"They're here."
Tsunade halted abruptly, her senses heightened as Chōi detected the Five-Tailed Kokuō's presence drawing near. The approaching chakra signified that the Iwagakure ninja were closing in quickly.
"Which direction?"
"Right ahead."
Tsunade answered Kawakaze's question imdiately, relying on Chōi's guidance.
"Everyone, follow ," Kawakaze commanded firmly, leading Tsunade and the group of ninja toward the approaching threat. Their objective was clear—buy ti for the injured. If the Iwa ninja caught up, the wounded would stand little chance of survival.
"Can you see?" Tsunade glanced back at the Hyūga ninja, whose Byakugan was already activated.
"I see them," he confird. "About nine kiloters away, and there are fewer than a hundred of them."
The Hyūga ninja exhaled in relief. The enemy's smaller numbers suggested a manageable threat. Still, he had resolved to destroy his own eyes before falling in battle, if necessary.
"Continue to observe," Kawakaze ordered, his expression stern. Though the enemy forces were limited, their hurried arrival indicated they were elites.
"Yes, Lord Kawakaze." The Hyūga ninja's veins bulged around his activated Byakugan as he maintained sharp focus on the approaching Iwa ninja.
The Konoha ninja braced themselves for battle, each radiating killing intent. These were seasoned warriors—survivors of the Great War and among Konoha's finest.
Kawakaze stayed vigilant, while on the other side, the Iwa ninja prepared themselves. Han, too, could sense Chōi's presence drawing closer with each passing mont.
"Lord Third, the Konoha ninja are approaching."
"Good, saves the trouble of finding them," Ōnoki replied, flying steadily through the air. He appreciated Konoha's decision not to abandon their wounded; it made their position predictable.
The two forces were evenly matched in size, and it wasn't long before they ca into view. A gust of wind swept through, lifting yellow sand into the air as tension thickened. The battle between Konoha and Iwagakure was about to erupt.
Kawakaze stood firmly at the front of the Konoha line, with Tsunade just half a step behind him. anwhile, Ōnoki led the Iwa ninja, hovering a re hundred ters away at the vanguard.
"Slug Princess, I didn't expect you from Konoha to stoop to force," Ōnoki sneered, a pointed reference to the claim that Konoha had taken the Seven-Tails from Takigakure.
"Shorty, my grandfather gave it to them. What's wrong if I take it back?" Tsunade retorted just as boldly.
"Sharp-tongued," Ōnoki snapped, his fury evident. Few in the Land of Earth dared mock his height.
"Let's see what you've got!"
Kawakaze, uninterested in further banter, cut through the tension. Words wouldn't halt the inevitable clash.
"Just as I thought," Ōnoki muttered, forming hand seals. "Dust Release: Detachnt of the Primitive World Technique."
A translucent barrier appeared between his hands, forming a conical shape as he unleashed the devastating technique.
"Quickly, dodge!" Kawakaze shouted, grabbing Tsunade and using the Body Flicker Technique to escape the attack.
The conical Dust Release surged forward. Though its charge ti was significant, the technique's speed left little room for error. Thanks to Kawakaze's warning, the Konoha ninja narrowly evaded the blast. Monts later, an enormous explosion carved a gaping crater into the sandy terrain, showcasing the destructive power of the attack.
"Go."
Kawakaze imdiately activated Sage Mode, lightning crackling around his body as he charged at Ōnoki.
anwhile, Tsunade and Han faced off, their battle separating from the main group. Both Jinchūriki were cautious, knowing the indiscriminate destruction of Tailed Beast Balls could harm their own comrades.
The Konoha and Iwa ninja clashed fiercely, their battlefields erupting into chaos.
"Kenjutsu: Fire and Thunder God," Kawakaze announced as he unleashed a powerful technique. Flas and lightning surged around him, resembling a thunderous, fiery dragon as he rushed toward Ōnoki.
Ōnoki's expression remained calm. He had faced countless powerful opponents before.
