Fighting as they retreated, Jūzō Biwa and Kisame Hoshigaki finally broke through the last line of Kirigakure's entanglement and linked up with Fuguki Suikazan and his prepared forces.
The two defector units quickly merged, tightening their formation. With their backs against the jagged rock walls, they took up a desperate defensive stance.
Terumi Mei led Kirigakure's main force in relentless pursuit, halting just within a hundred paces. Her troops spread out, forming a tightening semicircular encirclement.
Her gaze locked instantly onto Fuguki, standing calmly at the front of the formation.
The "perfectly accurate" intelligence.
The blood-soaked trap.
Kushimaru's death.
Two patrol units—nearly four hundred shinobi—annihilated.
All the threads connected.
The truth struck her like a poisoned blade.
"Fu—gu—ki—Su—i—ka—zan—!!!"
Her voice trembled with fury, her eyes blazing like molten lava.
She pointed at him, each word sharp as shattered ice.
"You shameless traitor! You betrayed Kirigakure—using the blood of your comrades as your offering!"
"Then you turned around and sold out the Uchiha's Oniwabanshu—stacking corpses to climb higher in your new master's favor!"
"A wolf that devours both masters—what kind of end do you think awaits you under the shogunate?! One day, you'll be discarded too—nothing more than a dull blade thrown away when used up!"
Behind her, Jinin Akebino and Raiga Kurosuki stepped forward.
Their eyes burned—not only with killing intent, but humiliation.
Especially Jinin—
His grip on Kubikiribōchō whitened his knuckles.
Kushimaru's headless corpse still seemed to linger before him.
Around them, Kirigakure forces moved in silence.
Like seasoned hunters, they spread, interlocked, and sealed every angle using terrain and reefs.
Cold steel glinted under thinning mist and rising sunlight—
A wall of death.
Yet—
Despite Mei's fury—
Despite the tightening encirclement—
The defectors did not panic.
They did not waver.
They did not attempt to flee deeper into the terrain.
That unnatural calm—
Was like cold water poured onto burning hearts.
Jinin and Raiga exchanged a glance.
Something was wrong.
Too calm.
They were cornered—
Weren't they?
Or—
Did they have something else?
A creeping unease began to spread through the Kirigakure ranks.
The hunters…
And the prey…
Seemed blurred.
Kirigakure waited for the encirclement to close.
Fuguki—
Waited for something else.
Facing their killing intent, he folded his arms calmly, adjusting his stance with ease.
"Lady Terumi Mei."
His voice carried clearly through the wind and blood-scented air, tinged with indignation.
"You can't just say whatever you like. You accuse me of betraying the Uchiha's Oniwabanshu? Ha! That's quite the accusation. Where's your evidence?"
He spread his hands theatrically.
"But you, Terumi Mei—"
His voice suddenly rose.
"Are you so eager to condemn me… because you're hiding something yourself?!"
Tension spiked instantly.
Mei's scalp tingled.
She knew exactly where this was going.
"I have intelligence sent directly to me—deliberately leaking Kirigakure patrol routes!"
The moment those words fell—
The Kirigakure ranks stirred violently.
Fuguki pressed forward, his smile cold and twisted.
"What? You used us 'traitors' as your blade to remove obstacles within your own command… and now you want to silence me?!"
The words struck like knives.
Morale wavered.
The fact that the defectors had reached so deep—
Already suggested something foul.
And in a village known for killing its own—
More than half the shinobi began to believe him.
Mei trembled with rage.
Her nails dug into her palms.
Never had she seen such shameless distortion.
Sacrifice for strategy—
Was common.
Necessary.
But this—
This was not the same.
This was a lie—
Meant to plant doubt.
She forced herself upright.
Her voice cut through the chaos.
"Slander!"
"Fuguki, do you think your lies can shake our resolve? Can they wash away the blood of your comrades on your hands?!"
Her gaze swept her forces.
Firm.
Unyielding.
"Justice lies in the hearts of the people!"
"Kirigakure's blades cut only enemies—and traitors!"
"Justice?"
Fuguki laughed.
Stepping forward, his presence pressing outward.
"You have no proof against me! And I have no proof against you!"
"Isn't that the way of Kirigakure—no, the cursed Bloody Mist Village?!"
His voice rose—
Hammering into every ear.
"Suspicion! Infighting! Blame!"
