Chapter 32 : Third Mizukage is Coming

Kazuhiko carefully considered his next course of action.

After careful thought, it still appeared to hold a promising future.

Soon, the First (Great) Elder arrived with several other Chūnin and Genin. The reason for including both Chūnin and Genin was that the Jōnin had their own tasks to attend to.

Only the Chūnin and Genin were available for this mission. Thus, the Great Elder gathered them to help with the cleanup of the battlefield.

Kazuki sensed that the battle had concluded at this location. The Great Elder and his group rushed over, intending to offer assistance. However, they remembered the five orders given by Kazuhiko: do not intervene in the battle unless it's over.

Everyone surveyed the area, which resembled a battlefield trodden by battles everywhere.

Signs of water and fire were still present, and the aftermath of a massive explosion was evident. The ground was littered with debris, and the earth seemed to have been churned over, as if a storm had swept through.

Even those with minimal experience could tell that a fierce battle had taken place here. The elders and others were taken aback at the sight. It must have been an incredibly intense battle to cause such destruction.

The Great Elder, being more seasoned, coped better with the situation.

However, the Chūnin and Genin were seeing something of this scale for the first time. They exchanged glances, shaking their heads in disbelief.

Compared to this, their previous battles felt like child's play.

The Great Elder eventually spotted Kazuhiko in the distance. Kazuhiko emerged from the forest, looking exactly the same as before, unharmed.

The Great Elder circled around him to ensure his safety, even though he knew that the Kazuhiko had always been unharmed as told by Kazuki.

The enemies were defeated one by one. But the sound of the thunderous explosion and the sight of the aftermath left him concerned about the possibility of Kazuhiko being injured.

Upon seeing the Kazuhiko unscathed, the Great Elder breathed a sigh of relief. "Kazuhiko, I was worried sick. You're finally safe!"

Kazuhiko replied calmly, "There's nothing to worry about. If I couldn't handle them, how would I deal with the Mizukage? Don't worry about me; I'm fine. Now, go and collect their bodies and weapons. They might come in handy in the future, especially those weapons; they're all unique to Kirigakure!"

The few people who had arrived with the Great Elder gazed at Kazuhiko with admiration.

They promptly began to clean up the battlefield, under his command. "There are seven in total; make sure not to miss any."

The elders supervised the process. As they gathered the corpses and weapons, they noticed the peculiar ways in which the ninjas had died—two were kicked to death, three were killed by beams, and two were slashed to death.

They quickly understood that these ninjas were no ordinary foes. Their bizarre attire and unique weapons were indicative of formidable adversaries.

It was common knowledge that the stranger someone dressed and the stranger their weapon, the more powerful they were and the more secret techniques they possessed. These seven ninjas perfectly fit that description.

The onlookers pondered how many lives would have been lost if they had engaged them in combat. This further heightened their respect for Kazuhiko. It was clear that if he were to call for it, they would readily support Kazuhiko.

Kazuhiko felt their admiration and respect, though he remained unfazed. After all, the current Uzumaki clan held him in high regard.

Soon, the corpses and weapons were collected. Kazuhiko instructed the Great Elder to take them to the Uzumaki clan's storage.

Then, he departed. "Yata no Kagami!" Kazuhiko transformed into a beam of light before their eyes and disappeared.

Kazuhiko quickly returned to his mountaintop. At the same time, Uzumaki Kazuki noticed his swift approach. Kazuhiko condensed back into a point of light and reassembled before everyone.

"Kazuhiko!"

"Kazuhiko!"

Their adoration and admiration for him were palpable once more. Kazuki, who had been observing the Mist Shinobi, and the two ninjas guarding him, joined in the enthusiastic greeting.

Kazuhiko nodded and turned his gaze toward the sea. A small black dot had appeared on the otherwise tranquil waters.

"It's the Mist Shinobi," Elder Kazuki whispered.

Without much ado, Kazuhiko took a familiar position, consumed a ration pill to replenish his energy from the previous battle, and watched as the black dots multiplied.

What was once a single dot became two, then three, and soon numerous black dots approached the Land of Whirlpools.

Observing these large ships draw nearer, Kazuhiko felt no fear. After all, he had single-handedly defeated seven of their ninjas; he had no reason to be timid.

His eyes blazed with determination. "Come on, Third Mizukage! I'm waiting for you! I'll give you a big surprise!"

Amid this eager anticipation, Third Mizukage stood on the ship's bow, his clothes fluttering in the sea breeze.

His eyes remained closed, but he seemed to perceive everything. He knew they were approaching the Land of Whirlpools, and in an hour, he would set foot in this foreign land.

"The Land of Whirlpools, here I come!"

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