Naruto's civilian cannon fodder starts with the three-body technique

Chapter 347 Cloud Hidden VS Mist Hidden
"Water Escape·Water Prison Technique!"

Another experienced Cloud Village Jonin used Water Release to protect himself and rushed forward despite the danger, using water to wash away the scroll and the surrounding air.

Other water-style ninjas followed suit, and after paying the price of several more lives, the highly toxic pollen in the air was finally carried away and diluted by the water flow.

A Cloud Village Chunin wearing special gloves carefully wrapped his hands in chakra and finally picked up the Book of Seals, which exuded an ominous aura.

"The Book of Seals is in hand!"

The Cloud Village commander looked at the miserable state of his elite troops and then at the empty treasury. His face was so gloomy it was almost dripping with water. He grabbed the Book of Sealing, and his powerful Lightning Release chakra instantly enveloped it. After carefully sensing and confirming that it was safe, he held it tightly.

"Damn the Uzumaki clan! Inform Chief Ai that the objective has been achieved! There's no need to linger with Kirigakure any longer. Immediately search the village for other valuable spoils and prepare for retreat!"

The Cloud Village commander suppressed his anger and decisively gave the order: now that the most important Book of Seals was in their hands, there was no point in continuing to fight the Mist Village to the death.

The main roads outside the Baoku Ancestral Hall.

The Hidden Mist had already broken through the layers of obstacles and traps set up by the Shadow Clone and reached the outer perimeter of the treasure vault area, only to be blocked by the Hidden Cloud. Clearly, the Hidden Cloud wanted to monopolize the treasures in the vault, and Ai personally led the Hidden Cloud's elite troops to intercept them.

The narrow alleyways and relatively open squares surrounding the central ancestral hall in Wochao Village have long been turned into bloody arenas.

"Hey! You won't be able to keep the Uzumaki clan's treasure all to yourself!"

The Third Mizukage's voice was like shattering ice, carrying suppressed rage to the extreme.

A chill permeated his body, and fine frost condensed on the stone slabs beneath his feet. His gaze was fixed on Ai, while the Mist Shadow elites behind him had equally burning and greedy eyes. The losses from the fleet's destruction must be made up for here!
The pirates' blood was boiling. What they saw was not the hidden clouds, but mountains of gold and silver and wealth that could change their destiny.

"Don't even think about it!" A's voice boomed like thunder, his lightning chakra crackling and electric snakes dancing wildly around him. "This place was conquered by Kumogakure, so the spoils naturally belong to us! You Kirigakure, get out of our way!"

Ai was determined to seize the treasures in the vault, but more importantly, he wanted to obtain the Book of Sealing from the Uzumaki clan to stop the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Brubi, from going berserk. He wouldn't give an inch!

"Trying to keep the treasure for yourself? Dream on!" The Third Mizukage roared in fury, his last shred of reason consumed by greed and the desire to lose. "Kill them! If we delay any longer, what belongs to us will all be taken away!"

"For Kirigakure! Kill!"

Like sharks that have smelled blood, the Hidden Mist ninjas, driven by the dual allure of immense wealth and the shame of their fleet's annihilation, unleashed astonishing ferocity.

They disregarded the terrain and formation, and like a black tide, they rushed madly towards the Cloud Hidden Defense Line that blocked their path.

"For Kumogakure! Lightning Release Taijutsu Squad, engage!" A's roar was like a battle cry.

The Cloud Village ninja's fierce faces were filled with determination. The shadow of the rampaging tailed beast hung over their heads like the Sword of Damocles. They, the Cloud Village, had to obtain the sealing technique of the Uzumaki clan!

Blue lightning flashed on each of the Cloud Village ninjas, who, like bolts of lightning cleaving through the darkness, fearlessly charged into the surging tide of Mist Village.

Ai and the Third Mizukage vanished from their spot in an instant, and the next moment, the two figures collided again in mid-air.

"Lightning Release Chakra Mode: Heavy Flow Burst!" A's right fist gathered extremely compressed, violent lightning, tearing through the air and slamming into the Third Mizukage's face with devastating force.

"Ice Release: Ice Rock Hall of Nothingness!" The Third Mizukage clasped his hands together, and a massive wall of ice several meters thick instantly formed in front of him.

Boom--!!!
A piercing explosion resounded through the sky.

Ai's thunderous fist slammed into the ice wall, sending ice shards flying like bullets. The solid, massive ice wall trembled violently, and spiderweb-like cracks spread wildly in its center, but it did not break!
At the same time, a bone-chilling cold surged upwards from Ai's lightning gauntlets, attempting to freeze his arm!
"Hmph!" Ai grunted, and his left arm instantly crackled with lightning. "Lightning Torture Level!"

