Hozuki Mangetsu and Kaguya Kawakosuke

Within the vast, boundless forest at the heart of the battlefield, a damp and oppressive atmosphere permeated the air. Thick, intertwined branches and leaves sliced the sunlight into fragmented, dappled spots that fell upon the forest floor.

Several Konoha chunin wore grave expressions, their bodies moving with agile speed as they performed the Body Flicker Technique, stirring up gusts of wind as they retreated at full speed toward their own camp.

Their figures darted between the trees like ghosts, their clothes snapping loudly in the wind.

Close on their heels, refusing to let go, were several Kirigakure ninja.

These Kirigakure ninja moved with equal vigor, their bodies wreathed in faint mist. The mist seemed to serve as their cover, lending their movements an air of mystery and treachery.

Their gazes were cold and sharp, locked onto every move the Konoha chunin made ahead. They did not slow their pace, utilizing the complex terrain of the forest to pursue at breakneck speed, determined to intercept the Konoha shinobi.

"Captain! The Kirigakure pursuers are catching up!"

One of the Konoha chunin looked back and issued a warning.

"Tch, can't we shake them? There's no choice! You all retreat first! I'll stay behind to cover!"

The long-haired chunin drew a kunai and charged backward without hesitation, determined to buy time for his teammates to escape.

"Captain! Damn it, retreat!"

Seeing their captain sacrifice himself to buy them time, the two companions had to suppress the grief in their hearts and quickly withdrew from the area.

"Come on! You Kirigakure bastards! Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere!"

The Konoha chunin quickly formed hand seals, his cheeks puffing out. Immediately, four streams of compressed air flew like bullets toward the Kirigakure ninja behind him.

"Scatter!"

The moment the Kirigakure ninja saw the jutsu, they ordered the squad to disperse.

Squelch! Just as one Kirigakure ninja dodged, the Konoha chunin lunged forward, driving his kunai into the man's heart.

"Got you! You're the first!"

The Konoha chunin grinned, but his smile froze the next instant. The Kirigakure ninja he had killed slowly melted, dissolving into a puddle of water.

"Water Clone? When?"

The Konoha ninja exclaimed in shock, quickly putting distance between himself and the puddle.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Strike!"

The moment the Konoha chunin landed, a bolt of white lightning as thick as an arm shot down from above.

"Ahhh! Damn it! I was careless!"

The Konoha chunin let out a miserable cry. Paralyzed by the lightning strike, he looked at the Kirigakure ninja surrounding him and offered a faint, relieved smile.

"BOOM!"

As the fire flared, the Kirigakure ninja quickly pulled back.

"Using an explosive tag before dying? A pity, the intelligence still wasn't recovered."

The squad leader of the Kirigakure ninja looked at the two Konoha ninja who had already vanished, sighing.

"Captain! The Kaguya Clan and the Hozuki Clan have arrived to provide support!"

Just as the squad leader sighed, a Kirigakure ninja beside him pointed to the six shinobi with distinct appearances approaching from behind.

"Ah, it's our Kirigakure genius Hozuki Mangetsu! And that sickly Kaguya Kotsuke!"

Another Kirigakure ninja nearby pointed at the newcomers and spoke hurriedly.

"Hmph, I heard the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were wiped out by a genin. So they sent Hozuki Mangetsu, who just graduated, to handle this? It's laughable."

The squad leader held the reputation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen in utter contempt. Seven elites wiped out by a single genin, resulting in four dead and three fleeing—it was a total disgrace to the village.

"Move! Shikotsumyaku: Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets!"

One of the Kaguya Clan members approached the squad, shoved several of them aside violently, and fired ten bone-like bullets from his fingertips, aiming straight at a treetop not far ahead.

Clang! Clang! Clang! As the sounds of impact rang out, everyone's gaze turned curiously toward the treetop in the distance!

"I'm curious, how did you find me?"

Uchiha Shisui slowly stepped out from the shadows, sliding his ninja sword back into its scabbard.

"Don't underestimate the geniuses of Kirigakure! Your body blocked the flow of the water mist, and our Hozuki Clan has an extremely keen perception of water."

Hozuki Mangetsu sneered. As he pulled open a scroll and white smoke rose, the ninja sword Hiramekarei appeared in his hand.

"The enemy's chakra is strong, stay alert. And you lot, get out of the way and retreat!"

Hozuki Mangetsu took the opportunity to warn those nearby as he drew his sword. Hearing this, the Kaguya Clan members grew vigilant and began to manifest bone blades from their bodies.

The Kirigakure ninja who had been in pursuit couldn't argue with Hozuki Mangetsu's orders and had no choice but to retreat.

"Trying to slip away? Storm Release: Lightning Sea Phantom Tide!"

The Sharingan manifested in Uchiha Shisui's eyes. The Kirigakure ninja who tried to leave were caught off guard, collapsing in a daze under the combined effect of the genjutsu and the paralysis of the Storm Release.

"Sharingan! It's the Uchiha Clan, don't look into his eyes!"

Drawing on intelligence, Hozuki Mangetsu quickly shouted out a countermeasure.

"I'm going in! Sickly one, provide support!"

With that said, Hozuki Mangetsu's white hair whipped wildly, like silver snakes dancing in a frenzy.

At this moment, he radiated a chilling, razor-sharp aura. He kicked off the ground with force, using the recoil to leap high into the air, his form as agile as a soaring eagle.

Clutching the ninja blade Hiramekarei, excitement and fanaticism flickered in Hozuki Mangetsu's eyes, as if he were about to embark on an unparalleled carnival.

His chest heaved violently, and then, with all his might, he let out a hoarse, desperate roar: "Hiramekarei! Release!"

In an instant, the ninja blade, previously tightly wrapped in layers of bandages, seemed to be awakened by a mysterious and powerful force.

The bandages peeled away like snowflakes, vanishing in the blink of an eye, and the ninja blade Hiramekarei finally revealed its true form.

On its broad, black blade, massive chakra surged and roared like a turbulent blue tide.

The chakra condensed into the shape of a giant hammer, radiating a terrifying power that made one's heart tremble.

Under Hozuki Mangetsu's control, the ninja blade Hiramekarei, carrying this terrifying force of chakra, struck toward Uchiha Shisui like a bolt of black lightning.

The air was instantly compressed by this immense power, emitting a dull, explosive boom, as if space itself were twisting and deforming under the strike.

"This chakra! Not bad at all; it's worth me taking seriously."

Uchiha Shisui sneered, his black hair fluttering behind him. Purple-black chakra immediately surged around his body, rapidly forming a skeletal structure to block the attack from the ninja blade Hiramekarei.

Boom! The moment the attack exploded, Uchiha Shisui was sent flying, and the skeletal structure that had shielded him developed a crack.

"It's not over yet! Underestimate me, and you'll lose!"

Hozuki Mangetsu charged out of the smoke, his ninja blade now transformed into Kabutowari. The axe cleaved down onto the skeleton, and the hammer in his other hand slammed onto the back of the axe. This heavy blow caused the purple-black skeleton to snap, and Uchiha Shisui's defense was easily shattered.

"Shikotsumyaku: Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets!"

The moment the Susanoo was broken, Hozuki Mangetsu utilized the Hydrification Technique, and several bone bullets from behind passed straight through his body, striking toward Uchiha Shisui.

"Clang, clang, clang!"

Relying on the dynamic vision of his Sharingan, Uchiha Shisui quickly drew his long sword to parry. Even as a sneak attack, these projectiles were slowed down, and he naturally neutralized them with ease.