Chapter 426: The Golden Horizon that Shocked Kirigakure (6k)

Chapter 426: The Golden Horizon that Shocked Kirigakure (6k)



No words were needed; just by looking into Kakashi's eyes, Obito understood his thoughts.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

Obito immediately gathered chakra in his throat, forming hand seals and spitting out a large amount of fire that transformed into a fireball, which he hurled toward the closest enemy, Blacksmith Raiga.

Due to his Ninjato abilities, Blacksmith Raiga had honed his lightning style even further. However, as a high-level ninja from Kirigakure, he also possessed impressive water style jutsu.

Facing the incoming fireball, Blacksmith Raiga spat out a stream of water, effortlessly extinguishing Obito's fiery attack.

Swoosh! Swoosh!!

Taking advantage of the visual obstruction caused by Obito's fireball, Itachi instantly threw several shuriken laced with fire toward Blacksmith Raiga.

Kakashi, who had been gathering his strength, clutched the White Fang Ninjato tightly. He converted all the chakra in his legs into lightning-attribute chakra, activating his cells and enhancing his power. He was waiting for the slightest opening from Blacksmith Raiga to deliver a thunderous strike.

Due to the disparity in their strength and fame, the Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist didn't consider them genuine adversaries. Kakashi intended to take advantage of this opportunity to take out one of them with a swift and overwhelming attack, making the subsequent battle much easier.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

Biwako Juzo formed hand seals and spat out a water dragon that coiled around Blacksmith Raiga, shielding him from Itachi's flaming shuriken. The water dragon then continued its assault toward Kakashi and the others.

Kakashi sighed inwardly. Although they weren't regarded as formidable opponents, they were still the renowned Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Their cautiousness had been anticipated.

In the next moment, Suika Iwa, River Puffer Ghost, Tsuyukusa Naba, and Chestnut Hailed with Sleet drew their swords and charged forward, intending to end the battle swiftly.

"Eight Inner Gates, First Gate: Gate of Opening, Open! Second... Fourth Gate: Gate of Hurt, Open!" Might Guy roared as he directly activated the Fourth Gate of the Eight Inner Gates and concentrated his breathing to the utmost level.

Nowadays, Might Guy could smoothly open the Fifth Gate, but he couldn't maintain it for extended periods of combat. Sparring within the team was one thing, but in a real fight, he couldn't afford to recklessly reveal all his trump cards.

"Konoha Whirlwind!"

Might Guy unleashed his full power, his figure continuously flashing as he rapidly closed in on Tsuyukusa Naba, the closest opponent. With a mighty kick, he delivered a whirlwind leg technique.

"Your speed is pretty decent, but you've picked the wrong opponent." Tsuyukusa Naba guarded himself with an iron hammer, blocking Might Guy's powerful kick. Simultaneously, he swung the blade in his left hand toward Might Guy.

He was the strongest Iron Arm among the Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. The idea of Might Guy attempting to take him on with taijutsu was simply preposterous.

However, Tsuyukusa Naba had underestimated Might Guy's bodily control and combat experience.

Facing the massive dull blade that slashed toward him, Might Guy's expression remained unchanged as he adjusted his body to the extreme, dodging the swing and delivering a hand blade strike laden with a substantial amount of chakra onto Tsuyukusa Naba's iron hammer.

"Konoha Hand Blade!"

Clang!!

The tremendous force caused Tsuyukusa Naba to stumble backward, and his hand holding the iron hammer felt slightly numb from the impact.

Tsuyukusa Naba stared at Might Guy, a hint of surprise flashing across his face.

This Ninjato of his was forged from various rare materials, making it exceptionally hard. Might Guy's hand blade strike should have transmitted enough force to fracture the bones of an ordinary person, yet Might Guy appeared completely unharmed.

"Could his palms be made of iron?" Tsuyukusa Naba couldn't help but wonder.

The resilience of Might Guy's body seemed abnormal.

Of course, Tsuyukusa Naba had no way of knowing that Might Guy had already attained a high level of proficiency in Rock Lee's Breathing. When highly concentrated, it could significantly enhance his body's defense, far surpassing ordinary standards.

