Do you know who's backing them?
On the desolate mountain, the power of Houtu is extremely strong. Just as the power of Water Release is enhanced at sea, the power of Earth Release is also strengthened.
Two squads of elite Stone Ninja approached silently, just as they were about to surround Pakura and Haku.
Haku's expression suddenly changed as he realized that the Stone Ninja was lurking beneath the ground.
"Pakura!"
With a soft, white call, Pakura instantly understood.
She immediately lowered her center of gravity, then leaped up and formed hand Hand Seals, causing several scorching fireballs to appear out of thin air and hover behind her.
After a one-second pause, the fireball streaked through the air and hurtled towards us.
Boom boom boom...
The Scorch Release fireball struck the ground beneath their feet, turning the earth a deep red under the intense heat, and within moments the temperature of the earth's layers rose sharply.
Several Stone Ninja the scorching heat and burst forth from the ground, leaping into the sky.
"Earth Release ·Stone Coffin!"
With the infusion of Earth Element chakra, two tall, thick boulders rose from the ground like two giant hands, then suddenly closed together, determined to crush Pakura, who had nowhere to put his grip in the air, into a meat patty!
Bai's expression changed slightly, but his fingertips moved extremely quickly.
With a few swift movements, her slender hands formed a series of marks, and a wisp of icy silk, radiating coldness, extended and spread infinitely from her white fingertips...
"Ice Release: Ice Prison Technique!"
Bai's eyes narrowed, and he uttered a low shout!
One after another, icicles as thick as an arm rose from the ground, while strands of transparent white ice in the air were magnified infinitely and connected into one.
Finally, a solid, square ice cage locked Pakura inside.
The purpose of the ice prison was not to trap Pakura, but to protect her and withstand the first wave of impact from the two sides of Rock.
Bang!
At that moment, two enormous Rock slammed down, crashing into the ice prison and sending up a shower of shimmering ice fragments.
Earth Release was just a technique the Stone Ninja used to limit Pakura; they never intended to use such a simple technique to defeat Pakura.
Whoosh whoosh!!
Several dark figures seized the Body Flicker Technique to dodge and disperse in all directions.
With a single move, Pakura broke free of the ice prison and escaped, standing shoulder to shoulder with Bai Jian.
When they looked up, they found that two squads of elite Stone Ninja had formed an encirclement, completely surrounding them.
Most importantly, the encirclement wasn't just limited to Pakura and Haku; even Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, was inside!
"Attack!" Han shouted, and white steam erupted from his body, rushing straight towards Pakura and Bai.
His goal was clear: to trap the two of them within the encirclement of the Stone Ninja!
"I'll hold off the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, you figure out a way to break their technique!" Pakura's heart pounded; she had already sensed a conspiracy.
The Stone Ninja squad had ill intentions. Taking advantage of the fact that their attention was focused on the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, they quietly approached. Clearly, the other side had come prepared and seemed to already have a plan to deal with them.
Bai nodded slightly, and the cold air overflowed, weaving into snow-white ice threads, which then gradually condensed into solid ice crystals.
She had prepared Ice Release Secret Technique...
At the same time!
A powerful surge of Earth Element chakra swept in from all directions.
The earth grew heavier and more solid. Eight Stone Ninja occupied the eight directions, their hands clasped in earth seals, and all their faces were tense.
Earth Release: Iron Prison!
Eight Jonin, proficient Jonin Earth Release, used Earth Release Ninjutsu together, causing solid and thick high walls to break through the ground.
The rumbling sound was incessant, and the sky seemed to darken in an instant.
Bai's fingertips trembled; it was too late to unleash his Ice Release Secret Technique.
Click click click!
One by one, the fragments of knowledge broke through the soil, first Jonin the eight Stone Ninja from Pakura and Haku.
The purpose is to prevent the enemy from Teuchi the activation of the Jutsu Formula.
The hardest Rock in the strata protruded and transformed into a square prison!
Pakura and Haku were deeply involved, while the Stone Ninja Jonin's Jutsu Formula, though simple, achieved their intended purpose.
"So that's how it is! This ominous premonition was all about this!" Pakura's expression turned solemn as he raised his hand and flung out a fireball.
Feeling the heat wave rushing towards him, Han paused slightly, turned to the side to create distance from the Scorch Release fireball, and then stomped on the ground, shattering it as he charged forward.
Pakura understood that the most dangerous thing was not the prison that trapped the two of them, but the Five-Tails Jinchuriki who was trapped with them!
In a confined space, a man with superior Taijutsu has more room to maneuver.
