93 Chapter 93

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In the ninja world, the renown of Kage-level ninjas had long been established. While their strengths may vary, their combat experience and sixth sense were unparalleled.

With a determined look in his eyes, Ebizo swiftly pulled his hands apart again, and ten puppets quickly formed a defensive circle.

Secret Technique: Ten Directions Barrier!

Simultaneously, the chakra within Ebizo surged wildly, flowing into the puppets along chakra lines, activating the sealing jutsu within.

As one of the puppets possess the "Absorption Seal" and alongside the puppet sealing technique were 10 puppets that means it was stronger and wider making it capable of withstanding big attacks.

But gf Chiyo were here, relying on the exceptionally robust bodies of the Ten Puppets, such complications wouldn't be necessary, nor would such extensive consumption.

But Ebizo's Ten Blackguards were merely reinforced replicas; the puppets weren't sturdy, so he had to find other ways to compensate.

Just as Ebizo set up his defense, Kyomu's attack arrived.

Purple Blade: Flowing Fireflies!

With the Scorch Release enhancing Kyomu's sword speed and explosive power many times beyond his normal limits, a purple blaze erupted.

The Black Flames of Amaterasu? Puff.

Indeed powerful, but before the purple flames burned out, any living being within a two-hundred-meter radius of the purple blaze would be incinerated without exception!

Swift and devastating, such was the purpose of the purple flames' existence.

If Kyomu wished, he could prefix "Secret Technique" to the name of his moves; it wouldn't be inappropriate at all.

Swish!~

The sky lit up instantly, and the earth dried up into a desolate wasteland in an instant. Everything in its path turned to charred remains, melted away, and dissipated into nothingness.

Under the assault of an attack hotter than the surface of the sun, all were equal.

Except Kyomu, he was an exception; he remained unaffected.

Not because his body was particularly strong, but thanks to the properties of Yoei, capable of cutting through all chakra-based attacks.

In the blink of an eye, the attack reached Ebizo's position, crashing fiercely onto his ten puppets.

Boom!

Flames surged and boiled, and the air around seemed to evaporate and burst, rapidly spreading its heat.

As this Purple Blade: Flowing Fireflies collided with obstacles its energy explosively dispersed over a short distance.

There was no mushroom cloud, only a rising purple sun, gradually changing color from purple to orange before disappearing into the sky.

During this process, the surroundings inexplicably brightened, illuminating everything within a four-kilometer radius as if it were daytime.

As for Ebizo at the center of the explosion, whether he lived or died, whether there were any traces left, Kyomu didn't know.

But he knew he wasn't feeling well.

Initially, Yoei's protection perfectly blocked the surge of chakra from the Scorch Release during the initial Purple Blade: Flowing Fireflies. However, the subsequent burst of heat waves posed a problem, causing Kyomu some discomfort.

Moreover, this time was different from the last; previously, there were no obstacles to encounter, and the second wave of heat attack exploded after flying far away. But now, Ebizo obstructed it, causing the secondary damage to erupt prematurely.

Fortunately, Kyomu had foresight; with lightning chakra enveloping his body, he consecutively used the Body Flicker Technique while leaving behind a series of Shadow Clones as a buffer in the direction of retreat.

The aftermath continued for nearly ten seconds, and the artificial sun in the sky lasted about the same time before quietly disappearing into the clouds.

Night returned, bringing back darkness and tranquility.

"It seems that after being blocked, the subsequent damage from the shockwaves will be significantly reduced," Kyomu summed up, brushing off his singed hair.

"And some moves are too indiscriminate; it's better to use them sparingly until my strength grows, still they're quite handy against aerial targets."

Reviewing the pros and cons, Kyomu, amidst the lingering heat waves, approached the center of the explosion, hoping to find out if Ebizo had left anything behind.

Crack.

As he stepped forward, Kyomu looked down. "These are Ebizo's puppet remnants, and almost all ten puppets are here."

Pressing a hand on his sword's hilt, Kyomu remained vigilant. He feared Ebizo might not be dead and could suddenly launch a surprise attack.

However, after a quick scan, Kyomu found no trace of Ebizo's presence.

Furrowing his brow, Kyomu couldn't quite understand. "High temperature doesn't equate to shockwaves; its most insidious aspect is its ability to transmit and spread heat, even behind a barrier, one would still end up roasted like charcoal."

Pulling out Yoei, Kyomu stabbed downward.

Empty.

