Chapter 161: Signs of Defeat
Under the incredulous gaze of Kuriarare Kushimaru, his arm holding the long sword, Nuibari, was neatly severed by the Air Blade: Crescent Moon Slash!
In contrast, Koshino!
Taking advantage of the opportunity created by Might Guy and Genma Shiranui, Koshino first used the most basic Body Replacement Technique to evade Kuriarare Kushimaru's deadly strike.
Then, with a speed rivaling Namikaze Minato's Wind Instantaneous Body Technique, he avoided Kuriarare Kushimaru's detection.
Subsequently, he executed the Air Blade: Crescent Moon Slash, severing one of Kuriarare Kushimaru's arms, completely turning the tide of the battle!
Moreover, although Kuriarare Kushimaru had only lost one arm, that arm wielding the long sword Nuibari held significant importance in his duel with Koshino.
With the loss of his right arm and the Nuibari, how much of Kuriarare Kushimaru's combat power remained at its peak?
Furthermore, Kuriarare Kushimaru not only lost an arm to Koshino but had also suffered severe injuries from Choza in previous clashes with the Konoha side!
Therefore, the moment Kuriarare Kushimaru lost an arm and the Nuibari, Koshino was already 100% confident he could kill Kuriarare Kushimaru!
With Kuriarare Kushimaru's death, the infamous Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist would lose a member.
Wouldn't Koshino's remarkable feat of slaying Kuriarare Kushimaru be akin to cutting off an arm of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?
Then, as Kuriarare Kushimaru showed signs of defeat, a faint smile appeared on Koshino's face.
Just as Koshino had planned, he not only aimed to sever Kuriarare Kushimaru's arm here but also to cut off an arm of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, taking the opportunity to kill Kuriarare Kushimaru!
As for Kuriarare Kushimaru, already showing signs of defeat, how could he be a match for Koshino?
Moreover, as Koshino engaged Kuriarare Kushimaru, on the verge of killing the defeated Kuriarare Kushimaru, in the other two battlefields where Konoha and the Mist were clashing, the Mist side, much like Kuriarare Kushimaru fighting Koshino, also showed signs of defeat, seemingly on the brink of total defeat!
Outside the Land of Fire.
There was the battlefield where Namikaze Minato clashed with the Mist.
Under Namikaze Minato's leadership, the Konoha ninjas were brimming with morale, forcing the Mist ninjas into retreat within just a few minutes.
Especially when Namikaze Minato personally joined the battle, using the Flying Thunder God Technique combined with the Rasengan, his figure flickered among the Mist ninjas, mercilessly reaping their lives, completely defeating the already faltering Mist ninjas.
Thus, on the outskirts of the Land of Fire, the clash between Konoha and the Mist came to a complete end.
Unable to withstand Namikaze Minato's might, the Mist had no choice but to gather their defeated forces and gradually retreat back to the Land of Water.
Next, once the internal battles within the Land of Fire concluded, the Third Shinobi World War's confrontation between Konoha and the Mist would be a comprehensive victory for Konoha.
However, at the moment of victory, Namikaze Minato showed no sign of joy.
Especially when a ninja came to report intelligence, and Namikaze Minato learned that the internal strategy of the Land of Fire was nearing completion, he slowly gathered the intelligence in his hands, his gaze drifting into the distance, silently thinking, "Forming the Blade Squad was indeed the right choice. Without the Blade Squad, our operations wouldn't have gone so smoothly!"
"But Hatake Kakashi, before forming the Blade Squad, the task I entrusted to you must be completed!"
"Don't forget my trust, and more importantly, don't forget the importance of that mission!"
With a silent thought, Namikaze Minato sighed deeply and began to gather the Konoha forces to return to the camp.
At the same time, just as Namikaze Minato received the intelligence about the internal situation in the Land of Fire, learning that the Mist's third line of defense had been breached, the Konoha ninjas led by Shikaku, after capturing the Mist's third line of defense, launched a fierce assault on the Mist's main base.
And the first person to charge into the Mist's main base was none other than Chōza, who had previously defeated Kuriarare Kushimaru!