Eight Jonin continuously poured chakra into the Earth Release prison, making it as stable as a mountain, Pakura and Haku could not easily break through.
"Hmph, let's see where you two run to!" Han narrowed his eyes slightly, a cold glint in them.
You two girls are still too green to even think about taking over Iwagakure!
Han gave the two no extra time to think. His body, which was flying through the air, suddenly sank, and as he fell to the ground, he once again burst out with a burst of air currents.
The white mist propelled Han's strong body, and his speed suddenly increased dramatically.
Call out!
In the pitch-black, Earth Release is a term used in Chinese fantasy novels, referring to a type of magical artifact or a type of magical artifact) prison, a cluster of white light streaked across the ground, illuminating it like a snow-white arrow. The Han arrow shot straight towards Pakura and Bai like an arrow released from a bow.
"Ice Release: Ice Peak Snow Domain!"
"Scorch Release: Flame Pillar Descending!"
Two sharp shouts, one icy and one fiery, one cold and one hot, intertwined yet remained separate, dividing the cramped earthen cell space in two.
The earth was frozen solid with crackling sounds, but in a short while, a layer of ice as clear as a mirror appeared.
Countless red lights suddenly appeared overhead, the scorching heat dispelled the surrounding chill, atmospheric pressure surged, and scorching air waves rushed in.
As Han stepped onto the ground, about to use the momentum to propel himself forward, his body stiffened. Looking down, he saw a surge of cold air rising from beneath his feet, freezing his soles and even his lower legs.
The ice crystals connecting to the earth continued to spread, seemingly threatening to freeze him completely!
A chill swept through, and Han felt his blood congealing. He feared that in less than a minute, he would be frozen into an ice sculpture.
"Looks like we'll have to get serious!" Han muttered calmly.
Glug glug...
Crimson bubbles floated on Han's body, enveloping his entire body, and a vast, evil aura of chakra emanated from him, sending chills down one's spine.
Glug... Gradually, the blood-red bubbles submerged Han's body, forming a clearly visible Chakra Cloak.
"Oh no, it's Tailed Beast Transformation!" Pakura's pupils shrank sharply. Whether Jinchūriki or not depends on whether they can Complete Tailed Beast Transformation.
The stronger one's ability to control the Tailed Beast, the more power one can obtain from them.
With human intelligence combined with the power of the Tailed Beast, combat strength will increase infinitely!
"Bai, could you..." Pakura turned around, about to speak.
But Bai's face was deathly pale, his forehead was covered in cold sweat, and he was rapidly exhaling white, misty gas.
Clearly, Haku had used up too much chakra by unleashing several high-level Ice Release Secret Technique in succession.
"Damn it," Pakura thought to herself. Only after exchanging blows would she truly understand how fast Han was; her Scorch Release would have a hard time hitting him.
At this point, Haku's Ice Release was needed to restrict Han's movements, but Haku's stamina began to decline sharply, and he would be unable to unleash a large-scale Ice Release Secret Technique for some time to come.
"What should we do..." Pakura frowned, his eyes filled with seriousness as he stared at the Five-Tails Jinchuriki who had broken free of the Frozen Snow Domain and was dodging the pillars of fire that were rushing towards him.
Beneath its crimson Chakra Cloak, five tails swayed in unison, proclaiming its power and status.
"Jet-Propelled Kick!"
A red and white shadow flashed by, delivering a powerful kick that instantly unleashed a fierce hurricane that swept through the cramped earthen cell.
The Scorch Release is suitable for offense, but not for defense.
Bai took a deep breath, squeezing out the little chakra he had left, and flicked out several ice needles with one hand while quickly Hand Seals with the other.
Ice Release: Ice Rock Hall Without End!
Ice crystals condensed into an ice wall as tall as two people, blocking Haku's way, but due to limited chakra, the ice wall he created was not very thick.
With a crisp crack, Han, in his Tailed Beast Transformation, shattered the seemingly solid ice wall with a single kick.
Sparkling ice crystals swirled in the air, shimmering with a faint, fluorescent light.
However, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki's attack showed no signs of abating; a powerful force seemed to have already struck Haku's face, and the wind whipped her hair into disarray...
"..."
The two remained silent, their lips pursed. In this situation, they had no inclination to talk, only exchanging glances.
The two Body Flicker Technique dodged in different directions...
Just then, a powerful kick propelled by steam arrived right in front of them!!
Boom!
A stubborn rock, weathered and worn smooth by wind and rain, was kicked to pieces, scattering fist-sized fragments all over the ground.
The powerful energy spread in all directions, causing the mountains to shake and the earth to tremble.