"Even if your body is made of iron, I can still chop you into pieces!" Tsuyukusa Naba regained his composure after the brief moment of surprise.

Putting aside the figurative use of "iron," even if he were facing a literal iron man, Tsuyukusa Naba was confident that he could chop the iron man into shards with his dull blade, Doki.

"Flash!"

Although Blacksmith Raiga hadn't exposed a fatal opening, the tension had reached a critical point, and Kakashi couldn't afford to waste the power he had accumulated. His chakra reserves were already limited.

Swish!

Kakashi, having unleashed his Lightning Breath, surged forward like a bolt of lightning toward Blacksmith Raiga.

"Lightning Style: Raiga!"

Before Kakashi could get close, Blacksmith Raiga brandished his twin lightning blades, generating a multitude of lightning bolts that shot toward Kakashi, forcing him to come to a screeching halt.

His chakra was insufficient to coat his entire body with Lightning Release Chakra Mode for defense.

Whoosh!

After halting Kakashi's advance, Blacksmith Raiga immediately employed the Body Flicker Technique to close in on him. His twin long lightning blades moved with incredible flexibility, resembling venomous snakes that could spit lightning.

Facing a renowned member of the famous combination, Kakashi dared not let down his guard. He immediately activated the Transparent World, causing the world in his brain to transform.

Upon entering the Transparent World state, Kakashi could clearly sense that Blacksmith Raiga's speed had slowed down.

Of course, Kakashi, being well-versed in the effects of the Transparent World, knew that it wasn't Blacksmith Raiga who had slowed down but that his own observation skills had heightened, and he had become faster in turn.

Clang!

Kakashi effortlessly blocked Blacksmith Raiga's lightning blade swing.

Blacksmith Raiga's expression remained impassive as he continuously slashed with his blades, but each strike was flawlessly parried by Kakashi. Despite wielding two long swords, he couldn't breach Kakashi's defense, who held only a short blade.

Each of Kakashi's counters was flawless, requiring minimal effort without allowing Blacksmith Raiga to touch even the hem of his clothes.

Blacksmith Raiga's brow furrowed slightly. While his swordsmanship wasn't considered the pinnacle in Kirigakure, it was still respectable. Yet, he found himself being suppressed by a ten-year-old child.

Although it appeared to be an evenly matched confrontation, in reality, Blacksmith Raiga was already at a disadvantage in their swordsmanship clash. All his attacks were anticipated by Kakashi, as if his every move had been seen through.

Blacksmith Raiga immediately concluded that Kakashi possessed extraordinary talent in swordsmanship. If they were in the age of samurai, Kakashi might have even become a Sword Saint.

"The most important aspect of a ninja is their ninjutsu!" Blacksmith Raiga swiftly retreated, gathering chakra, and then unleashed lightning from his lightning blade toward Kakashi.

As an assassin, Blacksmith Raiga knew better than to be stubborn. Although it was somewhat embarrassing that his swordsmanship, honed over many years, was bested by a ten-year-old, continuing to fight head-on would only lead to his demise.

In just a minute, Kakashi's White Fang Ninjato had already left two gashes on Blacksmith Raiga's body.

Kakashi burst into rapid evasive movements, a hint of regret flashing across his face.

How he wished that Blacksmith Raiga possessed a strong sense of pride as a ninja. Only then would Kakashi have had a chance to defeat him in a short amount of time.

Unfortunately, ninjas rarely let their pride get in the way of combat.

"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"

Obito's Flame Breath continued to concentrate and enhance his nature transformation ability. He gathered a substantial amount of chakra in his throat, swiftly converting it into fire-attribute chakra, and relentlessly spewed forth vast flames that eventually transformed into a sea of fire.

Not every ninja possessed the capability to face the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. If Obito tried to dodge and exposed an opening, he would find himself in grave danger.

To protect Nozomi, Rin, and the others, Obito had no choice but to use his ninjutsu to counter the attack.

Silent, Itachi activated his Sharingan, his blood-red eyes fixated on Tsuyukusa Naba and Suika Iwa. In the next moment, he vanished, reappearing instantly through the Body Flicker Technique, determined to keep them away from his teammates.

