The sharp clang of metal collision rang urgently through the blood-soaked courtyard, then abruptly ceased.
Anko gritted her teeth and retreated half a step, waves of numbness transmitting through her kunai-gripping arm, the webbing between thumb and forefinger already aching faintly.
To protect the Wasabi family members, she'd been forced into several direct clashes. The short, thin kunai showed complete disadvantage against the opponent's powerful katana. Each parry sent overwhelming force through the blade, making her arm tremble.
A miscalculation... Anko's heart sank. The enemy numbers were far fewer than expected, yet each was terrifyingly formidable.
These Wasabi guards fighting desperately not only couldn't provide effective support, but became obstacles limiting her and Shizune's maneuvering space, and worse, became targets for the opponent's wanton slaughter to disturb their focus.
Komainu had no intention of letting the enemy devise countermeasures. Since ninja had appeared, the other two no longer needed to observe and hide their techniques.
"Mizushoku (Water Erosion)."
The figure that had stood silently on his right, shrouded in a wide oilcloth cloak, uncorked the gourd. That massive brown gourd shouldered on him tilted slightly.
The gourd mouth silently aimed at Anko, and the area behind her where Wasabi guards struggled to retreat.
No hand seals, no shouts.
A viscous, ink-black liquid reeking of intense putrid decay, as if alive, gushed from the gourd mouth.
This black water wasn't fast, but carried an unsettling heavy stagnation. As soon as it appeared, it rapidly expanded in midair, transforming into a filthy tide covering several meters, descending straight toward Anko and the guards!
"Get back!" Shizune's face changed drastically, her sharp warning!
Anko's pupils contracted, forcibly interrupting her jutsu, her toes pushing off for a sharp dodge to the side!
However, that black water tide's range was too large—though not fast, its coverage was extremely strong! More terrifyingly, it seemed to possess some weak tracking ability, actually adjusting direction mid-air to still envelop her evasion path! Simultaneously, more black water splashed toward those slow-moving guards supporting each other!
Sssss—sssss—sssss—!
Where the black water hit the ground, touching scattered metal weapon fragments, it emitted teeth-grinding corrosion sounds.
Refined iron melted like butter meeting flame, rapidly dissolving, blackening, emitting acrid white smoke!
One guard couldn't dodge in time—his calf was splashed by several drops of flying black water. His tough leather boots were instantly corroded through! The moment black water contacted flesh—
"Ahhhh—!!!" An ear-piercing scream warped beyond recognition tore through the air!
That guard's calf skin visibly blackened and festered at visible speed!
More horrifying, deep within the festering wound, countless extremely tiny creatures barely visible to the naked eye seemed to frantically wriggle and burrow! As if greedily gnawing at flesh and blood, drilling toward deeper muscle, bone and blood vessels! The guard rolled in agony, the wound rapidly worsening and expanding!
Anko's scalp went numb watching! If that stuff poured over her head...
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Blazing firelight instantly illuminated the blood-soaked courtyard!
A fireball two meters in diameter, carrying breath hot enough to incinerate everything, struck with perfect precision the black water tide about to pour over Anko and the guards' heads!
BOOM—!!!
Flames and black water violently collided! The extreme heat instantly evaporated and carbonized large amounts of liquid, erupting with deafening sizzling explosions!
Dense, undilutable scalding white fog mixing piercing burnt stench and putrid decay, like an explosive shockwave, rapidly spread in all directions!
Instantly swallowing Anko, nearby guards, and not far away Shizune and Wasabi Jirōchō completely!
Thick fog obscured vision, the courtyard a chaos!
Another one! Komainu's eyes narrowed slightly, seeing a thin figure land in the fog, letting the Chasan Group leader confirm his identity.
It's that brat—so what remained at the Seafoam Inn was something else? Who blocked Komainu?
Itachi's figure had barely landed when his hands again became afterimages.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Crimson Claws!"
Over a dozen shuriken wrapped in blazing flames, like brilliant and deadly crimson meteors, broke through the thick fog, shooting separately toward Komainu, Mizushoku and Gaishoku.
Not seeking to injure the enemy, only to interfere and suppress!
"Retreat! Everyone, fall back to the inner residence! Quickly!" Jirōchō's hoarse but extremely clear roar sounded in the thick fog, carrying unquestionable decisiveness.
He wielded a long blade—though not a ninja, rich experience let him instantly grasp this fleeting chance for survival!
This white fog was currently their only barrier.
The surviving guards awoke as if from a dream, forcibly enduring injuries and bone-deep fear, pulling and supporting each other, stumbling desperately toward the inner residence, footsteps sounding chaotic and panicked in the fog.
However, not only did he judge the field situation.
"Hmph! Want to leave?" Komainu snorted coldly, his blade easily deflecting the incoming flaming shuriken, his gaze like a hawk's piercing the fog to lock onto the retreating crowd.
"Gaishoku! Block them!"
On the left, that man with blood-soaked bandages wrapping his left arm, eyes indifferent as dead objects—Gaishoku—raised that eerie left arm at the command.
He swatted away the Phoenix Fire shooting toward him. Under the bandages, that bone-white claw moved slightly.
CRACK—!
A hair-raising bone-breaking sound rang out! A section about a foot long, pale white with an eerie gray-blue luster, edges wreathed with wisps of cold fog—an actual hand bone was forcibly "extracted" from under his left forearm's bandages!
Gripping the bone blade in his right hand, Gaishoku flicked his wrist—that pale white flowing light, silent yet faster than lightning, shot straight toward the densest part of the retreating crowd in the thick fog!
At the fog's edge, Itachi showed no hesitation, precisely shooting two kunai tied with explosive tags, targeting not the bone blade itself but the flagstones on its necessary path!
BOOM! BOOM!
Two violent explosions rang almost simultaneously! Fire and shattered stone scattered, the violent blast instantly disrupting the bone blade's trajectory, blasting open a dust-filled isolation zone between Gaishoku and the retreating crowd!
Under the cover of this explosion's flash and smoke, Itachi's figure like wind merging with fog swept past Anko, Shizune and Jirōchō at incredible speed.
Three cool, moist small things radiating gentle life energy were precisely tucked into their hands or patted onto shoulder collars.
"Katsuyu-sama!" Shizune instantly sensed that familiar, vast and warm chakra flow, her heart easing, unhesitatingly attaching the small slug to her body. Warm currents instantly flooded her limbs and bones, greatly relieving the exhaustion of continuous combat and taut nerves.
Anko only felt her shoulder grow heavy, an gentle yet extraordinarily thick power surging into her body. The numbness in her arms and internal injuries from the earlier shock immediately eased by more than half.
She glanced down at that pure white small figure, surprise flashing in her eyes, then transforming into deeper fighting spirit.
Jirōchō also felt warm currents pour into his body, revitalizing his spirit.
"Jirōchō-san, please leave immediately as well!" Itachi's cold and urgent voice pierced through the explosion's aftermath, clearly reaching Jirōchō's ears.
The Wasabi head showed no hesitation, nodding heavily. Remaining here himself would not only be useless but burdensome.
"I leave it to you all!" He roared low, borrowing the smoke and not yet dispersed fog, turned to join the retreating guard group, racing toward the inner residence.
Anko shook her arms that had recovered some strength, feeling the warm support transmitted from the shoulder slug, took a deep breath, her blazing gaze again locking onto that tall figure holding a blade in the thick fog—Komainu.
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild