Chapter 135: Fleeing for One’s Life

After Kawakaze finished speaking, he had no intention of giving Son Gokū a chance to recover. The Tailed Beast's formidable recovery ability was not to be underestimated. Kawakaze could feel his Senjutsu Chakra running low; it wouldn't last much longer. If this dragged on, the difficulty of killing Son Gokū would only increase.

"Sage Art: Heavenly Thunder of the Nine Skies."

Several lightning bolts as thick as an arm crashed down from the sky, striking Son Gokū squarely. He groaned in pain as the impact blackened the area around him. His massive form collapsed to the ground, unconscious, his fate uncertain.

"Enough!"

Ōnoki, drawing strength from an unknown source, moved with startling speed. Before anyone could react, he appeared beside Son Gokū, leaving only a shadow in his wake. Protecting the village's Jinchūriki was paramount.

"You chose this yourself," Kawakaze sneered, a mocking smile playing on his lips. Did Ōnoki, who couldn't even defeat one opponent alone, truly think he could fight two?

"What's the point of talking to him? Attack!"

Son Gokū had killed countless Konoha ninja, and Tsunade's fury was such that she wished to tear him apart. With a flash, she charged at Ōnoki. Kawakaze was even faster, appearing beside Son Gokū in an instant, avoiding a direct confrontation with Ōnoki.

The Iwa Ninjas looked on with heavy hearts. Their Tsuchikage was about to face a two-pronged assault from seasoned foes. Their fists clenched in silent desperation. If the Tsuchikage couldn't hold his ground, their only option would be to flee for their lives.

Meanwhile, the Konoha Ninjas' eyes gleamed with anticipation. To them, the outcome seemed inevitable: either the Tsuchikage would retreat, or he would fall.

Ōnoki placed his hands on Son Gokū's body and activated the Added-Weight Rock Technique. Son Gokū's body instantly grew heavier, the ground beneath him visibly sinking until half of his form was buried.

When Kawakaze's attack struck Son Gokū, it felt like hitting an immovable mountain. Not only did the blow fail to harm Son Gokū, but the force of the impact rebounded, sending Kawakaze flying several meters away.

Son Gokū's injuries, however, deepened further. A clear fist mark was left where he had been struck, adding to his already grievous state.

Ōnoki exhaled heavily, relieved. At the very least, he had managed to prevent Son Gokū from dissipating entirely.

"Earth Release: Earth and Stone Dragon."

Ōnoki relaxed and formed a hand seal. From the ground, a massive dragon composed of stone and earth emerged, its gaping maw lunging toward the incoming Tsunade. Compared to the colossal creature, Tsunade appeared no larger than an ant.

"It's not as impressive as it looks."

Without hesitation, Tsunade met the attack head-on, her fist smashing into the dragon's face. Violent, crimson chakra erupted from her strike, piercing through the earth dragon and shattering it into fragments. The attack only managed to slow her down for a few seconds.

"Lord Tsuchikage is mighty!"

The Iwa Ninjas cheered, emboldened by the sight of Ōnoki holding his ground against two formidable opponents. For the first time, they felt a flicker of hope—perhaps the situation wasn't as dire as it seemed.

However, the Konoha Ninjas saw the truth of the situation. They noted that Kawakaze had yet to truly engage Ōnoki, and the odds still heavily favored their side.

Ōnoki's heart was weighed down with conflicting emotions. Though he had managed to fend off his attackers momentarily, he was painfully aware of the difficulty of facing two opponents simultaneously while protecting the unconscious Son Gokū.

"I just don't believe I can't beat you today," Kawakaze muttered, reappearing next to Son Gokū. Meanwhile, Tsunade soared through the air with her wings, preparing another assault.

Ōnoki instructed Son Gokū to fight back instinctively if possible while his mind raced to find a way out of the predicament. His will to fight was already waning, replaced by thoughts of survival. He knew he would have to bear the shame of this day, but survival took precedence. For now, he had no clear solution to escape his dire circumstances.

"Rock Fist Technique."

Ōnoki's right arm became encased in stone, further enhanced with the Added-Weight Rock Technique. He met Tsunade head-on, their fists colliding with a force that sent shockwaves outward. The resulting air pressure rustled the hair of the nearby Ninjas.

