"Release this damned Earth Release technique. We, the ninja of Kirigakure, won't die buried alive with you." After a fierce battle, one ninja finally lost his patience and roared.
As soon as he spoke, a hundred voices echoed in response.
"Yeah! I'd rather die outside than become food for these poisonous creatures."
"Hurry, open the dirt prison. We can defend ourselves against the poison." This was a ninja from Sunagakure. Having fought against Sanshouo Hanzo's forces during the Second Battle, they had secretly prepared gas masks and were eager to escape a prison that had once been safe but now felt like a death trap.
The Iwagakure ninjas who had been maintaining the dirt prison became confused. Initially trying to save lives, they instead received countless accusations, which made them feel angry and resentful. One Iwa ninja who looked like a commander shouted loudly, "All ninja from Iwagakure, assemble around me! Release the dirt prison. We'll handle the defense ourselves! We're done worrying about the others!"
The once thick earthen walls dissolved into dust, revealing the poison mist visibly creeping closer.
A large number of toxic creatures were exposed to the open air. The uninjured ninja instantly left the prison and began regrouping, while the toxins surged after the fleeing ninjas, scattering them in all directions.
[Water Release: Water Prison Technique!]
The gathered Kiri ninja launched their ninjutsu first. Huge waves spewed from their mouths, quickly forming a giant oval water prison that isolated the poison mist. Once the toxins entered the water prison, they were trapped and at the mercy of the Kiri ninja.
[Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet.]
[Water Release: Cutting Rain.]
[Water Release: Water Gun Technique.]
Ninja from other villages followed their example, using ninjutsu to create new defensive barriers against the poison mist, then launching fierce attacks against the toxins chasing after them. For a while, the Allied Forces began gaining the upper hand and the situation stabilized.
Meanwhile, Rasa, who was serving as commander, didn't notice this scene. While searching for weaknesses in the Four Red Yang Formation, he was shocked to see someone at the barrier and asked in total disbelief, "Third Kazekage? You're among those who trapped us with this barrier? Why?"
Rasa had specifically consulted the Third Kazekage, who had enthusiastically agreed.
The Third Kazekage's expression remained unchanged. "Rasa, even though you've become the Kazekage, your thinking remains so naive. You surely know which village suffered the most during the Third Battle. Even if we win this battle, what do we gain from it? Even if Konoha is destroyed, we gain nothing. It's better to let the other three countries become as weak as we are. That's the right strategy."
Though Rasa understood his reasoning, his face still looked very grim. "But if we're discovered..."
"No one will discover it. Not a single ninja inside here will survive." The Third Kazekage replied unusually coldly, "To ensure the intelligence doesn't leak, I'll kill them all."
"But there are ninja from our own village inside as well?" Rasa could hardly believe these words came from the Third Kazekage—this was completely out of character for him. He seemed like a different man entirely.
"For the sake of the village, their sacrifice was necessary."
The Third Kazekage's expression remained unchanged. "Since you already know my plan, then attack. With your ability, you can easily break through their defenses."
"I'm sorry. I can't do it." Rasa was clearly dazed and unfocused. One blow after another had left him in a state of utter confusion. Just a few days ago, he had been the newly appointed Kazekage full of ambition, one of the commanders of the Four-Nation Coalition. But days later, the allied forces had been utterly routed, and now he was expected to turn his blade against his own people. He couldn't bring himself to do it...
A flicker of contempt passed through the Third Kazekage's eyes. In terms of strength, Rasa had always been at the bottom among the Kage-level ninja. Unless he had the advantage of fighting on his home ground, he couldn't even hold his own against other Kage. As for his mental fortitude, it was even worse.
Sasori had always looked down on him.
"This barrier will be lifted shortly," the Third Kazekage said indifferently. "Since you can't bring yourself to attack, then just return to the village."
Maintaining this barrier required an enormous amount of chakra. Hanzo had been relieved half a day ago, and Kakuzu was nearing his limit. As for Orochimaru, although he hadn't stated it directly, things were clearly not easy for him either. Only Sasori, who had fully absorbed the Ryumyaku energy, still had reserves left.
Rasa opened his mouth, unsure of what to say. After a long pause, he finally managed to utter one word: "Alright."
Inside the barrier, under the combined assault of Anya and Tobirama, two of the greatest Sword Artists, no enemy could withstand even a single strike. After successfully mastering the Control Blade Jutsu, Anya, in pursuit of greater killing speed, once again handed The Supreme Blade to Tobirama. Fighting barehanded, he could easily manipulate enemy weapons for his own use, making his killing efficiency more than one level higher.
Amidst the carnage, Anya began attempting to integrate and synthesize the various sword arts he had mastered, hoping to combine them effectively. Success would elevate his sword techniques to a completely new level—perhaps even surpassing his master.
Surveying his current arsenal of sword techniques, Anya mentally analyzed them.
[Sword Art: Draw Technique — Stored Potential.]
[Dance of the Blade — Rhythm.]
[Breaking the Blade — Destruction.]
[Phantom Sword Art — Stealth Assassination.]
[Hidden Blade Technique — Defense.]
[Lightning Blade Art — Piercing.]
[Sword Manipulation Art — Long-Range Attacks.]
[Control Blade Jutsu — Control.]
Each of these eight sword techniques had its own characteristics and distinct roles. Merging them wouldn't be something achievable overnight. He could only continue killing and look for inspiration along the way.
As he was pondering, the ninja before him was pierced through the heart by Tobirama's blade and collapsed to the ground.
Stealing kills again! Anya inwardly grumbled but then said casually, "Next batch."
Tobirama paused and replied, "There are none left."
"None left? That fast?" Anya asked in slight surprise.
Tobirama confirmed, "There were a total of one hundred and three isolated ninja, and all have been killed. The remaining ones have grouped into defensive formations at the edge of the barrier."
"Hiding like scared turtles?" Anya chuckled. "I wonder, how does Sasori's poison compare with Kekkaijin's Pot of Poison Jutsu? I'm really curious."
"You've even prepared poison techniques?" Tobirama was stunned.
Anya replied calmly, "Preparedness is always wise. To be honest, I didn't expect to actually use it."
With a quick snap of her fingers, Anya sent a signal through the barrier, reaching the Sunagakure defense line. Several Puppet Masters suddenly awakened as if possessed, forming hand seals before pressing their palms together. "Ex... sion!"
"Boom... boom..."
Before the shocked eyes of the surrounding Suna ninja, thousands of hidden puppets suddenly revealed themselves. A deafening roar exploded in their ears, rocking the skies.
The sight of thousands of puppets exploding at once was beyond description—a breathtaking spectacle. The Suna ninja had no time to react before they were completely wiped out. The shockwave swept through the entire defensive perimeter, leaving no one untouched.
However, this wasn't the most terrifying part. Behind the explosion's massive cloud of dust, a new purple mist rose from the puppet wreckage. The mutated toxins absorbed the purple mist, growing increasingly frenzied and uncontrollable. Their bodies changed, skin darkening. Under the influence of the poisonous gas, each one transformed like beasts with gaping bloody mouths, launching themselves toward the surviving Allied Shinobi Forces in an overwhelming wave. The purple mist even covered the entire sky, while black fog swept in from the other side. Seeing this sight, the Allied Forces ninja, who had just recovered from the explosion, felt only dread and despair deep in their hearts.
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