"The Kazekage Chiron, the Mizukage Yagura, what is the meaning of this!" Onoki's face was ashen as he looked at the two, then scanned his surroundings, discovering that the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, along with Sasori of the Red Sand and other Anbu ninja from Kirigakure and Sunagakure, had surrounded their group. His mood was extremely foul. Anyone capable of becoming a Kage was no simple individual. Each had their own exclusive trump card.
Even if he could restrain Yagura and Chiron, there were eight people in the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and Sasori of the Red Sand. On his side, there were only Kitsuchi and Deidara, and the number of Anbu ninja was also outnumbered by the enemy. In this situation, even if he could escape unscathed, most of the people he brought would likely be unable to leave. This weighed heavily on Onoki's mind.
"What is the meaning of this? Hehe, have you forgotten all those things you yourself have done?" Yagura swung his iron staff, pointing it directly at Onoki's head. His tone was indifferent, yet incredibly arrogant and disdainful. Actually, this couldn't be blamed on Yagura. At this moment, the advantages of timing, geographical position, and popular support all stood on their side. Yagura truly couldn't see how they could lose.
Chiron shook his head. "It seems the Tsuchikage-sama is truly forgetful. Before the succession ceremony, you sent people to attack our forces. After the incident was exposed, you took away the ninja corpses, leaving us with no trail to investigate. What a clumsy method."
Onoki was stunned. When did he ever send people to attack the forces of two Kage? He had no knowledge of this. Yet, looking at the expressions of Chiron and Yagura, he knew this matter was real. But he hadn't done it. He was completely baffled. What on earth was going on.
He looked at Kitsuchi. Kitsuchi looked utterly innocent. I don't know either. Onoki suddenly realized, they had been framed. But now, the deceased ninja had been taken away, leaving no evidence to investigate. No matter how much he explained, he suspected the Mizukage and Kazekage would not believe him.
Even if they did believe him, they would not miss this opportunity to eliminate the Tsuchikage, the most resourceful leader of Iwagakure. The time had come. Today was Onoki's day of death. Onoki now understood the intentions of the two. Originally wanting to explain, upon seeing the mockery in Kazekage Chiron's eyes and the killing intent in Mizukage Yagura's, he swallowed his words.
This scene was observed by Kazekage Chiron, who mocked, "Does the Tsuchikage-sama not wish to explain anymore? Planning to admit to all of this?" He understood Tsuchikage Onoki's current feelings and state of mind. Onoki was not so foolish as to act during the Raikage's succession ceremony. But, so what. He merely wanted to seize the opportunity to push Iwagakure's power down.
This way, the power of their Sunagakure could rise a level. Similarly, Mizukage Yagura of Kirigakure thought the same. The reason he showed full killing intent in front of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen was merely to win their loyalty and boost their determination for revenge.
His goal was the same as Chiron's, to eliminate Iwagakure's effective forces. Afterwards, with Iwagakure's talent withered, leaving only Onoki, how long could he live? Ten years, twenty? Without a suitable successor, Iwagakure could only head downhill.
Frankly speaking, the three Kage present were fully aware of the current situation. Whether it was stated aloud or not was useless. Ultimately, it would come down to a real contest of skill.
"Humph. Enough talk. Let's begin." After assessing the situation clearly, Onoki did not intend to continue wasting words. He only wanted to resolve these two Kage as quickly as possible. Only then could he free his hands to rescue Kitsuchi and Deidara. They were the village's future, Iwagakure's future. They absolutely must not come to harm.
Chiron and Yagura glanced at each other, the corners of their mouths curling upward. Chiron's right hand threw out a puppet that looked ninety percent similar to himself. Five strands of chakra threads shot from his fingers, connecting to his puppet. Chiron's puppet instantly straightened its back, its eyes lighting up as if it had come to life.
Chiron manipulated his puppet to stretch and move its joints, finally looking at Onoki with a smile, giving a slight, not overly polite, bow. Looking at Chiron's puppet, Onoki couldn't help but be taken aback. He felt a lethal threat emanating from this puppet.
Onoki slowly spoke, testing the waters. "A living human puppet."
"Correct." Chiron's smile widened. The method of refining a living human puppet was particularly cruel. It required feeding a living person special medicinal herbs continuously for seven days, then pouring mercury into the living person's body, and placing them into a furnace for smelting. During this process, mercury had to be continuously poured in to ensure the form remained unchanged.
After completion, human skin was applied, hair sewn on, and it was finished. Its strength far surpassed that of ordinary puppets by ten, even a hundred times. Its agility was also no different from a normal person. Later, because this method was too cruel, it was abolished by the Second Kazekage, listed as a forbidden technique, and had not appeared in the ninja world for nearly thirty years. Who would have thought Chiron would bring this thing out today.
Beside him, Yagura was also stunned. He took a sharp breath. The living human puppet, even if controlled by a jonin, would instantly possess Kage-level strength, let alone by Chiron, a veteran Kage-level puppet master. This was simply adding wings to a tiger.
Chiron turned sideways to look at Yagura. "Mizukage-sama, don't just stand there. Take action." He glanced at the Mizukage, his eyes dark and unfathomable, thinking who knows what.
