Chapter 230: Nagato’s Outburst

Minato's long sword seemed like a mere toy compared to the massive Kubikiribōchō.

Jūzō Biwa's pale face betrayed the immense force behind each of his strikes. His attacks were heavy and relentless, yet his focus remained on maintaining a solid defense, hoping to slow Minato's relentless pace. The Flying Thunder God Technique was beyond his ability to counter.

"Take this!"

Nawaki charged in with a straightforward but powerful move, wielding Samehada to deliver a blow that could split a mountain. The sheer force startled Jūzō Biwa, forcing him to retreat with a resounding crash.

Jūzō Biwa's retreat wasn't without reason—he understood the power of Samehada too well. Perhaps even in the face of a Tailed Beast Ball, he wouldn't have stepped back so decisively.

Nawaki's slash missed its target, and the blade slammed heavily into the ground, raising a cloud of dust. He quickly swung Samehada again, creating a deep, gaping pit where it struck.

"Quick and decisive."

Minato and Nawaki exchanged a glance and moved simultaneously, flanking Jūzō Biwa at high speed—one to the left, the other to the right.

Jūzō Biwa's body suddenly split into three, each part turning into water and splashing onto the ground. He had anticipated this situation and relied on a Water Clone to escape.

"Today was a total loss," Jūzō Biwa spat bitterly, reappearing some distance away. The death of Fuguki had served as a harsh warning, forcing him to reassess his opponents. He now knew better than to underestimate Minato and Nawaki.

Scanning the battlefield, another shocking realization hit him: Senjin Hōzuki was injured. Even with the Hydrification Technique, he had sustained damage.

"Damn it, how does this kid know so many Ninjutsu?"

"Water Release: Water Gun Technique!"

Senjin Hōzuki formed his hands into the shape of a gun and fired a high-speed liquid projectile from his fingertips toward Nagato. The Hiramekarei he wielded had already drained much of his Chakra, leaving him visibly strained.

"Earth Release: Earth Shore Return."

Nagato slammed his hands onto the ground, flipping over massive boulders to block the incoming water cannon in quick succession.

From the start of the battle, Nagato hadn't even moved his feet, acting as an immovable fortress.

"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"

Forming a hand seal, Nagato exhaled flames that split into three blazing streams, attacking Senjin Hōzuki from the front, left, and right. The fire, infused with dense Chakra, surged like a trio of raging dragons.

"Again?"

Senjin Hōzuki grimaced. He had already been struck by this technique earlier. While his Hydrification Technique had initially saved him, it was immediately countered by a follow-up Lightning Release that paralyzed him.

Who exposed the weakness of the Hydrification Technique? he wondered. Why else would they specifically target me with Lightning Release?

Fortunately, Nagato remained cautious, unfamiliar with Senjin's full capabilities. His hesitation to advance recklessly had kept the damage minimal so far. If Nagato had pressed forward, the situation might have been far worse.

But this time, Senjin couldn't avoid the attack. With no other options, he gulped down a large amount of water and activated Hydrification again.

Seeing this, a faint smile appeared on Nagato's face.

"Shadow Clone Technique."

Four clones materialized around Nagato. The original immediately formed another hand seal, ready to repeat his earlier strategy. Having identified Senjin's weakness, Nagato fully intended to exploit it.

He couldn't afford to fail again. A second missed opportunity would mean he wasn't worthy of being called a ninja.

"Lightning Release: Electromagnetic Murder."

Nagato unleashed a piercing Electromagnetic Murder, sending it hurtling toward Senjin Hōzuki.

Senjin, still in his hydrated state, couldn't solidify fast enough to avoid the attack. Converting from liquid back to solid was far slower than the reverse.

Nagato anticipated this perfectly. He moved seamlessly, as though he had rehearsed the scenario countless times in his mind.

The electrified Thunderbolt struck the hydrated Senjin Hōzuki, paralyzing him like a fragile clay sculpture. Unable to recover or move, Senjin could only remain frozen in place as Nagato and his clones rapidly prepared their next moves, their seals already completed.

"Five Release Great Combo Technique."

