Karatachi Yagura laughed again, this time wider.
He raised his short stick and assumed an offensive stance, and then his body moved, as fast as an undercurrent in the water, silent, but with a ferocity that wanted to sweep everything away.
Two people fighting together.
Mitokado Homura's knife skills are calm and sophisticated. Each knife has been polished for decades. There are no unnecessary movements or fancy techniques. Every knife goes to the vital point.
Karatachi Yagura's stick technique is flexible and changeable. Sometimes it is on the left, sometimes on the right, sometimes it hits from above, sometimes it sweeps from the side, making it difficult for people to guard against it.
The figures of the two people were entangled on the beach, the light of the sword and the shadow of the stick intertwined. The surrounding ninjas, whether they were Konoha or Kirigakure, did not dare to get close.
That was no longer an ordinary battle, it was two masters competing with their own lives.
But Mitokado Homura knows that he can't hold on for long. It's not because he can't defeat Karatachi Yagura, it's because his troops can't hold on anymore.
On the beach, Kirigakure's ninjas have established a firm foothold. Their formation is like a fan, spreading out to both sides from the landing point, squeezing Konoha's defense line to both sides.
Konoha's ninjas are retreating, not escaping, but being pushed back.
Every step back leaves a few bodies behind.
Among those corpses were Kirigakure and Konoha.
Among Konoha's corpses, there were many children wearing brand new uniforms that were several sizes too big, Ninja Academy's children who had just graduated.
Mitokado Homura glanced at the battlefield between fights and saw the bodies of those children.
They were lying on the beach, in the sea, and in a pool of blood.
Some people still had their eyes open and looked at the sky, as if they hadn't realized what was happening.
Some people still hold Kunai in their hands, but their arms have been cut off, and Kunai is stuck in the sand, like a small tombstone.
His heart sank.
On the battlefield, Fugaku led Uchiha Clan's men to guard the weakest section of the defense line.
There are the fewest Konoha Ninjas there, and the strongest Kirigakure attacks. If this line of defense is breached, the entire Konoha position will be cut in half.
Fugaku stood at the front, the short knife in his hand had been curled, and the rope on the handle was soaked with blood. It was so slippery that he couldn't hold it tightly.
Behind him, the corpses of Uchiha tribesmen were lying on the ground.
Fugaku didn't look back at the corpses. He just stood there, blocking the front line of defense, slashing and killing one after another.
His sword skills are not as sharp as Shaoyu, nor as elegant as Shisui.
A Kirigakure jounin rushed up, Fugaku sided to avoid his Kunai, and slashed his throat with a backhand knife.
Blood spurted out and splashed on Fugaku's face, which was hot and fishy.
He didn't wipe it, just turned his head and looked at the next enemy rushing up.
The battlefield fell into a stalemate.
Mitokado Homura and Karatachi Yagura were still fighting, and their knives and sticks collided with each other, making a dull sound.
Both of them were covered in paint. Mitokado Homura's left arm was struck by a short stick and became so swollen that he couldn't even lift it.
Karatachi Yagura's forehead was cut with a knife, and blood flowed from his eyebrow bone, covering his left eye. However, he did not wipe it, but gritted his teeth and continued to hit.
On the beach, the ninjas Konoha and Kirigakure were fighting together, and they couldn't tell who was who.
There were flashes of Kunai and Shuriken everywhere, the roar of ninjutsu explosions, and shouts of death and screams everywhere.
The sea water was dyed red with blood, and it surged up to the beach in waves, and then receded in waves, taking away some blood and leaving behind some bodies.
Konoha's line of defense is still there, but it's as thin as a piece of paper.
The two thousand troops have suffered nearly 500 casualties.
Most of those casualties were Ninja Academy children who had just graduated.
Their bodies were lying on the beach, in the sea, and in a pool of blood. Some people still had their eyes open, some had them closed, and some were still crying, quietly and intermittently.
Fugaku Standing at the front of the defense line, he has already changed two knives, and this one is about to be sharpened.
His body was covered in blood, and he couldn't tell whether it was his own or the enemy's.
His left shoulder was stabbed by Kunai, and blood was still oozing from the wound, but he had no time to care.
Behind him, there were several more corpses of Uchiha tribesmen.
A jounin was hit by Kirigakure's ninjutsu, and his whole body was burned to charcoal.
Two Chunin were pierced by the enemy's Kunai and fell to the sand. They still held the knife in their hands, but they no longer had the strength to lift it up.
Fugaku gritted his teeth and chopped down another Kirigakure Ninja that rushed up.
Fugaku's knife chopped down another Kirigakure Chunin. The blade penetrated the opponent's collarbone and got stuck in the chest, making it impossible to pull it out.
He released the handle of the knife, leaving the curled short knife inside the enemy's body, and reached for the last spare knife at his waist.
His fingers touched the handle of the knife but did not hold it.
A cold killing intent struck from the left, as fast as a poisonous snake coming out of its hole.
Fugaku's body instinctively turned to the right, but his left shoulder had been stabbed and his movement was half a beat slow.
The Kunai scratched across his ribs, scratching his clothes and skin, leaving a shallow blood mark.
If he hadn't deflected that moment, the knife would have penetrated his kidney directly.
Fugaku took a step back and finally pulled out the last knife.
It was a very short knife, not much longer than a dagger. The handle was wrapped with a black rope. The rope was soaked with sweat and felt greasy in the hand.
He raised his head and looked at the person who sneaked up on him.
It was a Kirigakure elite Jonin, with a thin body, wearing a dark blue tights, with a face covering on his face, only revealing a pair of narrow eyes.
He held two Kunais in his hands. The blades of the Kunai glowed dark red in the sunset, as if they were coated with poison.
He stood in front of Fugaku, tilted his head and looked at Fugaku, and raised the corners of his mouth slightly.
"Uchiha Fugaku." His voice was hoarse, like a snake spitting messages, "Long time I admire you."
Fugaku didn't speak. He just clenched the knife and stared into those eyes.
His body was already very tired, blood was still oozing from the wound on his left shoulder, and he could hardly lift his entire left arm. But he could not retreat.
He retreated, and the line of defense behind him was broken.
Once the defense line is broken, Kirigakure's people can rush in through the gap and cut Konoha's position in half. By then, everyone will die.
Kirigakure jounin moved.
His speed was astonishingly fast. Two Kunais were flying in his hands, like two butterflies, but the wings of each butterfly were colored with the color of death.
Fugaku raised his knife to block, and there were three crisp sounds and three strings of sparks. His wrist was numb from the shock, and he almost lost his grip on the dagger.
That elite Jonin Taijutsu is stronger than those before, much stronger.
Every stab he strikes is fast and hard, and the angle is so tricky that it's hard to guard against it.