136-140

Chapter 136: Sibling Unity, Unstoppable Force  

Chōjūrō: "I’m scared… but I’ll do my best! I won’t shame the Mizukage!"  

Hōzuki Kimimaro: "Lord Yoru, I’m coming for you!"  

Yuki Haku: "This pressure is overwhelming… but for Lord Yoru, I’ll push forward!"  

Mei Terumī: "Ao, back me up. Our enemy is—" 

Her gaze locked onto Killer B, her expression grave. "The Eight-Tails Jinchūriki. You ready?"  

Ao: "No problem!" 

Though his face was tense, there wasn’t a hint of hesitation.  

Anbu Operatives: "Lord Mizukage, you can’t take this risk alone! Please, let us join you!" 

"That’s right! We’re coming with you!" 

The moment Terumī declared she’d face the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki solo, the Anbu protested—this was far too dangerous!  

Mei Terumī: "Fine. We face the Eight-Tails together. Stay sharp—don’t fall here!" 

She didn’t refuse their support. Taking on the Eight-Tails and Killer B alone was a daunting task.  

Killer B (from within Gyūki): "Yo~ You ain’t my match, Mizukage! Just give it up, y’know!"  

Yoru (suddenly): "Oh? You sure about that?"  

Gyūki & Killer B: "!!!" 

The Eight-Tails jolted at the unexpected voice, whipping toward its source—only to see Yoru, who should’ve been sealed away, standing there unharmed, grinning lazily.  

Gyūki: "You were sealed by B! How are you here?!"  

Killer B (rapping): "How’d he break free? Explain it to me!"  

Mei Terumī: "Yoru!" 

Her face lit up with relief. Nothing mattered more than his safety.  

Kirigakure Ninja: "Lord Yoru’s okay!" 

The mist-nin erupted in cheers.  

Kumogakure Ninja: "Even after Killer B went all out… How is this guy still standing?!" 

Their morale plummeted. Their Raikage had already fallen—why was Yoru completely unscathed? This made no sense!  

Gyūki glanced at the "sealed" Yoru—only to see it melt into a puddle of water.  

Gyūki: "A water clone?! Damn, this guy’s terrifying." 

He warned Killer B, "B, don’t underestimate him. This isn’t some ordinary opponent."  

Killer B (dead serious): "Guess we’ve got no choice… Ooooh yeah." 

For once, he dropped the rap. The situation was that dire.  

Yoru: "Sis, let’s go!"  

Mei Terumī: "Right!" 

She dashed to his side, standing shoulder-to-shoulder.  

Yoru: "Now—Hiding in Mist Technique!" 

A thick fog erupted, blanketing hundreds of meters in an instant.  

Yoru (mocking): "Eight-Tails, how well can you fight now?"  

Gyūki: "You think I’ll just stand here? Don’t get cocky, brat!" 

He lunged to escape the mist—no way he’d fight on Yoru’s terms.  

Yoru (smirking): "Oh? You really sure?" 

With a single-handed seal, he slammed his palm onto the water. "Barrier Jutsu: Six Pillars Flame Formation!"  

BOOM! 

A deafening crash reverberated across the sea—followed by Gyūki’s agonized roar.  

Gyūki: "Hot, hot, HOT!"  

Mei Terumī (shocked): "You can use ninjutsu and barrier jutsu simultaneously?!"  

Yoru: "Not that hard, really." 

He formed five water clones—four anchored the barrier’s corners, shielded within it, while the fifth morphed into a slime-like mass, clinging to Terumī’s shoulder.  

Yoru: "This one’s for communication. Our thoughts sync—no delays." 

Then, the world around Terumī fell eerily silent. The mist swallowed all visibility, leaving her blind.  

Mei Terumī (thoughts): "So this is Yoru’s mist… It’s like a suffocating cage."  

Water Clone: "Eight-Tails at six o’clock, 30-degree angle. Engage from behind or use restraining jutsu to create an opening." 

"Avoid friendly fire via my sensory link. Note: Genjutsu is ineffective. Proceed with caution."  

Nodding, Terumī weaved signs. "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" 

Her strongest offensive technique.  

Gyūki: "Tch! I’ll blast you with a Tailed Beast Ball! You really think trapping a tailed beast is smart?!" 