"Expansion Jutsu!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
The moment Chōza stepped into the Mist Ninja's main camp, he suddenly used the Multi-Size Technique. His two giant-like arms smashed down hard into the heart of the Mist Ninja's base.
It was almost like when Namikaze Minato led the Konoha ninjas to a perfect victory on the front lines.
At this moment, Chōza, using the Akimichi clan's secret technique, similarly used his giant-like arms to break through the Mist Ninja's defenses, allowing the Konoha ninjas to quickly gain the upper hand and swiftly complete their strategic objectives in the Mist Ninja's main camp.
However, Namikaze Minato had something on his mind, and Chōza also had concerns of his own.
So, when Might Guy, Genma Shiranui, and Ebisu were chasing Kuriarare Kushimaru, and Koshino went to rescue them, Chōza noticed that Konoha had completely gained the upper hand and was about to overrun the Mist Ninja's main camp established within the Land of Fire. He sighed deeply and returned to Shikaku's side, saying:
"Shikaku, do you know where Koshino went?"
"Yeah, I know."
Hearing Chōza's question, Shikaku couldn't help but shake his head with a wry smile and said, "I really didn't expect Might Guy and the others to be so impulsive, going after the heavily injured and fleeing Kuriarare Kushimaru. A member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, can Might Guy and those kids really handle him? I think Koshino realized this, which is why he went to rescue Might Guy and the others."
"After all, Koshino has a good relationship with Might Guy and the others, and he used to be a member of Dai's team. It's not wrong for him to go after them."
"It's just that neither of us expected it!"
"The Mist Ninja's main camp was just an empty shell. No wonder there was chaos in the Mist Ninja's camp as soon as we took over their third line of defense!"
"Turns out..."
"Turns out the Mist Ninja had already planned to abandon it!"
Seeing Shikaku sigh deeply again after speaking, Chōza couldn't help but furrow his brows and asked worriedly, "Then Koshino going to rescue Might Guy and the others, there shouldn't be any problems, right?"
"There shouldn't be!"
His gaze fell in the direction where Might Duy had left earlier. Shikaku first answered confidently, then added with some doubt, "It's just that we haven't seen the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist in the camp, so no one knows what they're up to. That's why I sent Dai to bring Koshino back."
"Moreover, I just received a reply from Minato, saying that Hatake Kakashi, who disappeared from the camp, seems to be on some special mission."
"Sigh, Koshino, Hatake Kakashi, these elite members of the Blade Squad, each one is more worrisome than the last!"
"Chōza, what we can do now might just be to quietly watch them perform!"
After saying this, Shikaku and Chōza sighed a few more times and then began to focus on the battle in front of them.
But it was evident that in the three known battlefields of Konoha, the Mist Ninja were showing signs of decline, and their defeat was almost inevitable.
Indeed, the subsequent battles lasted only a short time. Not only did the Mist Ninja's main camp fall, but in another known battlefield, Koshino also defeated the declining Kuriarare Kushimaru, stomping heavily on his face!
Just as Koshino had planned, with Kuriarare Kushimaru losing an arm and his long sword, Nuibari, he had no chance of recovering from his disadvantage.
So, while keeping an eye on Might Guy and the others to prevent Kuriarare Kushimaru from ambushing them, Koshino used the "Acceleration" secret technique passed down by Namikaze Minato to gradually wear down Kuriarare Kushimaru's strength. When Kuriarare Kushimaru was about to retrieve his severed arm and reclaim his long sword, Nuibari, Koshino seized the opportunity and delivered a powerful Leaf Whirlwind, knocking Kuriarare Kushimaru to the ground.
However, just as Koshino was about to use his kunai to finish off Kuriarare Kushimaru, with his foot firmly on Kuriarare Kushimaru's face, that eerie laughter echoed once more, causing the victorious Koshino to slowly furrow his brows!
"Little brat from Konoha, do you really think you've won?"
"Keh keh keh keh!"
"This feeling of being lifted to heaven and then plunged into hell is just wonderful!"
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