Land of Darkness's border, Star Ninja's Agricultural Cooperative Development Outpost.
The scene here was completely different from a few days ago.
The previous calm standoff had been completely shattered, replaced by a fierce and brutal Ninja war!
Howling wind and snow, the glow of Chakra, and the explosions of various Ninjutsu filled the sky and earth!
Nearly eighty Yukigakure's Ninjas clad in ice-blue Chakra Armor launched a fierce assault on the Star Ninja's outpost under the cover of the snowstorm!
The light of Ice Release Ninjutsu flashed constantly. Huge ice spikes, sharp ice senbon, and freezing blizzards slammed into the earth-style defensive structures built by the Star Ninjas like a storm.
However, the Star Ninjas' defense was as solid as a rock, and their counterattacks were exceptionally sharp!
On the central earthen wall of the outpost, Hikari stood quietly.
The cold wind blew through her black hair and the hem of her dark blue clan attire. She crossed her arms, her cool face expressionless. Only her crimson Three-Tomoe Sharingan eyes slowly rotated, indifferently surveying the entire battlefield.
In her eyes, the Yukigakure's Ninjas' movements, Chakra Flow, and even their next intentions were crystal clear.
She didn't directly intervene, however, like the most masterful chess player, she would occasionally provide guidance to the Star Ninjas fighting below through the Engraved Tsukuyomi.
"Gotta, three o'clock direction, cluster of ice spikes, raise the Earth-Style Wall height by two meters."
"Haku, the Yukigakure's Jonin on the right flank is feinting, his target is the medical point in the rear. Use your Ice Mirrors to refract and disrupt his vision."
"Kimimaro, the five Chunin at the front have a 0.7-second gap in their combined attack. Use Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets to interrupt them."
"Yukimi, use your smoke form to flank, harass that guy trying to form a large-scale Ninjutsu."
"Hotarubi, prepare the Mysterious Peacock Method for an area attack on their rear assembly point."
Under her precise command, the fewer than twenty Star Ninjas, including Gotta, Hotarubi, Kimimaro, Haku, and Yukimi, operated like a precise and efficient killing machine.
They firmly blocked the offensive of over eighty Yukigakure's Ninjas, even constantly counterattacking and inflicting casualties!
Kimimaro moved through the battlefield like a ghost. His Shikotsumyaku sometimes became the sturdiest shield, sometimes the sharpest spear.
Wherever he passed, Yukigakure's Ninjas were either dead or wounded. Combined with the insight of the Byakugan, he had almost no equal in single combat.
Haku's Ice Release was elegant and deadly.
His Ice Crystal Mirrors were everywhere, senbon flowing like quicksilver, often disrupting enemy coordination or saving comrades at the most critical moments.
Yukimi's Smoke Transformation Ability was elusive, perfect for harassment, sneak attacks, and rescue. It is incredibly flexible.
Hotarubi's Mysterious Peacock Method was immensely powerful, and each dive of the Purple Chakra Dragon would clear a small area.
Gotta used his veteran experience and solid Earth Release to stabilize the core of the defense.
The [Kunai Rapid-Fire Ballista] Doto had meticulously prepared, powered by Chakra Armor-related technology, hadn't had time to display their power before Kimimaro and Haku joined forces in a surprise attack, instantly destroying them.
The Yukigakure's Ninjas operating the ballistae suffered heavy casualties.
The Ninja Battle had long since altered the terrain here. Earthen walls collapsed and rose again, the icy plain was torn apart, fire and frost intertwined.
The Land of Darkness's army originally stationed nearby had long been scared out of their wits by the terrifying spectacle of these supernatural forces clashing. They had abandoned their armor and weapons, fleeing in panic from this death zone.
Only the Yukigakure's Ninjas and Star Ninjas remained on the battlefield, locked in a life-and-death struggle.
Squelch!
Another Yukigakure's Chunin was impaled by a bone spike that suddenly shot out from the ground, courtesy of Kimimaro, and fell with a scream.
The casualties of Yukigakure's Ninja had already exceeded one-third. On the Star Ninja's side, only three had sustained light injuries, one grazed by a stray arrow while covering civilians evacuations… it was almost negligible!
At that moment, four figures landed atop the earthen wall of the Star Ninja's outpost.
It was Kisame and his three Anbu subordinates, having arrived just in time.
Kisame glanced at the fierce battle below, a hint of bloodthirsty excitement appearing on his shark-like face.
He walked behind Hikari, gave a slight bow, and said in a hoarse voice: "Hikari-sama, the mission in the Land of Swamps is complete. Ono Takuto and the main nobles have been captured, and the resistance forces had been eliminated."
Uchiha Hikari didn't even turn around. Her Sharingan remained fixed on the battlefield, and she only gave a faint 'Hn' as acknowledgment.
A moment later, she tilted her head slightly, looking at Kisame out of the corner of her eye, paying special attention to the large bandage-wrapped sword on his back, Samehada.
After Kisame joined the organization, Menma had bestowed the Samehada upon him. This was the first time Hikari had seen Menma gift a Ninja Sword to a member of the organization.
The other obtained Ninja Sword, the Kubikiribocho, still had no owner for the time being.
"Although you were personally recruited by Shura-sama, reportedly for assassinating the Daimyo of the Land of Water and the Mizukage of Kirigakure and then defecting..." Hikari's tone carried a trace of scrutiny and arrogance, "...I haven't seen your actual strength with my own eyes."
