Chapter 33: A Ferocious Battle
A thick, bloodthirsty aura wrapped around the narrow valley like something you could almost touch. Six squads of Iwagakure Jōnin advanced slowly in a hexagonal formation. Their black ninja packs gleamed coldly under the sunlight, and the sound of their boots grinding against loose gravel cut sharply through the suffocating silence.
Hands forming seals, they released earth-yellow Chakra that shimmered in the air. Heavy vibrations rippled through the cliff walls and into the ground, making the entire valley tremble violently.
"Trash from Konoha! Since you dared to step onto Iwagakure territory, don't even dream of leaving here alive!"
The leader of the Iwagakure Jōnin stood tall at the front like a steel tower. A long scar stretching from his brow to his jaw twisted as he curled his lips into a cruel grin. The muscles of his exposed right arm bulged, and his Chakra flared upward like a blazing signal flare.
His hands blurred through seals faster than the naked eye could follow, then he slammed that earth-yellow Chakra into the ground.
"Earth Release: Earth Spike!"
The ground exploded.
The earth split open as dozens of arm-thick, razor-sharp spears of stone burst upward with a roaring sound. Their cold, gleaming tips lunged toward the three Konoha teams like a nest of vipers striking all at once.
Inuzuka Ago's pupils shrank sharply. He exchanged a glance with Kuromaru at his side.
"Inuzuka Style: Fang Over Fang!" he shouted as he dropped into a crouch.
Kuromaru leaped high, and in an instant, man and dog spun into two black tornadoes that merged into one. Their Chakra turned into countless spinning blades, crashing head-on into the incoming earth spears with the force of a raging storm.
A series of sharp cracks rang out as stone met whirling Chakra. The hardened spears shattered into dust under the high-speed, grinding force.
But more spears kept erupting from the ground without pause.
Izumo pushed off the earth with the balls of his feet, hands flying through seals.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
Two earthen walls, each half a person tall, rose from the ground in front of the formation, standing like solid shields. The surface of the walls dented and chipped as the remaining spears slammed into them, clumps of dirt raining down.
"Everyone, land and form a battle formation!" Inuzuka Ago's voice rang out through the swirling dust.
The twin tornadoes dispersed instantly. He wiped a cut on his cheek where a shard of stone had grazed him, fresh blood dripping from his chin.
The moment they stabilized, two Iwagakure Jōnin on the eastern cliff wall launched another Ninjutsu. Several boulders the size of millstones came crashing down with howling wind.
"Yamanaka Mei, hold off the two teams on the east! I'll handle the west!" Inuzuka Ago drew his ninja blade, its edge reflecting the fierce determination in his eyes.
"Izumo! Take the Genin and break through first. Get to headquarters and report! Leave these Jōnin to us!"
"Understood!" Yamanaka Mei replied, nodding sharply.
Her hands flashed through seals before pressing to her temple, her eyes glowing with a pale blue Chakra light.
She took a deep breath, and her mental power shot forward like an invisible arrow toward the two Iwagakure Jōnin on the eastern side. One of them suddenly froze, confusion flashing in his eyes.
But his partner reacted instantly. He formed a seal and slapped his teammate's shoulder.
"Kai!"
The controlled ninja snapped awake. The two of them unleashed Earth Release together, and sharp stone spikes burst from the cliff wall, surging toward Yamanaka Mei.
Izumo tightened his grip on his kunai.
"Genin, form a triangular defense formation! Follow me and push through!"
The moment the words left his mouth, he charged toward a gap on the southern side of the valley. Along the way, two Iwagakure Chūnin swung their swords to block him.
Izumo's body shot forward like a streak of light. His kunai moved like the tongue of a venomous snake, slicing across both of their throats in a single, fluid motion.
Warm blood sprayed across his forehead protector.
Behind him, Inuzuka Ago and Yamanaka Mei were now locked in a life-or-death struggle. Facing three Iwagakure Jōnin alone, even the overwhelming power of Fang Over Fang was being suppressed by two Iwa ninja who specialized in defense.
Every collision sent numbness up Inuzuka Ago's arms. His right arm had been ripped open by an earth spear, bone faintly visible beneath torn flesh as blood soaked into his arm guard.
Yamanaka Mei, not skilled in close-range frontal combat, was in an even more dangerous position.
"Trying to run? Not that easy!"
Seeing Izumo about to break through, the three Jōnin split up. One from each side peeled away to chase him, slightly easing the pressure on Inuzuka Ago and Yamanaka Mei.
The two Jōnin pursuing Izumo formed hand seals in perfect sync. Earth-yellow Chakra surged wildly beneath their feet.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow River!"
With a thunderous roar, the ground ahead collapsed. A raging torrent of mud and stone swept forward like a roaring monster.
The muddy flood carried shattered rocks with it, swallowing trees and grass in its path as it surged straight toward Izumo and the Genin behind him.
Izumo's expression changed instantly. Chakra exploded beneath his feet as he activated the Body Flicker Technique at a master level. His form turned into a fading afterimage, barely slipping past the edge of the mud's reach.
But two Genin behind him reacted a fraction too slowly.
Mud splashed over their calves and clung tightly, nearly dragging them into the next wave of the raging flow.
Izumo gritted his teeth and spun around. His kunai flew with pinpoint accuracy, slicing through the mud binding their legs as he shouted, "Move! Follow me, now!"
On the other side of the battlefield, Inuzuka Ago's left arm was torn open again by an earth spear, blood dripping from his fingertips.
Panting, he stood back-to-back with Kuromaru, staring at the two tightly-defended Iwa ninja in front of him. His heart pounded with anxiety.
"Can that kid Izumo really hold out?"
He stole a glance and saw Izumo being held down by two Jōnin. The worry in his chest only grew heavier.
The two Iwagakure Jōnin worked together flawlessly, offense and defense flowing like a single body. The defensive ninja's Earth-Style Wall was like a bronze fortress, while the attacker's Earth Spikes constantly aimed for lethal points.
Even though Izumo kept dodging with the Body Flicker Technique, he couldn't find a single opening to strike back.
Cold sweat slid down his temples. His Chakra consumption had already reached nearly thirty percent. He knew dragging this out would only spell disaster.
A ruthless glint flashed through his eyes.
The Chakra inside his body surged wildly. His muscles tensed, and the full explosive power of his master-level Taijutsu erupted.
He deliberately staggered as he charged, leaving a clear opening as he rushed straight at the defensive-type ninja.
The opponent took the bait.
Hands flew into seals.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
A wall of earth shot up in front of him in an instant.
The corner of Izumo's lips curled into a cold, dangerous smirk.
"You've got some nerve… using Earth-Style Wall in front of me."
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