A more refined and faster lightning hand strike precisely struck the densest part of the ice wall's cracks.

Snap, snap——!
The ice wall finally gave way and shattered with a deafening roar!
However, countless sharp icicles shot towards Ai like a rain of pear blossoms.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Armor!" Lightning surged around A, forming a flowing armor of lightning. Dense ice shards crashed into it, instantly vaporized and shattered by the high temperature and electric current!
However, the Third Mizukage had already vanished amidst the swirling icy mist.

"Water Release: Water Prison Shark Dance!" A cold voice, like the whisper of death, came from behind Ai.

A giant spherical water prison made of high-speed rotating water instantly enveloped him.

Inside the water prison, the water condensed into dozens of ferocious, fanged chakra water sharks, which frantically tore at the trapped Ai.

Each bite carries a cutting force powerful enough to tear steel apart!

"A mere trick! Lightning Release: Lightning Bomb!" A roared, unleashing his full power of Lightning Release chakra without reservation.

Blinding blue-white lightning bolts, like countless wildly dancing thunder serpents, instantly filled the entire water prison.

The violent electric current is conducted in the water, amplifying its power!

The water sharks that were tearing at the water screamed pitifully as they exploded and vaporized. The entire water prison expanded and fluctuated violently, groaning under the strain, and was on the verge of collapse!

The Third Mizukage's eyes narrowed, and his hand seals changed again: "Ice Release: Skillful Ice Technique!"

The giant water sphere enveloping Ai began to condense, attempting to completely freeze her inside the ice sphere.

"Break!" Ai was trapped in the ice hockey death trap, and the pressure suddenly increased.

He roared repeatedly, unleashing his Lightning Release chakra to its fullest extent, forming a dense lightning shield on his body to withstand the erosion of Ice Release. At the same time, his fists pounded like drums, frantically striking the surrounding ice surface. Each strike triggered a violent explosion and a surge of electricity!

Faced with a life-or-death crisis, Ai unleashed unprecedented fighting power and finally broke free from the ice hockey trap, and the two engaged in a fierce battle once again.

The aftershocks of the battle between the two Kage-level powerhouses completely cleared away the surrounding building debris, creating a death vacuum zone with a diameter of tens of meters!
Compared to the epic battle between A and the Third Mizukage, the regular ninja battlefield was the true hell on earth.

In the narrow alley, almost every inch of the land was soaked in blood.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!" A Kirigakure Jonin, hiding behind a broken wall, formed hand seals.

Water dragons swept past, and two Cloud Village Chunin who were charging side by side were caught off guard and crashed into the walls on either side, staining large areas with crimson.

"Lightning Release: False Darkness!" A Cloud Village Jonin, his eyes bloodshot, unleashed a massive bolt of lightning that shot towards the hiding place of the Mist Village like a giant python.

The broken wall exploded with a deafening roar. Although the Kirigakure Jonin behind him managed to block it with a water barrier in time, the violent lightning pierced through the water, charring his entire body. He screamed and flew backward, crashing into half of the stone house.

"Ah! My eyes!" A Kirigakure Chunin was blinded by a flashbang thrown by a Kumogakure ninja. He rolled on the ground in pain, clutching his face, before a Kumogakure taijutsu ninja rushed past and crushed his throat with a single kick.

"Thud!" A Cloud Village genin was precisely severed in the Achilles tendon by a kunai that emerged from the shadows, collapsing to the ground. Immediately afterwards, a well-coordinated Kirigakure ninja pierced his chest with a ninja sword.

Poisonous mist, bone spikes, lightning, water blades, ice cones... all kinds of ninjutsu intertwined, collided, and exploded in the narrow space.

Limbs and severed arms were scattered everywhere, fragments of internal organs hung from charred wooden beams, and thick blood mixed with mud gathered in low-lying areas to form dark red streams, emitting a nauseating rusty stench.

Each ninjutsu strike was accompanied by a piercing scream and the passing of life.

On the edge and in the gaps of this chaotic battlefield, a dozen figures moved like ghosts; they were ninjas transformed from Umino Sasuke's shadow clones.

A wounded soldier, dressed in a tattered Kirigakure vest and covered in blood, groaned in pain. His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of several Kirigakure ninjas nearby who were panting: "Cough cough, those despicable Kumogakure ninjas, cough cough, I saw them, they sealed a lot of gold bricks with scrolls—"

Before the "wounded soldier" could finish speaking, his head lolled to the side, as if he had collapsed from exhaustion.