She raised a slender finger, pointing towards the chaotic battlefield below, specifically at the figure in the most ornate armor among the Yukigakure's rear, his face livid, seemingly about to lose his composure. It's none other than Kazahana Doto.
"Now, here's your chance to show me. Let me see if you are worthy of bearing Shura-sama's expectations."
Kisame was quite annoyed by Hikari's condescending attitude, as if she were evaluating a subordinate.
His loyalty was to Shura, not this woman who seemed young but had a big mouth.
"Heh," He grinned, revealing sharp teeth, letting out a low chuckle, "Then please watch closely, Hikari-sama."
He reached back and gripped the huge, bandage-wrapped hilt of the sword on his back.
Samehada!
The bandages instantly shattered and scattered, revealing Samehada's deep blue blade, covered in spikes and trembling slightly!
Hum-
Samehada seemed to sense its master's fighting spirit and the abundant Chakra 'food' below, emitting an excited low hum.
Although his new master Kisame's Chakra Reserves weren't as terrifying as Menma's, they were still far beyond an ordinary Ninja's, vast and immense like a Tailed Beast's, so he is capable of easily wielding Samehada.
Kisame leaped into the air like a fired cannonball, carrying a terrifying presence as he plummeted directly into the battlefield below!
His three Anbu subordinates immediately followed close behind, like three sharp knives plunging into the fray.
Kisame's entry instantly changed the local battlefield's situation.
He didn't need any flashy Ninjutsu. Simply by swinging Samehada, which was like a door panel, each sweep could smash several Yukigakure's Ninjas, armor and all, into pulp!
Samehada greedily absorbed the Ice Attribute Chakra the Yukigakure's Ninjas tried to use to counterattack, rendering their assaults feeble.
Wherever he passed, it was like a human-shaped tyrannosaurus, stirring up a storm of blood!
In the rear, Doto watched in agony as his carefully trained Yukigakure's Ninjas were slaughtered like melons and vegetables, his heart bleeding!
Especially that newly arrived shark-faced freak… he was outrageously fierce!
He knew he couldn't wait any longer!
"Useless trash! All of you, get out of my way!" Doto roared in fury, pouring Chakra frantically into his ornate Chakra Armor. The blue crystals on the armor erupted with a dazzling light!
He roughly shoved his subordinates aside and charged into the battlefield himself!
His target was directly that shark-faced man who was wreaking havoc!
Doto wanted to personally crush this guy and redeem their morale!
Doto charged towards Kisame like a heavy tank, carrying wind, snow, and powerful Chakra Fluctuations.
He leaped high, his right hand forming a fist. A massive, spike-covered ice crystal gauntlet instantly condensed around it.
"Ice Release: Ice Spike Fist!" With the momentum to crush everything, he smashed it fiercely towards Kisame's head!
"Come at me!" Kisame, sensing the opponent's Chakra far exceeding that of ordinary Yukigakure's Ninjas, was not alarmed but pleased. A fanatical fighting spirit flashed in his eyes.
Not only did he not dodge, he instead took a fierce step forward, all his muscles bulging. Gripping Samehada's huge hilt with both hands, he executed a simple yet terrifyingly powerful upward slash to meet Doto's icy fist!
"Taste this! Samehada-!"
The spike-covered blade of Samehada, with a terrifying whistle that tore through the air, collided violently with the massive frosty fist!
Boom-!!!!
A deafening roar accompanied by the shockwave from the Chakra Collision exploded outwards!
The surrounding snow was instantly cleared away, the ground cracked and collapsed!
Crack… Crack… Crunch!
Under Doto's incredulous gaze, his ice gauntlet, powered to the utmost by his Chakra Armor and supposedly incredibly hard, upon contact with that strange great sword, actually filled with cracks like fragile glass, then exploded into a sky full of ice crystals!
Not only that, an unimaginable, terrifying force transmitted through the shattered ice fist!
Doto felt a sharp pain in his arm. It was as if he'd been hit head-on by a high-speed train. He grunted and was actually sent flying backward from mid-air by Kisame's straightforward yet astonishingly powerful slash!
He was tumbled wretchedly in the snow for over ten meters before barely stabilizing himself. His ornate armor was covered in snow and mud.
His right fist trembled slightly, the armguard was even slightly deformed, and the arm inside was already injured!
He looked up at the enemy, who still held the slashing pose, a ferocious grin on his shark-like face.
For the first time, a look of shock and gravity appeared in his eyes.
'What kind of monster is this guy?!'
'How can his strength be so great?!'
'And that sword… it actually opened a huge mouth like a living creature, devouring my Chakra!'
Kisame slowly lowered Samehada, dragging it through the snow, leaving a deep groove.
He cracked his neck, producing a cracking sound.
Looking at the furious and pale Doto, he grinned, revealing ghostly white shark-like teeth: "The Daimyo of the Land of Snow? Is this all the strength you have? It's not even enough to scratch Samehada's itch!"
On the earthen wall, Hikari watched Kisame's overwhelmingly dominant slash and Doto's wretched state. A trace of approval finally flashed in her scarlet Sharingan eyes.
"His strength is passable," She murmured to herself, the corner of her mouth lifting into a cold curve, "So, how will you play this self-important ice worm to death, Hoshigaki Kisame?"
In the center of the battlefield, the duel between Kisame and Doto had only just begun. It was destined that only one would survive!
And the scales of victory had actually been decided the moment the battle erupted.