"Even so, this is already the best outcome," Obito said.
But the expressions on Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan remained grim.
Even if this was the best possible result, the Village Hidden in the Mist still had formidable shinobi standing in their way.
Nagato rose slowly, his gaze fixed on the distant silhouette of Kirigakure.
"Then I'll make the shinobi of the Mist understand what true despair feels like."
Obito shook his head.
"There's no need. Our target is the jinchūriki. If you go too far, you might end up killing the host before we can extract the Tailed Beast."
Nagato's brow creased in irritation.
"…Fine. Let's move."
He wasn't pleased, but Obito's point was valid.
Crushing Kirigakure entirely would achieve nothing but needless destruction.
For the Akatsuki, the Tailed Beasts were the absolute priority.
With Nagato's command, the hunt began.
Obito, Kakuzu, Konan, and Yahiko split into two teams.
Nagato had his own role: he would draw the attention of the entire village.
He also wanted to personally see whether the shinobi of Kirigakure truly differed from those of Konoha.
He didn't intend to unleash a full-scale Shinra Tensei like the one used against Konoha, but holding back the urge to level the village was difficult.
Nagato raised his hand.
A crushing shockwave blasted outward, striking the sea and rolling forward in a towering surge.
Waves exploded skyward, and the port vanished under the impact.
Amid the echoing roar, Nagato descended from the sky, landing atop the shattered ruins of the docks.
Panicked Kirigakure shinobi surrounded him.
So these are the ninja of the Mist?
They don't look much different from Konoha's.
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
The alarm spread instantly.
Within seconds, shinobi were leaping across rooftops and rushing toward the port.
Nagato blinked in mild surprise.
"Their reaction time is fast… even faster than Konoha's."
They had been stunned at first, but they recovered quickly enough.
Condensing a black chakra rod in one hand, Nagato leaped into the advancing crowd.
A single sweep of his staff shattered incoming attacks and sent a dozen Mist shinobi crashing across the ruins.
Nagato's taijutsu was terrifyingly efficient.
Using his real body instead of the Six Paths of Pain only heightened his speed and strength.
His chakra, bolstered further by the power of the Eight-Tails sealed within him, made him a beast among men—
A lion tearing through a flock.
Slaughter erupted instantly.
Elsewhere – Inside Kirigakure
Terumi Mei watched the group positioned around her.
"You stay here. No matter what chaos is happening outside, we wait for the enemy to come to us."
Hiroshi Akayama, the Four-Tails' jinchūriki, clenched his fists.
Molten lava dripped from his skin in frustration.
"Damn it…!"
As both a jinchūriki and wielder of the Lava Release, being forced to remain hidden felt humiliating.
But there was no choice.
Beside him, Ringo, Yuki Minazuki, and Yumiko wore similar expressions.
If they couldn't go out, it meant the shinobi facing the enemy outside were likely headed toward their deaths.
The enemy was simply on an entirely different level.
At the Front – Kirigakure's Defense
In front of the Mizukage Building, the Vice-Captain of the Ninja Swords Corps—a member of the Yuki Clan—stood before fifty elite swordsmen.
"Lord Mizukage is not in the village. The Fifth Mizukage must protect the jinchūriki.
For now, the survival of this village depends on us."
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen aren't here. That means it's up to the Ninja Swords Corps.
We all inherited the swordsmanship entrusted to us by Lord Mizukage."
"No matter what, we must hold the enemy for at least half an hour. Reinforcements will arrive by then."
With a single fluid movement, he drew his blade and unleashed a powerful slicing current toward the lake behind him.
The water split open.
"Move out!"
Fifty swordsmen vanished as one, sprinting toward the devastated port.
Meanwhile, dozens of Kirigakure shinobi darted across the rooftops—swordsmen, Yuki Clan members, and various Bloodline Limit users.
They moved fast.
And among them…
Shigure perceived every single one.
Great Sage… can I transmit my chakra to them through the food chain?
[Great Sage: The host can supply chakra temporarily. However, this will increase the host's chakra consumption.]
"So, increased consumption?"
Shigure smiled faintly.
"That's fine. I have eight Tailed Beasts—and even Nine-Tails chakra stored. Supplying a little chakra won't be a problem."
"Then do it. Give them chakra."
He raised his hand, the blade crossing before him.
A sharp metallic clang rang out.
Hanzō—scythe raised—froze mid-stride as Shigure effortlessly intercepted his attack.
"The so-called contemporary Mizukage… and you're just a brat?"
He didn't finish the sentence.
A single flash of movement.
One Cut.
As the two passed each other, Hanzō's head separated cleanly from his body.
Shigure flicked the dark blade—Tsukikiri, the Moon-Cutter—scattering the blood.
"Demigod?"
"That's all?"
Thud.
Hanzō's head hit the ground, his wide, terrified eyes still reflecting the blade that ended him.
"So fast… that sword…!"
Shigure rolled his shoulder lazily.
"It's been a while since I used swordsmanship."
"I wonder… just how strong it's become now."
A short distance away, Kakuzu narrowed his eyes.
Even with his undead body, he knew that if Shigure sealed him, escaping would be difficult.
Shigure inhaled.
"Breath of Water…"
"Eighth Form: Unbridled Flow."
Shhhh—!
A razor-sharp arc split the air, followed by the sound of surging water.
Shigure's form twisted like a serpent, then shot forward toward Hashirama and the others.
"Tide of Blows!"
Water erupted from the blade, spiraling through the air like a vicious serpent lunging toward its prey.
Kakuzu and Kimimaro were engulfed instantly.
Kakuzu's body tore apart in a spray of water pressure, split cleanly through the torso.
The watery roar echoed across the battlefield.
Kimimaro reacted a heartbeat late.
His arm was severed instantly—but his Edo Tensei body began regenerating.
Shigure's gaze flicked toward him.
Behind him, Hanzō and Kakuzu lay collapsed on the ground… unmoving.
Because at some point, black chakra rods had been driven into their bodies, piercing their cores and anchoring them in place.
Hashirama's brows tightened as he noticed the rods in Shigure's left hand.
Even Orochimaru paused, eyes narrowing with rare surprise.
"What a fascinating technique… To immobilize an Edo Tensei host so completely…"