"Gold bricks? Sealing scrolls?!" Several Hidden Mist ninjas' eyes instantly turned red, greed overwhelming their fatigue and fear.

"Go! Hurry up!" Several Hidden Mist ninjas immediately rushed towards the shrine as if they had been injected with chicken blood, ignoring their comrades who were fighting nearby.

On the other side, a "Cloud Ninja" wearing a Cloud Village uniform, with half of his face frostbitten by Ice Release, staggered to the flank of a Cloud Village squad that was fiercely fighting a Mist Village squad. He screamed in a terrified, broken voice, "Captain! Something's wrong! An elite Mist Village squad has circled around from behind, and they're after the vortex sealing technique scroll we stole!"

"What?! A scroll of the Whirlpool Sealing Technique?!" The leader of the Cloud Ninja was shocked. The Whirlpool Sealing Technique scroll mentioned by this "Cloud Ninja" was like a spell, instantly igniting his desire to protect it.

"Send half of your men with me to intercept them. We absolutely cannot let those bastards from the Hidden Mist Village steal our sealed treasure!"

A squad of elite Cloud Ninja was immediately split up and rushed in the direction indicated by the "Cloud Ninja," causing a breach to appear in the previously well-maintained defensive line.

Chaos also broke out on the outskirts of Whirlpool Village, disrupting the tacit agreement between the two sides to search for their loot.

"Ah! You bastard from Kumogakure! How dare you ambush me!" The Kirigakure chunin winced in pain, looked down at the Kumogakure kunai on his wound, and was consumed by rage. Without thinking, he threw several poisoned shuriken at the chaotic crowd in front of him!

"Damn it! Kirigakure ambushes!" Caught off guard, one of the Cloud Ninja fell instantly. The others immediately turned red-eyed, thinking that Kirigakure had broken their agreement and launched a sneak attack. They frantically unleashed ninjutsu at the Kirigakure ninja around them!

"Those scum from Mist Village are asking for death!"

"Those mad dogs from Kumogakure attacked first! Kill them all!"

One misunderstanding after another, like sparks thrown into a pot of oil, instantly ignited a larger-scale melee.

What was originally a localized battlefield where each side was barely holding on has completely turned into a killing vortex where friend and foe are indiscriminate!
The ninjas were in a bloodthirsty frenzy; anyone not wearing the same uniform, or even those whose uniforms were indistinguishable, was considered an enemy!

Kunai, shuriken, and ninjutsu flew indiscriminately, screams rose and fell, and countless people were accidentally injured, as if the camp had been thrown into chaos.

The bloody battle for the entrance to the treasure vault is escalating.

When A finally managed to temporarily repel the Third Mizukage's fierce attack with the ferocious speed and power of his Lightning Release, he had several deep, bone-revealing ice blade cuts and Boil Release burns on his body, and his Lightning Release armor had also become much dimmer.

The Third Mizukage was also in bad shape, having taken several heavy punches from A, his chest felt tight, and his chakra was greatly depleted.

The battlefield below was like a living hell, with narrow alleyways almost filled with corpses, the square littered with dead bodies, and blood flowing in streams.

Both sides paid an extremely heavy price. The corpses of elite ninjas were everywhere, and the air was filled with an overwhelming stench of blood, burnt flesh, and entrails.

Just then, the Cloud Hidden Auxiliary Commander, carrying the enormous scroll of the Sealed Book and escorted by several elite guards, finally made his way through the mountains of corpses and seas of blood to Ai's vicinity, shouting hoarsely, "Lord Ai! Objective accomplished!"

Ai's spirits lifted! Upon seeing the Book of Seals on his deputy's back, he immediately forced back the Third Mizukage and roared across the battlefield, "Kumogakure, heed my command! Objective accomplished! Withdraw from this area and search for spoils in other regions!"

Upon hearing the order, the Cloud Village ninjas, seeing their fallen comrades and the terrible casualties around them, though their eyes were filled with hatred, began to fight and retreat.

At that moment, the Third Mizukage's sharp gaze caught the large, ancient scroll on the commander's back, as well as the subtle expressions on the faces of the surrounding Cloud Village ninjas that conveyed "heavy losses, but mission accomplished."

He instantly "confirmed" his guess: Yunyin had definitely taken the core treasure of the treasury. This scroll was so huge that it might contain unimaginable treasures. Moreover, Yunyin's hasty retreat was clearly a sign of a guilty conscience!

