Chapter 466: Return to the Battlefield

The front line of the battle between Leaf Village and Water Country.

A man wearing a green ninja vest, his hair tied up, looked at the numerous enemies before him.

His expression was indifferent, showing no trace of fear.

"Leaf Village Sword Style"

Using a high-speed body flicker technique to close the distance, the relatively young-looking jonin waved the ninja blade in his hand.

He launched a frenzied slaughter among those enemies.

Ah!

The painful death cries attracted a mist ninja in the distance who likewise held a ninja blade.

"Ninja Art Mist Concealment Technique"

A sheet of snow-white mist enveloped this battlefield.

After using the concealment technique, the mist ninja without eyebrows, wearing his headband askew, silently approached the enemy's rear.

"Die!"

Taking advantage of the enemy's inattention, he without hesitation performed a fierce drawing slash, cutting toward the enemy's rear.

"Is this... a leaf substitute?"

Unfortunately, that certain-to-strike blow did not kill the enemy on the spot; the enemy's figure had vanished from the original place, leaving only scattered leaves fluttering in the wind he stirred.

"Mist Ninja Oni, Momochi Zabuza!"

Looking at the enemy who had revealed himself before him, Baiyun Zao Jian's expression grew solemn.

This enemy differed from ordinary ninjas; he was a tough opponent.

"You actually dodged my drawing slash, kid—what's your name?"

This enemy was worth Momochi Zabuza remembering his name.

He pointed his three-foot blade at the Leaf Village ninja across from him; the ninja blade he now held was not the later decapitating great sword.

Besides being sharp and durable, it was not much different from an ordinary ninja blade.

"Remember, the one who will kill you is Leaf Village jonin Baiyun Zao Jian!"

He coldly replied, Baiyun Zao Jian slung the ninja blade behind his back, held it in reverse hand, and vigilantly surveyed the surroundings.

At the same time, he secretly gathered strength, planning to give the opponent a surprise.

"Are all Leaf Village people as arrogant as you!"

His figure dissipated into the mist, and Momochi Zabuza's voice came from all directions.

"Heart, throat, kidneys… where should I start!"

In the thick mist he created, he cultivated a terrifying atmosphere, gradually applying psychological pressure to the opponent, then launched a silent attack.

This was his favorite trick to play.

The stronger the opponent, the more unique pleasure he could derive.

On another side, the battlefield headquarters.

"Lord Yejuan, the mist ninjas' numerical advantage is too obvious; we can't hold out much longer."

Through his binoculars, Meicun Yejuan, who constantly monitored the battlefield situation, heard the subordinate's report, lowered his binoculars, and asked:

"Communications team, has the news been sent back? Did the reinforcements say when they'd arrive?"

A rough, weather-beaten large face and a long-untrimmed beard made this newly appointed Hokage aide look especially fatigued.

"There was communication twenty minutes ago; the reinforcements are still 200 li out, led by the Fifth Hokage."

"200 li out?" Meicun Yejuan furrowed his brows and ordered: "Give the front line the order—no matter what, we must hold until reinforcements arrive, even if only one person remains; we cannot retreat a single step."

The battlefield situation was clearly unfavorable to them, but if they retreated like that, those mist ninja scoundrels would surely seize the chance to directly invade Huo Zhi Guo.

This he could not accept.

"But... are the casualties too great!"

These mist ninjas not only had numerical superiority, but also many blood-trace ninjas; their addition made Leaf Village's already perilous situation even worse.

"This is nothing compared to the cruelty of the Rock Ninja battlefield back then; these casualties are merely a trifle!"

Having once persisted to the end on the Rock Ninja front lines, awaiting Fourth Hokage support, Meicun Yejuan had witnessed too much battlefield sacrifice.

As a civilian ninja, his rise to this point was partly due to fortunate coincidence, having encountered the major personnel reshuffle following the Fifth Hokage's ascension.

Another factor was his own resilient personality, unwavering belief, and rich battlefield experience, enabling him to remain composed in any adversity.

"Situation!"

Just as Meicun Yejuan turned around, preparing to personally go to the battlefield, a shout interrupted his action.

"Direction 160, distance 6 kilometers, altitude 500, there is a strong chakra reaction, rapidly approaching the battlefield…"

Sitting within a barrier, wearing a strange device on his head, the sensor ninja nervously reported the new situation.

"The speed is very fast; we'll soon make contact!"

"Direction 160 is our rear…" Upon hearing the direction of the incoming person or the chakra reaction, Meicun Yejuan muttered a few words.

"Have the observers closely monitor that situation, while diverting some personnel to guard against mist ninja sneak attacks."

Coming from behind himself, and with an altitude of 500, it was likely reinforcements from their side, but it could also be a mist ninja plot.

On the battlefield, circumstances change constantly; one must always keep a reserve and make multiple preparations.

Cry!

A sharp, piercing eagle cry rang out above the battlefield.