His senses were useless in the mist—only brute force remained.  

Yoru (voice echoing): "Do you, now?"  

GYOOOOOM! 

The Eight-Tails fired—but the explosion was silent. No sound, no shockwave… just eerie stillness.  

Gyūki (panicking): "Am I deaf?! Why can’t I—" 

Then, a searing shockwave erupted, flames illuminating the mist.  

Chapter 137: A Battle of Cataclysmic Scale  

Gyūki: "Oh no—!" 

Realizing the danger too late, the Eight-Tails tried to dive into the sea—only to crash into a dark-red barrier sealing the water’s surface.  

Gyūki: "!!!" 

Before it could react, the beast curled into a ball as the scorching explosion engulfed it.  

Gyūki: "GAAAAAAAAH—!!!" 

Its agonized roar shook the ocean, violent waves churning beneath the mist. Even through the fog, a blinding light erupted—finally giving Terumī a glimpse of the battlefield.  

What she saw froze her in place.  

Another barrier had trapped Gyūki inside a confined space, splitting the original hexagon into two zones: an isosceles triangle imprisoning Killer B, and an irregular pentagon where she and Yoru stood.  

A barrier within a barrier.  

Mei Terumī (thoughts): "With this much power… do they even need me?" 

Gyūki seemed doomed. Every attack it launched only backfired. Was she just… redundant?  

Water Clone (as if reading her mind): "Wrong. This isn’t sustainable. Maintaining the mist and the barriers is pushing the original to his limit. He can’t attack—so the finishing blow is your role." 

"Gyūki is the fastest of the Tailed Beasts. To crush the Cloud-nin’s morale, we need to utterly defeat it. That’s why Lord Yoru sealed its mobility and blinded it—to create your chance."  

Terumī’s eyes sharpened. Now she understood.  

Water Clone: "Strike now. He’ll hold Gyūki in place."  

Mei Terumī: "Lava Release: Dissolving Mist Jutsu!" 

Without hesitation, she spat a torrent of corrosive acid—just as Yoru dropped the inner barrier.  

The molten cascade drenched Gyūki, searing into wounds already scorched by its own Tailed Beast Bomb.  

Gyūki: "SKREEEEEEE—!!!" 

A soundless scream tore through its throat, the pain beyond anything it had ever endured. The acid ate through its flesh like paper, dissolving chunks into bloody sludge.  

Gyūki (enraged): "TAILED BEAST BALL—!!!" 

A swirling orb of blue-black energy erupted from its maw, compressing Yin-Yang chakra at a 2:8 ratio. The sheer pressure warped the air, cracking the outermost barrier.  

Even 100 meters away, Terumī’s instincts screamed danger.  

Outside the Barrier: 

Cloud and Mist-nin alike staggered as the sky itself seemed to revolt—clouds boiling, the horizon trembling.  

Kumogakure Ninja: "W-What is that?!" 

Kirigakure Ninja: "The clouds… they’re rolling like a storm!"  

This wasn’t human power. This was divine wrath.  

Yoru (grinning): "Finally. The Tailed Beast Ball." 

While others panicked, he welcomed it. The weaker "Bijūdama" hadn’t been enough—he needed this level of force.  

Yoru: "Mist Technique: Dispel!" 

"Barrier Matrix: Rise!" 

His hands clapped together. The fog vanished—sound returned—and a new crimson shield materialized just half a meter from his face.  

BOOOOOOM! 

The Tailed Beast Ball slammed into the barrier… and stopped.  

The sphere quivered, straining against an invisible wall—before shattering like glass.  

What followed was a sun.  

Light. Heat. Annihilation.  

Even outside the barrier, ninjas screamed as the heat flash seared their skin. The ocean vaporized into steam; the shockwave hurled bodies like leaves in a typhoon.  

Yet the Six Pillars Flame Formation held.  

When the inferno faded, the sky bore a gaping hole—a tunnel punched through the atmosphere. Below it, the barrier stood untouched.  

Kumogakure Ninja (staggered): "H-He blocked a Tailed Beast Ball?!" 

Kirigakure Ninja (dazed): "No… he contained its explosion. That’s impossible!"  

Resisting the blast was one thing. Trapping it? That defied logic.  

Then—a Cloud-nin’s shriek cut through the silence.  

Kumogakure Ninja: "L-Lord Killer B!!"  

There, floating in the ravaged sea… was a charred, barely conscious Killer B.  

Chapter 138: The Meaning of True Strength  

The sight sent a chill down the spines of every Kumo-nin.  

If even Killer B fell, who could possibly stand against Yoru?  

Crack!  

At that moment, a sharp splitting sound echoed—the barrier shattered before their eyes.  

Cough! Cough!  

As the fragments dissolved, Yoru suddenly dropped to his knees on the water’s surface, his face pale as he spat out blood.  

Mei Terumī’s eyes widened in alarm. "Yoru-chan! Are you okay?!"  

"Hah… just overexerted my chakra," he rasped, wiping his mouth. "But I underestimated that Tailed Beast Bomb’s blast. Guess I’m no match for the Four Red Yang Formation yet."  

He forced himself up, swaying like a man recovering from grave illness.  

Yet the Kumo-nin felt no relief—only crushing pressure.  

The allied forces, however, exhaled in relief. Victory was certain now.  

But then—  

Yoru’s gaze snapped behind him.  

Killer B, who had been floating unconscious, was now standing again—barely.  

"First time… I’ve been… beaten this badly, kid," the voice was weak, but unmistakably the Eight-Tails’.  

Yoru smirked. "High praise coming from you, Gyūki. Honored."  

He tilted his head. "So? Ready to surrender? You’ve already lost."  

Killer B chuckled darkly. "You’re strong, yeah—but you’re hurt too. Chakra running low, huh?"  

"Kiri’s outnumbered. We’ve got fifteen thousand elite troops. Who says you’ve won?"  

*"Want us to yield? Try me."*  

With that, he grabbed the unconscious Fourth Raikage and bolted toward the Kumo forces.  

"You think you can escape?!"  

Yoru and Mei gave chase instantly—no hesitation.  

"All units, cover Lord Killer B!" Samui barked.  

"Dodai—NOW!"  

The foremost shield of Kumo lunged forward, hands slamming down as golden rubber surged from his palms, encasing Killer B and the Raikage in a protective dome.  

"Tch. Fast." Yoru skidded to a stop, then pivoted—  

—and plunged straight into the Kumo army.  

"You think numbers matter?" His voice cut like ice. "Let me show you how useless they are against me."  

Hell Unleashed 

Like a storm incarnate, Yoru tore through the ranks.  

Slash!  

Stab!  

Boom!  

Bodies flew—soldiers hurled aside like ragdolls.  

He ducked a sword swing from behind, leapt over two intersecting strikes, then flicked his wrist—  

—twin blades of wind scythed through the crowd, clearing a path of fallen men.  

"Now! He’s airborne!"  

Kumo-nin seized the opening.  

"DIE!"  

A barrage of kunai, shuriken, and explosive tags blitzed toward him—  

—while Lightning Release ninjutsu crackled beneath, sealing his escape.  

"Arrogant fool! You’re finished!"  

They grinned, already tasting victory.  

But—  

Whoosh!  

Yoru vanished.  

All attacks whiffed.  

"Behind you."  

A whisper—then blood sprayed as a Kumo-nin collapsed, throat slit.  

"GOT YOU!"  

A sword thrust from the shadows—an ANBU captain, blade aimed for Yoru’s spine.  

Clang! Clang! Clang!  

Yoru parried, but the ANBU pressed relentlessly, driving him back—  

—while another ninja flung explosive-tagged kunai from behind—  

—and hands erupted from the water, grasping at Yoru’s ankles.  

"NOW DROWN!"  

Trapped. Surrounded. No escape.  

Counterstrike 

Zabuza and Yugito snarled, trying to break through—  

—but Samui and Tōrō blocked them cold.  

"Stay put. Watch your ‘savior’ fall."  

Back in the kill zone—  

Yoru’s lips curled.  

"Pathetic."  

In one motion:  

• Right hand snatched a kunai mid-air.  

• Left hand ripped off the explosive tag.  

• Flicked the tag onto the ANBU’s chest.  

• Hurled the kunai downward— 

"NO—!"  

The submerged Kumo-nin gurgled, blood bubbling to the surface.  

The ANBU scrambled to tear off the tags—  

BOOM!  

