"Take the prisoners back to shore!"
Sarutobi Asuma commanded.
"This..."
Hizashi Hyuga hesitated.
Yūhi Kurenai said with concern, "Asuma, there are too many Mist Ninja, and the Third Mizukage is here too."
"Why don't we all retreat to shore!"
The other Jonin nodded in agreement.
At sea, the Mist Ninja undeniably held a significant advantage.
Although Konoha had Water Style users, they couldn't compare to the Mist Ninja.
However, Sarutobi Asuma shook his head. "For me, there's not much difference between being at sea or on shore."
"And this battle is not something you can participate in."
"You go to shore and prepare to cover me!"
Yūhi Kurenai and the others had no choice but to retreat with the prisoners, and Sarutobi Asuma also created a Shadow Clone to retreat with them.
He was very confident, but also very cautious of his own life!
The Third Mizukage had lived through the warring era, so he couldn't be underestimated.
The ships approached and stopped less than a mile from Sarutobi Asuma.
The Third Mizukage, who looked a little younger than Sarutobi Hiruzen, opened his eyes, which had been closed like slits, and looked at Sarutobi Asuma with emotion. "Son of Sarutobi Hiruzen, you are truly an astonishing young man!"
"You make me feel like I'm seeing the First Hokage and the others!"
Sarutobi Asuma chuckled lightly. "Third Mizukage, you flatter me. The First Hokage and the others are my current goals to surpass!"
He was confident he could surpass Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, but he hadn't done it yet.
"Young man, you are very confident!"
The Third Mizukage looked at Sarutobi Asuma, then looked up towards the shore and said, "Release the prisoners, and this battle will end for now."
Sarutobi Asuma stared steadily at the Third Mizukage and smiled. "I never had the chance to witness the First Hokage's heroism, but now I wish to experience your prowess, elder!"
This was a challenge!
The Third Mizukage's eyes fully opened.
The Mist Ninja behind him were both expectant and a little nervous.
After all, Sarutobi Asuma had a record of severely wounding the Fourth Kazekage and even capturing the One-Tails Jinchuriki alive.
"Third Mizukage-sama, why don't we all go together and capture this brat alive!"
A masked Mist Ninja suggested.
Their numbers were now no less than Konoha's, and they were at sea, giving them a huge advantage.
"No!"
The Third Mizukage refused.
He was well aware of Sarutobi Asuma's abilities; more people wouldn't necessarily be better.
In fact, the more people there were, the greater the losses and the harder the fight would be.
To put it bluntly, he would have to divide his attention to look after the others.
With a leap, the Third Mizukage landed on the sea. "You all retreat!"
The Mist Ninja ships immediately pulled back.
"Young man, since it's a battle, I won't hold back because of your age."
The Third Mizukage spoke, and then the water around Sarutobi Asuma began to spin rapidly and rise.
The battle began, with the Third Mizukage making the first move. Neither the Mist Ninja nor the Konoha forces on shore noticed when he performed the hand seals.
However, before the water currents around Sarutobi Asuma could rise several meters high and crash down on him from all directions, they suddenly exploded with a loud boom.
At this moment, the Third Mizukage had already completed his hand seals.
Seawater surged upward, and four water dragons shot into the sky before diving down, attacking Sarutobi Asuma from four directions.
Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!
But the scale of this jutsu was far larger than any the Mist Ninja had displayed before, and it was four water dragons at once.
At the same time, the Third Mizukage's hand seals were not yet finished.
With his first move, he had already sensed Sarutobi Asuma's formidable skill in Water Style. Without hand seals, simply by injecting chakra into the water, he had directly dissolved the ninjutsu he was about to unleash.
Such an ability, he believed, was something even the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, who was also proficient in Water Style back in the day, could not achieve.
Four water dragons swooped down. Sarutobi Asuma remained still, swaying with the ocean's surface, but four water dragons emerged from the seabed around him.
Rumble!
Eight water dragons collided and exploded simultaneously, transforming into a torrential downpour that whipped up surging waves.
Sarutobi Asuma finally moved, his body breaking through the air and heading straight for the Third Mizukage.
"As expected, so fast!"
The Third Mizukage, who was also rapidly retreating, narrowed his eyes. His ninjutsu was already prepared.
