Chapter 430: Golden Thread Shattering Ice Dragon
Chapter 430: Golden Thread Shattering Ice Dragon
Mu Yue channeled chakra into her hands and threw three kunai knives at the Kirigakure shinobi.
These kunai knives had no nature transformation applied to them, yet the mere fact that they were ordinary kunai was enough to make the Kirigakure shinobi wary, and they employed various means to block the projectiles.
Just then, a kunai shot out from the tree beside them. Someone noticed the sound of the kunai cutting through the air, but it was too fast and, due to the short distance, it instantly closed in on the Kirigakure ninja.
Whoosh!
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!
Using a Shadow Clone, Mu Yue instantly teleported to the side of the Kirigakure shinobi with her Flying Thunder God Kunai and threw a shuriken.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
Under the influence of the ninjutsu, the shuriken Mu Yue threw began to clone themselves, forming an impenetrable shower of arrows that enveloped the Kirigakure shinobi.
"Water Style: Ice Field!"
The first to react was Suigetsu Hozuki, who immediately gathered water-style chakra and created a thick ice wall around himself.
The other Kirigakure shinobi who reacted also used their own means to defend or dodge, but most of them were unable to block the close-range shuriken net.
One Kirigakure shinobi wielded a sharp sword and blocked three shuriken, only to be pierced by more and die. Another tried to use the Body Flicker Technique to dodge but was too slow and was penetrated by the shuriken.
Suigetsu frowned slightly. Two-thirds of the Kirigakure shinobi had died from Mu Yue's Shuriken Shadow Clone technique, and among those still alive, some were injured.
"It seems she had already created a Shadow Clone and hidden it nearby," Suigetsu thought, realizing that they needed to defeat Mu Yue quickly, or else, before long, all of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and their subordinates would be killed by her.
"Water Style: Ice Age!"
Suigetsu converted a large amount of chakra into water-style chakra and unleashed it all at once, creating a terrifying cold aura around him.
Crack! Crack!
The ground around Suigetsu froze rapidly, and while the surviving Kirigakure shinobi were deliberately spared from the ice-style chakra, those who had already perished were not so lucky. They were encased in ice, and soon, the ice spread to Mu Yue's feet.
Mu Yue entered the Breath of Fire chakra mode and released intense heat to counter the freezing cold.
"What kind of ninjutsu is this?" Suigetsu was surprised to see Mu Yue standing her ground and blocking his Ice Age technique.
However, Suigetsu didn't pay it much mind. He hadn't expected this technique to freeze a strong opponent; the speed of the coldness was insufficient.
His goal in using this technique wasn't to defeat Mu Yue but to set up for his next move.
"I knew we should've gone back with Biwa Juzo and the others," Ao said, regretting his decision to follow Suigetsu.
Initially, he had thought that with Suigetsu's strength, they wouldn't encounter any formidable foes, but now a golden-flashing ninja had appeared out of nowhere.
Ao could only hope that their opponent would be careless and not use the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape the range of the Ice Age. Perhaps then, Suigetsu would have a chance to inflict heavy damage.
With this in mind, Ao fired a chakra ball at Mu Yue to distract her while the other surviving Kirigakure shinobi also attacked.
"I need to find a way to get close and slash her," said Nomu, who did not join the others in their assault. Instead, he kept his eyes fixed on Mu Yue, waiting for the moment she showed a flaw so that he could strike with his sword.
Ninjas died when they were killed, and no matter how strong Mu Yue was, her body wasn't made of iron. Even if she didn't die from his slash, she would at least be crippled.
"Water Style: Ice Dragon!"
Suigetsu opened his mouth and expelled a large amount of water-style chakra, quickly forming an ice dragon beside him. Then, under his control, the ice chunks on the ground flew toward the ice dragon, strengthening it. The ice dragon instantly grew massive, so much so that it made those who gazed upon it feel their own insignificance.
However, instead of flying toward the ice dragon, the ice chunks around Mu Yue gathered together and formed an ice pike that stabbed at her.
"It's a good thing we're not in the Land of Snow. I feel like this guy's strength would increase by half if we were there," Obito commented as he watched the enormous ice dragon.
But Obito felt that the outcome wouldn't change either way. While the environment could influence a ninja's combat power, it also depended on the individual. Fighting against a versatile ninja like Mu Yue, Suigetsu had no chance of victory, be it on a glacier or in a desert.
"Wait, that thing is targeting us!" Kakashi realized that the ice dragon had suddenly changed direction and was charging toward them.
