TitoVillar
patreon
JST Chapter 165: The Mizukage’s Gambit
🕑 Added 2025-01-17 23:11:58 +0000 UTCBlack flames burned on the battlefield.
The fuel, naturally, was the bodies of the Kiri-nin, their ninjutsu, their chakra, and the despair and pain that ate away at their bones.
The Tobirama No. 1 Bomb was not designed to cause direct destruction. It was merely a means, specifically modified to spread Amaterasu's fire from its core.
With the Muramasa sword in hand, Kazuki's eyes shone brightly as the edge of his blade became engulfed in scorching black flames.
Unlike other shinobi, Kazuki did not wear the combat uniform of Konoha shinobi. Instead, he wore an old-style plate armor, reminiscent of the Sengoku era.
The armor, a deep crimson red, bore the carved emblem of the Uchiha clan on the shoulders.
Against the backdrop of the flames of Amaterasu, Kazuki's figure moved like a bolt of black and red lightning that cut through the enemy ranks.
Whether it was with forceful sword strikes, slashes that unleashed devastating waves, or precise moves that decapitated, Kazuki danced among his enemies. His combat style flowed from ruthless to subtle, from dominant to elegant.
Each slash Kazuki executed not only took the life of an enemy, but also further spread the black flames to other nearby combatants.
The Third Mizukage, from his position in the rear, watched the scene with a blank mind. All was lost.
Before their eyes, the area cleared by the Kiri-nin had transformed into a black hell, almost completely covered by Amaterasu's flames.
Heart-rending screams, moans, labored breathing, curses, and the crackling of the fire mixed with the nauseating smell of charred flesh, creating a scene worthy of hell.
Although under the protection of Water Release and Earth Release, some Kiri-nin had managed to prevent the baptism of Tobirama No. 1.
However, in combat between armies, the loss rate is an extremely important indicator. When comrades fall one after another, morale and fighting spirit could quickly crumble, quickly turning soldiers into deserters.
At that moment, the Third Mizukage, furious, fixed his gaze on Kazuki, who was in the center of the battlefield, surrounded by figures such as Kisame, Zabuza, Mei, Jinzaburo, and Hizashi.
Even if he was a fool, he now understood that he had fallen into a trap.
Step by step, the Third Mizukage had been led into this ambush.
And the nightmare wasn't over yet. After the Tobirama No. 1 bombs had done their job, Konoha's air units swooped down from the giant mechanical birds.
Powered by ninja tools designed similarly to dragonfly wings, aerial squadrons began reaping the lives of the Kiri-nin on the chaotic battlefield.
With chakra flowing through the wings, the sniper-type ninja tools fired thin needles coated with poison, piercing through the Kiri-nin's bodies.
The sharp sound of needles piercing through the air echoed across the battlefield. Each needle that grazed an enemy's skin triggered the corrosive poison, causing those affected to collapse with their faces blackened and their bodies convulsing.
From a distance, Madara inhaled deeply as he watched Kazuki's figure. In his eyes, he seemed to be seeing a younger version of himself.
"How did he do it? Did he split Amaterasu into several parts and combine it with Explosive Clay?" Madara muttered, as he tried to analyze Tobirama No. 1.
"So, Kazuki must have mastered Kagutsuchi as well. Are those his two Mangekyo techniques?" He continued to muse, his voice barely audible. "Managing to fuse Amaterasu with Explosive Clay... His skill in sealing techniques far exceeds my expectations."
Madara shook his head, visibly thoughtful.
He had believed that perhaps he still had a chance to save Kazuki. If he found himself surrounded by the enemy, he could take advantage of the opportunity to rescue him.
Knowing Kazuki's personality, Madara was sure that, with such a gesture, the latter would listen carefully to his plan for the Eye of the Moon.
In this case, Madara has enough confidence to convince Kazuki...
But without warning, Kazuki had developed his Mangekyo techniques to such a level and had reached such a deep understanding of sealing techniques...
Although a slight disappointment crossed his face, his interest in Kazuki only grew.
'How far can he take Konoha?' he wondered silently.
Kiri, after all, was the weakest of the five great shinobi villages. However, the next ones on the list, Iwagakure and Kumogakure, were much tougher opponents.
Furthermore, these 'bombs' that Kazuki had created were single-use tools.