Fire and smoke swallowed him.  

Before the dust cleared—  

"Rotate."  

Yoru’s sword whirled like a buzzsaw, decimating the surrounding troops.  

"GROUP ATTACK! DON’T FIGHT ALONE!"  

A Kumo captain’s order rang out—  

—but Yoru’s eyes flashed crimson.  

"Genjutsu: Paralysis Jutsu."  

"Guh—?!"  

Every ninja in range froze, eyes wide in horror.  

"Now…"  

Yoru’s cloak billowed as lightning wreathed his body.  

***"Lightning Release: Gratitude Wave."*  

A tsunami of electricity erupted—  

—engulfing hundreds of meters in a storm of death.  

Chapter 139: A Desperate Last Stand  

"The range of his technique is too wide—attack together!" 

"Lightning Release: Thunder Pillar Wall!"  

A group of Kumogakure nin roared in unison, raising layer after layer of crackling lightning barriers in front of themselves.  

"Zzzzt—CRACKLE!"  

The sight was nothing short of spectacular. 

Blinding arcs of electricity illuminated the battlefield, the sheer electromagnetic force making the air itself feel heavy. The sizzling roar of thunder was deafening, boiling the very seawater beneath them.  

Yoru stood alone against hundreds of Kumo-nin—an overwhelming, awe-inspiring display of power.  

"Is he really injured?" 

"How is someone supposedly low on chakra capable of this?!"  

Even the other Kumo-nin fighting the Allied Forces couldn’t help but shudder at the sight. 

The difference in strength was staggering.  

"Bee, hurry up and recover! No one else can stop him!" 

"This guy’s on another level—far beyond what we anticipated!" 

"You should be thankful Kirigakure recently suffered heavy losses in that internal conflict. Otherwise, we’d already be finished!"  

Deep within Killer Bee’s consciousness, the Eight-Tails urged him with frantic urgency.  

"Got it!" Bee replied, focusing entirely on absorbing the Eight-Tails’ chakra to heal his wounds.  

Meanwhile, on the battlefield—  

"Whoosh—WHOOSH!"  

After Yoru’s lightning assault forced hundreds of Kumo-nin onto the defensive, he flicked his wrist, sending razor-sharp waves of sword energy slicing through their barriers like paper. The attacks tore into the Kumo ranks with merciless precision.  

"AHH—!" 

"NO—!" 

"I DON’T WANT TO DIE!"  

The towering blades of chakra cut through the battlefield like a scythe through wheat, splitting the sea itself as they carved a path of destruction. Blood stained the waves crimson in an instant.  

Just a few slashes—yet hundreds more Kumo-nin fell.  

"DAMN IT!!!"  

Samui and the others watched in horror, their eyes burning with rage.  

"Hahaha! Trying to run? Not a chance!" 

"Stay and play with us a little longer!"  

Now it was Zabuza and his comrades’ turn to smirk, blocking Samui’s path with mocking grins.  

"Damn it! If only our village hadn’t lost most of the Six Paths Tools, we wouldn’t be forced into this situation!" Samui snarled, frustration boiling over.  

"Six Paths Tools? Hah! If you don’t have them now, then shut up!"  

Zabuza’s ruthless taunt made Samui’s face darken even further.  

Elsewhere on the Battlefield  

"Is this all Kumo’s got?"  

Kisame Hoshigaki swung Samehada with a vicious grin, sending another ANBU squad leader flying. His opponent was already battered, his chakra nearly depleted—while Samehada had grown fat from devouring his energy.  

"Your chakra tasted delicious. Samehada’s pleased."  

With that, Kisame lunged forward, bringing the massive blade down in another brutal strike.  

"THUD!"  

The squad leader barely managed to block, but the force bent his arms, his muscles trembling under the strain.  

"Heh. Samehada isn’t just for cutting, you know."  

Before the squad leader could react, the bandages around Samehada burst apart—revealing rows of jagged spikes that impaled him like a pincushion.  

"AAAGH—!"  

A bloodcurdling scream tore through the air as Kisame yanked the blade back, shredding the man in a grotesque display.  

"HISS—!"  

The surrounding Kumo-nin recoiled in horror, stumbling back with pale faces.  

"M-MONSTER!" 