A smirk appeared on Suigetsu's face. After all, he was a ninja, and his initial request for a one-on-one battle with Mu Yue was simply because he was excited to meet another ice-style ninja from a different country. In a real fight, he would definitely resort to any means necessary to achieve victory.
He wasn't foolish. While the ice dragon had a large attack range, it was still too difficult to hit someone who could use the Flying Thunder God Technique like Mu Yue. Instead of aiming at her, it was better to crash the ice dragon directly into Kakashi and the others, forcing Mu Yue to intercept it.
"Eight Inner Gates, sixth gate: View!" Might Guy, seeing the situation, immediately opened the sixth gate of the Eight Inner Gates.
"Uncle Might, hold on!" Kakashi shook his head, advising against it.
Suigetsu's attack was clearly not ordinary, and simply opening the sixth gate wouldn't be enough for Might Guy to withstand it.
Of course, there was no need for Might Guy to intervene, as Mu Yue was still present.
If Mu Yue hadn't been there, Kakashi would have immediately ordered everyone to disperse. Not just because they were exhausted, but even at their peak condition, they might not have been able to withstand such a terrifying attack.
But with Mu Yue there, and with multiple enemies present, Kakashi chose to trust in her judgment.
If Mu Yue had any plans, she would have voiced them already. The fact that she remained silent meant that everything was still under her control.
Since Kakashi and the others had her Flying Thunder God Kunai on them, Mu Yue could use the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to their side.
Suigetsu wore a look that said, "So that's how it is."
"You lost because you weren't ruthless enough," Suigetsu thought, believing that he had won.
At this point in the battle, Suigetsu had realized that in terms of individual strength, he was inferior to Mu Yue. If they had truly fought one-on-one, he would have likely lost.
But there were no 'what ifs'. The fact was that he had the help of four of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and his own subordinate jonin and chunin. On the other hand, Mu Yue only had her injured and exhausted subordinates.
If their positions were switched, Suigetsu would have chosen to retreat.
Not just for himself but for the bigger picture. A few jonin and chunin dying wasn't a big deal; they could always request replacements from the village. But if a strong individual like him died, it would have a significant impact on the entire battlefield.
"Let's back up a little. There might be a lot of flying ice shards in a moment," Mu Yue said to her students with a smile as she gathered chakra.
Kakashi and the others nodded and took a few steps back.
Then, Mu Yue turned her gaze to the approaching giant ice dragon and switched from Breath of Fire to Stone to enhance her physical abilities.
"So even a huge ice dragon can be taken down with this move," Might Guy exclaimed, his face alight with excitement.
He had no doubt about Mu Yue's capabilities and was eager to witness the brilliance of her Golden Horizon technique against such a formidable opponent.
"Golden Horizon!"
With the Transparent World activated, Mu Yue could precisely utilize every ounce of her strength. In a burst of chakra, she sprinted forward towards the oncoming dragon.
As the colossal dragon and Mu Yue were about to collide, all the ninjas present fixed their gaze on the figure rushing towards the dragon.
Mu Yue appeared minuscule in comparison to the massive dragon, like a mantis trying to stop a chariot wheel, seemingly overestimating her abilities.
In the fleeting moment of their intersection, Mu Yue, in a sword-drawing stance, conducted a cutting motion with her hand.
A slender, golden thread flashed by.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion reverberated, sending white ice shavings and chunks scattering in all directions.
ROAR!
The tremendous force caused the ground to explode, creating craters and sending shockwaves rippling through the surrounding area. The force of the blast rustled the leaves of nearby trees and blew the ninjas' hair backward.
Suigetsu Hozuki stared in disbelief at the epicenter of the explosion. The once-massive ice dragon had completely vanished, leaving only fragments of ice scattered on the ground.
"How is this possible? My Ice Dragon Kill, released with full power, was shattered head-on, and by a taijutsu at that," Suigetsu muttered, struggling to accept this turn of events.
He couldn't fathom how his massive ice dragon could be shattered by a taijutsu. Pure taijutsu shouldn't possess such destructive power.
"It's the same taijutsu as that green brat, but the power is worlds apart," Ao uttered, taking a sharp breath.
Might Guy's Golden Horizon had already left them stunned. The first time, it nearly took down Suigetsu in one blow. The second time, despite being surrounded, he tore through the protective net, broke Zabuza's Decapitating Carving Knife, and incapacitated Biwa.
But compared to Mu Yue's Golden Horizon, Might Guy's technique was child's play. If it had been Mu Yue's Golden Horizon, none of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen would have survived.