Yagura took a deep breath. Originally, he had intended to save this technique for Konoha, for Uchiha Ryun. Now that Chiron had used a forbidden method, if he remained inactive and slacked off, even if they won this battle, wouldn't he be mocked as a leech riding on others' victory.
Yagura gripped his staff with both hands, then began to spin it. One after another, water mirrors flew out, landing behind everyone present. The next moment, figures of everyone present walked out from the water mirrors, including Onoki.
Only the water mirror clones of Yagura and Chiron did not appear. This was deliberately done by Yagura, also a sign of respect for his companions in this operation.
Yagura began giving orders. "Kill the people of Iwagakure." The next moment, all the water mirror clones moved. Their eyes revealed killing intent as they charged towards the Iwagakure group. Seeing this, Chiron's expression changed slightly. If not for being teammates with Yagura today, in the future, this move alone would likely catch him off guard.
"I never expected Brother Yagura's Water Mirror Technique to be developed to such a degree. Truly admirable." Chiron said sincerely.
Yagura looked at him. "Compared to your living human puppet, it still falls short."
Over these past dozen years, these Kage-level powerhouses would not simply remain stagnant. Because slacking off meant falling behind, and falling behind meant being beaten. Having been beaten for over a decade, would they continue to take a beating.
The Iwagakure ninja, seeing ninja identical to themselves appear with strength comparable to their own, panicked momentarily, hastily meeting the enemy. They were immediately forced back by the calm and composed response of the water mirror clones.
Only later did they gradually find their rhythm, fighting evenly with their clones. However, the copied water mirror clones weren't just of the Iwagakure ninja.
Among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Ringo Ameyuri's mouth curved into a smile. Holding the twin blades Kiba in both hands, she seized an opportunity. One sudden assault, and an Anbu ninja's head was severed. With the original dead, his clone dissipated.
Clone Ringo Ameyuri shook her blades, a mocking look in her eyes, and continued her actions.
Clone Suikazan Fuguki pulled out Samehada and thrust it towards another Iwa-nin who was fighting his clone. Instantly, a suction force came from Samehada, quickly draining the Iwa-nin's chakra until he had no strength left to resist. The Iwa-nin was beheaded by his clone's blade, the clone dissipated. Another dead.
Clone Suikazan Fuguki hoisted Samehada onto his shoulder with a look of helplessness. Samehada made a chittering sound, somewhat excited.
And Yagura felt a stream of chakra flowing towards him. The corner of his mouth lifted. Who would have thought Suikazan Fuguki's clone could act as a power bank. Excellent. In future operations, he must remember to copy one before leaving.
Onoki looked at the two water mirror clones before him with disdain. One was his disciple, the other his son. Their techniques were all taught by him. Was Yagura an idiot, sending these two to fight him.
However, Onoki had forgotten one thing. Deidara rarely used Earth Release. He used his own Explosion Release. The next moment, Clone Kitsuchi used a combination of Rock Fist and the Weighted Rock Technique from the Light-Weight/Heavy-Weight Rock Technique, throwing a punch at Onoki.
Onoki's mouth curved upward. "Good lad, let me test your strength." Usually, during training, Onoki didn't dare hit his son Kitsuchi too hard, afraid of injuring him. His son was also afraid of using too much force and hurting his old father's back. Today, facing a water mirror clone, Onoki could finally gauge his son's true strength.
Onoki threw a punch of his own, merely using Rock Fist Technique, without adding Light-Weight/Heavy-Weight. Two fists collided. Onoki was completely unharmed, while Clone Kitsuchi's fist had returned to its normal shape, though it also wasn't injured.
This made Onoki's eyes light up. That punch just now was his full strength. Don't let this little old man's size fool you. His strength was truly immense. For Clone Kitsuchi to withstand this move without injury to its body already proved it possessed Kage-level strength.
Clone Kitsuchi retreated, preparing to use the Mountain Sand Technique. But this little scheme was seen through by Onoki. "Well, if you really manage to use the Mountain Sand Technique, it would be a bit troublesome. So, goodbye, my clone son." Onoki raised his right hand, a single finger pointing at Clone Kitsuchi. The next moment, a white laser beam instantly shot forth, piercing the water mirror clone's heart.
Splash. Clone Kitsuchi directly turned into a puddle of water, disappearing.
This caused Chiron and Yagura's expressions to change. Instantaneous Particle Style. Who would have thought Onoki had also achieved a breakthrough in his strength. This was instantaneous Particle Style. If the previous Particle Style's drawbacks were its long charging time and small range, making it inferior to Wood Style.
Then now, the Particle Style in Onoki's hands could be said to rival Wood Style. Instantaneous, piercing, unstoppable. Even Chiron and Yagura were extremely wary.
Onoki smiled, looking at Chiron and Yagura, and shot out two fingers. Chiron and Yagura immediately used the Body Flicker Technique. The next moment, two instantaneous white laser beams shot through empty air. "Tsk, knew these two were cunning. Never expected them to be this fast."
The next moment. "Art is an explosion." Clone Deidara threw out nearly a hundred spiders, crawling towards Onoki from different angles. Onoki's face turned pale. He immediately flew up into the air.
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