"Trying to leave?! Leave the treasure behind!" The Third Mizukage, his hair standing on end in fury, pointed at the scroll and roared, "Stop them!"

"Take back the treasure!" The remaining Kirigakure ninja also saw the scroll symbolizing wealth. Greed once again overwhelmed their fear and pain, and they frantically pounced on the retreating Kumogakure, trying to seize it.

"Get out of the way!" Ai roared, unleashing a burst of lightning as he once again confronted the Third Mizukage, covering the retreat of his troops.

The Cloud Village ninjas desperately protected the commander carrying the scroll, charging outwards with all their might.

Another fierce battle broke out between the two sides outside the ancestral hall, but the Cloud Village was determined to leave, and the Mist Village suffered heavy casualties and was unable to completely stop them. In the end, the main force of the Cloud Village took the Book of Sealing and broke out of the core area, and dispersed to other ruins and buildings in the village to search for any possible lost valuables or scrolls.

Watching the Cloud Village disappear into the ruins, the Third Mizukage's face was so gloomy it could drip water. He suppressed the urge to pursue A and led the wounded remnants of the Mist Village's elite troops, carrying the last glimmer of hope, into the vortex shrine's treasure vault that had been "looted" by the Cloud Village.

The treasure vault was completely empty.

Apart from the central altar, the surrounding area was in complete disarray, with only dust and scattered rubble. The imagined mountains of gold and silver, and the scrolls piled high with treasures, were nowhere to be seen!
Only a faint, lingering scent of grass and trees and a faint smell of blood remained in the air.

"Empty?! How can it be empty?!" A Kirigakure Jonin roared in disbelief, his voice echoing loudly in the empty treasure vault.

"Impossible! How could the treasures of the Uzumaki clan be moved so quickly?!"

"It must be Kumogakure! It's those bandits from Kumogakure! They sealed everything away with scrolls and took it all with them!" A voice rang out from the Kirigakure crowd, filled with anger and despair. This person was naturally a Kirigakure ninja in shadow clone form.

“Yes! Those Cloud Hidden Ones are desperately protecting those huge sealing scrolls; they must contain the treasures of the Uzumaki clan!” Another voice immediately chimed in, with an inflammatory urgency, as if they had personally witnessed many large sealing scrolls.

"Cough cough! My head is spinning..." A "Mist Ninja" leaning against the wall suddenly coughed violently, his face turning blue. He pointed to some barely noticeable traces of pale golden dust on the ground, "This looks like a deadly poison! The Cloud Village not only stole our things, but also... left a trap to harm us!"

As if to prove his words, a dozen or so Kirigakure ninjas who had been at the forefront and inhaled the dust actually began to feel dizzy and fainted on the spot.

Panic and anger spread like wildfire, instantly consuming the reason of all the Mist Ninja!

"Kumakuya! This is outrageous!" The Third Mizukage's roar echoed through the treasure vault, filled with furious rage at being mocked and boundless killing intent!
The fleet was gone, his elite troops suffered heavy casualties, the treasure trove was empty, and he was even caught in a deadly poison trap? The culprit behind all this was none other than the greedy and despicable Yun Yin! Old and new grudges surged into his heart in an instant. What great power games, what strategic considerations, were all replaced by the most primal desire for plunder and the rage of revenge!

"Warriors of Kirigakure!" The Third Mizukage's voice was like a frigid polar wind, chilling to the bone. "Kumakure stole our spoils and plotted to harm our comrades! We swear we will not rest until we avenge this! Chase after them! Find them and reclaim everything that belongs to us! Let their blood serve as a sacrifice for our fallen brothers!"

"Revenge! Reclaim the treasure!"

"Kill all the Cloud Hidden Dogs!"

"Take back what's ours!"

The remnants of the Hidden Mist faction had bloodshot eyes and had gone completely mad.

Like a group of desperate gamblers who had lost everything and were left with only their lives, they howled like wild beasts, ignoring their injuries and chakra depletion, and burst out of the treasure vault like a black torrent that had broken its banks, launching a relentless pursuit towards the direction where the Hidden Cloud Village had dispersed to search.

Inside Vortex Village, the chaotic battle escalated immediately, turning the village into a complete hell.

This time, the flames of war spread like a plague to every corner of the village. Every dilapidated house, every dark alley, and every burning ruin became a bloody battlefield.

"We found them! They're in that tower, they must be dividing the loot!" a Kirigakure ninja roared, pointing at a half-collapsed watchtower in the distance.