No matter how skilled he was, his eye power was limited; he couldn't make enough of them to take on the five great villages.
"Kazuki, how far can you go?" Madara whispered with a mix of admiration and curiosity. "I'll be watching you..."
...
[The system has detected intense hatred from the Third Mizukage towards the host. A bond has been established with the target.]
At that very moment, the Third Mizukage finally made his move.
With a burst of chakra, countless ice blades violently erupted from the ground, shooting towards the air forces.
In front of Kazuki, a gigantic ice wall rose like a barrier. With sharp, cutting spikes, it divided the battlefield in two.
The Third Mizukage, displaying unrelenting resolve, decided to abandon part of the Kiri-nin.
Those who had advanced too far and had been hit by the Amaterasu were no longer worth rescuing.
"Retreat! Return to Kiri! We've been ambushed!" he ordered firmly. As he summoned more and more ice walls to slow down Konoha's pursuers, the Mizukage shouted, "Retreat into the water, into the sea!"
From atop the ice wall, Kazuki watched impassively, his gaze fixed on the Third Mizukage. A light smile appeared on his face.
The Mizukage, holding back his rage, returned the defiant glare. Then, with a provocative gesture, he wagged a finger, urging him to follow, before turning and fleeing.
His eyes reflected a deep hatred. "Dare to chase me to the coast, and it will be your end."
...
The Third Mizukage was very decisive.
Faced with adversity on the battlefield, he decided to divide his forces and sacrifice part of them to ensure the survival of the rest.
Only the forces closest to the Third Mizukage had managed to resist the offensive and maintained some combat capability.
However, under the black flames, which looked like a natural disaster, the shinobi's morale plummeted.
One of the elders of the Terumi clan watched the scene in shock. Fortunately, they had decided to stay in the rear, managing to prevent the black flames from causing a large number of casualties among their ranks.
The Kaguya clan was in a similar situation.
When the elders of both clans saw the figures of Jinzaburo and Mei alongside Kazuki, they began to understand why these young promises had decided to join the other side.
This young man from the Uchiha clan was truly formidable.
Despite wanting to lure Kazuki out, the Third Mizukage created an ice barrier on the ground to hinder his advance. The ground was covered in a slippery layer of ice studded with sharp icy spikes. In addition, several ice dragons emerged and fired icy spears towards the air units.
Kiri's troops, led by him, were desperately fleeing towards the coast.
The Kiri-nin believed that if Kazuki pursued them to the coast, there was still a chance to turn this war around.
From behind, exactly as they had expected, Kazuki led the chase, followed by a group of Root elites.
"Even though he may be a cunning Uchiha, he still carries the pride and arrogance of his clan..." the Third Mizukage muttered, looking back and gritting his teeth. "Terumi Mei, Hoshigaki Kisame, Zabuza Momochi, Kaguya Jinzaburo..." he listed angrily. "You traitors of Kirigakure will receive the punishment you deserve! Your greatest mistake was not convincing that damned Uchiha to avoid the coast."
In the eyes of the Third Mizukage, his reputation carries great weight in Kirigakure. In this village surrounded by the sea, he is one of the strongest ninja, and in recent years, Kirigakure has recognized him. Otherwise, with the cruelty of the Blood Mist Village he started, some shinobi would have rebelled long ago...
However, the Third Mizukage was indeed very strong, so strong that the Kirigakure shinobi could only endure it.
Finally, after a controlled chase, both sides reached the coast.
Nearly a hundred speedboats and a dozen heavy ships were floating in the offshore area. These were Kirigakure's special ships.
The Third Mizukage quickly climbed aboard and gave the order to depart. Although his attitude seemed hasty, everything was calculated.
Kazuki looked at this scene with a faint smile and shook his head.
"Stay here. I'll go check how strong the Third Mizukage is. I won't be long."
Kazuki waved his hand, signaling Kisame and others behind him to stay where they were and not move.
"It's very dangerous, Kazuki-sama!" Kisame exclaimed in alarm.
Mei and Zabuza also tried to stop him.
This war had already resulted in a crushing victory.
Kiri's military power had been halved, and overall, it was on the verge of collapse.
Upon returning to the village, simply assigning blame for this war and engaging in infighting would consume an enormous amount of energy, making a new conflict with Konoha nearly impossible.
From a strategic point of view, there was no point in risking a battle in the ocean against the Third Mizukage.
