CHAPTER 49

Chapter 49: The Ghost Lantern Clan

This time, the Bijūdama was still only the size of a baby's fist. Though there were only five in number, the sheer power behind them was astonishing. Such rapid production of Tailed Beast Bombs in quick succession was something only the complete Nine-Tails could achieve and even then, only under a Jinchūriki with extraordinary chakra control.

The five orbs of dense, compressed chakra fell from the hill with thunderous speed, slicing through the air and descending upon the heart of the Kirigakure camp. Five more mushroom clouds erupted, violently shaking the earth, and throwing debris in all directions. The Mist shinobi scattered in chaos, many stumbling, shouting, or sprinting madly wishing they had a second pair of legs to outrun the onslaught.

A sixth tail exploded out from Kushina's back as her partial transformation deepened. The corrosive red chakra cloak thickened and bubbled, and her consciousness began to blur. The demonic will of the Kyūbi pushed further, eager to take control.

Seeing this, Namikaze Minato, ever vigilant, immediately stepped forward.

> "Kushina! That's enough!" he called out urgently. "Kirigakure has crumbled. Leave the rest to us!"

His voice pierced through the fog of rage clouding her mind. Kushina clenched her teeth, trying to subdue the Kyūbi's chakra. Minato moved swiftly, weaving hand seals and placing his palm against the seal on her abdomen. A glowing array spread out a variation of the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style, enhanced with Minato's Four Symbols Seal.

The chakra began to recede, inch by inch. The bubbling red tails evaporated, and her breathing calmed, though her body remained scorched and drained. Kushina slumped to her knees, the dark red energy finally dissipating into the wind.

At that moment, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya arrived on the ridge.

Tsunade rushed forward, eyes narrowing as she assessed Kushina's condition. Her skin was singed and blistered, and she was on the verge of chakra collapse.

Without hesitation, Tsunade dropped to her knees and pressed her glowing hands against Kushina's body. Green healing chakra enveloped her, stimulating cell regeneration and stabilizing her pulse.

"Heh… Jiraiya, look at this," Orochimaru said, his tone laced with wry amusement. "Seems we weren't even needed."

"You underestimate your own student and my sister-in-law far too much," Jiraiya replied sharply, his brow furrowing. "I never doubted them. You're the one who always bets on chaos."

"Heh heh, still so touchy," Orochimaru murmured, amused but dropping the subject.

Tsunade spoke without looking up. "Leave Kushina to me. You three go after the Mist ninja."

"Thanks to Kushina's efforts, we've shattered their morale and broken their formation but their command structure is intact. If we strike now, we can cripple their forces further. Only then will Kirigakure abandon any thought of resistance in Uzu no Kuni… and begin considering peace."

Her voice was calm but firm, echoing the will of the Senju bloodline and the spirit of the Will of Fire.

Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Minato exchanged glances, nodded in unison, and vanished in a blur of motion, descending from the hill toward the fractured battlefield.

By now, the Konoha advance force had surged into the Kirigakure camp. The forward units, mostly chunin and above, were met with nothing but smoking ruins and craters the size of buildings.

As they passed the remnants of the Bijūdama impact zones, many of them paused in stunned disbelief. Their eyes widened, some gasping at the scale of destruction. Few had ever seen raw power like this especially not up close.

Only a few shinobi remained composed. Uchiha Gen was one of them.

> Is this surprising? he thought, watching a younger Konoha shinobi gawk at the crater. If you saw a Bijūdama level a mountain or a Susanoo split a peak in half, would your jaw hit the floor too?

"Focus," Gen commanded, his voice sharp but calm. "Stay alert. The Mist ninja will resist, especially their elite. Don't drop your guard now not at the edge of peace."

The truth was harsh: the ninja world was never truly peaceful. Even when wars ended, the violence never stopped—it just became more subtle, more fragmented. A 'peaceful era' only meant fewer corpses, not none.

"Yes, Captain!"

The Konoha shinobi straightened, snapping out of their awe. The crimson sunset burned across the sky, casting long shadows as Konoha pressed forward. The white clouds of morning now tinged with blood-red light.

The Mist Ninja had begun a strategic retreat under emergency signals. But not all of them could escape.

Kirigakure's younger genin, slower and less experienced, lagged behind. Konoha's chunin and higher-ranked shinobi moving at top speed caught up quickly.

The result was not a battle.

It was a massacre.

The Kirigakure genin, barely out of the Academy, were no match. Konoha's forces included elite jōnin, special jōnin, and even S-rank shinobi. The weakest among them were still seasoned chūnin. The outcome was inevitable.

If not for the urgency of the front-line commanders redirecting senior Konoha combatants to intercept the enemy's chunin and jōnin ranks those helpless genin would not have lasted even a minute.

They stood no chance.

In just one minute, over a hundred Kirigakure genin fell on the battlefield. Their bodies were strewn across the ground, wide-eyed in death, blood pooling beneath them in dark, silent puddles.

War is merciless. It does not care for justice or evil, does not operate by fairness or compassion. It only recognizes allegiances and whether you live or die.

But for other Mist-nin, this sacrifice was a bitter blessing. The deaths of these genin bought time a higher chance of escape for their comrades.

