Unexpected

Facing the siege of five, Yagura finally stopped relying solely on taijutsu and his hooked staff as he had yesterday.

His figure darted through the dense attacks like a ghost, his hooked staff weaving an impenetrable defense, but he was clearly under immense pressure.

"Water Release: Water Pillar!"

Several thick columns of water surged from the ground into the sky, temporarily forcing back the enemies at his flanks and overhead.

But Ranto and Renpo seized the chance and closed in at the same time!

Ranto's heavy fist and Renpo's wind-swift bone dagger sealed off Yagura's retreat.

At that critical moment, a surge of dark-red Chakra abruptly erupted around Yagura's body!

"Bzzzz—!"

The Chakra wrapped around him like tangible flames.

—It was the Three-Tails' Chakra cloak!

Ranto's heavy punch and Renpo's bone dagger struck the Tailed Beast Cloak as though they had hit incomparably resilient rubber.

Most of their force was absorbed and rebounded. Their arms went numb from the shock, and they staggered back repeatedly.

The other three attacks followed close behind, but whether they were heavy kicks or fierce slashes—

when they landed on that dark-red Chakra cloak, they only stirred ripples and could not harm Yagura himself in the slightest!

"Could that be the Tailed Beast Cloak?!"

Although the Kaguya Clan members had heard that Karatachi Yagura was a Jinchuriki, this was their first time fighting such an opponent.

Beneath the Tailed Beast Cloak, Yagura effortlessly neutralized all five of their combined attacks.

Standing where he was, he swept his gaze over the five stunned faces and said calmly, "Do you still wish to continue?"

Ranto looked at the despairing defense covering Yagura's body, then at his panting clansmen beside him, who had exhausted every means yet remained helpless. He shook his head bitterly.

Even with all five joining forces, they could not force their opponent to fight seriously. They had only managed to bring out this strange yet powerful Chakra cloak... The gap between them was simply too great.

"We... lost again," Ranto said dejectedly.

Yagura still did not make things difficult for them. He merely gave them another deep look before turning and leaving, abandoning the Kaguya clansmen to even more conflicted feelings.

Just as the Kaguya Clan's morale sank and panic spread through their hearts after another defeat, a squad of Hidden Mist ninja arrived outside the clan grounds. But they had not come to fight.

They brought a large amount of food, clean drinking water, and a batch of medicinal supplies for treating injuries.

The Hidden Mist chunin leading them called out to the wary Kaguya clansmen:

"By the Mizukage's order, we have delivered these supplies."

"The Mizukage asked me to tell you all that he knows your previous resistance was because he himself had long been controlled by an evil man through an illusion technique, leading him to carry out the 'Blood Mist' policy and persecute bloodline clans."

"This was not his intention, nor was it Hidden Mist's will!"

These words caused quite a commotion among the Kaguya clansmen. Controlled by an illusion technique?

The chunin continued, "Now that the Mizukage has broken free from that control, he is determined to set things right and rebuild Hidden Mist."

"The Mizukage hopes the Kaguya Clan's bravery can be used against enemies beyond our borders, rather than wasted in meaningless internal conflict. He hopes you will... consider this carefully."

After saying that, the Hidden Mist ninja set down the supplies and politely withdrew.

Looking at those life-saving supplies and hearing that unprecedented explanation, the hatred on many Kaguya clansmen's faces began to give way to confusion, contemplation, and a faint glimmer of hope.

Clan Head Ranto and Elder Sho exchanged a glance, each seeing the shock in the other's eyes.

What if... what if all of this was true?

On the third day, when Karatachi Yagura appeared outside the Kaguya Clan Grounds once more, the atmosphere was completely different from the previous two times.

The Kaguya clansmen were still gathered there, but the madness and grim resolve in their eyes had faded.

In their place were deep confusion, exhaustion, and a barely perceptible... anticipation?

After being easily defeated and released twice in a row, coupled with the tangible life-saving supplies they had received the previous night, their ice-like hostility was quietly melting away.

Clan Head Kaguya Ranto and Elder Kaguya Sho spoke quietly for a few moments.

Finally, Ranto took a deep breath and stepped forward. His voice was no longer filled with violence, but carried a complicated heaviness instead.

"Lord Mizukage, our Kaguya Clan may not be able to defeat you. But not everyone in our clan is worthless."

He stepped aside, allowing a figure to slowly emerge from among the clansmen.

It was a white-haired boy with an exceedingly handsome face, though it carried a sickly pallor, as if he had not seen sunlight for years.

His body was slender, as though a gust of wind could blow him over.

His pale green eyes, too, were filled only with calmness and confusion.

He seemed not to know where his life was headed.

"This is the finest bloodline in our clan—Kimimaro."

Ranto introduced him with a trace of his final pride in his voice.

"He possesses a complete Shikotsumyaku. He will represent our clan and fight Lord Mizukage in one final battle!"

The Kaguya Clan did not want their clansmen to be looked down upon either. The battles of the past few days had shown them that they could not defeat Karatachi Yagura no matter what they did.

So they might as well demonstrate their value today.

"Oh?"

Karatachi Yagura was intrigued. He had not expected this generation of the Kaguya Clan to possess someone with a complete Shikotsumyaku.

The moment Shien outside saw the situation, he felt things had gone badly.

"The Kaguya Clan actually brought out Kimimaro. This is going to be troublesome."

As long as Karatachi Yagura was not an idiot, he would definitely recognize Kimimaro's talent.

Trying to claim this person afterward would likely become much more difficult.

"Clan Head, is that the person you were looking for?"

Akabane heard the conversation in the clearing and naturally understood that this was Shien's target.

Shien nodded. Since things had already come to this, they would watch how it unfolded first.

Across from them, Kimimaro had already made his move.

He opened with Shikotsumyaku's Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets!

The first sight of skin and flesh splitting apart as finger bones shot out was quite horrifying.

But once one kept watching, Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets no longer seemed like much.

Ten finger bones shot toward Yagura like high-speed bullets, astonishingly fast!

Yagura swung his hooked staff to block them, only to discover that the finger bones possessed far greater force and speed than Ranto's attacks. He had no choice but to take the fight somewhat more seriously.

At the same time, Kimimaro had already closed in rapidly, sharp bone spikes instantly protruding from his elbows and knees!

"Dance of the Larch!"

His taijutsu was like a dance—elegant yet lethal. His attacks, bristling with grim bone spikes, came down like a raging storm!

A trace of surprise flashed through Yagura's eyes. This boy's strength and talent far exceeded his expectations. With a little cultivation, he would become a fine prospect.

Just as he was about to draw upon more power to respond, an unexpected change occurred!

Several thick wooden vines burst wildly from the ground beneath Yagura's feet without warning.

Like living giant pythons, they instantly coiled around his legs and the arm holding his staff. Their powerful restraint made his movements falter!