Thousand Feeding Sharks!
A total of three thousand sharks, densely packed, charged towards Sarutobi Asuma.
This was the convenience of being in the sea. There was no need to purely create sharks with chakra. Although the scale appeared immense, the actual chakra consumed was several times lower than in waterless areas on land.
With the Scorch Release Chakra Mode enveloping his body, Sarutobi Asuma's speed did not decrease at all.
Bang bang bang!
The charging sharks exploded one by one. In less than two seconds, Sarutobi Asuma had cut through the shark swarm. Ahead of him, dense bubbles floated up from the sea.
Water Style: Water Ball Technique!
"As expected of the Third Mizukage's disciple!"
The sea beneath Sarutobi Asuma's feet exploded, and he shot into the sky.
At the same time, the bubbles immediately followed closely, exploding repeatedly with booming sounds and sealing off Sarutobi Asuma's movements.
It was at this moment that Sarutobi Asuma switched to Lightning Style Chakra Mode.
However, unlike the past Lightning Style Chakra Mode, the purple lightning covering his body at this moment seemed like pure purple chakra materialized, resembling a set of dazzling purple armor that covered his entire body.
This was the use of Electromagnetic Release, which provided extreme restraint to the massive electrical arcs.
Instantly, Sarutobi Asuma's speed increased further, and the formidable Lightning Armor offered astonishing defense.
He directly ignored the pursuing exploding bubbles, descending like a streak of purple lightning.
"Too fast!"
"This guy's speed has probably surpassed the Third Raikage!"
Even though he was prepared, the Third Mizukage was still shocked in his heart, and the ninjutsu he had prepared erupted.
A concentrated iron cannonball, no larger than his fist, was shot out from his mouth, nine in total.
Water Style: Super Cannon Ball Barrage!
This was an upgraded technique from Water Style: Iron Cannonball, drawing inspiration from the Hozuki clan's Water Cannon Empty Training Bullet.
However, he used his mouth to fire it, and these concentrated water balls were also unique.
They borrowed from his teacher, the Second Mizukage's, explosive ninjutsu, Vapority Rampage.
The outer layer of the water balls was oil, and the inside was highly concentrated water.
Therefore, after the fist-sized iron cannonballs were shot out at high speed, their volume rapidly and continuously expanded.
Sarutobi Asuma did not dodge, but the expanding iron cannonballs exploded before they could collide with him, forcefully interrupting his astonishing speed.
This was followed by a series of violent explosions that engulfed Sarutobi Asuma.
On the shore, Yūhi Kurenai and Shizune's hearts leaped into their throats.
Hizashi Hyuga and the other Konoha ninjas were currently shocked by the Third Mizukage's power.
Sarutobi Asuma's speed had actually been intercepted by him.
Or rather, the Third Mizukage's grasp of battle timing was truly astonishing.
Truly worthy of being the Third Mizukage!
Meanwhile.
On the ship.
The Mist Ninjas cheered, filled with excitement and elation.
"As expected of Lord Third Mizukage!"
Yagura praised him. Even though he was old, he still felt inferior.
Nine iron cannonballs exploded in succession, steam billowing.
On the sea's surface.
The Third Mizukage, slightly panting, showed no joy.
Sarutobi Asuma's speed had still exceeded his understanding, causing the explosion timing of the iron cannonballs to be less than perfect.
The most ideal scenario would have been for them to explode at the moment of collision with Sarutobi Asuma, maximizing the damage!
What a shame.
Moreover, Sarutobi Asuma's Lightning Armor gave him a feeling of being even more powerful than the past Raikages he had seen.
"These are no longer ordinary ninjas..."
The Third Mizukage made his assessment.
At that moment, the water mist dispersed, and sure enough, Sarutobi Asuma stood unharmed in the air.
"As expected of the Third Mizukage!"
Sarutobi Asuma looked down at the Mizukage below, silently admiring him.
If he hadn't been able to use the air to propel himself, he would have definitely just taken the blast.
The power of the Third Mizukage's condensed cannonball after it expanded and exploded was no joke. Anyone else would probably have been injured, or even killed.
"None of those who become Kage are simple!"
Sarutobi Asuma sighed inwardly, then his figure vanished from the air and he lunged towards the Third Mizukage.