"For the mission, anything can be sacrificed—even your own comrades!"
"We lived in that hell for years—decades! Bathed in its blood and coldness—don't tell me you still don't see it!"
His words tore open old wounds.
Eyes flickered.
Memories surfaced—
Brutal training.
Comrades killing each other.
Cold indifference from above.
Fuguki spread his arms wide—
As if embracing the rising sun.
The mockery faded—
Replaced by something fierce—
Liberation.
"We, the defectors—since joining Infinity City—have never regretted it!"
His gaze burned—
Sweeping across both enemies and allies—
Then beyond—
Toward the distant city.
"Because only under the General's banner…"
"For the first time…"
"We—who stained our hands with our own village's blood—"
"Have tasted what it means…"
"To be human."
"Not tools."
His voice struck like thunder.
"So, brothers and sisters—join us!"
"Join Infinity City!"
"Let's embrace a better future—together!"
"Join us!"
Voices echoed from the defectors.
Calling out to former comrades.
Hearts wavered.
"Don't listen to him!"
Mei snapped.
Her voice regained its icy edge—
But the killing intent deepened.
"You're nothing but bait—thrown to the frontlines by the Uchiha!"
"This 'humanity' you speak of? Just another illusion!"
"Join you? That's just dying here with you!"
The words hit hard.
The wavering stilled.
Reality returned.
Yes—
No matter what they said—
They were surrounded.
Mei saw the shift.
Saw the Six-Tails Jinchūriki arriving.
Saw the ironclad encirclement.
Confidence returned.
"Talk all you want!"
She raised her arm.
"You will die here today!"
Weapons tightened.
Chakra surged.
Fuguki laughed.
Loud.
Unrestrained.
"Kill us? You?"
His eyes swept the encirclement—
Like a man watching dogs circle a tiger.
"You still don't understand."
"You didn't surround us."
"We surrounded you."
The moment his words fell—
Behind the defectors—
The prepared ground—
Lit up.
The engraved slabs—
Blazed with light.
What had been faint—
Now erupted—
A pillar of deep blue energy—
Piercing the sky.
Space twisted.
Vibrated.
A low, thunderous hum filled the battlefield.
Something vast—
Was being pulled—
Across distance—
Into this world.
A new presence spread—
Different from any chakra here—
Vast.
Ordered.
Cold.
Fuguki's smile vanished.
Only killing intent remained.
At the same moment—
Mei's unease peaked.
Their eyes met—
Clashing like sparks.
Then—
Simultaneously—
Two roars exploded:
"Kill them!"
Orders collided.
On one side—
Shadows began forming within the blue pillar—
Chakra rising sharply.
On the other—
Kirigakure unleashed everything.
Kunai and shuriken became a storm.
Water Release techniques flooded the battlefield—
Water Dragons, Iron Bullets, Walls—
A sea of death crashing inward.
Jinin charged like a war beast.
Raiga became lightning.
Straight toward Fuguki.
"Defend and counterattack! Break a path!"
Jūzō roared.
Prepared—
The defectors reinforced their ground—
Chakra flowing into layered Water Walls—
And—
Earth Release.
Thick earthen barriers rose—
Interlocking—
Combining with water—
Forming a dual defense.
Weapons embedded.
Jutsu shattered—
But did not break through.
The ground hardened.
Stabilized.
At the front—
Kisame stood.
Facing Jinin and Raiga—
He did not move.
Their attacks crashed into him—
"CLANG! BOOM—!"
The ground cracked beneath him.
Blood spilled from his lips.
But he held.
His monstrous body—
His endless chakra—
Endured.
His eyes flashed—
A punch shot forward—
Forcing Jinin back—
While his shoulder took Raiga's blade.
"Hold him!"
Mei formed seals—
"Lava Release: Lava Monster Jutsu!"
This time—
The attack curved—
Targeting the flank—
Trying to break the defense.
"Not happening!"
Fuguki moved.
Samehada roared—
He smashed the ground—
A crater exploded outward—
Stone and chakra scattering—
Disrupting the lava's path—
Weakening its force.
"Fuguki!!"
Mei moved to attack again—
But—
Her vision froze.
Behind him—
The pillar—
Reached its peak.
Space—
Twisted—
Then—
Flattened—
Like fabric pulled tight.
And then—
The light—
Split.
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