Land of Fire, East Coast.
The arrival of Kuriarare Kushimaru and Munashi Jinpachi was undoubtedly a shot in the arm for the four Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist who had been getting battered relentlessly.
As one of the seven ninja blades with the simplest and most direct method of use, [Exploding Blade Shibuki] was also exceptionally destructive and brutal.
Explosive Tags were simple to use and immensely powerful. At close range, their power was no weaker than the advanced Fire Release ninjutsu of an ordinary jonin.
If not for the fact that their explosions could not distinguish friend from foe, Namikaze Minato would never have needed to develop the Rasengan. A stack of Explosive Tags in his hand would have been enough.
After all, with how fragile the human body was, no one could withstand them.
Thus, whenever the Mist Village ninjas fell into a disadvantage, several Explosive Tags would come fluttering in. Amid thunderous explosions, both sides would retreat, regroup, and begin anew.
Neither Jiraiya nor the three enormous toads dared to press forward under the threat of Explosive Tags.
After all, they were here to drive off the enemy, not trade their lives for theirs.
Furthermore, [Nuibari], [Lightning Blade: Kiba], and [Exploding Blade Shibuki] occasionally pulled off excellent combinations. Whether it was an electric net suddenly appearing beneath their feet or a steel wire net covered in Explosive Tags, ordinary Konoha Anbu suffered miserably and would be injured with the slightest lapse in attention.
This made it difficult for the Konoha Anbu and Root's numerical advantage to come into play, leaving the battlefield deadlocked for a time.
The six from Mist Village were happy to see such a stalemate, because their primary goal now was to safely retreat to the Land of Water.
But Konoha's ninjas were