Both combatants were pushed back several meters. Ōnoki felt a sharp pang in his back, a stark reminder of his age and the toll of battle. He feared the day would come when he could no longer rely on such techniques.

Wiping blood from the corner of his mouth, he noted the increasing number of injuries accumulating on his body. Tsunade, on the other hand, paid no attention to her own injuries. Standing firm, she launched herself at him again, her relentless energy seemingly inexhaustible.

Like an unstoppable beast, she pressed forward.

How can I fight like this?

"Lord Tsuchikage is injured." The Iwa Ninjas clearly saw the blood lingering at the corner of Ōnoki's mouth.

"This is normal." They had gradually come to terms with the harsh reality—it was already remarkable that he managed to hold off both Kawakaze Hatake and Tsunade.

"Again?" Ōnoki glanced at Tsunade's figure, his head buzzing slightly. If he took a few more punches, he wondered whether his back could hold up.

Tsunade's fist landed hard, striking what appeared to be Ōnoki directly. Yet, in her eyes, his body dissolved into dust. The substitute absorbed the impact of her furious Chakra, further angering her.

From the ground beside Kawakaze, Ōnoki emerged and delivered a punch to his back. Kawakaze, who was focused on attacking Son Gokū, was caught off guard. He wasn't sure if Son Gokū was still alive, but the creature's injuries seemed to worsen by the second. Kawakaze realized one more strike could reduce Son Gokū to dust, dispersing its energy back into nature to reform over decades somewhere in the ninja world.

Sensing the punch aimed at his back, Kawakaze instinctively dodged. The memory of being trapped by the Added-Weight Rock Technique was still vivid. Ōnoki, predicting Kawakaze's movement, held back on the force of his strike. As Kawakaze retreated, Ōnoki grabbed Son Gokū's hand and soared straight into the sky, flying in the most direct line he had ever taken in his life.

"Iwa Ninjas retreat!"

Ōnoki's figure grew smaller as he ascended higher into the air. Kawakaze, watching him, realized that even with the Flying Thunder God Technique, he wouldn't be able to reach him.

Tsunade, however, flared her wings, preparing to chase after Ōnoki, her expression livid.

"Don't chase," Kawakaze warned, his voice tense. He worried that Ōnoki might have another trick prepared and didn't want Tsunade to face unnecessary danger.

The Iwa Ninjas were stunned when they heard Ōnoki shout the command to retreat. Was the battle really over?

It only sank in when they saw their leader ascending farther and farther away. Without hesitation, the Iwa Ninjas turned and fled.

Seizing the opportunity, the Konoha Ninjas launched their counterattack, pursuing the retreating enemy. The chase between the two forces began.

"Why won't you let me chase him?" Tsunade landed beside Kawakaze, following his words. The battle had ended, and her body returned to normal.

Kawakaze's Sage Mode had also reached its limit, and the lightning-infused Chakra surrounding him dissipated. He reached out, wiping the blood from the corner of Tsunade's mouth, and spoke slowly.

"The Jinchūriki are in no condition to fight, even if they're alive. But do you have any confidence that you could kill Ōnoki if you caught up to him?"

The rhetorical question left Tsunade silent. She couldn't deny it—there was no guarantee she could defeat Ōnoki even if she caught him. Chasing after him would be a wasted effort.

"But I'm still furious," she muttered, stamping her foot in frustration. The ground beneath them cracked instantly, making Kawakaze stagger slightly.

"This time, we've won," Kawakaze said calmly. "But next time, let's see who else Ōnoki can bring to the fight."

With both Jinchūriki out of commission, Iwagakure's elite combat forces were severely weakened. Konoha would have a significant advantage in the next battle.

"Alright, I understand." Tsunade exhaled deeply, sorting out her thoughts. Kawakaze was right—this battle could be considered a victory.

"Tell them to stop chasing." Kawakaze gestured toward the Konoha ninja, who were on the verge of pursuing the retreating Iwa Ninjas out of sight.

"Got it."

Tsunade retrieved a signal flare and shot it into the sky. The bright light signaled the Konoha ninja to halt their pursuit.

"Clean up the battlefield and retreat," she ordered as the Konoha forces began to return.

In her eyes, rescuing their wounded was far more critical than eliminating more enemies. No matter how hard they chased, they could not kill that many Iwa Ninjas. And after all, this was still the Land of Rain.