The power of Obito's Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet was limited without the Fire Nature Transformation chakra mode, and with only the residual flames remaining, Suika Iwa casually waved his shark-skinned sword, cleaving the fire in two.

Sensing the intense heat, the hilt of the shark-skinned sword twisted a couple of times, tapping on Suika Iwa's arm in annoyance, as if expressing its dislike for the scorching flames.

The shark-skinned sword was unusually large, and ordinarily, such a detail might go unnoticed. But Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan witnessed this interaction, sparking a realization within him.

"Illusionary Body Technique!"

With the battle intensifying, Itachi didn't have time to ponder further and immediately created dozens of illusionary clones, surrounding Tsuyukusa Naba and Suika Iwa.

"Shadow clones? Impossible, there's no way he has that much chakra," Suika Iwa shook his head in disbelief.

While there were indeed ninjas capable of creating dozens of shadow clones, those with such abundant chakra reserves wouldn't resort to this tactic as it served little purpose beyond wasting chakra.

Whoosh! Whoosh!!

With incredible speed, Tsuyukusa Naba brandished his sword, a slender needle-like blade, piercing the necks of three Itachis.

Strangely, the pierced Itachis didn't disappear, their bodies showing no signs of injury, as if they were mere illusions.

Just as they suspected these Itachis to be insubstantial phantoms, several other Itachis launched their attacks, forcing Tsuyukusa Naba and Suika Iwa to halt their advance.

Seizing the opportunity, Obito retreated, shielding Nozomi, Rin, and the weakest fighter among them.

"Sharingan, illusions, and solid forms... It must be genjutsu," Tsuyukusa Naba calmly analyzed the situation, quickly arriving at the answer.

Without hesitation, Tsuyukusa Naba struck Suika Iwa with a palm, disrupting his chakra flow and breaking the genjutsu.

Once freed from the illusion, Suika Iwa's eyes now discerned only three Itachis—two clones and the original.

"An unexpected talent not listed in the Bingo Book. Our luck seems better than expected," Suika Iwa commented, striking Tsuyukusa Naba with a palm in return.

Sharingan genjutsu wasn't something one could break simply by realizing they were under its influence. The simplest way to break free was to have assistance from another person.

Unfazed by his genjutsu being uncovered, Itachi remained calm; after all, his opponents were members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. He had anticipated that his techniques might be deciphered.

Tsuyukusa Naba and Suika Iwa simultaneously unleashed their chakra, charging towards Itachi. They weren't concerned about Obito escaping; the remaining members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen would ensure he had nowhere to run.

"Do you think you can abandon your comrades and flee? Unfortunately for you, even escape is impossible," Biwako Juzo declared, intercepting them with his Water Body Flicker Technique and blocking their path with his beheading broadsword.

Unohana Retsu quietly brandished the Blast Sword: Spray, blocking another path, while the injured Kirigakure jonin stood by his side.

"Who would abandon their comrades? Don't underestimate us!" Obito asserted, shielding Nozomi and Rin behind him as he entered the Fire Nature Transformation chakra mode.

At this juncture, he could not afford to worry about chakra consumption. He had witnessed Kakashi and Might Guy's battles and knew that each member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen was formidable. Facing two of them alone, he had no room for carelessness.

After all, even with Kakashi's best efforts, he could only narrowly gain the upper hand in his area of expertise. The true outcome of their battle remained uncertain.

Obito was well aware of their weakness—their lack of endurance, which hindered their ability to sustain prolonged battles.

This wasn't a flaw unique to them; in terms of chakra quantity, they possessed significantly more than the average ninja of the same age. Their issue was that they had acquired abilities far beyond their current stage, making their chakra seem insufficient.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

Without forming any hand seals, Obito, empowered by the Fire Nature Transformation chakra mode, effortlessly created a fireball chakra and unleashed a scorching fireball from his mouth.

With too many enemies to face, Obito dared not waste his chakra, opting for the relatively less consuming Fireball Jutsu.

