Chapter 106: Solving Problems—Start with the People

As they moved, every Kiri ninja formed hand seals. Some used Water Wall Technique, while others unleashed Great Waterfall Technique to cleanse the battlefield. But without exception—none of it stopped the enemy. Water Wall? A single slash— A blade infused with razor-sharp Wind Release chakra cleaved through the water barrier with ease. The next moment, another strike, swift as a ghost, came slicing through the air. Clang! A Kiri jōnin managed to block it, but he barely caught a glimpse of what he had deflected. It didn’t seem like a real sword—rather, something akin to an ice spike, an ice blade. However— He had no time to think. He had barely parried the first strike when the second came instantly after. This time, it struck his shoulder. "Help me! My hand—!" Too fast! There wasn’t even time to form seals. And the worst part… He suddenly realized his arm was no longer obeying him. Not just the injured left arm— His entire upper body felt out of sync. His torso twisted unnaturally, his movements thrown into disarray. Even his neck—stiff, sluggish, almost locked in place. What kind of jutsu is this?! Panic surged through him, and he desperately called out for help. But his teammates could do little. They had no idea where the enemy was. The dense, chakra-infused white mist robbed them of both sight and perception. They kept flickering around with Body Flicker Technique, and this island wasn’t large to begin with. Yet now—it felt like a labyrinth with no way out. Regret hit them all at once. If we had known it would be like this, why did we try to show off? We should’ve just retreated! Seeing their jōnin teammate in such dire straits, the others hesitated no longer— One word— Run! They weren’t the type to abandon a comrade unless absolutely necessary. But right now, the gap in strength was simply too vast. And this was just Kyoichi alone. Meanwhile, Shirakumo Hayama and Might Duy were stationed outside, ready to intercept anyone who tried to flee—or any reinforcements that might arrive. Kyoichi didn’t finish off the jōnin afflicted by Mind Body Disturbance Technique. Instead, he simply launched him straight toward Asuma’s group with a single punch. This strike carried another dose of Mind Body Disturbance's effects. At this point, that jōnin was as good as finished. If Asuma and the others couldn’t even take down someone in his condition, then Shisui and the rest had no business being on a battlefield. In the next instant, Kyoichi activated Body Flicker and opened the First Gate. His figure vanished— No chakra enhancement. Just pure, unadulterated speed. One slash— Two slashes! Shhhkk! The last jōnin’s throat erupted in a spray of crimson, while another elite chūnin was cut down by Kyoichi’s Raijin Sword. As if they could outrun him. Screams rang out. The mist finally began to clear. The remaining Kiri ninjas turned pale with horror—three of their four jōnin lay dead. Earthen walls had risen around them, sealing them in completely. Above, dozens of Explosive Tags floated ominously in the air. Not far away, the jōnin they had abandoned was now being swarmed by six children. At the same time— They sensed two approaching Konoha ninjas up ahead. Judging from their chakra, they were at least jōnin-level. Humiliation. This was pure humiliation! Rage boiled within them. Konoha’s intentions were clear—they were using them as training dummies to hone their genin in real combat. The eleven surviving chūnin exchanged glances. No words were needed— Fight! These six were just genin, hardly a real threat. If nothing else, they could buy time until Yagura arrived. Why not? Without hesitation, they turned and charged straight toward Might Guy and his team. Meanwhile, Kyoichi perched atop the stone wall. “Are you sure about this? Should we just kill a few more?” Shirakumo Hayama joined him. Eleven chūnin plus one crippled jōnin—twelve in total. Not exactly a small number. “That jōnin is already worthless. Their real threat is the eleven chūnin. I don’t expect the kids to win—just to last long enough.” Besides… Kyoichi had left a slug clone on each of them. As Long as They’re Not Dead, They Can Be Saved. The moment those words left his mouth, Shisui’s blade sliced cleanly across the jōnin’s throat. Kyoichi turned his gaze toward the sea. Yagura was almost here. Which meant… They didn’t have much time left. Facing eleven chūnin with just six of them, Asuma’s palms were slick with sweat. He gripped a kunai in each hand, Wind Release chakra flickering and surging along the blades. Vacuum Blade! He exchanged a glance with Might Guy. “Go!” Guy immediately activated the First Gate and charged in. The enemies were all chūnin. Holding back would be a mistake. Asuma followed right behind. Might Guy’s speed was blinding. In the blink of an eye, he was already upon the lead chūnin— Shadow of the Dancing Leaf! One kick— The enemy was sent flying. The next moment— Shisui flickered into position, forming hand seals mid-air—Great Fireball Technique engulfed the airborne target. From behind, Genma Shiranui and Ebisu flung shuriken. But their target wasn’t the burning enemy in the air—it was the group surrounding Guy. Asuma pressed forward, his kunai striking to relieve the pressure on Guy. Kurenai had already begun forming seals, weaving genjutsu into the battlefield. The six of them moved in sync, instinctively coordinating their attacks. “See? Their teamwork’s not bad.” Kyoichi chuckled. Their patrols and training together had paid off. At least, in this first clash, they hadn’t fumbled—the surprise attack had successfully taken down one enemy. Shirakumo Hayama hesitated for a moment before nodding. So far… They