With the assistance of his four clones, Nagato unleashed the Five Release Great Combo Technique, combining Ninjutsu of all five elemental attributes—fire, lightning, water, earth, and wind—into a simultaneous assault on Senjin Hōzuki.

This technique, inspired by Hiruzen Sarutobi's ultimate move and refined through Kawakaze's input, was a feat that Nagato had resolved to master. If Hiruzen could do it, there was no reason Nagato, with his unique abilities, could not.

Using it in actual combat for the first time, Nagato was awestruck by its destructive power. During training, he had always restrained himself, but now the full extent of its potential was unleashed.

Bang!

A massive explosion resounded, drawing the attention of everyone on the battlefield. For a brief moment, all fighting seemed to halt.

As the mushroom cloud dissipated, the area where Senjin Hōzuki once stood was reduced to complete nothingness. There was no trace of him left. Even the Hiramekarei had been obliterated by Nagato's devastating attack.

From that moment on, the name "Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist" would be forever altered. Even if they regrouped in the future, they would only be known as the "Six."

"Well done!" Nawaki shouted, his voice filled with excitement.

Nagato smiled faintly in response but faltered slightly as he stepped forward. The immense Chakra expenditure had taken its toll. This had been his most challenging battle yet.

Seeing Minato and Nawaki nearby, ready to support him, Nagato chose to sit down. He reached into his gear pouch and retrieved a Military Rations Pill crafted by Tsunade. Placing it in his mouth, he felt its warmth spread through his body, gradually restoring his strength.

For now, Nagato was out of the fight—unless someone provoked him enough to unleash the full power of his Rinnegan.

"Nagato is done working, and I, as the Senior Brother, am a bit lackluster," Minato said with a self-deprecating chuckle, though there was no trace of embarrassment on his face. Watching Nagato's remarkable performance, he couldn't help but feel genuinely proud.

The sheer destructive power of Nagato's Ninjutsu was such that even Minato couldn't guarantee he would escape unscathed if he faced it.

"If you know you're inferior, then do your best," Nawaki teased before launching himself toward Jūzō Biwa, who was still dazed.

With two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist already defeated, the tide of battle had shifted decisively. Under the relentless assault of Minato and Nawaki, Jūzō was soon riddled with wounds.

Escape wasn't an option for him—his lack of speed sealed his fate.

"Ah!" Jūzō let out a pained scream as Nawaki landed a strike, causing Samehada to absorb a large portion of his Chakra. The barbs of Samehada had a far greater absorption capacity than when used over a broad area.

Minato seized the opportunity to dash forward, with Jūzō barely managing to defend himself again using his Kubikiribōchō. This Rasengan sent both Jūzō and the Kubikiribōchō flying. The sword, now covered in blood, began to absorb it in a strange, almost unsettling way, slowly recovering from its damage.

However, Minato paid no attention to this. Even if he had noticed, he might have simply remarked, "Interesting."

"It's time to end this," he said calmly.

Minato and Nawaki took a moment to check on Nagato. After confirming he was fine, they turned their attention to the next battle.

The Yuki Clan had finally received reinforcements. Though they possessed Kekkei Genkai, most of them had yet to fully develop their abilities. Even the Clan Head, despite his strength, was no match for a true master and amounted to little more than a strong ant in the face of overwhelming power.

Raiga Kurosuki planted his dual blades into the ground, bringing all the Yuki Clan members within his attack range. He unleashed a relentless barrage of blue lightning bolts, resembling branching tendrils of energy. This was one of his fearsome techniques: Lightning Burial: Feast of Lightning.

Luckily for the Yuki Clan, ice did not conduct electricity. Otherwise, the ice wall shielding them would have been their death trap. Even so, their situation was dire. They were left struggling to defend themselves in desperation.

The Clan Head longed to step forward and unleash his secret technique, but Raiga Kurosuki's overwhelming power suppressed him completely, leaving him unable to lift his head. He could only stare in awe at the might of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

Even their Wind Release techniques were ineffective against Kiba. Now that three of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist had fallen, he could only blame his own weakness for their predicament.