The basic Fireball Jutsu took Biwako Juzo by surprise, but even with its speed enhanced, it was still easily dodged by Biwako Juzo, who casually swatted away the shuriken hurled by Nozomi and the others with his beheading broadsword.

"Too weak," muttered Ebizo, his fist clenching as he felt a surge of powerlessness.

He now truly understood the phrase 'powerless despite having the will.' He longed to alleviate the pressure on Kakashi and the others, but he knew that rushing in recklessly would only burden them further. They were too weak, too vulnerable to injury and death.

Their ideal role in this battle was to remain at a safe distance, providing support through ninjutsu or genjutsu.

To ease Obito's burden, Nozomi stepped forward to engage Biwako Juzo, allowing Obito to focus on Unohana Retsu and the Kirigakure jonin.

Nozomi lacked the strength of Kakashi and the others, but with Genma's assistance, she could temporarily hold off one opponent.

Kakashi, immersed in the Transparent World, had a clear view of the entire battlefield.

"This is indeed an unprecedented crisis," Kakashi muttered, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

The battle had just begun, yet they were already at a significant disadvantage.

With one member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen yet to join the fight, they were already on the brink of defeat.

Might Guy, in his Eight Gates stance, struggled to gain the upper hand against Kusaina Kusa, and Kakashi, despite his all-out efforts, had failed to gain an advantage over Blacksmith Raiga.

Itachi was in a perilous situation, fending off the relentless attacks of Tsuyukusa Naba and Suika Iwa.

Obito, in his Fire Nature Transformation chakra mode, along with the support of Nozomi and the others, could barely hold off Biwako Juzo, Unohana Retsu, and the Kirigakure jonin.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen didn't need their remaining member to intervene; they only needed to persist a little longer, and Kakashi's team would crumble.

Moreover, Kakashi noticed that the last member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen wasn't idle. Their ninjato was glowing with chakra, as if they were charging up for an attack.

"Konoha Strong Whirlwind!"

Might Guy unleashed a powerful kick to repel the attacking Chestnut Hailed with Sleet, then burst forth with extreme speed toward Kakashi, who was being ganged up on.

Kakashi, facing the assault of two opponents, was already in a dire state, his body bearing numerous long cuts from the barbed wire.

Green Mullet immediately aimed his dual swords, Flatfish and Flounder, at Might Guy and fired a chakra orb at him.

"Guy, watch out!" Kakashi, sensing the attack, immediately warned Might Guy.

Whoosh!

Might Guy's legs erupted with chakra, leaving an afterimage in his place as his body surged forward like a green blur.

Boom!!

The chakra orb smashed into Might Guy's afterimage, causing a violent explosion that sent a cloud of dust flying and left a large crater in the ground.

Kakashi's brow furrowed slightly. Unless one coated a significant portion of their body with the Armor of Chakravapor, an attack of this caliber would undoubtedly result in severe injuries.

Currently, Kakashi, with the aid of the Transparent World, could not only dodge attacks himself but also promptly alert his teammates. However, what would happen when he no longer had the stamina to maintain the Transparent World?

Kakashi was not a gambler by nature, but at this moment, he realized that their only chance of survival was if their commotion attracted the attention of powerful Konoha ninjas.

Not just any Konoha ninja, but one who was exceptionally strong, as anyone weaker would be of no use.

"That barbed knife can absorb chakra; you have to use pure taijutsu to deal with it," Asuma panted, offering a reminder.

If not for his three tomoe Sharingan and exceptional Body Flicker Technique, even a high-level Jonin from Konoha would have likely perished under the onslaught of these two opponents.

Might Guy nodded, committing the information to memory, as he pushed Rock Lee's Breathing Technique to its limit, causing his body's power to explode forth in a whirlwind kick that forced Green Gourd Puffer Ghost to retreat.

Asuma had a vague idea of what Might Guy was thinking. Despite his exhaustion, he did his best to hold back Chestnut Hailed with Sleet.

Now that Might Guy had opened the Fifth Gate of the Eight Inner Gates, he was the strongest member of their team and the most likely to defeat a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Asuma intended to create an opportunity for Might Guy.

Might Guy felt an unprecedented sense of urgency. He had to defeat a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen as soon as possible; otherwise, without external intervention, their demise was certain.

