Chapter 68 - The Battle of the Kohaku Village (Final)
BOOM!
The impact seems to shatter reality itself.
The wind howled in agony, and the ground itself ruptured apart beneath the sheer brutality of the strike.
Souchou's bone shield—
Cracked.
Before shattering before his very eyes. His mind struggled to process what had just happened, but the searing pain that followed tore through his senses like a blade through flesh. He stumbled backward in shock, his breath catching in his throat, but as he looked down, a horrifying realization dawned upon him—his hands were gone.
A shriek of pure agony tore from his lips as he collapsed to the ground, his body writhing in uncontrollable pain. Blood gushed from the stumps where his hands had once been, pooling beneath him in thick, steaming puddles. His eyes were wide with disbelief, his screams raw and broken. The once-arrogant leader of the Kaguya Clan, a warrior who had bathed in the slaughter of countless enemies, now lay on the ground, wailing like a wounded dog.
His mind raced, panic gripping him like an iron vice.
Even if he survived this battle, there would be no place for him in the Hidden Mist. His own people would cut him down without hesitation. A clan leader with no hands was useless. In a family that valued nothing but strength, weakness was a death sentence.
Kazane, however, had already lost interest in Souchou. He lay there, helpless, broken—no longer a threat. There was no need to waste another second on him when two far more dangerous foes remained. His gaze shifted toward Yagura and Mizunoyuki Izumi. Unlike Souchou, who had been arrogant enough to face him head-on, these two had already realized the futility of direct combat. They wouldn't risk engaging him in close quarters; they would rely on distance, ninjutsu, and strategy.
Without hesitation, Mizunoyuki formed a rapid sequence of hand seals, his chakra flaring as the temperature around him plummeted. The battlefield was already coated in ice, but now, the air itself seemed to freeze as towering mirrors of reflective ice materialized, encasing Kazane in a crystalline prison.
Countless reflections of his own image stared back at him from every direction, distorting reality and creating an endless illusion of shifting forms. Then, just as quickly, Mizunoyuki disappeared into the mirrors, his form flickering between reflections, making it impossible to track his true position.
Kazane barely raised an eyebrow. He understood exactly what Mizunoyuki was trying to do. The Ice Release technique was a formidable one, but there was a flaw in his plan—he had no idea that Kazane possessed something far more terrifying than enhanced vision. Through Observation Haki, Kazane had already locked onto Mizunoyuki's presence. The ice mirrors may have distorted his image, but they could not erase his aura, his intent, his very existence.
As the enemy darted between the mirrors, unleashing a storm of razor-sharp ice needles in an attempt to keep him off-balance, Kazane simply let out a slow breath, his grip tightening around his blades. Then, with a single, fluid motion, he unleashed his counterattack. His dual swords cut through the air in a sweeping crescent, sending forth a massive black shockwave that surged outward like a tidal wave of destruction. The devastating force crashed into the mirrors, shattering them instantly. Cracks splintered across the frozen walls like fragile glass before the entire formation collapsed in on itself, sending jagged shards of ice flying in every direction.
Mizunoyuki reappeared at that moment, his body now fully exposed. His eyes widened in horror as he realized the gravity of his mistake. He had underestimated his opponent, and now, he was out in the open with no cover. Desperate, he brought his hands together once more, forcing his chakra into his final defense.
"Ice Release: Ice Crystal Magic Shield!" he bellowed, creating a towering wall of thick ice between himself and the incoming attack.
The two forces collided in a deafening explosion, shaking the battlefield.
For a moment, it seemed as though the ice barrier had held—until a deep, splintering crack echoed through the air.
Then another... And another.
The fractures spread like veins, crawling across the surface of the shield, until finally, with a resounding boom, it shattered into countless fragments.
Mizunoyuki had no time to react. The force of the impact sent him hurtling backward, his body twisting midair before he slammed into the frozen earth. A deep, cross-shaped wound now marred his torso, and blood poured freely from the gaping injury. His vision blurred, his consciousness wavering, but Kazane didn't even pause to confirm whether he was still alive. Because at that moment, another threat had already descended upon him.
