A Meeting Across the Battlefield

Land of Water battlefield.

Boom!

Crack!

As Shiro's magecraft territory unfolded, blazing flames, thunder, raging winds, and surging torrents appeared across the battlefield one after another—all territory magecraft Shiro had once taught Suzune.

By now, Kirigakure had been beaten nearly to ruin. The only two remaining capable fighters were unable to concentrate because of their burns, and were forced to flee in every direction under the fierce barrage of magecraft attacks!

Compared to them, Shiro looked far more elegant. Ever since he had deployed the territory, his feet had not moved even an inch!

With that contrast, Shiro's presence instantly soared. The ninjas watching from outside the field, whether from Konoha or Kirigakure, were all shaken.

The difference was that what followed for the Konoha ninjas was pride, while for Kirigakure, it was fear.

Not far away, the Mizukage, dressed in a tight combat outfit, watched the scene and clenched his fists. He glanced unwillingly at Shiro, a trace of decisiveness flashing through his eyes, then immediately turned and left.

"Retreat!"

"But Lord Mizukage, those lords are still..."

"Go. They can't be saved. That one is only playing around! We were played!"

After saying that, the Mizukage walked toward the camp with a dark expression. Looking at the magecraft territory on the field, though he did not know exactly what it was, there was no doubt that this was Konoha's arrangement—an arrangement that allowed them to occupy the terrain advantage.

And with that, there was something very fishy about the intelligence they had obtained earlier. Combining all of this, how could the Mizukage not realize that he had been played?

Of course, it was not that he did not want to save the ninjas still left on the field. Though he held misgivings toward these kekkei genkai ninjas, at this