"Earth Release: Rock Arm Technique," he said, summoning a massive arm of rock that erupted from the yellow sand, completely obscuring his view of Kawakaze.
"This won't stop ," Kawakaze declared. In an instant, he shattered the rock arm into pieces and closed the distance between himself and Ōnoki. His sword was poised to pierce Ōnoki's neck.
"Earth Release: Added-Weight Rock Technique."
Ōnoki suddenly dropped to the ground like a massive weight, creating a deep crater in the sand.
"Is that all you've got?"
Kawakaze was montarily stunned as his attack missed its mark.
It was clear now why Ōnoki was a Kage-level ninja who had risen to power during the Great War. His mastery of his techniques was unparalleled.
"Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique," Ōnoki snarled, his face fierce yet oddly comical with his prominent nose. His right hand transford into a hardened rock fist, its weight and strength magnified as he swung a devastating punch at Kawakaze.
In a split second, Kawakaze countered with his sword, slicing through the rock fist. The clash sent shards of stone flying, and Kawakaze was forced backward by the sheer force of the attack.
Taking advantage of the mont, Ōnoki soared back into the air, increasing the distance between himself and Kawakaze.
Though Kawakaze was fast, he lacked the ability to fly, leaving him grounded as he could only watch Ōnoki retreat with frustration.
"You think you can get rid of like that?"
Kawakaze imdiately saw through Ōnoki's intentions. Crouching slightly on his right leg, the lightning on his soles intensified, glowing even brighter.
"Thunderclap and Flash: One Flash of Lightning, Ninefold."
With a sudden burst of power from his right leg, the yellow sand around Kawakaze turned black from the heat. His figure flickered through the air with blinding speed, and in a heartbeat, he appeared directly in front of Ōnoki.
"Dust Release: Detachnt of the Primitive World Technique!" Ōnoki exclaid, his shock evident as he hastily perford hand seals.
Kawakaze's unexpected aerial strikes left him little ti to react, but he managed to summon a large, translucent barrier capable of disintegrating anything it touched into atoms.
"Old man," Kawakaze muttered, his expression shifting the mont he saw the barrier. Recognizing the danger, he twisted his body mid-air to narrowly evade it. Upon landing, he noticed a chunk of flesh missing from his right arm.
"What a troubleso ability," he muttered under his breath. Though he felt no pain, he imdiately summoned a Katsuyu Slug. With the combined power of his self-healing abilities and the Slug's support, his arm regenerated in monts.
"Earth Release: Rock Golem Technique," Ōnoki declared, forming hand seals to summon a massive rock giant. Manipulating the construct mid-air, he directed it to attack Kawakaze.
The rock giant's enormous hand swung down toward Kawakaze, its imnse weight threatening to crush him. Ōnoki watched intently, prepared to unleash a Dust Release if Kawakaze was caught.
"The old man has quite a few tricks up his sleeve," Kawakaze remarked. Using the Body Flicker Technique, he dodged the giant's attack and appeared behind it.
"Kenjutsu: Requiem of Death."
Lightning energy surged into his blade, sharpening its power. Kawakaze slashed at the giant's forehead, managing to cut it in half. However, the giant's defensive strength was formidable—it stopped moving only after the blow, demonstrating why this technique was renowned for its resilience.
"Dust Release: Detachnt of the Primitive World Technique!" Ōnoki shouted, taking advantage of Kawakaze's montary pause. He unleashed a large column of dust from his hands, the barrier's size enough to engulf Kawakaze.
Despite the damage to its head, the rock giant remained functional. Its massive hands moved to swat Kawakaze, each strike threatening to crush him like an insect.
"You can have the sword," Kawakaze decided, releasing his grip on the blade embedded in the giant and using the Body Flicker Technique to escape. Though it stung to lose his weapon, he consoled himself—he could always have Rōtetsu craft another one.
"Sage Art: Heavenly Thunder of the Nine Skies," Kawakaze declared, his tone resolute. His gaze fixed on Ōnoki above. Don't think that just because I'm on the ground, I can't reach you.
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