"We can't hide for much longer..."
Yagura's expression was grim. "For some reason, there were no Hyuga Clan's member in that Konoha Team earlier, but they can't stay away forever."
"Other scouting methods are manageable, but once the Hyuga's Byakugan arrives, this hiding barrier will be seen through. When that happens..."
"...we'll have to prepare for a fight to the death!"
Yagura glanced at Mei sitting across from him and continued with resolve, "When the time comes, I'll do my best to hold off Jiraiya. You must find a chance to escape. If you can regroup with Sora and the others, you'll be safe."
"Senpai..."
Mei hesitated, then asked with a worried look, "Is it possible that Sora and the others ran into an even tougher opponent?"
It was a reasonable guess.
After all,
The main force had Sora and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Their combat power was definitely stronger than Yagura and Mei's diversionary team.
If the stronger side couldn't finish their fight quickly, it likely meant they'd encountered a more formidable enemy.
"Probably."
Yagura nodded, his face darkening further.
'Fuguki-senpai, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, plus Sora…'
'With a lineup like that, and still no word... if their opponent isn't Jiraiya, could it be Konoha's Jinchuriki, or even the Third Hokage himself!??'
"If that's really the case..."
"...we might actually die here!"
Yagura took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the unease in his heart.
Who could have predicted the original surprise attack would be thrown into chaos by something so inexplicable? Now they were stuck in a tough fight on two fronts.
A moment later,
After eating two soldier pills, Mei felt her Chakra had recovered to about seventy percent. Looking at Yagura's bone-deep wounds, she finally gritted her teeth and stood up.
"Senpai!"
"Let me be the decoy instead!"
Mei clenched her jaw, "Your life is more important than mine. You might become the next Mizukage after this war."
"The Mizukage must not die here, and absolutely must not fall into Konoha's hands!"
Mei was a well-trained Kunoichi. Her love for the village was as strong as anyone's. In this critical moment, her sense of duty finally overcame her instinct for self-preservation.
"I am a capable Ninja too!"
Having said that,
Without waiting for Yagura's response, Mei turned and prepared to charge out of the barrier.
Staying here was waiting for death.
Once a Ninja from Hyuga Clan arrived, combined with being outnumbered and surrounded, they'd both die. Better one escape than none!
"Heh..."
"Mei, you've grown."
Seeing Mei's resolute back, a faint, approving smile touched Yagura's typically stern face.
She'd grown up.
'But...'
'As Sora said, the village's future ultimately belongs to the younger generation!'
Swoosh!
Before Mei could exit the barrier, Yagura flickered behind her and delivered a sharp chop to the back of her neck.
Thwack!
A crisp sound rang.
Before Mei could even process the pain, she instantly lost consciousness from the sudden disruption of blood flow to her brain.
Looking down at the unconscious Mei, Yagura let out a soft chuckle, "You have to live, Mei. I have high hopes for your future with Sora. It's just a pity..."
"...I might not get to see it."
"Take care."
Yagura took a deep breath. After leaving behind his soldier pills, compressed rations, hemostatic medicine, and other supplies, he hurried out of the dim cave.
'Live on!'
In Yagura's eyes, both Sora and Mei possessed the most crucial quality for a Mizukage: genuine love for the village.
That love could be for its people, for its protection, or even for...
Sacrifice!!!
…
Boom!
Boom!
Lightning flashed, thunder roared.
A few minutes later,
A series of terrifying explosions suddenly erupted over the quiet, fog-laden forest.
"Get him!"
"It's Yagura!"
"He's a big catch from Kirigakure! With Jiraiya-sama here, we can't let him get away!"
"What about that pretty girl?"
"Girl? Forget the girl! Take down Yagura, and it's smooth sailing from here on out! We'll live the high life!"
The Konoha's Jonin roared. Shuriken poured down like rain towards the disheveled, fleeing figure.
Of course,
Amidst the earth-shaking shouts and the downpour of shuriken, the Konoha's Jonin carefully maintained their distance from Yagura. No one dared to rush in for close combat.
Are you kidding?
Let the big guys handle the heavy lifting!
The opponent was Kirigakure's Yagura, a bona fide Kage-level powerhouse. Without another Kage-level to tie him down, Jonin, even Elite Jonin, were just walking into a meat grinder.
Remember how helpless Kakashi was against Orochimaru later on?
If the famous Copy Ninja was like that, other, lesser Jonin would be even more outmatched against a Kage-level Ninja.
So...
All bark, little bite.
Despite the fierce shouts, the real fight was still Jiraiya's alone!
As for Jiraiya, he was used to it.
In battles between Kage-level Ninjas, Jonin were basically just there for moral support.
Otherwise, Onoki wouldn't have needed an entire army to wear down and kill Kumogakure's Third Raikage!
To ordinary Ninjas, Kage-level fighters were monsters, no different from Tailed Beasts!
The battle group kept moving, as Yagura was simultaneously fending off the Konoha's Ninjas while fleeing in a direction away from Sora and Mei Terumi.
At this time, Yagura didn't yet host the Three-Tails, Isobu. His Chakra Reserves were decent, but only standard for a Kage-level, barely scraping the bottom tier of mid Kage.
Coupled with the lack of a trump card like Biju Transformation, handling Jiraiya plus over a dozen powerful Jonin at once naturally left him stretched thin.
'Just need to get a little farther...'
Yagura kept his eyes locked on the pursuing Konoha Ninjas. '...then find a way to trade my life for Jiraiya's!'
Yagura had resolved himself.
Even a cornered rat will fight back, let alone a proper Kage-level Ninja from Kirigakure!