"Is he even human?!"  

But Kisame wasn’t the only one painting the battlefield red.  

Kimimaro’s Dance of Death  

"Spring Dance!" 

"Pine Dance!" 

"Iron Flower Dance!" 

"Willow Dance!" 

"Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets!"  

If Kisame still carried a hint of humanity in his brutality, Kimimaro was a machine—cold, precise, unstoppable.  

With the strongest Kumo-nin already occupied, no one left could stand against him. In just a short time, the bodies piled high in his wake.  

"What the hell?! Since when does Kirigakure have so many monsters?!" 

"Weren’t they supposed to be weakened after their civil war? Didn’t they lose their Fourth Mizukage and two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?!" 

"This doesn’t look like a weakened village—these are all elite fighters!"  

The Kumo-nin stared in disbelief at Yugito, Hōki, Kimimaro, and the others.  

Yugito and Hōki? Fine, they were jinchūriki. 

Kisame and Zabuza? Expected—they were legendary swordsmen.  

But Raiga Kurosuki, Suigetsu Hōzuki, and Chōjūrō—how were these kids so strong?!  

Were Kirigakure’s new generation already this powerful?  

And Kimimaro—paired with Haku, they had already taken down two ANBU squad leaders. Their kill count was unmatched.  

"Weak? Who the hell fed us that lie?!"  

"We can’t fall behind—CHARGE!"  

Inspired (or provoked) by their comrades, Raiga and the others threw themselves into the fray with even greater ferocity.  

Mizukage’s Duel  

"I heard you were once Yoru’s squad captain. Not bad—you live up to the title."  

Mei Terumī clashed with Amachi, her kunai locked against his. Though he wore a mask of calm, tension radiated from him.  

"It’s an honor to face the Mizukage herself."  

But his words were hollow—against a Kage, even a moment’s hesitation meant death.  

Zabuza vs. Tobikura  

"CLANG!"  

Zabuza’s blade met Tobikura’s, sparks flying between them.  

"One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Zabuza Momochi… I’ve heard stories." Tobikura’s plump face stretched into a thin, forced smile.  

"Oh?" Zabuza’s tone was indifferent. "Give up. You’ve already lost." 

"This battle won’t last much longer."  

Tobikura chuckled. "We’ll see about that."  

Internally, however, panic was setting in.  

"Why aren’t we retreating?! If this keeps up, we’re finished!"  

War wasn’t about pride—it was about survival. A true shinobi knew when to retreat and fight another day.  

BOOM—!  

A massive explosion rocked the battlefield.  

Tobikura whipped around just in time to see—  

Killer Bee, fully healed, charging straight for Yoru in another earth-shaking clash.  

Chapter 140: A Sword Skill That Shocks the World  

"Kumogakure shinobi, the counterattack begins now!"  

Killer Bee roared as he drew all the blades strapped to his body, gripping them in an extraordinary stance.  

"It’s here—Killer Bee-sama’s Samehada Sword Dance!"  

"Hahaha, now we’re in for a show! That’s the technique known as Kumo’s greatest swordsmanship!"  

"Yoru won’t be able to withstand Killer Bee-sama’s assault. We can turn this battle around!"  

The Kumo-nin couldn’t hide their excitement.  

"Yo, I heard… your sword skills… are something else. Well then… let me… see for myself, yeah!"  

Rapping as he moved, Killer Bee shot toward Yoru like a murder hornet, his entire body bristling with deadly blades.  

"Samehada Sword Dance, huh? Seven-sword style… interesting."  

For the first time, a spark of fighting spirit flickered in Yoru’s cold eyes. He leapt forward, clashing with Killer Bee in midair.  

"Clang!" 

"Shing!" 

"Clang!" 

"Shing!"  

The sound of steel against steel erupted instantly, blades flashing, sword energy crisscrossing the battlefield.  

Their speed was so immense that ordinary shinobi could only see afterimages—two blurs colliding in bursts of sparks.  

"Splurt!" 

A gash split open on Killer Bee’s shoulder.  

"Rip!" 

Two wounds tore across Yoru’s chest.  

They fought while shifting positions, neither gaining a clear advantage.  

"Splat!" 

Blood sprayed from Yoru’s body.  

"Pierce!" 

