Lin Qing swung his first strike.
Golden Ripple lightning coiled around the blade, illuminating the night and countless faces, allowing people to see one another.
To see...
Who their enemies were.
"Kill!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The Loyalist and Reformist Faction shinobi, who had once been born of the same village, clashed like two powerful currents.
Blood sprayed. The hazy mist was like a sheet of rice paper, streaked with crimson that bloomed into patches like flowering crabapples. The riot of colors blurred the eye.
They had seen this scene countless times in recent years. Not one of them would waver. Everyone standing here today had already made peace with their own resolve.
Mayuri gathered ice in her hands.
She had possessed the Kekkei Genkai, Ice Release, all along. After years of suppressing it, she finally unleashed it, sending vast waves of ice spreading outward into countless sharp senbon.
"Ice Release: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!"
Countless ice needles pierced the Loyalist Faction shinobi, drawing cries of pain.
The Loyalist Faction shinobi weren't pushovers, either. They quickly formed Hand Seals and fired back with ninjutsu. Just as their attack hit Mayuri, she turned into a mass of snakes and scattered.
Hundreds of snakes locked onto the attackers, then sprang from the shadows and tore at their throats.
"Ah—i-it's Orochimaru's jutsu!"
Before the attacker could finish speaking, venom clotted his blood, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud.
Elsewhere, Sasuke and Xiaotao worked together, their Ninja Blades flashing. Now and then, Sasuke used ninjutsu, which Ripple-enhanced, had its power and range boosted to a whole new level, providing suppressive fire.
Zabuza had just cut down a Loyalist Faction shinobi. Seeing how Mayuri, Sasuke, and Xiaotao fought, he froze for a full second.
He'd thought those three were just servants