The ghostly flame tornado kept expanding under the suction boost of the Three Jewels Suction Crushing. What was originally just a two- to three-meter-tall small tornado rapidly grew, in the blink of an eye becoming a massive fire tornado nearly ten meters high.
Everyone present turned pale at the sight of such a giant tornado. The outcome of this battle was already clear. The power of this technique at this moment had undoubtedly reached the terrifying level of an S-rank jutsu.
And what does an S-rank jutsu mean? It basically means a force beyond human resistance. At this point, unless hundreds of shinobi simultaneously used defensive jutsu with opposing attributes, there was absolutely no way to stop the rampage of this flaming tornado.
But the number of survivors present didn't even add up to a hundred. How could they possibly stop it?
BOOM!
Without a doubt, the flaming tornado devoured the three puppets. Although Chiyo reacted quickly and stopped the Three Jewels Suction Crushing in time, even retrieving two of her Guardian Puppets, it was already too late.
Under the rampage of the flame tornado, the three puppets used in the Three Jewels Suction Crushing were torn into countless broken parts, beyond all repair. The two Guard Puppets were luckily saved, but what use was that now?
The Chikamatsu Ten Puppets were already destroyed. The only puppets still usable were the Twin-Blade Puppet—now missing its blades—and the two Guard Puppets. Even if these three could still fight, they couldn't possibly pose a threat to Hoshiyomi.
At most, they could make him waste a couple more sword strikes.
Chiyo looked at the chakra threads in her hands, now severed one by one, and couldn't stop herself from feeling a chill of fear
Just what kind of monster have I provoked?
Facing the unstoppable Hoshiyomi, Chiyo couldn't help but recall those monsters of the past.
During the very first Five Kage Summit, she had once seen the First and Second Hokage of Konoha from a distance, standing behind Reto. Though their personalities and powers were vastly different, the aura of this boy before her was just as unstoppable as theirs.
Chiyo had already lost. Lost completely, without a shred of chance at turning the tables.
As a puppeteer and a medical ninja, her medical ninjutsu had no use in combat. Her strongest technique, the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets, was nearly annihilated. What else could she possibly fight Hoshiyomi with?
If given enough time, she might be able to make emergency repairs to the Chikamatsu puppets—but how could Hoshiyomi possibly give her such time?
Looking at Chiyo, who stood dumbfounded in the distance, Hoshiyomi spoke calmly:
"I already told you—any puppet before me is nothing but scrap metal."
Hearing those words again, Chiyo's aging face flushed red. A lifetime of research and dedication had just been trampled underfoot. She was so stifled with anger she almost coughed blood.
And yet, she couldn't even refute Hoshiyomi's words. Because it was true. Even her most powerful White Secret Technique puppets had been cut down into a pile of broken pieces. Even Chiyo herself couldn't imagine what kind of puppet in this world could ever threaten Hoshiyomi.
At this moment, Chiyo felt almost relieved. There was no point regretting her earlier reckless impulse anymore. The urgent matter now was to minimize losses as much as possible.
Gritting her teeth, she moved her ten fingers, and from the broken pieces scattered on the ground, a few barely usable parts flew up and reassembled into a makeshift large puppet.
Chiyo controlled this puppet and charged it toward Hoshiyomi. At the same time, she quickly shouted:
"Everyone retreat! I'll cover the rear!"
Hearing this, the Sunagakure shinobi were all shocked. The elite jōnin who had been protecting Chiyo when she repaired her arm hurriedly stepped forward and said:
"Lady Chiyo, you mustn't! You are one of Sunagakure's elders, an assistant to the Kazekage! How can you die here? Please retreat quickly! We will stay behind to cover you. You must take the others back. Only with you alive will we have a chance to avenge this!"
As they spoke, several had already rushed forward, taking the initiative to face Hoshiyomi.
Seeing this scene, Chiyo's eyes filled with uncontrollable tears. She bit her lip so hard that blood seeped out, yet she didn't even notice. Regret gnawed at her heart for her blind impulsiveness, but she also knew this was not the time for hesitation or excuses.
If she lingered here any longer, it would only harm those loyal subordinates who were still standing by her side. With grief and fury in her heart, she shouted loudly:
"Everyone, retreat!"
With that, she led the remaining Suna shinobi remnants in a desperate and disorderly escape.
Hoshiyomi was delayed by those jōnin for just a brief instant—but it was only an instant.
The fact that they were still willing to sacrifice themselves to cover Chiyo's retreat, even in the face of certain death, made Hoshiyomi feel a sense of respect. But that didn't mean he would show mercy and let them go.
He still remembered how they had schemed to capture Minato in order to threaten him. If not for his overwhelming strength, he and Minato would have met the Shinigami by now.
He was no saint; he could not forgive offenses and graciously send his enemies back alive. So, after just a few flashes of his blade, those jōnin all collapsed into pools of blood.
Their strength was already not enough to even stall him.
After finishing them off, Hoshiyomi immediately gave chase. Alone, he pursued Chiyo and the fifty or sixty Suna remnants across the battlefield where Konoha and Sunagakure clashed, sparking a running battle.
Hoshiyomi's Shunpo (instant step) speed far outstripped that of the Suna shinobi, even faster than Chiyo herself.
Once he caught up, another slaughter began. By now, all the elite jōnin in this hundred-strong Suna force had been massacred by Hoshiyomi. The ones left were nothing more than weak chūnin and genin—insignificant small fry.
Charging into their ranks, Hoshiyomi cut them down as easily as chopping melons and slicing vegetables.
Chiyo, seeing this, knew things couldn't go on like this. With a long sigh, she shouted to those around her:
"Scatter and run!"
After saying this, Chiyo gave up on fleeing herself. Instead, she turned and faced Hoshiyomi once more, relying on the last four puppets she had left.
But how could those four battered puppets possibly match Hoshiyomi? After a few slashes of his sword energy, the last four puppets were also reduced to components on the ground.
Hoshiyomi gave Chiyo one last glance. Then his Shunpo burst forth beneath his feet, propelling him straight toward her. With both hands gripping Mikazuki Munechika, he raised the blade into a poised starting stance—the stance of the secret sword technique: Swallow Reversal (Tsubame Gaeshi).
In the next instant, Hoshiyomi's figure left behind three ghostly afterimages in midair. Nearly simultaneously, he slashed out three strikes—left, right, and above.
Chiyo was stunned at the sight of such swordsmanship. At this moment, she could only use her final life-saving technique:
"Puppet Art: Mechanical Light Shield Block!"
Her forearms spread open in a strange motion. As her puppet's arms unfolded, an immense surge of chakra erupted wildly, condensing directly before her into a shield of pure chakra.
This was her ultimate trump card for survival. If even this shield couldn't block Hoshiyomi's Swallow Reversal, then today would surely be the end of her life.