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!" Several Hidden Mist ninjas immediately joined forces to form hand seals, and the raging water flowed like a celestial river pouring down, instantly collapsing the already crumbling tower.

There were indeed several Cloud Village ninjas searching for loot inside, screaming as they were swept into the torrent, crashing into the ruins and breaking their bones.

"Damn it! Those Kirigakure scum!" The nearby Kumogakure squad, witnessing their comrade's gruesome death, were filled with rage. "Lightning Release: Gratitude Wave!"

A thick bolt of lightning swept across, turning several Hidden Mist ninjas who were casting spells into charred remains!
"Watch out! There's a Cloud Village sniper on that rooftop!" The shadow clone, disguised as a Mist Village member, shouted at the opportune moment.

"Wind Release: Vacuum Ball!" A dozen vacuum bullets immediately blasted towards the rooftop, blasting two Cloud Village Chunin who were actually on guard to pieces, and also completely blowing the roof off.

"Kumakuna has stolen the treasure and is trying to break out from the west!" Transforming into a shadow clone disguised as an injured Kirigakure, he continuously "leaks" the whereabouts of Kumogakure to the Kirigakure pursuers.

"Stop them! Secret Technique: Poison Mist!"

A large area of ​​corrosive poisonous fog immediately blocked the alleyway to the west, forcing several teams of Cloud Village ninja who originally wanted to retreat from there to turn back and fall into the encirclement of the main force of the Mist Village, resulting in heavy casualties.

"The main force of the Hidden Mist Village is gathering on the east side of the shrine; they want to retrieve the Book of Seals!" A shadow clone, disguised as a communications soldier from the Hidden Cloud Village, promptly "reported" to a team of elite Hidden Cloud Village soldiers.

"We can't let them succeed! Lightning Release: Lightning Illusion Pillar!"

Several massive pillars of lightning shot towards the east side of the shrine, where some Mist Villagers were indeed resting. They were instantly engulfed by the lightning, suffering heavy casualties, which also thoroughly enraged the nearby Mist Villager forces.

Sasuke Umino's shadow clones are like the most skillful theater directors and chaos creators. Using their superb transformation techniques and chakra imitation abilities, they precisely navigate the edge of the battlefield, either stirring up trouble, framing others, creating misunderstandings, or providing false information.

Every appearance and every "speech" inevitably triggers a localized bloodbath and a spiral of escalating hatred between the two sides!

Ai was leading a team of elite soldiers, searching for any potentially valuable items inside a relatively intact building, when suddenly deafening shouts of battle and violent explosions erupted outside. "Lord Ai! Something terrible has happened! Kirigakure is chasing us like mad dogs, killing anyone they see! They say we stole all the treasure and are trying to poison them!" A blood-soaked Cloud Village Jonin rushed in to report.

"What?!" Ai exclaimed, both shocked and furious. "These water rats are going too far! Do they really think Yunyin is afraid of them?"

Just as he was about to order the assembly, a chilling killing intent instantly locked onto him.

"Ah! Today, I will use your blood to quell my rage!"

The Third Mizukage appeared at the building entrance like a ghost, his face ashen, his eyes devoid of any rationality, filled only with icy killing intent and an obsession with the "treasure".

The chill around him intensified, and the moisture in the air condensed into tiny ice crystals.

"You old bastard! You're asking for it!"

Ai's anger was completely ignited, old and new grudges surged into his heart, and the lightning surged again, "Lightning Release Chakra Mode - Full Power!"

boom!
The two collided again.

This time, there will be absolutely no holding back!

"Ice Release: Twin Dragon Blizzard!" The Third Mizukage formed hand seals, and two ferocious ice dragons composed entirely of extremely cold ice crystals roared out, carrying a chilling aura that could freeze the soul, as they attacked A from the left and right.

Wherever it passed, the ground was instantly covered with a thick layer of ice!

"Lightning Release: Lightning Slaughter Level!" Ai crossed his arms, and his lightning hand blade, refined to its extreme, tore through the air, slashing fiercely at the ice dragon.

Lightning and ice collided violently, and the shockwave from the explosion completely collapsed the building.

The two soared into the air from the ruins and continued their frantic attack in mid-air.

Ice spikes, water blades, lightning fists, lightning kicks, lightning pillars... Every collision shook the earth, every battle was fraught with danger. They fought from the east to the west of the village, and wherever they went, whether it was the remaining buildings or the unfortunate ninjas caught in the crossfire, they were all torn to pieces by the terrifying energy aftershocks!

The chaotic battle between the two ninja armies was beyond description.