A hole was punched through Killer Bee’s arm.  

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"  

The battle was so intense it left spectators dizzy, their blood boiling—an absolute deadlock!  

"This is good… really good! It’s been so long since I faced a swordsman as strong as you!"  

Yoru’s sword intent grew sharper, his presence like an unsheathed blade—overwhelmingly lethal.  

"Come on, don’t stop! Keep going! Today, we fight to the limit!"  

He howled, his aura surging like a raging storm, pressure bearing down on everyone.  

Blood streamed from his wounds, yet he moved faster, as if pain meant nothing.  

In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged a hundred strikes—still evenly matched!  

Killer Bee fought like a true weapon master, attacking from angles no one could predict.  

Stabs, slashes, chops—basic moves in his hands.  

He hurled mismatched blades like shuriken, then recalled them mid-dodge to strike again—a near-impossible technique to evade.  

Even Yoru’s reflexes couldn’t avoid all damage.  

But Yoralami was no slouch either. With his longsword in hand, nothing could touch him.  

His strikes were heavy yet precise—swift as a gazelle, fierce as an eagle, powerful as a tiger, fluid as a leaping fish.  

An ordinary blade in his hands became divine, blending beauty and lethality seamlessly.  

"Slash! Slash! Slash!"  

Another hundred exchanges—still no victor.  

"He’s keeping up with Killer Bee-sama?! How is his swordsmanship this strong?!"  

"Is this the true essence of the sword? Unbelievable!"  

The onlookers were stunned.  

"So this is his real power? I wouldn’t last five moves…"  

Darui, locked in battle with Hōzuki Suigetsu, watched bitterly.  

Not long ago, Yoru had been his peer.  

Now, he had left Darui far behind—ascending to a level beyond reach.  

"What’s wrong, Killer Bee? Out of tricks already?"  

Yoru’s taunt sent shockwaves through the crowd.  

"Didn’t expect… you’d be this tough. A real surprise."  

Killer Bee’s playful tone was gone, replaced by grim seriousness.  

His body was a mess of bloody wounds—yet Yoru fared no better.  

But Killer Bee had exhausted his techniques.  

His Samehada Sword Dance had failed to break Yoru’s defense.  

"Then it’s my turn."  

"Flash Sever!"  

Yoru’s aura condensed—then vanished.  

No, not vanished—he became light itself, slicing through Killer Bee’s blades in a single flash.  

"Splurt!"  

When Yoru reappeared, sheathing his sword, fresh wounds burst open on his body—two broken blades still lodged in his shoulder.  

As for Killer Bee—  

"Crack!" 

"Snap!"  

His swords shattered.  

Then—a massive gash split his chest, deep enough to reveal bone.  

"Cough… Killer Bee, you lose again."  

Yoru spat blood, then collapsed to one knee.  

Even he wasn’t invincible—his chakra was nearly spent.  

"Now’s our chance!" 

"Die!"  

Seeing his weakness, Kumo-nin rushed in for the kill—some unleashing jutsu, others hurling explosive tags.  

"Damn it!"  

The Kirigakure forces panicked, but they were too far to help.  

"Suiton: Suijinheki!" (Water Style: Water Wall)  

For the first time, Yoru’s hands moved "slowly" as he formed seals, summoning a massive wave to block every attack—washing away the ambushers.  

"Raiton: Kangekiha!" (Lightning Style: Surge Wave)  

Lightning coursed through the water, frying every Kumo-nin caught in it.  

Even the Raikage might not have endured unscathed—these shinobi stood no chance.  

When the lightning faded, dozens of charred corpses floated on the sea.  

"Even half-dead, I’m not someone you can just gang up on."  

"Next time, think before you leap."  

Yoru’s icy gaze silenced the remaining Kumo-nin.  

"Whoosh!"  

Suddenly, he lashed out—his sword shooting toward Killer Bee.  

The crowd gasped as they saw Tsuchi trying to drag Killer Bee to safety.  

"Gomuheki!" (Rubber Wall)  

Tsuchi reacted instantly, erecting a rubber barrier.  

"You really think it’ll be that easy?"  

Yoru smirked, slamming his palms onto the water.  

"Kekkaijutsu: Rokuchū Enjin!" (Barrier Technique: Six Pillar Flame Formation)