This time, he didn't move in a straight line.
"His speed is too fast, I can't lock onto him at all!"
The Third Mizukage's heart sank.
The next moment, Sarutobi Asuma appeared behind him.
On the ship, many Mist Ninjas had their mouths wide open, their eyes wide with disbelief, and some couldn't help but shout: "Third Mizukage-sama, be careful!"
But.
Before their voices could even spread, the Third Mizukage had already been cleaved in two by Sarutobi Asuma's blade.
Splash!
The Third Mizukage turned into flowing water and scattered, but then immediately reformed.
However, this time it was clearly different.
"Vapority Rampage!"
Whoosh! Sarutobi Asuma vanished from his spot.
An axe blade appeared on the right arm of the Third Mizukage's water clone and swung down, missing completely.
"The Second Mizukage's Vapority Rampage..."
Sarutobi Asuma landed on the sea's surface, a smile appearing at the corner of his eye. "This jutsu is useless against me!"
In the next instant, he switched to Scorch Release Chakra Mode.
In this mode, although his movement speed was far inferior to Lightning Style Chakra Mode, it was still faster than the Third Mizukage's clone.
Before the Third Mizukage's clone could expand, a single slash cut it in half.
Explosion?
Impossible!
Sarutobi Asuma turned his head to look at the Mist Ninja's ship in the distance.
The Third Mizukage's true body stood at the stern of the ship.
"Defeated..."
The Third Mizukage looked at Sarutobi Asuma on the sea, sighing inwardly.
Newcomers are truly formidable!
Although no victor had been decided on the surface, his chakra had been depleted far too much, and he had used all his tricks. He had no way to deal with Sarutobi Asuma.
And Sarutobi Asuma showed no signs of having expended any chakra.
Furthermore, his speed was astonishing.
For ordinary ninjas, without the element of surprise, they wouldn't even have time to perform ninjutsu in front of someone like him.
"The Third Hokage is truly enviable!"
The Third Mizukage lowered his gaze.
The Sannin in their prime, the veteran powerhouse Konoha's White Fang, the renowned Konoha's Yellow Flash, and the astonishing Konoha's Purple Flash.
"Without some trump card, it's probably impossible to inflict significant damage on Konoha..."
Beneath his lowered gaze, a sharp glint flashed in the Third Mizukage's eyes.
...
Watching the departing ship, Sarutobi Asuma did not pursue.
However, he knew.
This war with the Mist Ninjas would not end easily.
Otherwise, the Third Mizukage wouldn't have retreated like this.
He still had many Mist Ninja prisoners in his hands.
"It seems it's going to be a bit difficult to profit from the Mist Ninja prisoners."
Sarutobi Asuma sighed.
Fortunately, his objective had been achieved.
Even if the Mist Ninja were unwilling, they wouldn't have the strength to launch a large-scale attack on Konoha in a short period.
"I wonder how Lord Jiraiya is doing?"
Sarutobi Asuma looked toward the northeast.
In the sea east of the Land of Whirlpools.
The great battle had just concluded, and the Konoha ninja were cleaning up the battlefield.
Jiraiya ate a few Ration Pills and looked toward the Land of Tea. "It seems the Mizukage went to Asuma's location!"
Compared to the Fourth Kazekage, the Third Mizukage's disadvantage was his old age.
However, he also had an advantage: astonishing combat experience.
Furthermore, although the Third Mizukage was old, he wasn't yet incapable of fighting.
"No one from that era is simple!"
"But with Asuma's strength, he should be able to hold off the Third Mizukage."
Jiraiya suppressed the unease in his heart.
Land of Tea.
Sarutobi Asuma arranged for a small squad to liaise with the Daimyo of the Land of Tea and temporarily remain there.
If the Mist Ninja invaded again, they were to notify Konoha.
After resting for only half a day, the main force headed north, withdrawing from the Land of Tea back into the Land of Fire.
As soon as they returned to the Land of Fire, Sarutobi Asuma and his group encountered a small team sent by Jiraiya.
A great victory!
Jiraiya and his forces had also won, killing over five hundred Mist Ninja and capturing more than two hundred.
Sarutobi Asuma silently calculated.
In this battle, the Mist Ninja's losses definitely exceeded three thousand.
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