Hanzō and Mifune stood apart, the former wielding a chain scythe, the latter holding dual blades. Their recent clash had been a duel between these two. Both were masters of Kenjutsu, equally adept in the art of iaido. After Mifune's defeat by Hanzō in Kenjutsu years ago, he did not lose heart; instead, he trained relentlessly day after day. Today's battle was his trial to prove his Kenjutsu.
"Lord Hanzō, it seems you haven't improved much over the years."
"In that case, I shall defeat you to demonstrate my skill!"
Having stepped onto this battlefield, Mifune hesitated not. His sword was his path, and the Hanzō before him was the challenge he needed to transcend himself.
Behind him, Yahiko and Konan panted heavily. They had already fought Hanzō together once. Even their combined efforts had yielded no advantage against him, and they had been overwhelmed at one point—all without the aid of their summoned Ibuse. It was only Mifune's timely arrival that had rescued them.
A light drizzle persisted over Amegakure Village, while at its center, wave after wave of chakra rippled through the air.
"Oh, things are heating up..."
"Whoa, that giant salamander."
"Fire Release: Rasengan, Flame Cloud!"
Yugito and Terumi, busy dealing with the Ibuse, unleashed genuine fury. Both were formidable young-generation shinobi, supremely confident in their abilities. Yet a single Ibuse had managed to block their path, leaving them thoroughly annoyed.
Just then, a mocking voice echoed, followed instantly by a streak of light hurtling like a meteor. The crimson streak slammed into the Ibuse's belly. Upon impact, intense flames instantly engulfed the creature. Before the two could react, the Ibuse let out a heart-wrenching wail.
"This..."
"Bastard sensei?"
Yugito was the first to recognize the voice—how could she not know Kazuyama Gekkō's? Terumi's gaze followed suit, seeing the Rasengan in Kazuyama Gekkō's hand had vanished. After all, the Ibuse was already ablaze—all that remained was waiting for it to turn into grilled fish jerky.
"You two are hopeless. How can you struggle so much against a single Ibuse?"
"This isn't the same Ibuse Hanzō fought earlier. Sigh, we still need more practice."
Kazuyama Gekkō shot his two disciples a look of utter disdain.
"Bullshit! Haven't you seen all the corpses of Amegakure jōnin littering the area?"
"We took down every single one of them! If we hadn't held off those ANBU and jōnin, how could Konan-san have fought Hanzō properly?"
"Damn teacher, are you blind or something?"
Yugito's mouth rattled like a runaway train. This made Kazuyama Gekkō burst into laughter. Truthfully, he'd seen the situation all along—he was just teasing them on purpose.
"Alright, go help Konan and the others."
"I can't intervene against Hanzō, but I can ensure no one else enters this perimeter."
The two pupils looked puzzled. The next moment, changes began occurring around Hanzō's castle. Kazuyama Gekkō spoke calmly: "Four Purple Flames Formation!" Instantly, a transparent purple flame barrier in the shape of a rectangular prism unfolded at the castle's four cardinal points. The barrier was coated in purple flames, preventing outsiders from entering. Anyone touching its walls would be scorched by the fire.
It wasn't that Kazuyama Gekkō didn't want to use the more powerful Four Red Yang Formation, but his crystals simply couldn't withstand such immense chakra. The Four Red Yang Formation required Kage-level chakra to activate—crystals forged through Crystal Release were utterly inadequate. Thus, he could only opt for the weaker Four Purple Flame Array to isolate the battlefield. It would suffice.
"Terumi, take this. Once the battle ends and Hanzō is defeated, crush this crystal to dispel the barrier."
Kazuyama Gekkō tossed a crystal to Terumi. It was identical to the four crystals used to cast the barrier; the chakra within all five crystals was interconnected. Should one shatter, the others would follow suit. This chained device, developed by Kazuyama Gekkō using Crystal Release, was specifically designed for barrier techniques.
"Understood, Sensei."
"Good. Go now. Eliminate Hanzō. Let me witness your strength."
"Yes, Sensei!"
Under Kazuyama Gekkō's watchful gaze, Yugito and Terumi sprinted toward Hanzō's battlefield. Left alone, Kazuyama Gekkō let a satisfied smile touch his lips. Glancing once more at the skies above Amegakure, he vanished from the spot. He was confident Yahiko and the others would eliminate Hanzō, bringing Amegakure under Takigakure's control to become his formidable rear guard.
...
Returning to the shores of Kumogakure, he had already found a place to rest, quietly awaiting the arrival of Killer Bee and the others. Little did he know that Team Killer Bee, who should have long since embarked on their mission, hadn't even left the village yet.
"Killer Bee, hurry up!"
"Didn't I ask if you needed help with luggage? What did you say?"
"Damn it!"
Motoi was furious, because Killer Bee was currently frantically buying supplies for a beach trip in the village. Look at what he bought—he even got swimsuits! was he really going on a mission? Like hell! He was going on vacation!
"Kokonyaruku, baga-yaro, Motoi, you just don't get it! Is this a mission? No!"
"This is a trip! A beach trip! How could I not bring swimsuits!"
"Hey, Samui, hold these for me, I'll go buy some more! What's going on in the village lately? Why is everything out of stock?"
Killer Bee's shopping spree quickly reached the ears of the Four Lightning Bro.
"Snap!"
Dodai watched the Raikage break through the window, shaking his head helplessly. He muttered to himself, "Killer Bee, you're something else. Why pick this moment to cause trouble? Sigh. Such a handful."
Soon, Killer Bee—still mid-shopping spree—was yanked out of the store by Lightning Bro's massive hand, his head clutched in a vice-like grip.
"Oh! NO! Brother! Easy there, easy! My head!"
"You bastard! Bee! I sent you to handle the coastal affairs, and this is the attitude you give me!"
The brothers' exchange—one begging for mercy, the other raging—drew stares from passersby.
"Motoi, take men and follow. I'll wait outside the village!"
A flash of blue light erupted. With one hand still gripping Killer Bee's head, Fourth Raikage activated his Lightning Release Armor and charged eastward. He intended to personally throw Killer Bee out of the village!