Completely losing their organization and command, the ninjas on both sides fell into their most primal killing instincts. The battle was no longer for strategic objectives, but for revenge, for venting, and for taking someone down with them before they died!

A Cloud Village ninja with a missing arm, biting an explosive tag in his teeth, frantically lunged at a group of Mist Village ninjas, dying alongside them amidst maniacal laughter, all to protect the Book of Seals.

A Kirigakure ninja, his abdomen pierced by a lightning release, clung tightly to the leg of a Kumogakure ninja before dying, allowing his comrade's ninja sword to pierce both him and the enemy, all so that his comrade could share the treasure and take care of his son in the village.

Inside a burning house.

Several wounded soldiers from Cloud Village and Mist Village grappled together, engaging in close combat and attacking each other by any means necessary, until flames engulfed them all.

Even the wounded soldiers who were originally created by the shadow clones to confuse the enemy and make them unconscious have now become targets of indiscriminate attacks and have been torn apart by ninjutsu in the chaos.

Corpses piled up like mountains, and blood flowed like rivers, even forming dark red pools of blood in low-lying areas.

The heavy stench of blood, mixed with the acrid smell of burning, rotting entrails, and gunpowder, permeated the entire Wochao Village, even tinging the moonlight with a bloody hue.

Sasuke Umino's true form had already quietly left this inferno, which he himself had ignited and continuously fueled, using the Flying Thunder God Technique.

He stood on a towering cliff outside the village, his spiritual perception acting like an invisible eye, looking down at the tragedy that had been caused by greed, misunderstanding, and his carefully orchestrated "demon child" tactics.

The Cloud Village and the Mist Village, originally somewhat in sync but with different goals and even some mutual distrust, are now engaged in a brutal and self-destructive struggle amidst the ruins of Uzushio Village for a phantom "treasure" and a "book of guardian seals."

Every moment, lives are lost, and every inch of land is soaked in blood.

The infernal fire of Uzushio Village burned fiercely for nearly half an hour amidst the complete madness of the Cloud Village and the Mist Village.

In the entire Wochao Village, there is no intact building left.

Amidst the ruins, corpses littered the ground, and blood soaked every inch of the scorched earth, converging into dark red streams that meandered and emitted an intense, suffocating stench of blood and burnt flesh.

Shouts of battle, explosions, and the screams of the dying mingled together.

Sasuke Umino's shadow clones are like the most insidious ghosts, constantly moving along the edge of the battlefield and in the shadows, framing others, creating conflicts, and providing false information.

A shadow clone, disguised as a panicked Kirigakure communications soldier, was seen running wildly down the Kumogakure's retreat route, shouting, "Chase them! The Mizukage ordered no survivors! They stole everything!!"

Such framing and false accusations immediately intensified the Cloud Village's resistance and will to protect itself.

Meanwhile, the shadow clone who had transformed into a Cloud Village member was "anxiously" giving orders to his subordinates during the retreat: "Quickly! Split up and take the 'Treasure Scroll' with you. It must not fall into the hands of the Mist Village. I'll cover the rear!"

This false information immediately spurred the Hidden Mist Village to pursue them even more frantically.

While some individuals might have noticed something amiss with the shadow clones' actions, the hatred within the group had been completely ignited.

Witnessing the tragic deaths of his comrades and being constantly attacked himself, any rational cries were drowned out by the madness of revenge and the obsession with "seizing the treasure" and "protecting the sealed book".

Both sides were already bloodthirsty, and the only purpose of the battle was to eliminate the enemy in front of them and plunder any "spoils" that the other side might have.

The center of the battlefield.

The battle between A and the Third Mizukage has reached a fever pitch.

A was covered in blood, the light of his Lightning Release armor was noticeably dimmed, and his breathing was heavy. He had managed to hold his own against the Third Mizukage for so long by relying on the violent speed and explosive power of his Lightning Release, as well as his natural advantage against water. He was truly formidable.

However, the Third Mizukage was, after all, a veteran Kage, with extensive experience, abundant chakra, and a powerful Ice Release bloodline limit, which allowed him to effectively defend against Lightning Release.

"Kid, your lightning techniques are indeed powerful, but unfortunately, compared to your old man, you're still far from mastering them!"

A cold glint flashed in the Third Mizukage's eyes, and his hands quickly formed hand seals. The chill around him suddenly intensified, and the moisture in the air instantly froze into countless fine ice crystals.

"Ice Release: Nine Dragons Binding Kill!"

boom--!
Nine ferocious ice dragons, entirely composed of mysterious ice, appeared out of thin air, carrying a terrifying chill that could freeze everything.