weren’t at a disadvantage. But— The enemy was composed of chūnin. The difference in skill would soon become apparent. Kiri ninja were infamous for bullying the weak and fearing the strong. Against six kids, their confidence soared. Yes, one of their comrades had been killed in the ambush, but so what? They might not stand a chance against Kanda Kyoichi— But these brats? The ten remaining chūnin quickly adjusted and synchronized their attacks. The mist thickened. “Don’t be afraid—” Kurenai shouted— Her genjutsu had landed! The enemy’s jutsu halted. Shisui immediately understood. He flickered behind the enemy casting Hidden Mist Technique, preparing to strike— But his opponent’s comrades reacted instantly. Damn! He resisted the urge to activate his Sharingan. In mere moments, the enemy had broken free from the illusion and turned to counterattack. Shisui had no choice but to use Bubble Genjutsu to slow them down. The next second, one enemy flickered to his side. If Shisui hadn’t already planned to retreat, he might’ve been taken down then and there. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead. Watching his teacher cut through enemies like nothing had made him underestimate the Mist ninja. But in a real fight, he realized— Even chūnin weren’t foes they could take lightly. Because they… were still far from their full potential. After their initial kill, their momentum faltered. And— With the strain of opening the First Gate catching up to Guy, they had to pull back and tighten their defenses. Five of them barely held on, while Genma and Ebisu were clearly in danger. Kurenai made her decision. She formed hand seals and activated Chakra Enhanced Strength. Then— Boom! Sёarch* The NôᴠelFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. One punch— Three enemies were immediately forced back. One of them, who was closest to her, had his arm dislocated by the sheer force of the impact and the violent chakra flow. However— Kurenai didn’t emerge unscathed. Her right hand’s tendons had been strained, rendering it temporarily useless. Fortunately, she had already prepared Mystical Palm Technique in her left hand and could heal herself. But— That single punch had created an opportunity for Guy. He immediately activated the Rest Gate. His stamina recovered! Then— Gate of Life, Open! In a blur— He charged toward the three injured enemies, not aiming to defeat them outright but to herd them into one spot. He wasn’t sure why, but an idea had struck him— So he went with it. Kurenai’s eyes lit up. She continued healing her right hand while moving toward them. The Kiri ninja weren’t fools. That punch just now— Clearly a technique from Konoha’s Princess Tsunade. Whoever tried to block her next would be an idiot. They acted decisively— Water Wall! Water Prison Jutsu! Even the one with a dislocated arm gritted his teeth and endured the pain—right now, survival was all that mattered. But— A moment later, they saw figures leaping onto the earth walls. One, two, ten— In a few seconds— Twenty, thirty… A horde of Konoha ninjas stood atop the high walls, watching them with expressions of amusement. The Kiri ninja were dumbfounded. At nearly the same time, Yagura and the remaining Kirigakure forces arrived on the island. But they weren’t facing just anyone— Standing before them were Kyoichi, Might Duy, and Shirakumo Hayama. The others might not recognize them— But Yagura did. These were the three ninjas described by Hozuki Mangetsu— Weak chakra signatures, yet monstrous physical prowess when using their secret techniques. Kanda Kyoichi, the terrifying swordmaster. And even Shirakumo Hayama, the least notable among them, was still a skilled jōnin—able to hold his own against two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. With strength like this… He’d have to be insane to make the first move. Yagura took a deep breath and stepped forward. “Kyoichi-san, the Kirigakure has decided to withdraw. Why does Konohagakure keep pressing us?” “Withdraw? Heh. You think I’d believe that?” Kyoichi squatted lazily atop the wall. Yagura let out a bitter chuckle. “Six of the Seven Swordsmen have already fallen. What else can we do but retreat?” “No, what I mean is—” Kyoichi’s eyes gleamed with mockery. “Do you get to fight when you want to, and stop when you feel like it? Are you planning to sit back while Kumo and Iwa attack from the north and then come back to bargain with us?” He sneered. As if anyone didn’t know Kirigakure's playbook. Nice try, kid. You look decent, but you think too highly of yourself. Did you really think the Land of Fire was yours to mess with? “How could that be? I also want peace as soon as possible, but the village’s Elder Council won’t agree…” Yagura took a deep breath. This Kanda Kyoichi was a pain to deal with. And Konoha— What was even going on? Had the Third Hokage stepped down? Shouldn’t he be doing something by now?! Typically, the Third would choose a more conservative approach—compromise, stabilize the northern and western fronts. But this? This was outright reckless aggression. “If that’s the case, then hurry up and handle it. If the elders are the problem, can’t you just deal with them?” Kyoichi grinned. “Hurry up, and maybe you’ll have Four Swordsmen left. Take too long… well, you might have to start from scratch.” “What do you mean? Who’s still alive?” Yagura’s heart sank. Then—he remembered Kyoichi’s use of Hidden Mist Technique. His face darkened. No way… He had no doubts about his men’s loyalty— But the Yamanaka Clan’s abilities were infamous. If three of them had been captured… “Ameyuri, Jinpachi, and Kuriarare. Figure it out yourself.” Kyoichi smirked. “These ten? I won’t kill them. Consider it a gift.”