Yagura Karatachi, the Fourth Mizukage, had been silently preparing his attack while Kazane was engaged with Mizunoyuki. Now, the air around him vibrated with power as he unleashed his technique.
"Water Release: Water Trumpet Technique!" Yagura's voice rang out, and from his mouth, a massive surge of compressed water erupted with the force of a cannon blast. The high-speed jet spiraled through the air, carrying enough pressure to tear through solid rock.
The sheer force of Yagura Karatachi's Water Trumpet Technique ripped through the air, an unstoppable torrent that would have crushed any ordinary shinobi in its path. But Kazane was anything but ordinary.
With the same eerie calm that had defined him throughout the battle, he tightened his grip on his three swords and met the incoming wave head-on.
"Three-Sword Style: 108 Caliber phoenix!"
His muscles coiled, his body tensed, and in one fluid motion, he swung upward. The immense flying slash cleaved through Yagura's attack like a blade through silk, splitting the spiraling water bullet apart. The severed halves crashed into the ground on either side of Kazane, sending up twin geysers of water and shattered ice.
At that same moment, the arc of his attack narrowly grazed past Yagura's head.
The Fourth Mizukage fell from the sky. He barely managed to land on his feet, staggering slightly as he struggled to lift his head. His mind reeled as realization set in—he and his comrades had lost.
His breathing was heavy, his grip tightening around his black iron staff. They had come here as invaders, fully expecting to claim victory with overwhelming force. And yet, the reality before him was undeniable.
Mizunoyuki Izumi lay on the ground, bleeding out from the cross-shaped wound Kazane had inflicted upon him. Taketori Souchou, once so eager for bloodshed, was now sobbing in agony, his severed hands nothing more than stumps.
And he… He was alone.
A chilling sense of helplessness washed over Yagura, a feeling foreign to him as the Mizukage. He had never before stood in battle and felt this powerless. Even against the mightiest warriors in the ninja world, he had always relied on his strength, his status as a Jinchuriki, and his village's fearsome reputation.
But now, none of that mattered.
The Hidden Mist prided itself on its elite shinobi, boasting the highest number of elite Jonin among the Five Great Nations. But what did that mean when a single young swordsman had reduced their proudest warriors to nothing?
His grip on his staff tightened as he locked eyes with Kazane, but he no longer held any delusions of victory. There was no way forward except through negotiation.
"Kazane… You are truly a rare powerhouse in the ninja world," Yagura admitted, his voice calm despite his predicament. "This time, you've won... What do you want?"
Kazane tilted his head, amusement flickering across his features. "Heh. You're the invaders, and yet you're the one asking for terms?" He chuckled as he took slow, deliberate steps toward Yagura.
The Mizukage's brow furrowed. "Do you intend to wipe us out completely?"
Kazane stopped a few feet away, considering the question. "No. Take your men and go," he said after a moment, his tone almost casual. "But those two stay." He gestured toward the unconscious Mizunoyuki Izumi and the whimpering Taketori Souchou.
Yagura's eyes darkened. "Impossible. Propose another condition."
Kazane raised an eyebrow. "Do you think you're in any position to negotiate?"
Before Yagura could respond, Kazane took another step forward and placed a hand lightly on the Mizukage's head. His fingers barely exerted pressure, but the gesture carried an unmistakable message—I can crush you anytime I want.
A shiver ran down Yagura's spine.
He had faced countless enemies. He had been conditioned to feel no fear. But at that moment, the instinctual dread of prey cornered by a predator seeped into his very bones.
And Kazane was not bluffing.
"...Fine," Yagura finally conceded, his voice tight. "I accept your terms."
He had no other choice.
Kazane removed his hand, satisfied. He had no real reason to slaughter the remaining Mist shinobi. They were already broken. Even if they returned to the Hidden Mist, they wouldn't be able to stir up trouble any time soon.
And once he and Orochimaru fully secured control over Konoha after the war, he could settle the score with the Hidden Mist at his leisure.
For now, this was enough.
The battle was over.
And Kazane had won.