Each one is tens of meters long, with scales and claws flying, and is incredibly lifelike. It is many times more powerful than the "Twin Dragon Storm Kill" of the Snow Country's Wind and Flowers!
They did not attack in a straight line, but as if they possessed intelligence, they wove a deadly giant net of ice dragons from all directions, up, down, left, and right, with a shrill shriek that tore through space, heading towards Ai in the center to strangle her.

On a distant cliff.

"So strong!" Sasuke Umino's eyes narrowed.

With his full sensory awareness, he detected the energy flow and rune composition of this S-rank Ice Release technique. "What a Nine Dragons Binding Kill! Such exquisite combination of chakra form transformation and nature transformation, hehe! Successfully learned it!"

"Lightning Release Chakra Mode: Ultimate Burst!"

Ai felt an unprecedented threat of death, let out a beast-like roar, and his whole body was crackling with unprecedented intensity, even his skin was bleeding from the overload.

His fists transformed into two giant spears of lightning that tore through the night sky, fiercely meeting the onrushing ice dragon!

Boom! Boom! Boom—!
The deafening explosions continued one after another.

The raging lightning collided and annihilated the frigid ice dragon, sending ice shards mixed with lightning fragments flying everywhere, flattening everything within a hundred meters once again.

Ai forcefully shattered four ice dragons and severely injured two of them, but the remaining three ice dragons, with unparalleled power, crashed heavily into the lightning armor he was barely holding up!

Snap, snap——!
The seemingly indestructible Lightning Armor groaned under the strain, its surface cracked like a spiderweb.

The biting cold instantly invaded his body. Ai felt as if he had been hit by a heavy hammer. He spat out blood and flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into a pile of ruins, filling the air with smoke and dust.

"Lord Ai!" The Cloud Shadow auxiliary commander's eyes widened in horror as he recklessly led several elite guards toward the ruins.

"Protect Lord A! Hold off the Mizukage!" The surrounding Cloud Village Jonin roared in despair, knowing they were no match for him, yet they rushed towards the pursuing Third Mizukage like moths to a flame.

Ice Release: Thousand Kill Water Flight!

The Third Mizukage remained expressionless, and with a single wave of his hand, countless sharp ice senbon rained down like a storm.

The two Cloud Village Jonin at the forefront were instantly riddled with bullets and died on the spot!
The assistant commander rushed to Ai's side and struggled to drag him out of the rubble. Ai was covered in blood and weak, clearly seriously injured and unable to fight.

"Lord Ai!" the assistant commander roared, shoving Ai towards the two guards beside him. "Take the lord away! Quickly!"

"Trying to escape?! Die!" The Third Mizukage appeared above the ruins like a ghost, his icy killing intent locking onto A and the huge scroll carried by the guard.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Bomb!" A resolute glint flashed in the auxiliary commander's eyes. His entire body was filled with lightning, which compressed wildly, making him resemble a human bomb. He fearlessly lunged at the Third Mizukage, trying to buy A some last bit of time!

"Insects!" The Third Mizukage sneered, and a thick ice wall instantly formed in front of him.

boom--! ! !
The violent explosion blasted a large hole in the ice wall.

"It's just a dying struggle!"

However, the Third Mizukage was still knocked back several steps by the shockwave, looking somewhat disheveled. This loyal support commander was completely pulverized, leaving no trace of his body, thus giving A a glimmer of hope.

"No—!" Ai, supported by the guards, let out a painful roar, watching helplessly as yet another important comrade-in-arms sacrificed himself for her, his eyes filled with blood and tears and deep-seated hatred.

"Lord Ai, run!!" Two guards desperately dragged the heavily wounded Ai, and under the desperate cover of the remaining Cloud Village ninja, they retreated frantically towards the western coastline.

Ai's severe injuries and retreat were like having the backbone of the remaining Cloud Hidden Army torn away.

The already heavily damaged and struggling defensive line collapsed instantly.

The remaining Cloud Village ninjas, under the relentless pursuit of the Mist Village, scattered like the receding tide towards the coastline.

"Take back the treasure! Kill them all!" The Hidden Mist ninjas were in high spirits, like a pack of bloodthirsty wolves, relentlessly pursuing their fleeing prey.

The Third Mizukage stood atop the ice spikes, his icy voice echoing across the battlefield: "Kumakuha! Leave that treasure behind, and I'll let you go! Otherwise, today will be the day you perish in the Land of Whirlpools!"

