The moment they heard the name "Konoha's Silver Moon," the Iwagakure shinobi fell silent for a split second.
A flicker of dread flashed through their eyes.
The incident in the Land of Whirlpools had already become shrouded in rumors, exaggerated into near-mythical tales.
Because Kumogakure and Kirigakure had secretly wiped out both the Iwagakure and Sunagakure forces in the conflict and quietly profited afterward, very few people actually knew the truth of what had happened.
As for Hoshiyomi Gekkō—
His deeds had spread from one mouth to another, turning him into a legend of a lone warrior who could stand against hundreds.
Among the Iwa and Suna shinobi who never returned alive, his name became infamous, spoken in hushed tones.
Hoshiyomi Gekkō—Konoha's Silver Moon.
A name terrifying enough to stop children's crying at night.
And now, realizing that the "madman" they had just mocked was the very same Silver Moon, not a single Iwa shinobi could laugh anymore.
The sensory team captain, noticing that his men were panicking after Tsunade broke free of the encirclement, quickly spoke up to stabilize morale.
"Don't be scared! What Konoha's Silver Moon? It's just a rumor! If he could really take on a hundred by himself, wouldn't that make him stronger than the Hokage? Why isn't he the Hokage then, huh?"
He forced a sneer.
"I'm telling you—it's fake! Come on, do you really think one person can't be killed by all of us using jutsu at once? Even if he had three heads and six arms, it wouldn't be enough to survive this!"
As he spoke, the sensory captain began weaving hand signs.
Encouraged by his words, the surrounding Iwa shinobi also raised their hands—some forming seals, others drawing weapons.
In an instant, a barrage of jutsu mixed with kunai and shuriken filled the sky, whistling toward Hoshiyomi like a storm.
It was as if they intended to turn him into a human sieve.
But Hoshiyomi stood firm, as if the attacks weren't even worth acknowledging.
Instead, he turned back toward Tsunade, offering her a gentle smile, and spoke calmly to Lobo, the white wolf.
"Protect Tsunade. Leave the rest to me."
Then, without another word, he drew the Mikazuki Munechika and executed a smooth upward slash.
"Face the wind!"
With impeccable style, Hoshiyomi shouted a line that sounded almost like something from a showboating swordsman.
At that moment, a two-meter-tall wall of wind burst forth before him.
The gale roared skyward, catching all the incoming attacks—ninjutsu and ninja tools alike—and dissolving them into nothingness. The chaotic currents within the wall of wind neutralized every jutsu, while the kunai and shuriken lost all momentum, clattering harmlessly to the ground.
One single wind wall.
That was all it took to nullify the combined assault of thirty-seven Iwagakure shinobi.
The Iwa shinobi were stunned—jaws practically hitting the ground, eyes wide as saucers, staring at the slowly dissipating wall of wind.
"What… what was that jutsu? Was that even Wind Release?"
"No way! He didn't even weave signs—that wasn't ninjutsu, was it?"
Hoshiyomi responded with a soft chuckle.
With the Mikazuki Munechika in hand, he twirled the blade into a flourish and, in an almost theatrical motion, sheathed the sword with a sharp clack.
"Hmm? Still not giving up?"
His voice wasn't loud.
But in the deathly silence of the swamp, it rang out crystal clear.
The visual impact of this moment was overwhelming.
If someone had told the Iwa shinobi yesterday that there was a man who could block a combined assault from nearly forty ninja with a single swing of a sword, they would've thought that person was insane.
But today—
They had seen it with their own eyes.
No one could speak.
Meanwhile, Tsunade, sitting atop Lobo as she tended to her wounds, gazed at Hoshiyomi with eyes full of deep affection.
Her heart felt like it was melting.
She thought back to his earlier words—
"I heard... you want to lay a hand on my woman."
Her cheeks flushed red.
No matter how strong or domineering she usually was, Tsunade was still a woman. Even someone like her sometimes wanted to be protected.
And Hoshiyomi had appeared right when she needed him most. With his strength alone, he had silenced the enemies trying to capture her.
How could she not love a man like that?
At that moment, Tsunade couldn't help but let the thought cross her mind—
Maybe… maybe she really did want to marry him.
But while she was thinking of marriage, the Iwa shinobi had only one thought in their minds:
Escape.
Several of them were already considering retreat.
But with their superior officers still present, no one dared to bolt outright.
The sensory captain—now acting as temporary commander—gulped nervously.
He had to admit, Hoshiyomi's strength was terrifying.
But he still wasn't willing to give up the rewards dangling right in front of him.
This was Tsunade and Konoha's Silver Moon we're talking about!
If he could bring back both Tsunade and Hoshiyomi's head, he would definitely be personally promoted by Lord Ōnoki.
He was still young.
If only he had more resources, he'd already be more than just a jōnin.
If Lord Tsuchikage took him as a personal student, his future would be bright beyond measure.
After all—
Fortune favors the bold.
And so far, their side hadn't suffered any real losses yet.
With thirty-seven ninja charging all at once, there still had to be a chance!
After giving himself this internal pep talk, his greed finally overtook his fear.
Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he shouted loudly:
"Don't be scared! That must've been some kind of secret technique! It probably drained a massive amount of chakra! There's no way someone his age can use that kind of move repeatedly."
"Everyone, hit him again! A couple more rounds and he'll run out of chakra for sure. Then he'll be like a fish on the chopping block, ready for us to cut up."
"Don't forget, this is Konoha's Silver Moon! If we can bring his head back, we'll all get promotions and wealth!"
It had to be said—this captain was skilled at manipulating people.
One mention of "promotion and fortune," and he tapped directly into the primal desires of his troops.
Why did they come to war in the first place?
For exactly those reasons.
Besides, compared to dying from Hanzo's poison, wasn't it better to gamble here?
Even if the Silver Moon was strong, could he be stronger than the Demi-God of Amegakure?
Bet big, win big. Charge!
Their fear was slowly overtaken by greed.
People are easily swayed by the crowd.
Once most of them went all in, few could remain rational.
One by one, the Iwagakure shinobi began weaving hand signs again.
The desperation and gambler's madness on their faces told Hoshiyomi all he needed to know.
These people weren't going to run.
But it didn't matter.
He had never planned on letting them live anyway.
They had threatened Tsunade's life. From the very beginning, Hoshiyomi had no intention of showing mercy.
That earlier talk about surrender was just to save some energy.
Since words no longer worked—
Then it was time to kill them all.
With that single thought, Hoshiyomi placed his hand back on the hilt of Mikazuki Munechika.
"If you're so intent on dying, then I'll grant your wish. Get ready—your journey ends here."
As he spoke, he drew his sword.
The blade flashed, a brilliant arc of white light slicing through the air.
Holding the sword in one hand, Hoshiyomi pressed his other hand together in a gesture of prayer and murmured softly:
"Before you die, I'll at least let you die knowing the name of the technique that kills you."
"This move is called—
Oboro Urazuki: Eleven Forms." (Hazy Inverted Moon - Eleven Forms)