Orochimaru watched the explosion before him with great interest.
Uzumaki Ashina was the First Uzukage. He wasn't someone who could be taken down easily.
Hozuki Gensei held the Twin Blades Hiramekarei in his hands.
He stared at the blast site as the smoke gradually cleared, revealing the scorched earth.
With an excited, self-satisfied murmur, he said, "The Uzukage of the Land of Whirlpools really is just a small-country leader. A slight press is all it takes to bury him in the dirt.
"The Twin Blades Hiramekarei are simply too powerful. I love this kind of force. Of the Seven Ninja Swords, mine is the strongest."
Beneath the earth, Uzumaki Ashina was covered in soil, with Adamantine Chains wrapped around him. The damage had been reduced to a minimum. It was time to get out and finish the fight. He formed Hand Seals.
"Earth Style: Subterranean Voyage."
The rocks deep underground turned to mud and sand, carrying him swiftly forward as he sensed his opponent's chakra.
There he was. He moved straight up.
Standing above him, Hozuki Gensei let out a triumphant, hearty laugh.
That was exactly the moment Uzumaki Ashina had been waiting for. Just as his son had dealt with Hozuki Gensei last time, his opponent had let his guard down, leaving him open to an attack from below.
He'd enjoy the same trick one more time. He formed Hand Seals.
"Sealing Technique: Five Elements Seal."
The ground split open, and Uzumaki Ashina leaped out.
The Five Elements Seal rushed toward Hozuki Gensei.
Hozuki Gensei saw Uzumaki Ashina burst out of the ground beneath him and hurriedly raised the Twin Blades Hiramekarei to block his attack.
Uzumaki Ashina's Five Elements Seal landed squarely on the Twin Blades Hiramekarei. Sealing Runes spread across the blades.
Seeing the same technique again, Hozuki Gensei's face twisted in fury. What was going on?
Hadn't I reduced Uzumaki Ashina to nothing but scraps?
Why had I fallen for the same trick from our last fight again? As the Sealing Jutsu began creeping up his arm once more, he formed a Hand Seal with one hand.
"Summoning Technique: Release the Twin Blades Hiramekarei!"
With a poof,
the blades vanished from his hands.
When Uzumaki Ashina saw the weapon disappear, he knew a once-in-a-lifetime opening had presented itself.
He charged his fist with fire-nature chakra, then struck Hozuki Gensei with a wave of scorching heat.
Hozuki Gensei couldn't dodge. He could only use the secret technique passed down through his family.
"Hydrification Technique!"
His entire body turned into a puddle of water.
But Uzumaki Ashina's fist was brimming with fire-nature chakra, so Hozuki Gensei could only try to evade it.
In an instant, he escaped the spot and leaped away several times in succession.
He dropped to one knee, panting, and spat out a mouthful of blood.
His breathing gradually steadied. His face was twisted into a grimace, like an evil spirit's.
He glared at Uzumaki Ashina. His body had been scorched by the fire-nature chakra, and his strength had clearly diminished. All he could do was buy time. He formed Hand Seals.
"Water Style: Hidden Mist Technique."
Kirigakure's signature technique. Dense mist burst from Hozuki Gensei, growing thicker and thicker until his vision blurred.
The dense mist blocked the way to the Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals.
Uzumaki Ashina leaped back to Jiraiya's side.
Tsunade was treating her injured thigh. Kaguya Majen immediately charged forward, eager to end the fight.
As Kaguya Majen charged, Jiraiya formed Hand Seals nearby.
"Wild Lion's Mane Technique!"
Chakra gathered, and Jiraiya's silver hair rapidly spread out.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
It surged toward Kaguya Majen in the shape of a lion and coiled around him. His steps faltered.
It worked! The Wild Lion's Mane Technique had pinned him in place. Jiraiya had finally managed to restrain his opponent.
Jiraiya secretly rejoiced.
The Wild Lion's Mane Technique was powerful enough to slice his opponent to pieces. But when Jiraiya increased its force, nothing happened.
Under the intense cutting attack, Kaguya Majen covered his entire body in bone.
He used it to block the Wild Lion's Mane Technique.
As the pressure increased, Kaguya Kenma could only unleash a massive amount of chakra. Bone swords pierced through his Exoskeleton and burst through Jiraiya's silver hair.
"Dance of the Larch!"
He spun rapidly once more, and the Wild Lion's Mane Technique was completely broken.
Freed from the technique, Kaguya Majen didn't charge at Tsunade. Instead, he went after Jiraiya.
The Kaguya Clan lived for battle.
When Jiraiya saw him charging over, he formed Hand Seals.
"Fire Style: Great Flame Bomb!"
He transformed chakra into oil, mixed it with fire-nature chakra in his mouth, and spat out a huge fireball at his opponent.
The Great Flame Bomb flew straight at Kaguya Majen.
Kaguya Majen made no attempt to dodge. Wrapped in Exoskeleton, he charged directly into the fireball. It burst apart around him.
Kaguya Majen wasn't slowed in the slightest. He kept charging at Jiraiya. Seeing how formidable his opponent was in Taijutsu, Jiraiya formed Hand Seals.
"Toad Oil Bomb!"
He converted chakra into oil and sprayed his opponent with it.
Toad Oil was sticky and could slow Kaguya Majen down. When he was splattered with it, he immediately felt humiliated.
"Shikotsumyaku: Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets!"
He raised a hand from a distance and pointed at Jiraiya. The bones in his ten fingers shot toward him like bullets.
Seeing the bone bullets aimed at him, Jiraiya immediately retracted the Wild Lion's Mane Technique he had just used, coiling it around himself for protection.
The bone bullets struck his silver hair but didn't pierce through. He let out a sigh of relief.
Then he took off running, his feet barely touching the ground, and kept glancing back to see if his opponent was following.
Kaguya Majen was too strong, and Hozuki Gensei was injured.
As long as his opponent followed him, his three teammates could take him down. Jiraiya realized he really was clever.
To the south.
Uzumaki Jiro stared ahead. To his left stood a furious Raiga Kurosuki, and to his right, Jinin Akebino watched him like a predator.
Seeing the two men closing in from either side, Uzumaki Jiro smiled bitterly to himself. Uzumaki Sasuke, you'd better hurry back and help.
Raiga Kurosuki glanced at Jinin Akebino, who immediately understood. Raiga Kurosuki charged Uzumaki Jiro from the left, forming Hand Seals.
"Lightning Style: Thunder Ball!"
The lightning stored in Thunder Blade Kiba formed a sphere that could automatically attack its target. It circled around Raiga Kurosuki.
He swung both blades at Uzumaki Jiro. Realizing that his kunai would conduct electricity and couldn't block the attack, Uzumaki Jiro hurled it at Raiga Kurosuki to buy time, then formed Hand Seals.
"Earth Style: Rock Fist Technique!"
The earth rose along with his chakra and covered his fist, forming a solid rock gauntlet. He slammed it hard into Raiga Kurosuki.
Raiga Kurosuki blocked with Thunder Blade Kiba, but the strengthened rock fist sent him flying. In that instant, Jinin Akebino, on the right,
raised Kabutowari and brought the great sword down on Uzumaki Jiro. Unable to dodge, he could only block with his Rock Fist.
The Rock Fist collided with the sword and successfully blocked it.
Before he could react, Jinin Akebino grabbed the hammer attached to the other end of the sword and slammed it against the blade.
The Rock Fist couldn't withstand the blow and was sliced apart. Uzumaki Jiro hurriedly pulled his arm out of it.
He leaped backward at once, but Raiga Kurosuki was already waiting behind him. Raiga formed Hand Seals.
"Ninja Art: Thunder Blade Kiba Rotation!"
He controlled Thunder Blade Kiba from a distance, spinning the two blades rapidly through the air. They shot straight toward Uzumaki Jiro's back.
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