Though surprised, Suigetsu maintained his composure as a strong opponent. He immediately considered using the Body Flicker Technique to change positions and make an escape.
However, Mu Yue had anticipated his move. Just as Suigetsu attempted to retreat, he was forced back by the wind blades unleashed by Mu Yue's shadow clone.
Unable to break free in time, Suigetsu lost his chance to flee as Mu Yue appeared before him.
"Water Style: Ice Rock Hall!"
With no other options, Suigetsu made a final desperate attempt, creating an ice wall in front of him.
CRACK!
Mu Yue's fingers pierced through the ice wall and penetrated Suigetsu's body, ending his life.
It wasn't that no one tried to stop Mu Yue. It was just that, with Mu Yue moving at full speed, they simply couldn't intercept her.
"How could this be? Lord Suigetsu..." Suigetsu's subordinate stared in a daze, unable to process what he had just witnessed.
Although Suigetsu had his flaws, his strength was undeniable, and they couldn't believe that he had been defeated so easily by Mu Yue.
"I need to train harder. Now that's what true Golden Horizon power looks like!" Might Guy's desire to cultivate burned within him.
Compared to Mu Yue's Golden Horizon, his own technique fell short in terms of power, and he knew he needed to enhance both his physical strength and his mastery of the technique.
"This move is indeed formidable. It's probably the most terrifying taijutsu in the ninja world. I wonder how it compares to the Third Raikage's strongest spear in terms of power," Kakashi thought to himself.
The Third Raikage's taijutsu was a Lightning Release ninjutsu, and his Hell Stab technique was renowned as the strongest spear in the ninja world. However, Kakashi felt that Golden Horizon might not be any weaker.
This train of thought gave Kakashi a headache. How were they going to handle the next civil war? If Might Guy's Six Gates and Mu Yue's Rock Breath chakra mode became commonplace, they might need all three of them working together to stand a chance.
"Die!"
In the final moments, Torigara Nobito finally made his move. Seizing the opportunity as Mu Yue pierced through the ice wall with her hand, he suddenly lunged, aiming a slash at Mu Yue's neck.
SWISH!
Mu Yue vanished from her original spot, and Torigara's blade slashed through the ice wall, sending ice shavings flying.
The next instant, Mu Yue reappeared beside Torigara, driving a kunai into his heart.
Torigara looked at Mu Yue, confusion etched on his face, and fell, his final thoughts filled with bewilderment as he couldn't comprehend how Mu Yue had teleported next to him when there were no Flying Thunder God Kunai present.
"Sometimes, dead people can be quite useful," Mu Yue remarked, glancing at the lifeless body of Suigetsu.
When she had killed him, she had conveniently left the Flying Thunder God jutsu formula on his body.
Ao rubbed his back as he watched Mu Yue kill Suigetsu and then Torigara as easily as slaughtering chickens. He realized his shirt was drenched in sweat.
Without hesitation, Ao turned and fled. At this moment, he had lost all desire to fight.
Ao believed he still had a chance to survive. While he might not be able to outrun Mu Yue, he was confident he could outpace the other Kirigakure ninjas.
Ao's plan was sound, but his misfortune was encountering Mu Yue.
Just as the Kirigakure ninjas realized something was amiss and attempted to retreat, two of Mu Yue's shadow clones blocked their escape route and killed them. As for Ao, he was pursued by Mu Yue's main body and struck down by a Rasengan to the chest, ending his life instantly.
After eliminating all her enemies, Mu Yue swiftly cleaned up the battlefield, collecting the Seven Ninja Swords and the bodies of Suigetsu and the others into her scroll.
Mu Yue didn't intend to conceal this battle as she had done previously.
Firstly, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and Suigetsu were key figures on the Eastern Front, and Konoha would be paying close attention to them.
Secondly, Mu Yue's apparent strength was already considerable, and she didn't need to hold back and conceal her abilities anymore. Letting her achievements be known would enhance her reputation.
A ninja who possesses formidable strength but chooses to remain subdued and inconspicuous will only draw more attention and curiosity.
Mu Yue's approach to concealment wasn't about blindly staying low-key. Instead, she aimed for a concealment that aligned with her identity, strength, and character setting to avoid raising suspicions.
After tidying up the battlefield, Mu Yue returned to the camp with her students. Her current strength didn't allow her to ignore everything on the battlefield, as powerful skills still consumed chakra.
Back at the camp, Mu Yue checked the System Panel and found that the rewards for her students' life tasks had been settled.
(End of Chapter)
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