Let Them Go

After arriving in the Land of Water, the Transformation Technique Uchiha Matsuri used consumed a full thirty percent of his own chakra. To maximize the power of his Chakra Scalpel, Uchiha Matsuri had injected a significant amount of his remaining chakra into the blade he had just manifested.

The Earth Release he had used moments ago to block Hozuki Shichigatsu had exhausted his final thirty percent of chakra. Consequently, even if Uchiha Matsuri wanted to activate his Yin Seal, he no longer possessed the chakra required to release it.

At the critical moment, Uchiha Matsuri was pulled from the ground by two people who leaped backward, narrowly dodging Hozuki Shichigatsu's strike.

Uchiha Matsuri looked gratefully at Kushina Uzumaki and Nohara Shin, who had come to his rescue. If these two hadn't noticed him in danger while fighting other Kirigakure ninja and saved him, Uchiha Matsuri would likely be nothing more than a pile of mangled flesh by now.

"Kushina, help me weave the seals!" Uchiha Matsuri glanced at the blood-covered Kushina Uzumaki beside him. She hesitated for a moment, then simply nodded without asking any questions.

"Ninja Art: Yin Seal, Release!"

Uchiha Matsuri's left hand and Kushina Uzumaki's right hand wove through the seals at lightning speed.

The chakra stored over an entire week was released from the Yin Seal. In an instant, Uchiha Matsuri felt his body surge with power.

"Is this... the Yin Seal?" Kushina Uzumaki asked in surprise as she saw black, stripe-like marks emerge on Uchiha Matsuri's forehead.

Uchiha Matsuri did not answer Kushina Uzumaki, but instead ran toward Hozuki Shichigatsu ahead. "Shin, Kushina, cover me."

"Understood," the two replied in unison.

I'll let you see the ninjutsu I copied with my Sharingan, Uchiha Matsuri thought to himself.

Just as Uchiha Matsuri dodged Hozuki Shichigatsu's attack with the assistance of Nohara Shin and Kushina Uzumaki, he quickly wove hand seals.

While weaving the seals, Uchiha Matsuri exchanged a look with Nohara Shin and Kushina Uzumaki, who immediately dodged upon receiving the signal. Seeing them move, Uchiha Matsuri slammed both hands onto the ground.

"Lightning Release: Ground Flash!"

A powerful surge of chakra was released from Uchiha Matsuri's palms, instantly transforming into massive currents of electricity that tore through the earth and the dense water droplets in the thick fog, striking forward at high speed.

Sensing the danger, Hozuki Shichigatsu and the dozen Kirigakure ninja had no time to dodge and were struck by the Lightning Release.

With a thunderous explosion, Uchiha Matsuri and the retreating Kushina Uzumaki and Nohara Shin were blasted away.

The explosion caused buildings within a 500-meter radius to collapse, forcing even Orochimaru and his two opponents to pause their battle for a few seconds.

"Interesting. I didn't expect this brat to unleash such powerful chakra at this moment." Even Orochimaru, who rarely praised others, couldn't help but remark after seeing this Lightning Release technique.

Compared to Uchiha Matsuri and his two companions, who were only blown back by the shockwave, Hozuki Shichigatsu and the dozen Kirigakure ninja at the center of the blast were not so lucky. The explosion killed the dozen ninja instantly, turning the scene into a living hell of gore and carnage.

"I never thought... I would lose to these brats." Hozuki Shichigatsu lay on the ground, his face charred and burnt. The massive explosion had left him severely wounded, rendering him unable to continue the fight.

Cough, cough.

Uchiha Matsuri struggled to his feet. That "Lightning Release: Ground Flash" had consumed more than half of the chakra from his Yin Seal, and its power was no less than a moderately strong ninjutsu used by Orochimaru. For a nine-year-old like Uchiha Matsuri, a technique of this intensity was nearly his limit.

On the main street of Kirigakure.

Hearing the massive explosion a kilometer away, the Third Mizukage felt a sense of dread. When he arrived near the blast site and saw the houses reduced to ruins, the Third Mizukage frowned deeply.

Uchiha Matsuri and his two companions did not lower their guard just because Hozuki Shichigatsu had fallen. Upon seeing the Third Mizukage arrive, Uchiha Matsuri, Kushina Uzumaki, and Nohara Shin immediately became vigilant.

"Everyone, stop!" the Third Mizukage shouted with a dark expression.

Hearing the Third Mizukage's order, Hoshigaki Muyin and Kunshi Bilan, who were engaged with Orochimaru, froze for a moment. Orochimaru seized the opportunity, appearing beside them in a flash and cutting them down before they could react.

"Orochimaru, stop," the Third Mizukage commanded with dissatisfaction.

"You must be the Third Mizukage." After killing the two, Orochimaru smiled faintly at the Third Mizukage.

"Hmph, Orochimaru, I wonder why you have come to our Kirigakure to cause such destruction?" The Third Mizukage stared at Orochimaru and his group with murderous intent.

"Hehe, Mizukage, don't play dumb. We were commissioned by the Land of Grass to eliminate the rogue ninja Kunshi Bilan," Orochimaru said, not yielding an inch in presence. "However, I accidentally discovered a secret."

When he said the word "secret," Orochimaru suddenly turned his head and glared at the Third Mizukage. Feeling guilty, the Third Mizukage involuntarily shifted his gaze after being stared down by Orochimaru.

The atmosphere fell into an eerie silence.

"Lord Mizukage, what should we do with these people?" A masked Kirigakure ninja beside the Mizukage broke the silence.

"Let them go," the Third Mizukage said coldly after a few seconds of thought.

"Huh?" Hearing the Third Mizukage's order, the surrounding Kirigakure ninja were completely bewildered.

Damn it, their home had been smashed to pieces by outsiders, and yet, once their leader arrived, he simply let the perpetrators walk away. No one could accept such a thing.

"Let's go," the Third Mizukage waved his hand and began walking toward the Mizukage's office.

The dozen masked Kirigakure ninja stepped forward to help the dying Hozuki Shichigatsu off the ground and followed the Mizukage as he slowly departed.

Seeing that the Mizukage had no intention of starting a war, Uchiha Matsuri let out a long sigh of relief.

"Let's go," Orochimaru, covered in blood, said to the three of them.

"Yes."

Mizukage's office.

Back in the Mizukage's office, the Third Mizukage slammed his fist against the wall. The dozen Kirigakure ninja behind him knelt on one knee.

"What are you doing?" the Third Mizukage asked irritably.

"Lord Mizukage, those Konoha ninja killed over a dozen of our men and destroyed so many buildings. We just don't understand why you let them leave!" one of the lead ninja among those kneeling questioned indignantly.

"Hmph. Do you think I wanted to let them leave so easily?" the Third Mizukage said, seething with frustration. "But other than letting them go, what else could we have done?"