Ten minutes later, Uchiha Gen came to a halt atop a ridge. Behind him, Yūhi Kurenai and the other two members of his squad slowed as well, glancing around in confusion.

> "We're encountering more chūnin now," Gen said calmly. "For safety, stop following me. Regroup and sweep the surrounding area for isolated enemies."

After the high-speed pursuit and multiple engagements along the way, the three had visibly spent a great deal of chakra and stamina. Gen's command was for their own good.

"Yes, Captain!" the trio answered, a warm feeling rising in their chests.

They weren't worried about Gen. With a 100% mission success rate and multiple instances of eliminating entire jōnin squads solo, their captain's strength was an established fact.

If they stayed with him, they might hold him back—forcing him to protect them instead of fighting at full power.

Gen nodded slightly, then vanished forward like a streak, a shadow against the trees a kunai loosed from its sheath.

Thirty seconds later, Gen located a four-man Mist-nin cell on the run. They were disorganized, breath ragged, and clearly intent on fleeing rather than fighting. He immediately focused on the ninja giving orders likely their captain and broke off pursuit of the rest.

As the distance closed rapidly, the Mist-nin captain suddenly halted mid-step. Realizing he couldn't outrun a pursuer of this caliber, he spun around and flung several shuriken.

Gen's Sharingan activated instantly, spinning into the double tomoe form. With precise movements, he dodged each projectile. The Kusanagi no Tsurugi extended from his grip, suddenly lunging like a spear.

The Mist-nin flinched and canceled the hand sign he had just begun. He pivoted to avoid the stabbing blade.

But Gen's lips curled into a faint grin. He flicked his wrist mid-attack, switching the thrust into a slicing arc, perfectly timed for his opponent's evasive jump.

Shlck—! The sword passed cleanly through the ninja's body… yet no blood spilled. The severed figure burst into liquid.

>

A Water Clone?

No—it was a Hydrification Jutsu.

From behind, the real Mist-nin reformed from a puddle, raising his right hand then fired a high-velocity water bullet straight for Gen's forehead.

Hōzuki Clan… no, Ghost Lantern bloodline!

Gen ducked, narrowly dodging the Suika no Jutsu projectile, and lunged.

His Kusanagi Sword retracted to its base form. Gen's hand flared with fire-natured chakra, and his breath expelled a wave of wind-natured chakra. The two combined mid-swing—the blade now wreathed in scorching gold-white flames, warping the air itself.

Even without Lightning Release, Gen understood: intensity of flame matters. With enough heat, water can be evaporated instantly.

> Thunder Release may suppress water, but fire—if hot enough can overcome it outright. And unlike Suiton, Wind enhances flame.

The Mist-nin's name was Yūzō Kitomo, a jōnin who had long studied the water chakra nature transformation. Seeing the white-hot flame spiraling around Gen's blade, his stomach clenched.

He instinctively raised both hands, forming finger guns.

"Water Gun: Twin Jet!"

Two ultra-compressed Suiton bullets burst forth one targeting Gen's head, the other his heart.

Fast but not fast enough.

With Sharingan insight and battle-honed reflexes, Gen sidestepped them both, closing the distance in an instant.

This sword style Wind-Flame Blade was born from Gen's observation of Baiyun's Vacuum Sword. Though still in development, the flaming energy hugged the blade with ferocious heat. The flames couldn't yet extend outward like projectiles, but the cutting power was formidable.

However, maintaining continuous flame output meant Gen's attack strength dropped if the blade extended. It also placed strain on his chakra reserves.

Yūzō drew his own blade, pouring Suiton chakra into it. The metal shimmered, then became wrapped in a spiraling stream of water, hissing as it resisted the superheated flame.

If Lightning and Wind can empower weapons, so can Water, Gen observed. It's a question of chakra control and research.

Yūzō wasn't just strong he was a scholar of chakra theory, mastering weapon infusion techniques.

Clang!

The swords clashed first a hiss of evaporating water, then the screech of steel. Sparks flew. A visible notch appeared in Yūzō's blade almost half the width of the sword.

The Kusanagi, already legendary for its sharpness, now enhanced with wind for cutting and fire for raw power, easily overpowered the opponent's weapon.

Still, Yūzō's reaction and craftsmanship were no joke he had narrowly deflected the blow.

But seeing the crack in his sword, Yūzō's eyes darkened. He couldn't risk another direct clash. If the blade broke, he'd be helpless against an Uchiha swordsman.

> Regular kunai won't save me even if I infuse them with water chakra…

He switched tactics, falling back and relying on rapid Suiton sneak attacks like the Water Gun to stall Gen.

But Gen didn't rush. He withheld genjutsu, intentionally prolonging the fight using the encounter to refine his own blade technique against a worthy opponent.

Then suddenly they both paused.

A briny, fishy scent drifted on the wind.

Yūzō's eyes flicked sideways, sharp and calculating. The smell meant only one thing: the ocean was close.

If I can reach the water…

The sea offered limitless ammunition. In open water, a Hōzuki Clan member was nearly unstoppable.

He calmly reached into his pouch and withdrew a smoke bomb.

When there's no time for hand seals, and non-hand-seal jutsu are limited, distractions are the next best tool.

If I can't escape through jutsu, then I'll vanish in smoke.

—

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