Immediately, a white-headed sea eagle with a wingspan nearing a hundred meters, at a speed beyond ordinary perception, skimmed the treetops and slammed into the battlefield from one corner.

Whoosh!

With the arrival of the giant sea eagle, a violent gale began to ravage the battlefield.

「This is! 」

His body bore a ferocious wound; Bai Yun Zao Jian hid behind a large tree, desperately blocking the sudden storm.

After he adapted to the storm, he looked around and happened to see Tao Di Zai Bu Zhan, who also had a blade wound on his body.

The opponent's Mist Concealment Technique had already been blown away by that recent gust of wind.

「Just in time! 」

Seeing the opponent again feeling for his flank, Zao Jian hesitated not at all, and taking advantage of the wind that had not yet dissipated, he drew the ninja blade strapped to his back.

「Vacuum Blade」

Following the airflow brought by that gust of wind, the sword energy he unleashed was nearly three times stronger than usual.

「Damn it! 」

Caught off guard by the gust of wind, Tao Di Zai Bu Zhan's face darkened like the bottom of a pot, and he hastily raised his blade to block the attack.

Clang clang clang!

As his ninja blade wildly danced before him, a crisp metallic clang rang out.

Pfft!

A sound of a sharp blade slicing flesh came from the blow; Tao Di Zai Bu Zhan didn't even grunt, hastily pulling away from his opponent.

「Damn it, is this guy's technique wind-affiliated? 」

Looking at the fallen trees all around and the gashes sliced into the ground, Tao Di Zai Bu Zhan knew the opponent must have used that recent gust of wind to deliver such a powerful strike.

Upon arriving at the battlefield, seeing the scattered mist on the ground, Dong Shilang immediately summoned the mountain eagle to whip up a gust of wind.

Blowing away those vision-obscuring Mist Concealment Techniques, he didn't descend from the mountain eagle, but instead stood on its back and began forming hand seals.

「Fire Release: Great Fire Destruction」

As the mountain eagle circled, a straight line of fire spewed from Dong Shilang's mouth, blazing toward the densely packed Mist Ninja below.

Moreover, the mountain eagle cooperated, flapping its wings again to raise a tornado, sucking the flames Dong Shilang exhaled into it and sweeping them across the ground.

Boom!

With Dong Shilang's current strength, the Fire Release he performed after forming seals was hardly different from that of his family's Dance King.

Furthermore, with the mountain eagle's assistance, a fire-red tornado with a diameter of 30 to 40 meters and a height nearing 100 meters began to ravage the center of the battlefield.

「... is... Fifth Hokage... Yuzhibo Dongshilang! 」

At the Mist Ninja command post below, Qing, clad in black-gray Mist Ninja attire, clearly saw through his Byakugan who had arrived.

「... Yuzhibo... Dongshilang! 」

Hearing Qing's report, the commander of this attack, Zhao Mei Ming, furrowed her fine brows and fixed her gaze on the massive fire tornado in the battlefield.

「Really, a troublesome enemy has shown up! 」

I never expected that upon meeting again, the opponent would actually become the Fifth Hokage of Leaf Village—this is truly surprising!

Moreover, it seems this man's strength has greatly improved!

……

「Looks like today is your day of death! 」

Without the Mist Concealment Technique, the opposing Mist Ninja will surely be cut down by my sword; Bai Yun Zao Jian is confident he can achieve this.

「Hmph! 」 With a cold snort, Tao Di Zai Bu Zhan's voice turned grim: "It's not certain who will slay whom!"

「Tao Di Zai Bu Zhan, you despicable bastard, you'll actually suffer a loss this time—how satisfying! 」

Just as Tao Di Zai Bu Zhan raised his heart, preparing to fight to the death against the Leaf ninja opposite, a slightly disdainful voice sounded from not far between him and Bai Yun Zao Jian.

「Ghost Lantern Man Yue, how did you end up here? 」

Seeing a head pop out from the distant pond, Tao Di Zai Bu Zhan also didn't give him a pleasant look.

「I don't need you to meddle here! 」

「Tch, who would bother with your life or death? 」 With a disparaging remark, Man Yue lifted his gaze and saw the huge spirit beast circling above the battlefield, recalling why he had come.

「Leaf Village's reinforcements have arrived; if you don't want to die, you'd better retreat early! 」

After saying that, Man Yue also glanced at the Leaf ninja on guard, watching for his sneak attack.

「It's a shame; this guy seems like a decent opponent, worth my slicing him a few times with the Flatfish Cut—but alas, who let the elder sister leader order me to relay the command! 」

Also, this fellow is somewhat far from the water source, and I'm in a hurry; otherwise…

「Retreat… hum… consider yourself lucky! 」

After throwing down a harsh remark, Tao Di Zai Bu Zhan touched his aching wound, somewhat unwillingly leaving the battlefield.

As the Blood Mist Village, the Mist Ninja's battlefield orders are extremely cruel; even someone as unruly as he dares not slack in the slightest when faced with superiors' commands.