Following Tsunade's support troops, the Yellow Dog Battalion entered the front lines.
After leaving the main front-line camp, Yōkō had a plan ready. At the same time, in the same location, he arrived at the identical spot on the coastline of the Land of Whirlpools.
With the advantage of knowing the script this time, he absolutely would not fight Hōzuki Rinzuki to a standstill.
Standing on a reef by the sea, Yōkō said to his platoon:
"Kiri-nin are proficient in Water Release. I plan to form a speciality squad to deal with them."
"The 3 Lightning Release users and 2 Fire Release users in the platoon will all follow me."
"You five will be under Antelope's temporary command. The rest of you, don't stray too far from me; maintain positions where you can support me at any time."
"Intelligence indicates there might be members of Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen nearby."
"Our mission is to seize one of the Seven Ninja Swords."
"The Seven Ninja Swords hold a prominent position in Kirigakure and are the focal point of the struggle between the village and its largest clan, the Hōzuki clan."
"As long as we obtain one of the Seven Swords, we can take the initiative and detonate Kirigakure's internal conflicts."
If Yōkō said he had intelligence, then he had intelligence. Where the intelligence came from was something his team members didn't need to know.
If asked, it was simply that Yōkō, as an ANBU Jōnin, obtained classified intelligence from the ANBU.
Somewhere along the coastline, Special Jōnin Hayama was pondering why all 11 Special Jōnin recommended by Lord Sakumo had been sent to the Land of Whirlpools battlefield.
Suddenly, his squad was ambushed.
The Longsword: Nuibari pierced one of his squad members. Hayama quickly used the Vacuum Sword jutsu, awarded to him by Hatake Sakumo, to cut the wire.
Seeing it was Kirigakure's Elite Jōnin Kuriarare Kushimaru, Hayama immediately gave the order:
"Retreat! I'll cover the rear!"
Hayama held his ninja sword; the Vacuum Sword's wind blades sliced through the sea breeze and waves but were shattered by the chakra blade of the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei.
There was another Elite Jōnin!
Hōzuki Rinzuki!
Kuriarare Kushimaru flanked towards the rear, attacking his squad members.
Hayama's eyes instantly became bloodshot. Both he, covering the retreat, and his squad members, who were under attack, were at a great disadvantage.
Perhaps in just over ten seconds, his squad would be annihilated.
Facing two Elite Jōnin, the only outcome for his squad was death.
Was it really some deliberate scheme or conspiracy that the 11 Special Jōnin recommended by Lord Sakumo were drafted into the Land of Whirlpools war?
No, it's an open plot.
No shinobi could refuse the village's conscription; the village's orders supersede everything.
Just as Hayama was in despair, a figure Body Flickered into view.
An ANBU wearing a fox mask blocked the chakra blade of the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei with his hands.
Yōkō turned his head and said to Hayama:
"I am ANBU Jōnin Fox. My subordinates will arrive shortly. I'm giving you a mission: seize the Longsword: Nuibari."
Hayama's heart relaxed. It was actually ANBU Copper Fox, that rising star who first showed his prowess on the Land of Rivers battlefield.
If it were Copper Fox, then he and his squad wouldn't die at the hands of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
Yōkō stared at Hōzuki Rinzuki on the beach and quickly took action.
Physical attacks were ineffective against Hōzuki Rinzuki. With his Hydrification Technique, his body turned to liquid, evading all physical attacks.
The jutsu Yōkō excelled in, Earth Release and Water Release, were primarily physical strikes. Even if he cut Hōzuki Rinzuki to pieces, his body could still recover.
This time, Yōkō needed to create an opportunity for close combat.
Using the Absolute Defense: Copper Light to withstand two chakra blades from the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei, Yōkō closed in on Hōzuki Rinzuki.
Stimulated by the chakra, the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei suddenly expanded, growing from one meter long to larger than Hōzuki Rinzuki himself.
Hōzuki Rinzuki swung the twin swords, chopping down at Yōkō.
Yōkō pretended to fear the Hiramekarei, continuously dodging around Hōzuki Rinzuki.
Until a certain moment, when Hōzuki Rinzuki was fully committed and couldn't change the swords' trajectory, Yōkō took the slash on his shoulder, using both hands to pull open a hidden scroll.
The Lightning Release sealing scroll activated instantly.
"Ah!"