Rather than pursuing Might Guy, Chestnut Hailed with Sleet turned his attention to the nearest target, Kakashi, who now faced the brunt of their assault.

Fortunately, Chestnut Hailed with Sleet was the type of opponent Kakashi excelled at dealing with. The man had tremendous strength, but it meant little if he couldn't land a hit.

With the aid of the Transparent World, Kakashi managed to turn the tide and shift from offense to defense.

However, as Green Mullet regrouped and gathered his strength, Kakashi felt a mounting pressure. Engaged in close combat, he might not be able to dodge the chakra orb fired from the dual swords, Flatfish and Flounder.

"Golden Horizon!"

Seeing the increasingly grim situation, Might Guy couldn't help but unleash his most powerful ninjutsu.

Might Guy drew out his nunchaku, holding the handle in his left hand and the single-section chain in his right. He widened his stance, turned his body to the right, then brought his left hand in front of him and his right hand to his waist, extending his index and middle fingers.

Might Guy had practiced this sequence countless times over the past year, and he executed it with lightning speed as he charged toward Green Mullet.

As he surged forward, Might Guy swung his left hand in a drawing motion, guiding his right hand forward in a slicing motion, ultimately carving out a golden filament.

Green Mullet raised his Shark Skin to block, but as he did so, he found himself staring into Asuma's three tomoe Sharingan.

In daily life, such a momentary lapse would have no consequences and might not even cause one to stumble. But in the midst of an intense battle, it could prove fatal.

Boom!!

A loud explosion rang out, and a spray of blood filled the air as Green Mullet's abdomen was pierced, sending him flying backward and leaving a trail of blood on the ground.

This sudden turn of events shocked the other members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

Green Mullet was considered one of the stronger members of their group, yet he had been nearly killed by a ten-year-old child.

"How is this possible? That was Green Mullet!" exclaimed the Kirigakure Jonin fighting Obito, his eyes widening in shock.

At that moment, he felt a profound sense of relief that his own strength was lacking and that Kakashi's team hadn't gone all out against him.

If Obito's Flame Breath Chakra Mode and Might Guy's Golden Horizon had been directed at him from the start, he doubted he could have lasted even a minute. He would have perished before the arrival of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

"I seem to have underestimated you. It's not quite appropriate to call you weaklings," Biwako Juzo remarked, beginning to view Kakashi's team as worthy adversaries.

There were differences even among young prodigies. Although they were young, Obito, Kakashi, Might Guy, and Asuma had demonstrated exceptional skill, earning Biwako Juzo's acknowledgment as formidable opponents.

The performance of Kakashi's team could only be described as astonishing.

It was remarkable for ten-year-olds to hold their ground against two members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, even for a minute. They were the feared Seven Ninja Swordsmen, after all, not just any ordinary shinobi from the village.

However, their coordinated efforts did not come without a cost.

In the next moment, Chestnut Hailed with Sleet's long needle-like blade stabbed toward Asuma's heart.

But to his surprise, the blade failed to pierce Asuma's body; it was as if a sheet of impenetrable iron protected his chest.

Chestnut Hailed with Sleet was an experienced ninja. Realizing that Asuma's chest was guarded, he swiftly changed tactics and slashed at Asuma's abdomen, leaving a long, narrow gash.

Without hesitation, Chestnut Hailed with Sleet retreated, as Might Guy charged toward him.

Chestnut Hailed with Sleet had no intention of engaging in close combat with a taijutsu expert capable of colliding with Green Gourd Puffer Ghost.

"Asuma!" Might Guy called out, his eyes narrowing as he saw the blood seeping from Asuma's abdominal wound.

Asuma exhaled and shook his head slightly, indicating that he was alright.

Although he looked battered, his injuries were relatively minor compared to Green Mullet's, and their mission had been a success.

"As repayment for saving your life, contribute your chakra," Kurobachi ordered, gesturing for the Kirigakure Jonin to approach Green Mullet.

The Jonin was familiar with some information about the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and understood Kurobachi's intentions. He used the Body Flicker Technique to move beside Green Mullet.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end