"Old man, your cunning mind!" Kyomu cursed inwardly, then swiftly clapped his hand into the seals and slammed it onto the ground.

Earth Release: Earth Splitting Palm!

Rumbling, the ground before him cracked and collapsed, revealing a massive cavity, deep and dark.

"To be able to carve out a passage in such a short time, hiding underground to evade the heat, you truly deserve your reputation as a seasoned Kage-level ninja with remarkable combat reflexes."

Kyomu wasn't resentful; instead, he admired Ebizo's adaptability. At the same time, he gained a clearer understanding of the strength of Kage-level ninjas.

"There's truly no perfect ninjutsu, only people who can't find the loopholes." Kyomu stood straight, sheathing his sword. "But rest assured, next time you think of tunneling to escape the heat underground, that won't be possible."

Turning around, Kyomu disappeared into the darkness.

This chase and escape game wasn't over yet, and the roles had reversed; now, it was his turn to be the hunter.

Sunagakure, be on your guard!

I'm coming to poke your asses.

---

"Was that Captain Kyomu?"

Looking back into the distance, Genma dropped the senbon he held in his mouth onto the ground.

"That's too cool... an artificial sun!?"

Might Guy stood motionless for a moment, then raised his hand to look at the combat gloves he wore. "The gap between me and Kyomu is getting bigger and bigger. Is this the world of geniuses?"

Hyuga Rin, with his eyes widened, trembled slightly. He realized that the key was not Kyomu's strength itself, but the blade in his hand!

"Captain Kyomu, you might be my only hope of breaking free from destiny." He wanted to laugh but dared not. "My eyes, bound by constraints, have seen the mystery of the ninja sword in your hand, cutting through chakra... Can it also cut through the ugly mark on my forehead?"

Duy standed still for a moment. "Let's go, Kyomu doesn't need us to worry about him, and we can't let him worry either."

All sixteen of them nodded and followed Duy's footsteps, quickly heading towards the Leaf Village headquarters.

Genma forgot to pick up the senbon he dropped on the ground. His arrogance and coolness, compared to Kyomu's, were like a firefly to the moon, insignificantly formidable.

At the same time, Ebizo, resembling a dog without a home, with his clothes charred, melded tightly into the carbonized flesh as if becoming one.

Simultaneously, his left arm had turned into the appearance of a mummy, as dry as a stick of firewood. The bones beneath the skin, once gleaming, had lost their luster and turned into charred matter.

Though he had escaped with quick thinking under Kyomu's powerful attacks, his body was wrecked.

Not only was his fighting prowess halved, but whether he could survive tonight was another matter entirely.

Furthermore, with all ten puppets destroyed, this was more damaging to his strength than losing an arm. Without the puppets, was he still considered a puppet master?

"Sister!"

"Ebizo, what happened to you!?"

Chiyo hurriedly approached, but upon seeing Ebizo, she teared up immediately.

"Was that Aragami Kyomu?!"

"It's him!"

Ebizo clenched his teeth, but he still had some rationality left. "But now is not the time to talk about this. Retreat, retreat immediately!"

"But..."

"Sister!" Ebizo spat out a mouthful of blood. "I can confirm the power of Kyomu's move. It's not just strong against individuals, but against groups too!"

Chiyo startled asked. "No cost?!"

"There is, but I can't figure out what it is," Ebizo recalled his battle with Kyomu.

"He deliberately prolonged the battle, I don't know if it was to give his comrades time to retreat or to prepare. In any case, now is not the time for this. If he catches up, our army will suffer countless casualties! His move is too powerful..."

"Stop talking!" Chiyo helped Ebizo up and stabilized his injuries with medical ninjutsu. "Retreat, but not like this."

She called over a Sand shinobi, issuing retreat orders while tossing a sealing scroll to him.

"Sprinkle my poison powder along the retreat path, one bottle every five kilometers, and use Wind Release to disperse it." Chiyo arranged calmly. "Unless Tsunade herself comes, no one can neutralize my poison. And even if she does, it will take at least a week."

After arranging the retreat, Chiyo focused on treating Ebizo.

Medicine and poison know no boundaries; Chiyo's medical ninjutsu was equally outstanding. She was likely second only to Tsunade in this regard.

However, during the process of treating Ebizo's injuries, tears never stopped flowing from Chiyo's eyes.

Like Ebizo, she was in her fifties now. Her body functions were declining, and now Ebizo had suffered such severe injuries...

Forget about how much strength he could retain; his lifespan would definitely be greatly reduced.

