That loud shout carelessly exposed Ryo Yagura and his companion's hiding place.
Upon hearing it, Sakumo and the others immediately turned their gaze in that direction.
"You all stay here for now," Sakumo ordered. He instructed Junko Watanabe and the rest to hold their ground before dashing straight toward the source at high speed.
His movement triggered several traps—thick nets shot out while arrows launched through the air.
Hiss! Hiss!
The chakra blade in Sakumo's hand erupted with intense Lightning Release chakra. The wild power tore effortlessly through these so-called traps.
Swish! Swish!
Junko Watanabe and the others followed closely behind. They soon discovered a hidden underground passage concealed beneath the dense forest.
They didn't rush inside. As they arrived, two figures had already emerged to face them.
Ryo Yagura and Tachiyama Shinsaburo.
The strange markings on the latter's body were slowly disappearing. He hefted the Bloodthirsty Sickle of Three Moons, his eyes glinting with a cold, sinister stare toward Sakumo and his team.
Without another word, Sakumo charged forward.
Boom!
Once again, he clashed with Ryo Yagura. By now, both carried deep resentment from their past encounters.
"This time, you won't escape!" Junko Watanabe declared. Last time, her carelessness had injured Minato. Now that she understood Tachiyama Shinsaburo's abilities, she wouldn't fall victim to him again.
Moreover, she believed there was no such thing as a true Immortal Body. If cutting off his head couldn't kill him, she would destroy his entire form.
Unless he could transfer himself into another vessel.
Sakumo had always held superiority over Ryo Yagura. From the start of the fight, he gained the upper hand. Ryo Yagura continuously retreated under Sakumo's relentless assault, gradually moving away from Tachiyama Shinsaburo.
Which was exactly Sakumo's intention. In their last fight, this man nearly killed Minato during the lulls between attacks.
"You two flank him and keep him distracted. Just divert his attention."
However, all three had witnessed firsthand how formidable Tachiyama Shinsaburo's Bloodthirsty Sickle of Three Moons truly was—a weapon not even Sakumo could damage.
Minato and Yan Uchiha only carried ordinary kunai, lacking any specialized weapons. Given their strength, directly engaging Tachiyama Shinsaburo wasn't advisable.
Clang!
Two weapons struck one another. A cold expression flickered across Tachiyama Shinsaburo's face.
"What a troublesome woman. I'll start with you then!"
Although his appearance had returned to normal, his savage aura seemed even fiercer than before.
The Bloodthirsty Sickle of Three Moons naturally had the advantage over Junko's sword. Despite her superior Taijutsu skills, she could only evade its sharp edge for now.
But Junko had never intended to fight him head-on. Instantly withdrawing her force, she leapt upward.
[Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique]
At that moment, Yan Uchiha, standing behind Junko, seized the perfect timing and unleashed the Great Fireball. A massive fireball instantly engulfed Tachiyama Shinsaburo.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Yet within the flames, Tachiyama Shinsaburo swung his giant scythe, dispersing the fire. His clothes had been burned away by the flames, and his body bore blackened marks, but he hadn't suffered any serious injuries.
Whoosh!
At this moment, a blurred shadow flashed across Tachiyama Shinsaburo's eyes. Minato used the Instant Flash to circle behind him through the opening. He dropped low and slashed with a kunai in each hand straight at his knee joints.
Direct hits didn't work on Tachiyama Shinsaburo — best to take out his legs first.
[Konoha Stream: Dance of the Sun and Moon!]
Meanwhile, Junko Watanabe, who'd leapt earlier, now struck from above, swinging her long blade.
After using a ninjutsu, Yan Uchiha immediately hurled several shuriken aimed precisely at Tachiyama Shinsaburo's joints.
If Tachiyama Shinsaburo focused on defending against Junko Watanabe's attack, he would inevitably be hit by Minato and Yan Uchiha, losing his mobility. But if he defended against both, Junko Watanabe's strike would sever his head clean off.
He had once been a Special Jonin, yet Junko Watanabe's skill was that of a full-fledged Jonin, while Minato and Yan Uchiha weren't far behind.
Therefore, after just one exchange, he had fallen into a near-fatal stalemate.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
However, at this moment, Tachiyama Shinsaburo directly hurled his Bloodthirsty Sickle of Three Moons, its end connected with a coiled rope.
The Bloodthirsty Sickle of Three Moons may have been heavy, but it flew fast enough to force Minato back instantly, while its three segmented blades easily knocked down all the shuriken thrown by Yan Uchiha.
"Watch out!"
As Junko Watanabe's attack arrived, the Bloodthirsty Sickle of Three Moons also swooped around to her flank.
Immediately altering her grip, Junko Watanabe blocked the sickle with her blade horizontally. At the same time, Minato and Yan Uchiha charged forward together, tripping up Tachiyama Shinsaburo.
Off balance, the latter lost momentum, causing the Bloodthirsty Sickle of Three Moons to drop lifelessly.
After completing these moves, the two didn't attempt to subdue Tachiyama Shinsaburo directly because Junko needed time to land, and Tachiyama Shinsaburo himself wore a mad expression as he launched attacks at them simultaneously.
Whoosh!
Both retreated using the body flicker technique, forming a triangular formation with Junko Watanabe as she landed, encircling Tachiyama Shinsaburo at the center.
Tachiyama Shinsaburo's strength remained unchanged; indeed, the Bloodthirsty Sickle of Three Moons in his hands was quite troublesome.
It worked both at range and up close, covering a wide area and packing serious damage.
Junko Watanabe and the others dared not trade blows recklessly, for injuries meant nothing to this opponent.
To discover a way to kill him, they must first subdue him.
Then the battle flared anew.
Junko and the others played it safe — trying to take down Tachiyama Shinsaburo without getting hurt themselves.
However, conventional tactics held little effect against this man.
Tachiyama Shinsaburo himself appeared calm, showing no sign of urgency.
...
Outside the dense forest, the valley floor was stained crimson with blood. Fuu Akimoto's sword tip continuously dripped blood.
The corpses of the Evil Cultists littered the ground. Fuu Akimoto swept through the battlefield like a scythe, cutting down his enemies without mercy.
Within just a few dozen minutes, he had mowed down nearly two-thirds of the Evil Cultists.
The Hot Spring Village Ninjas, who had originally been outnumbered, were now carrying out his commands to eliminate the remaining enemies.
Fuu Akimoto himself had expended tremendous energy, as among these people were actual ninjas.
But he had already dealt with all of them. The rest were nothing more than mere wandering ronin mercenaries who knew how to kill.
Longsword in hand, he approached Kato Eirei. His grip on the hilt trembled slightly, but the hesitation faded quickly, replaced by determination.
"Fuu, what are you doing?" Kato Eirei actually stepped in front of Oshima Reina.
Fuu's bloodshot eyes, still burning with carnage, regained a bit of clarity when he saw his mother. Yet his gaze still went past her toward the woman behind his mother—the one who had once been part of his family.
"Mother, step aside. I will kill this woman who betrayed the Hidden Hot Spring Village."
...
...
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