He tried to regain some composure and avoid greater losses, while also being wary of Umino Sasuke who might be lurking in the shadows.

"Bullshit! There's no treasure in the vault at all! We've all been fooled. This must be a conspiracy by Konoha's Iron Wall!" A Cloud Village Jonin who had entered the vault roared in grief and indignation while fending off attacks.

"A conspiracy?" The Third Mizukage frowned, his mind filled with doubt.

Ai's crushing defeat and Yunyin's collapse did not seem fake. Did he glance at the huge scroll that was heavily protected? On the battlefield, he did see only this scroll, and he did not see the other scrolls being moved.

However, the vast majority of the bloodthirsty Kirigakure ninjas simply wouldn't listen.

"A lie! They want to run away with the treasure!"

"Kill them all, and the treasure will be ours!"

"Avenge your dead brother!"

The flames of hatred had long blinded them.

The Third Mizukage's rationality quickly wavered in the face of his subordinates' madness and the readily available victory.

His eyes flashed with a sharp light: "Hmph, even if there's a conspiracy, we can wipe out your Cloud Village first, then deal with the White Blood Demon! Before absolute power, any conspiracy is futile!"

He was full of confidence in himself. Ice Release was effective against puppets, and the Land of Whirlpools had the advantage of being a watery country. In his eyes, Umino Sasuke was nothing more than a "rat" skilled in strategy and surprise attacks.

"Protect the sealed book! Retreat! Board the ships immediately!"

In their despair, the remnants of the Cloud Hidden Army unleashed a powerful surge of fighting spirit.

They knew that as long as they returned to the coast, boarded the Cloud Village warship, and took the Book of Seals back to the Land of Lightning, there would be hope for their village! They were willing to give anything for this goal!
Faced with the relentless pursuit of Kirigakure, especially with the Third Mizukage personally overseeing the retreat, Kumogakure's path of retreat became a true path to death.

The shadow clones disguised as Cloud Village also "erupted" at this moment, unleashing various lightning release techniques in an attempt to block the edge of the Mist Village.

"Thunder Escape·Pseudo Darkness!"

"Lightning Release: Lightning Tiger - All-Out Attack!"

"Lightning Release: Chidori Senbon!"

The burst of shadow clones did temporarily halt the Kirigakure's pursuit, but it did nothing to improve the overall battle situation, and the complete collapse of the Cloud Village was inevitable.

The Cloud Guard could only desperately protect the heavily injured Ai and the Book of Seals as they raced toward the west coast, completely abandoning their camp and all their supplies in pursuit of speed!

At this moment, the Third Mizukage wanted to pursue A personally, but several Cloud Village Jonin burned their life force and unleashed Lightning Release chakra beyond its limits, binding him tightly like human lightning bolts.

"Third Mizukage! Don't even think about getting past me!"

"For the sake of Kumogakure!"

"Secret Technique: Lightning Cage!"

These Cloud Village Jonin completely abandoned their defense, seeking only to exchange their lives for injuries and time.

The violent lightning intertwined into a web of death. Even the Third Mizukage had to concentrate on dealing with this suicidal attack and was temporarily held back!
"Damn it!" The Third Mizukage was furious. He unleashed his full Ice Release power, severely injuring or killing the Cloud Village Jonin who were locked in combat, but time had already been wasted.

When the Third Mizukage finally broke free from the last Cloud Village Jonin and rushed to the west coast, the sight that greeted him made his face turn ashen.

The last remaining less than a hundred ninjas of the Cloud Village have mostly boarded dozens of Cloud Village warships and spoils transport ships anchored in the near sea.

The heavily injured Ai was helped by two guards and staggered onto the flagship's deck. The huge sealing scroll symbolizing the "Vortex Treasure" was being held tightly in the arms of another guard and carried into the cabin.

On the shore, only a few dozen Cloud Village ninjas remained, covered in blood and fighting to the death to cover the retreat. They faced the pursuing Mist Village army with their backs to the sea and their faces were filled with resolute determination to die.

"Fire! Cover our ninjas!" the Cloud Village commander on the flagship roared hoarsely.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz——

The large chakra ballistae mounted on the warships roared deafeningly!

Thick bolts of lightning bolts and explosive talisman arrows rained down on the mist-shrouded pursuers on the coast.

boom! boom! boom--

The rocks on the shore were blasted to pieces, and the Hidden Mist ninjas at the forefront were instantly engulfed by the flames or blown to pieces.

The momentum of the pursuit by the Fog Shadows came to a halt.

(End of this chapter)