A few seconds later, the violent wind stopped.
The people on the ship finally steadied themselves, and those who had fallen into the sea were now back on board. At this moment, the surrounding area was completely clear, with no trace of the thick fog remaining. Clearly, this time, Qing Ming's full-force attack had utterly broken the Mist ninja's joint effort in the shadows.
However, this didn't mean the enemy would simply give up.
Almost as soon as the Wind Release ended, a huge wave approached from a distance, surging rapidly toward them. Qing Ming activated his Sharingan, following the wave's trajectory, and saw several Mist ninjas gathered together, their hands plunged into the sea. Clearly, this wave was some kind of Water Release technique they had jointly cast.
Though the wave had yet to reach them, everyone already felt its immense pressure and force. It was evident that if it struck, it wouldn't just threaten the boats—they themselves might also be in serious danger.
Fortunately, the team wasn't unprepared. Seeing the wave rushing toward them, several ninjas immediately stepped forward, forming seals and casting a jutsu—Water Release: Water Formation Wall! In an instant, several tall walls of water rose up, blocking the path of the incoming wave.
Though Earth Release techniques would generally be the most efficient counter to Water Release, using them in the open sea was challenging. Thus, countering water with water was the easiest and most effective option.
With a deep boom, the wave collided with the water walls.
The group watched as the water walls held for only a brief moment before collapsing entirely. However, the B-rank jutsu had done its job and absorbed much of the wave's force. By the time the weakened wave reached the ships, it only rocked them slightly, causing no real damage.
Without needing further orders from Qing Ming, a jonin on the other ship, along with a dozen chunin, leapt into the sea, racing across the waves toward the Mist ninjas in the distance.
Meanwhile, Qing Ming scanned the surrounding ocean.
Earlier, kunai had come from all directions, and Qing Ming didn't believe the enemies consisted of only those few up ahead; others were likely hiding underwater.
After the recent "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough" blast, those hiding must be in a tough position; otherwise, they would have launched an attack by now.
Activating his Sharingan fully, Qing Ming peered through the water and faintly made out several figures swimming rapidly toward the surface.
Narrowing his eyes, Qing Ming timed his move, forming seals rapidly before opening his mouth to release his Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!
Unlike his usual approach with this jutsu—summoning as many fireballs as possible to overwhelm his opponents in one burst—this time, he took his time, sending out one fireball after another. Like playing a game of whack-a-mole, he aimed carefully at each Mist ninja emerging from the water.
Thanks to the keen perception of his Sharingan, he could concentrate on multiple targets, hitting nearly all the Mist ninjas attempting to surface. This not only disrupted their ambush but also revealed their positions, giving the Leaf ninjas on the ship time to prepare.
Soon, the Mist ninjas, barely having dodged Qing Ming's fireballs, found themselves overwhelmed by the Leaf ninjas' attacks.
Yes, they were surrounded.
In total, Qing Ming estimated around thirty Mist ninjas. This meant each Mist ninja faced attacks from at least two or three Leaf ninjas, making their defeat inevitable.
However, Qing Ming didn't let his guard down. He was sure there were more enemies behind these Mist ninjas.
Why? It was simple. They were in the middle of the ocean, far from any islands, yet the Mist ninjas didn't appear fatigued, as if they had not traveled a great distance.
This meant that, at the very least, there was another hidden vessel.
But right now…
Qing Ming glanced around but saw nothing unusual.
This situation could mean two things: either his assumption was wrong, or the enemy had some unknown means of concealment.
If it was the former, he'd have worried for nothing.
But if it was the latter, caution was necessary, for the unknown was often the most terrifying.
While Qing Ming was surveying the area, a distant Mist battleship floated on the sea.
The ship appeared coated in a layer of crystalline ice, allowing clear visibility from the inside out, but from the outside, one could only see the sea below and the scenery behind the ship. This was clearly a sophisticated cloaking technique that used the ice's reflective properties to make the ship nearly invisible, requiring almost no chakra.
Even Qing Ming hadn't noticed anything unusual.
As for the source of this icy coating…
Footsteps sounded urgently on the ship's deck.
A Mist ninja hurried to the bow, where a handsome man stood. The ninja said anxiously, "Lord Snow Wind, the ambush has failed."
Snow Wind turned around, scowling. "Useless fools!"
With a flick of his wrist, he gathered chakra, and a snow-white crystal mirror appeared in his palm.
The nearby Mist ninja's eyes flashed with envy and jealousy, but he hid it well.
Ignoring him, Snow Wind held the mirror between his hands, forming seals rapidly before tossing it into the air. Instantly, the mirror displayed the distant battlefield, showing every detail in high definition, clearer than even close-range observation.
The Mist ninja by his side quickly praised him, saying, "No matter how many times I see it, your superb Ice Release jutsu never ceases to amaze, my lord."
Snow Wind, clearly pleased by the compliment, laughed and said, "Of course. The Ice Release is a secret art of the Snow Clan, unmatched by ordinary techniques."
Yes, this Snow Wind was no ordinary ninja. He was a member of the Snow Clan, one of the bloodline families in the Mist Village, and a wielder of the Ice Release kekkei genkai.
Unlike the time when the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, was controlled by Uchiha Obito and mercilessly persecuted all bloodline clans, the current policies in the Mist Village, while still harsh, no longer targeted bloodline users specifically.
Thus, various bloodline clans in the Mist Village were still active. Even the Snow Clan, nearly driven to extinction later, now had Ice Release users operating openly, such as Snow Wind here.
After his laughter subsided, Snow Wind looked back at the scene in his mirror, but his brows furrowed slightly.
Why? In the mirror, Qing Ming seemed to sense something, as he raised his head and looked directly at the sky.
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