Even if his injuries were healed, he probably wouldn't have more than a few years to live.

Gritting her teeth, Chiyo mentally took note of Konoha's Sakumo, and Kyomu.

"I must go back and discuss with Rasa. We need to bring the Jinchuriki to the battlefield!"

With a decision made, Chiyo's heart was set on returning, urging the Sand shinobi to evacuate quickly from within the Land of Rivers.

The organization of the Sand shinobi was very efficient. In just ten minutes, they had all begun to retreat, and they didn't forget Chiyo's instructions; they scattered various poison powders along the way, dispersing them with Wind Release ninjutsu.

In no time, a purple poison mist formed across the entire Land of Rivers, within several kilometers, where no grass grew, and both humans and animals were corroded into white bones, creating a scene straight out of hell.

For commoners of other nations, unavoidable death is too common, as war was never gentle; no, it was even more terrifying than demons.

When Kyomu stealthily caught up and saw the deserted Sand shinobi headquarters, he slashed with anger a few times.

"They ran fast. I thought they would set up a trap, waiting for me to fall into it. But this?"

Kyomu calculated how much time his passive skill still had and felt he had plenty. So, he decided to chase and deal a severe blow to the retreating enemy.

Chasing a whole army of shinobi alone felt exhilarating, like flying.

However, when he saw the poison mist ahead, Kyomu felt no inclination to continue the pursuit.

His physique was strong, but not strong enough to withstand Chiyo's poison.

Moreover, Kyomu tried Wind Release and found that he could indeed blow away the poison mist, but every time he did, the mist would immediately heal and become denser than before.

"What kind of devilish poisoning technique is this!" Kyomu was furious and then thought about taking a detour.

However, after running ten kilometers away, he felt despair. Chiyo truly deserved to be known as the number one poison user; her ruthlessness was formidable!

After wandering around, Kyomu suppressed the fire in his heart. "It seems that I can't easily defeat the Sand shinobi this time, and they are decisive. After this retreat, they'll probably seek help from Rasa and the One-Tail."

Scratching his head, Kyomu showed an unusual hint of embarrassment.

"I've played it big this time. If next month's passive skill refreshes to something useless, won't I be adding difficulty to our side?"

Mumbling to himself, Kyomu turned back and retreated, ready to go back to the headquarters to inform Orochimaru of the situation.

However, on the way back, Kyomu had a sudden inspiration, a fully feasible idea.

Orochimaru had to be utilized; there were many woolen threads on his body that could be plucked.

"If I use this reason, I don't think Orochimaru will refuse."

Unable to resist the urge, Kyomu quickened his pace. By the time dawn broke, he had finally returned.

"Come, let's welcome our hero."

Leading the way, Orochimaru stood at the forefront, clapping with a smile on his face. Behind him, the Leaf shinobi eagerly applauded, especially those who had fought side by side with Kyomu; their hands were sore from clapping.

With a bright smile, Kyomu graciously accepted the applause coming at him like waves. This was what he had earned; there was no need for modesty!

Moreover, he wanted to make a name for himself, by seeking military exploits; this was an essential part of his plan.

"Follow me, I want to know the specifics."

The brief but warm welcome ceremony ended, and Orochimaru called Kyomu into his tent.

"Tell me, what's the deal with your Scorch Release Kekkei Genkai?"

Orochimaru's eyes glittered. "Didn't you tell me before that your techniques are pure Taijutsu?"

Kyomu was straightforward; lies came easily to him. "Lord Orochimaru, the red blade is Taijutsu, while the purple blade is Ninjutsu. The methods are different, so the effects naturally differ."

"What about the Scorch Release Kekkei Genkai?"

"By merging Wind and Fire chakras, you can create the Scorch Release Kekkei Genkai. It's not unusual."

Orochimaru's expression suddenly froze; he understood the theory, but Kyomu was only nine years old!

But Kyomu didn't want to discuss this with Orochimaru. The more he talked, the more loopholes he would expose. Instead, he immediately changed the subject.

"Lord Orochimaru, urgent matter. I found out..."

"First, tell me, how did you merge Wind and Fire chakras?"

Kyomu ignored Orochimaru's question. "The Sand shinobi corps have retreated entirely, and they've spread a poison mist within the Land of Rivers to block our pursuit. We need your advice on what to do."

Orochimaru was taken aback again, and his eyes sparkled with curiosity as he looked at Kyomu.

"You chased after them alone?"

After a moment of hesitation, Kyomu nodded again.

(End of Chapter)