"Dankū..."
The Third Mizukage carefully pondered these two words.
Was this another Ninjutsu that didn't require hand seals?
It looked like it formed an invisible wall capable of intercepting all the Water Dragon Bullets.
A defensive Ninjutsu.
But wasn't the strength of this defense a little too great?
That was twenty thousand Water Dragon Bullets!!
If he hadn't witnessed it himself, the Third Mizukage absolutely would not have believed it!
Someone was actually able to block the simultaneous attack of nearly twenty thousand Shinobi entirely by themselves!
A monster!
This guy from the Uzushigakure is definitely a monster!
Even the other high-ranking officials of the Kirigakure were stunned by this shocking sight.
They had always known about the strength of the Uzushigakure through intelligence reports and the descriptions provided by Kisame and Suikazan Fuguki.
As well as the special abilities of several Lieutenants.
This time, they finally witnessed the terror of the Uzushigakure firsthand!
But no one told them that such an outrageous person existed!?
The Clan Chief of the Hōzuki, who had always been taciturn, couldn't help but look at Kisame and ask, "You managed to escape from someone like this?"
That look seemed to ask, 'You, of all people?'
Kisame said with a dark expression, "We didn't encounter this squinting monster at the time."
Hearing the term "squinting eyes," the Third Mizukage, who shared the same feature, glanced at him.
But he had opened his eyes too many times today; he was probably about to have his "squinting eyes membership" revoked.
Kisame said with a heavy expression, "I'm afraid this person and the two behind him must be Captain-level big shots!"
Being observant, he could clearly see the difference in attire between these three people and the Lieutenants he had fought previously.
Furthermore, they stood in front of the many Lieutenants, suggesting they were likely figures of considerable importance.
Combined with the intelligence previously revealed by the Uzushigakure.
Therefore...
"Captain-level..."
The Third Mizukage took a deep breath. These were more unfamiliar figures for whom they had no intelligence.
Moreover, their appearance confirmed the existence of the Thirteenth Division Captains of the Uzushigakure.
Just based on the technique used to block the twenty thousand Water Dragon Bullets, this Captain's strength definitely reached Kage-level!
It was even highly likely that he wasn't just a simple Kage!
After all, the ability he just displayed was merely the tip of the iceberg.
He hadn't even used the special ninja sword exclusive to the Uzushigakure!
The performance of just one Captain was already this powerful, yet the Uzushigakure had thirteen such individuals?!
The Third Mizukage suddenly got a headache. If you have this power, why aren't you conquering the Ninja World? What are you doing holed up in a tiny place?!
Fortunately, whether it was due to the arrogance of the Uzushigakure or their underestimation of the Kirigakure, only three Captains had come to invade.
Not only did the Kirigakure have a massive base of Shinobi, but its high-level combat power was also superior to that of ordinary Shinobi Villages!
Besides himself, Hozuki Rōgetsu of the Hozuki Clan and Kaguya Mayuzumi of the Kaguya Clan were also undeniably Kage-level in strength.
Even the Clan Chief of the Terumī Clan had been immersed in the Quasi-Kage stage for many years and was only one step away from a Breakthrough!
Four versus three!
The advantage is with Kirigakure!
The perennial heavy fog environment of the Kirigakure allowed Kirigakure Shinobi to use Water Release Ninjutsu that were not weak while only consuming a small amount of Chakra.
Plus, the Kirigakure Shinobi are united!
The timing, the location, and the people!
Kirigakure has already secured two of the conditions!
This battle is a guaranteed victory!
It's just that the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist in the Kirigakure existed only in name, leaving a significant gap in their mid-to-high-level combat power.
According to Kisame 's description, the invading force from the Uzushigakure seemed to have several more Lieutenants besides the six they had already fought.
This was not good news for the Kirigakure.
Having lost the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, there was no one who could restrain these Lieutenants, who were even slightly stronger than the Swordsmen themselves!
They must achieve a quick victory!
Coincidentally, the Uzushigakure thought the same.
Although the Uzushigakure had many high-level combatants, they had very few low-level ones.
Nearly two thousand members versus nearly twenty thousand Shinobi.
That was a tenfold difference.
The combined power of twenty thousand Shinobi, when united, should absolutely not be underestimated!
So, the Uzushigakure' strategy was for Lieutenants to lead teams and clear out Kirigakure Shinobi.
Using the Lieutenants' combat power to fill the gap in basic combat strength.
The Captains, on the other hand, would complete the decapitation strike as quickly as possible.
Gin removed Dankū, a smile on his face, and said, "Your attacks are over. Now it's our turn."
"Were you playing a turn-based game at the time?" the Kirigakure Shinobi inwardly complained.
Rukia suddenly stepped forward and shouted, "Kido Corps, attention!"
"Wah-wah-sou-suo-qun-9-0-4-8-4-2-0..."
Nearly a thousand people immediately stepped forward.
Rukia swung her right arm downwards, aiming at the Kirigakure Shinobi below, and began to chant:
"Lord! Mask of flesh, all creation, soaring wings..."
The squad members standing behind her also began to chant in unison.
Some quick-thinking Kirigakure Shinobi soon remembered the intelligence about the Uzushigakure' Unmarked Ninjutsu that the Third Mizukage had shared.
Their expressions immediately changed, and they roared, "Stop them quickly!"
The quick-reacting Shinobi began to form hand seals, and various Ninjutsu were launched at the sky.
But soon, another group of people appeared from the Kido Corps.
"Bakudō #39: Enkosen!"
Buzz—
In front of the Kido Corps, circular defensive walls rose, spinning rapidly, blocking the first wave of Ninjutsu.
Before the next wave of Ninjutsu arrived...
"...Truth and temperance, the wall of innocent dreams, stand only upon it!"
"Hadō #33: Sōkatsui!"
Blue beams of light shot from the palms of the Kido Corps members, surging towards the Kirigakure Shinobi at extreme speed.
Boom—
Sōkatsui was incredibly fast; the Kirigakure Shinobi couldn't dodge in time and were engulfed in a sea of blue!
"Ahhh!"
The attacked Shinobi let out horrific screams.
But they were quickly drowned out by the enormous explosion of Sōkatsui, and a thick plume of smoke rose.
When the smoke cleared, the scene within was quickly revealed.
Large numbers of Shinobi lay sprawled, dismembered, on the pockmarked ground.
Backup Group: 89396446
A smell of blood mixed with smoke and dust filled everyone's nostrils.
The scene was extremely gruesome.
The Third Mizukage's eyes widened, his fists clenched, no longer able to maintain his calm demeanor.
He gritted his teeth and said, "How dare you! How dare you!"
Gin chuckled in surprise, "Oh my, why does the Mizukage-sama look like that? In war, people die, isn't that a normal thing?"
The Kido Corps, led by Rukia, paid no heed to the Third Mizukage's feelings.
They changed direction, preparing to launch another attack at another wave of Shinobi.
"Don't even think about it!"
Seeing this, the Third Mizukage immediately used Body Flicker Technique, intending to attack Rukia, but was stopped midway by a figure.
Gin took out his wakizashi-like Zanpakuto and said with a smile, "No can do, Mizukage-sama. Your opponent is me."
A chill suddenly ran through the Third Mizukage's heart, as if he had the illusion of being strangled by a snake.
This man!
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