"All Holy Light Clerics, prepare to attack!"
"Priests, activate the city's Light Curtain defenses! Don't let these ninja destroy the people's homes!"
"Yes!"
As the Magic Towers around the city walls flashed, an enormous Light Curtain rose, covering the entire city like an overturned pot.
Hanzō had returned to his ninja forces. His eyes narrowed as he watched the Light Curtain rise. "What kind of barrier is that? How can it cover such a vast area?"
"Lord Hanzō, all the siege equipment is ready," Hakai reported.
"Attack immediately!"
Dozens of ninja carried enormous rocks toward the catapults.
Whoosh, whoosh!
The enormous rocks hurtled toward Corona City and struck the Light Curtain, only to be violently repelled. A faint ripple spread across the Light Curtain before it settled again.
Contempt flashed in Ria's eyes. "Gunners, target their catapults and destroy them," she said coolly.
"Yes! All artillery gunners, adjust your positions! Bearing thirty-five, elevate the barrels twenty-five! Fire!"
Boom! Boom!
Energy rapidly gathered in the barrels, and dozens of balls of light shot out at tremendous speed.
Watching dozens of streaks of light shoot toward them from the sky, Hanzō shouted, "Get out of the way!"
These ninja were all seasoned veterans. Before Hanzō even warned them, those near the catapults had already darted aside.
Boom! Boom!
The balls of light pulled and twisted the enormous catapults, shredding them in an instant.
"Damn it! What kind of weapon is that?"
Looking at the dozens of craters over twenty meters across, Hanzō could not hide his dread.
The other ninja who had dodged breathed sighs of relief. Luckily, they had moved quickly, or there would not even have been whole bodies left.
"All ninja, spread out and attack with ninjutsu!" Hanzō immediately ordered.
"Hmph. Holy machine gunners, get ready!" Ria sneered as she watched the ninja scatter. "Let them get close before firing."
"Water Release: Water Dragon Technique!"
"Water Shield: High-Pressure Water Gun!"
"Water Release: Water Pistol!"
A dazzling array of ninjutsu relentlessly struck the Light Curtain. Under the barrage, the seemingly fragile Light Curtain shook violently.
"Fire!"
Countless chains of light swept toward the ninja in every direction.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
"Argh! Dodge! The Water Formation Wall can't stop them!" A ninja pierced by the points of light endured the pain and shouted a warning to his comrades.
Hanzō watched as the chains of light left every ninja they struck dead or wounded, and the dread in his eyes deepened. Faced with this kind of warfare against non-ninja, even he was helpless. All he could do was rely on each ninja's own experience.
"Damn it! Damn it! If you've got the guts, come out of the city and fight!" Unable to bear the sight of so many ninja killed or wounded, Hanzō roared in fury.
Standing atop the wall, Ria watched Hanzō shouting below, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly. "Fine! I'll grant your wish. Open the gates! First and Second Legions, advance and crush them!"
"All Holy Knights, charge with me!" Axel roared.
As the enormous gates opened, Hanzō immediately regained his composure. "Heh. Too young after all."
"Holy Spear Charge Formation! Charge!"
The Holy Knights surged out of the city like a tide, forming two enormous golden spears that swept toward the surrounding ninja. The ground shook violently along their path. Any ninja even grazed by them was either instantly crushed flat by immense gravity or pierced by the golden spearheads and reduced to a mist of blood.
"Damn you! Don't get so cocky!"
"Water Release: Great Explosion Shockwave!"
An enormous wave crashed toward the Holy Knights with overwhelming force!
"Hold formation! Increase your holy power and keep charging!"
The even larger golden spears swiftly split the enormous wave down the middle. Without slowing, the Holy Knights continued charging into the ninja around them.
As the two golden spears met, they formed an enormous circle, trapping Hanzō and all the Rain Ninja inside.
"Change formation! Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation!"
The enormous circle spun rapidly. Rays of light spread inward from its edges, dividing the clustered Rain Ninja into small groups. Blades of light then shot continuously from those rays.
"Water Shield: Water Formation Wall!"
"Argh! Argh!"
"What is this?"
The Rain Ninja kept crying out in terror.
Watching the surrounded forces being swiftly shredded by the blades of light, Hanzō's expression darkened. "Everyone, put on your masks!" He immediately formed hand seals. "Sansho Poison!"
The giant lizard beneath Hanzō opened its enormous, blood-red maw and spewed a thick cloud of green smoke.
"It's poison! Everyone, scatter immediately and drink your antidote potions!" Axel hurriedly ordered.
A sharp glint flashed through Ria's eyes as she watched the poisonous mist envelop the Holy Knights. "Priests, use the Greater Purification Technique! Disperse that poisonous mist!"
The Priests on the walls raised their Magic Staffs and chanted in unison. An enormous beam of light rapidly formed in the sky and shot into the center of the poisonous mist. A brilliant flash erupted, instantly clearing the green smoke that shrouded the battlefield.
Axel and Rich immediately led the poisoned Holy Knights back beneath the city walls. Although they had antidote potions, the poison was too potent. The potions could barely suppress its spread, and many of the Holy Knights had blood at their lips and purplish-blue faces.
"Priests! Priests! Hurry and heal them!"
Only as halos of light descended upon the Holy Knights did their complexions gradually improve.
Hanzō was horrified to see his deadly poison dispersed by the burst of brilliant light. This was his ultimate trump card, one that had never failed him on the battlefield, yet now it had been dispelled so easily.
He swept his gaze across the battlefield and discovered that more than half his ninja had been lost.
Seeing that the Holy Knights had finally scattered, the surrounding Rain Ninja quickly gathered around Hanzō, all watching the city walls warily.
"Impressive. Truly impressive. You're the most troublesome enemies I've ever faced!" Hanzō praised Ria on the wall, his expression grim.
"Heh. The renowned demigod, Hanzō. You certainly live up to your reputation," Ria said, narrowing her eyes at him.
"Tell me! What exactly are you after?"
"Haha! Our goal is simple. We only want to establish a peaceful, just, powerful, and prosperous nation. As long as Amegakure doesn't obstruct the Holy Church's development, we can coexist peacefully."
"Impossible. What you're doing will inevitably cause a massive split in the Land of Rain," Hanzō immediately rejected her.
"Don't be so absolute just yet. What split are you talking about? The Land of Rain's Daimyo? They aren't even worthy of being our enemies," Ria said disdainfully.
"But they're the Daimyo! The rightful rulers of the country," Hanzō said, his gaze shifting.
Seeing Hanzō hedge, Ria knew there was room to negotiate. It was not that she did not want to wipe out all the Rain Ninja right now, but doing so would mean having to eliminate the Land of Rain's Daimyo as well.
If matters reached that point, the Daimyo of the great nations would certainly not let such a perfect opportunity slip by. The Land of Rain would once again face enemies on every side, and the Holy Church was not yet strong enough to oppose the entire Shinobi World.
"Rulers? Hmph. Are kings, nobles, generals, and ministers born to their stations? No country has an eternal master!"
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