Yahiko used Water Release: Water Cutter Wave to slice through the earthen dome conjured by an Anbu ninja, leaving all the Konoha ninjas in shock.
At this moment, Yahiko and Uzumaki Miyuki were enveloped in dust from the collapsing earthen dome.
Uzumaki Miyuki warned Yahiko, who immediately turned toward a hidden Anbu shinobi on a nearby tree trunk.
[Water Release: Heavenly Weeping!]
From his mouth, Yahiko rapidly shot out dozens of water needles toward the concealed Anbu shinobi on the tree.
The hiding Anbu shinobi didn't notice, but a Hyuga ninja did. He immediately called out, "Watch out! Dodge quickly!"
However, the water needles were both too fast and completely unexpected—and no one could tell whom the Hyuga was warning.
All the dozen water needles struck their target—the hidden Anbu shinobi on the tree.
The Anbu shinobi died instantly and fell from the same tree trunk onto the ground.
As the group watched the scene unfold, their hearts sank—realizing they were in for a brutal fight.
Yahiko then shifted his focus toward the Hyuga shinobi who had given the warning. He unleashed Water Release: Heavenly Weeping again, sending dozens more water needles flying toward the Hyuga.
Using his byakugan, the Hyuga saw them coming and immediately dodged by shifting his position.
The water needles pierced into the same tree trunk instead.
This Hyuga shinobi wasn't part of the Main Family, so his combat skills were severely limited.
Only members of the Main Family could learn techniques like Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms and Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven.
The Hyuga's Main Family studied powerful secret techniques without ever fighting directly. Meanwhile, the Branch Family—the ones actually doing the fighting—were forbidden from learning them. The irony was bitter.
Just then, the same Anbu shinobi who had cast the earlier Earth Release technique performed another technique.
[Earth Release: Sky-Dropping Clay!]
From an opening above in another dimension, a massive amount of clay rained down.
Because it was clay, Yahiko's Water Release: Water Cutter Wave had no effect this time.
After forming hand seals, Yahiko clapped both palms together.
[Water Release: Wild Water Wave!]
Instantly, he summoned whirlpools of spiraling water rising like tornadoes.
These swirling waters engulfed the falling clay from above.
Then, the water expanded outward like a crashing waterfall, spreading into a broad expanse of standing water.
Meanwhile, Raiga Kurosuki and Pakura rejoined Yahiko and Uzumaki Miyuki.
The four stood atop the water surface.
Raiga grinned darkly. "This water came just in time. Better watch your backs, you bastards."
Upon hearing that, Yahiko immediately formed hand seals using Earth Release to raise an stone pillar from the water.
Yahiko, Uzumaki Miyuki, and Pakura stood atop the pillar.
Raiga stabbed both Lightning Swords into the water below.
[Lightning Release: Thunderbolt!]
The two blades crackled with intense arcs of lightning.
Because water conducts electricity, the entire pool became charged with high-voltage currents.
The Hyuga shinobi standing on the water, an Inuzuka shinobi with his ninja hound, the Aburame shinobi with a withered left arm, and two Anbu shinobi endured the deadly electric shocks head-on.
Raiga Kurosuki's attack killed five pursuing shinobi at once.
Together with the earlier Anbu shinobi impaled by Yahiko's water needles, the group of ten attackers had been reduced to just four shinobi and one dog remaining.
Raiga Kurosuki laughed loudly, holding his forehead. "Hahaha! Are you satisfied with the funeral I've given you?"
Only one Inuzuka ninja, one Aburame ninja, and a pair of Anbu operatives remained standing on the battlefield.
It was clear their mission had ended in failure—though not a complete one. They were only meant to follow Uzumaki Miyuki—never anticipating direct combat, nor could they have imagined that the wife of Konoha's Fourth Hokage would defect from the village.
This battle had already drawn many ninjas from other villages who had been monitoring Konoha to come here.
The Anbu Commander weighed his options quickly before snapping a terse order: "Fall back!"
The four Konoha ninjas immediately withdrew.
Just as the four began retreating, Pakura swiftly formed hand seals with both hands.
[Wind Release: Gale Blast!]
A whirlwind appeared in front of Pakura.
She directed the balls of flame swirling around her body into the whirlwind.
[Scorch Release Combination Jutsu: Overheated Tempest!]
The whirlwind and flames merged together, forming a blazing tornado that swept outward.
The water summoned by Yahiko was instantly vaporized completely.
Due to the speed of the firestorm, the Inuzuka ninja's Ninja Hounds Ninken failed to escape in time and were directly burned into mummies. Another injured Anbu operative was also caught in the whirlwind and instantly turned into a desiccated corpse.
In the end, only three people managed to escape.
Originally Raiga Kurosuki wanted to pursue them, but Chinya stopped him.
Chinya's voice came through the ring: "Alright, stop chasing them. Now you should immediately leave the Land of Fire and find a place to lay low for now. Miyuki, I'll keep you updated on Naruto's situation later."
At the mention of Naruto's name, Uzumaki Miyuki's voice caught with emotion as she said tearfully, "Thank you so much, Chinya. Truly."
"Alright, get moving now. Remember, no lingering or entanglements. If any problems arise, notify me immediately and I'll rush over to help you. That's all for now—I must return to Konoha as well."
Chinya cut off the communication and headed back toward Konoha.
Next, Danzo would certainly get involved somehow. It all depended on how Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others responded. If anything unexpected happened, he would personally intervene.
...
The three retreating ninjas had already returned to Konoha and met with Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Upon hearing that Uzumaki Miyuki had defected, Hiruzen's eyes widened and his mouth opened slightly, clearly unable to believe it.
Hiruzen couldn't understand why Uzumaki Miyuki would defect—it made absolutely no sense.
Frowning deeply, Hiruzen kept puffing heavily on his pipe.
He considered one possibility—the rumors that had recently been spreading rapidly through Konoha.
But... if that was indeed the case, then why didn't Uzumaki Miyuki take Naruto with her when she defected?
Hiruzen asked, "Do you know who those three individuals helping Uzumaki Miyuki defect were?"
The Anbu Commander replied, "All three wore masks, including Uzumaki Miyuki herself. We could only identify one of them—a missing-nin from Kirigakure and wielder of one of the Seven Legendary Ninja Swords known as Lightning Sword Raiga: Raiga Kurosuki.
Another was a woman who possessed the Scorch Release kekkei genkai.
As for the third person, a man wielding Water Release Ninjutsu techniques passed down from the Second Hokage!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi was shocked again. "What did you say?!" he exclaimed. "One of those three actually knows the Water Release Ninjutsu of The Second Hokage?!"
The Anbu ninja affirmed firmly, "[Water Release: Water Cutter Wave], [Water Release: Heavenly Weeping], and [Water Release: Wild Water Wave]—the enemy used these three Water Release techniques during battle."
Hiruzen's heart skipped a beat.
Most of Tobirama Senju's techniques had long been sealed off. There shouldn't be anyone in Konoha who still knows how to use them.
Only Kosuke Maruboshi had previously received guidance from Tobirama Senju, and he knew two Water Release techniques—[Water Release: Water Encampment Wall] and [Water Release: Water Dragon].
Yet now, someone emerged who could use Tobirama Senju's Water Release techniques—that just didn't make any sense!
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