Although Pakura and Bai were not directly hit by Han's attack, their bodies were blown backward like two kites with broken strings by a fierce hurricane.
The two figures traced a poignant arc in the air before crashing heavily against the earthen prison wall with two loud thuds.
"Cough cough..." Bai wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, supported himself with his hands, and slowly stood up against the stone wall.
On the other hand, Pakura was also in a difficult situation. Although she was stronger than Shiro, she was more adept at offense.
The red-and-black Coat belonged to an organization called Akatsuki, hidden in the Land of Rain— Han knew this.
Han also knew that Akatsuki was a Mercenary organization and they wouldn't attack Iwagakure without a reason.
The atmosphere was oppressive, with only heavy breathing.
A moment later, Han removed his Chakra Cloak and broke the silence, "Tell me, who sent you!"
However, all he received in response were two cold stares.
Han frowned. It seemed impossible to easily extract information from him. The thought flashed through his mind, and he had already made up his mind.
Let's arrest these two and take them back first!
Buzz!
Steam overflowed, enveloping the entire body.
Han's body hunched slightly, and with a swift leap, he charged straight at Bai, whose face was devoid of color. The attack of the Scorch Release was too dangerous; it could almost be said to be fatal in one strike.
Especially in the face of death and despair, Han, as a veteran Kage-level, has an incredibly wealth of experience, and he doesn't want to capsize in a ditch.
Therefore, Han chose to take down the Ice Release ninja, who posed less of a threat, first.
A punch imbued with steam tore through the air; the distance between Han and Bai was no more than five steps, and the beautiful muscles on Han's arms strained against his armor.
A powerful punch slammed into Bai's face!
Click click click...
At the last moment, Bai didn't want to surrender easily, especially since if that punch landed head-on, he would probably die even if he didn't!
The thin wall of ice looked like it was made of paper, giving people a feeling of weakness and powerlessness.
The heavy punch landed, and the ice wall shattered with a crack, offering no resistance whatsoever.
He still has chakra to use Ice Release? It seems that kick just now didn't hit him head-on! Han's eyes darkened, and he secretly increased the force of his arm!
Bang!
With a single punch, he smashed the stone wall, sending fragments of rock flying everywhere.
"What?" Han abruptly pulled his fist, which was embedded in the stone wall, and quickly turned around, his sharp, eagle-like eyes scanning the surroundings.
That shouldn't be! She was clearly seriously injured, how could she have dodged that punch?!
Inside the cramped earthen cell, a strange Black Vortex spun slowly. The seemingly slow-moving cave was actually expanding extremely fast, gradually growing from the size of a thumb to more than two people high.
A cold and noble white figure walked out with elegant steps.
The girl who just disappeared is in that guy's arms!
"Don't move!" Tōka pressed down on Bai, who was struggling to get down, and freed one hand, a faint Green Light flashing in his palm.
Yang Release represents the power of the physical body; the art of Yang Release can infuse life into a physical form.
Tōka's palm landed on Bai's shoulder, and the green life force was infused into her, gradually giving her pale face a healthy blush.
After doing all this, Tōka let go, and Bai landed smoothly...
"It's you!" At this moment, Han recognized the person who had just arrived—this was the mysterious man from back then! "Where is Deidara?!"
Han had been feeling guilty for not protecting Deidara, and now, upon seeing Tōka again, his endless guilt had turned into anger.
Tōka coldly scrutinized the Five-Tails Jinchuriki; after several years, the other party's strength had increased considerably.
It seems he still harbors resentment over the Deidara incident, and has been diligently training all these years, instead of succumbing to despair and giving up on himself.
A strong person needs not only great strength, but also a strong heart.
Grow in adversity, persevere through setbacks.
Han was indeed a formidable opponent!
But...
"Do you know who's protecting them?" Ice Blue light flickered in Tōka's eyes, his tone unusually chilling.
If they had arrived any later, Bai might have ended up like that shattered stone wall, reduced to nothing but ashes!
Thinking about this, Tōka felt terrible; her rarely fluctuating emotions were now churning like boiling water.
Anger surged to his brows, and even in his cold eyes, a flicker of fire could be seen.
"I know you're from Akatsuki Organization!" The Third Tsuchikage had previously been in contact with Akatsuki Organization and had even hired Sasori and Kakuzu.
As the Five-Tails Jinchuriki of Iwagakure, Han knew some of the inside story.
Unfortunately, his answer was wrong.
Tōka chuckled in exasperation, a forced smile creeping onto his lips. "You're right, we are indeed members of the Akatsuki Organization."
But...
"Those two are under my protection!"
"It's protected by Ōtsutsuki Tōka!"