It was almost impossible for the squad's Lightning Release users to hit Hōzuki Rinzuki; the difference in strength was too great. Only with this method could they succeed in a sneak attack.
Hōzuki Rinzuki let out a scream. Both the twin swords and he himself were enveloped in lightning, unable to move.
Antelope and the other two, hiding in the distance, quickly rushed out.
They released Lightning Release from three directions.
"Lightning Release: Earth Running!"
Continuous Lightning Release coursed over the sea surface, rushing towards Hōzuki Rinzuki's feet, then climbing up his body.
Amidst a series of crackling sounds, Hōzuki Rinzuki was already immobilized.
He watched helplessly as the Konoha Fox ANBU kicked away the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei.
The three squad members continuously used Lightning Release jutsu, restraining Hōzuki Rinzuki.
Completely suppressed!
Hōzuki Rinzuki even wondered if the village had sold out his intelligence to Konoha in order to take the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei.
Only that could explain why he was so passive, as if every move was accurately predicted by the enemy.
Even under the effect of the Lightning Release jutsu, Hōzuki Rinzuki still forced himself to use the Hydrification Technique despite severe injuries.
The surface of his body melted like a candle. As long as he could break free from the Lightning Release control and enter the seawater, he could escape.
Yōkō shouted: "Prepare Fire Release!"
The two squad members' Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique shot straight at Hōzuki Rinzuki.
Hōzuki Rinzuki, who had just begun to show signs of liquefaction, was blasted and baked by the Fire Release, his entire body instantly charred black.
Yōkō took out the obsidian kunai he had prepared beforehand, moved behind Hōzuki Rinzuki, and forcefully stabbed it into his cervical spine.
Obsidian doesn't conduct electricity, preventing Yōkō from being affected by the Lightning Release himself.
With this stab, Hōzuki Rinzuki was rendered quadriplegic.
Not entirely reassured, Yōkō also added the Self-Cursing Body Binding Seal.
Yōkō threw the completely charred Hōzuki Rinzuki onto a reef on the shore and said to Antelope:
"Antelope, you three Lightning Release users guard him. Alternate using Lightning Release on him to ensure he has no ability to resist."
"I'll interrogate this Hōzuki shinobi after I deal with Kuriarare Kushimaru."
"I understand, Captain."
Yōkō hurried off to pursue Kuriarare Kushimaru.
Hayama was a Special Jōnin, and his own two squads were also quite capable, but they were still no match for Kuriarare Kushimaru.
Kuriarare Kushimaru was undoubtedly an Elite Jōnin, and Yōkō was very worried.
When he rounded a bay, he first heard Kuriarare Kushimaru's cruel, shrill laughter, and then saw the gruesome scene in the cove.
Five people from the Konoha side had been pierced by the wires of the Longsword: Nuibari, not daring to move for fear of the wires cutting more internal organs.
Kuriarare Kushimaru stood under a reef, continuously throwing the Longsword: Nuibari. The area between the reefs was crisscrossed with dense wires.
As soon as he finished his setup, he could sever everyone's legs.
Kuriarare Kushimaru turned his head and suddenly saw the Fox ANBU carrying the twin swords on his back. His heart sank.
Twin Swords?
Hōzuki Rinzuki was defeated? He even lost the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei?
That Fox ANBU, was he the Konoha ANBU with the absolute defense ability mentioned in the intelligence, Copper Fox?
Before the Fox ANBU could charge at him, Kuriarare Kushimaru quickly severed the wire attached to the Longsword: Nuibari, turned around, and, without hesitation, jumped into the seawater.
Yōkō was fast, but he couldn't catch up with Kuriarare Kushimaru, who had jumped first.
Kuriarare Kushimaru, a taijutsu-type member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, had astonishing speed.
Yōkō quickly turned his attention to the Konoha side. Five people were pierced by the Longsword: Nuibari, though none had fatal wounds.
Kuriarare Kushimaru had severe psychological issues; his first instinct upon encountering enemies wasn't to kill them, but to find ways to torture them.
According to intelligence, when missions weren't urgent, Kuriarare Kushimaru particularly enjoyed stringing enemies up with wires, then stroking the wires, enjoying the tremors transmitted through them and listening to the enemies' wails.
When it comes to being perverted, Kirigakure certainly has more than its share.
Yōkō said, "Quick, rescue them. Be careful not to cause secondary injury to the wounded with the wires."
***
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(Chapter End)