only pain and devastation would remain.
Hanzo shook his head, feeling even more weary inside.
His tolerance for war had reached its limit.
"Perhaps... this Ninja World War really should end."
Hanzo had already decided that, upon returning, he would carefully review Konoha's alliance proposal and bring the Ninja World War to a close as soon as possible.
Not long after...
Boom!!
The flashes and sounds of Ninjutsu and kunai began to light up the night.
Akatsuki Organization successfully retreated into the streets.
They fought as they withdrew, constantly slipping underground or entering tall buildings, concealing themselves through every kind of passageway.
From this scene alone, one could see the combat methods of the future Six Paths of Pain.
The special geographical environment and harsh reality had given rise to these guerrilla tactics.
From a tactical standpoint.
Akatsuki Organization's strategy was entirely correct.
However.
The unease in Mingren's heart rapidly grew.
Because taking advantage of complicated man-made structures and terrain also meant one thing.
Boom!!
When Kitsuchi's female ninja subordinate leaped high into the air and smashed an entire building apart with a punch wrapped in the Rock Fist Technique.
Mingren stopped.
His gaze immediately shifted over.
After the building collapsed.
The female ninja from Iwagakure did not hesitate in the slightest.
She flashed forward and continued pursuing the Akatsuki members who had broken through the smoke and were fighting as they retreated.
"Amakawa Mingren..."
Asuka arrived and stood behind Mingren.
She found him standing completely still.
Following his line of sight.
Asuka saw blood seeping out from beneath the collapsed building...
Before long, the bloody water merged with the rainwater, no longer distinguishable from it.
In that instant, Asuka understood what had happened.
Because she stood behind Mingren, she could only see his back, not his face.
But Asuka could imagine what Amakawa Mingren's expression and gaze looked like.
The cries of battle continued to ring out.
To the ninjas, this was an exhilarating struggle they knew all too well.
Walking the boundary between life and death sent adrenaline rushing through their bodies.
Thus, everyone's eyes gleamed with excitement.
Coupled with all the ideas that had been drilled into them over the years.
No one... cared whether ordinary people lived or died.
The ninjas' exhilarating battle was like an utterly ironic performance.
Mocking the notion that everyone outside their ranks was nothing but vermin.
Just as the female ninja from Iwagakure gave a sharp cry and prepared to throw another punch...
A terrifying power suddenly erupted from Mingren's body.
Asuka's vision blurred.
Mingren vanished.
"Asuka Young Lady!"
Ryu and the other two formed up.
They ran while guarding against the stray projectiles flying in from every direction.
So they had not noticed that Mingren was gone...
Asuka likewise did not respond to her companions.
Instead, she immediately turned to look in the direction where he had disappeared.
Her exceptional dynamic vision adjusted several times.
She quickly caught sight of Mingren.
His rapidly charging body was backed by savage power.
The female ninja from Iwagakure had not even reacted.
Mingren was already before her.
Her eyes widened.
She vaguely felt something strike her thoracic spine.
Then.
A terrifying force erupted from her chest.
Within her vision.
The entire world was moving backward.
As though someone had pressed rewind on a videotape.
The scenery rapidly peeled away and shrank.
Her field of view expanded.
A violent wind howled past her ears.
Combined with the uncontrollable rapid shaking of her vision, the entire world seemed to spin wildly.
In the blink of an eye, her body flew across the street.
She shot from one end of an alley to the other.
At that moment, her expression turned to shock.
Before that expression could fully settle.
The next second.
Mingren appeared before her again.
This time.
She clearly saw the enemy she faced.
Time seemed to slow at that moment.
All sound faded away.
She saw a handsome face.
She also saw a powerful body.
And she saw... those furious eyes burning with Black Fire.
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