CHAPTER 111
"Great Vajra Leg!"
A furious roar erupted as Guy's body transformed into a violent streak of green light, shooting fiercely toward Ao. Before he even arrived, a massive golden leg shadow suddenly descended. The blinding golden radiance forced Ao to narrow his eyes for a moment.
"Lord Ao!"
Seeing the danger, the Hidden Mist Chunin immediately stepped in front of Ao. Under the impact of the Great Vajra Leg, his body was blasted away, and the sound of breaking bones echoed through the battlefield.
Ao finally reacted, shock surging through his heart.
He had never expected a Konoha brat to possess such terrifying strength.
This was the same youth who had already defeated one of Hidden Mist's greatest prodigies.
But now was not the time to worry about Mei Terumī.
Guy's second kick arrived immediately after the first.
Ao's expression changed drastically as he hurriedly gathered Water Release Chakra to defend himself.
However, in the next instant, a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around him from behind.
It was Hyuga Yukian!
"Guy!!!"
Hyuga Yukian roared like a madman.
Ignoring his severely injured body, he locked Ao down with everything he had left.
His objective was simple.
He wanted Guy to kill both of them with a single kick.
Seeing the determination in Hyuga Yukian's eyes, Guy's pupils contracted sharply.
This was the perfect opportunity.
The next kick would almost certainly kill Ao.
But Hyuga Yukian would most likely die as well.
At that moment, a memory surfaced in Guy's mind.
Back when Hyuga Yukian had instructed him in the concepts behind the Eight Trigrams Rotation, he had said something meaningful.
"There isn't enough time. I might be transferred away at any moment..."
Thinking about it now, it was never about a transfer.
Hyuga Yukian had already prepared himself for death.
From the very beginning, he had intended to settle everything with Ao on the battlefield.
Even if it meant perishing together.
"Don't be ridiculous!!"
Guy roared furiously.
This was Hyuga Yukian's conviction.
But it was not his.
To kill his own comrade just to take an enemy down with him?
He could never do that.
He forcibly withdrew the kick.
Twisting his body, he switched from leg to palm.
A Great Strength Vajra Palm slammed forward and struck directly into Ao's chest.
He did not choose the Great Vajra Finger.
Given Hyuga Yukian's shattered physical condition, he would never be able to withstand the penetrating force of the Great Vajra Finger.
The Vajra Palm was the safest choice.
Bang!
Pfft!!
Ao instantly spat out a large mouthful of blood.
Caught within the shockwave, Hyuga Yukian also coughed up blood.
Ao's face was filled with horror.
Yet Hyuga Yukian seemed incapable of feeling pain.
Madness blazed across his face.
Then he thrust his hand directly toward Ao.
It was not Gentle Fist.
It was a savage gouging attack.
Hyuga Yukian's fingers went straight for Ao's left eye.
There was no hesitation in the movement.
Only the ferocity of a wounded beast cornered to its limits.
Squelch!
A sickening sound echoed out.
Hyuga Yukian's hand plunged directly into Ao's left eye socket.
Warm blood and unbearable agony exploded at once.
"Aaaahhhh!!!"
Ao let out a shrill, distorted scream.
The vision in his left eye was instantly swallowed by crimson darkness.
The intense pain completely shattered his composure, and the Chakra within his body erupted uncontrollably.
"Get off me!!!"
Violent currents of water burst from every part of Ao's body.
The force blasted Hyuga Yukian away, sending him flying like a torn sack.
He crashed into a reef several meters away and rolled twice before finally stopping.
Blood poured from his mouth, staining the rocks beneath him crimson.
Yet his left hand remained clenched tightly.
Blood continued to drip from between his fingers.
Ao staggered backward, clutching his left eye.
Blood continuously poured through the gaps between his fingers, running down his face and staining half of his gray-white hair red.
His remaining right eye was filled with agony, rage, and disbelief.
"My eye... my eye!!!"
He snarled through gritted teeth, his voice twisted by pain and fury.
He had spent years coveting the Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan.
Yet today, one of his own eyes had been ripped out by the very man he sought to rob.
An eye for an eye.
The cruelest possible retaliation.
Standing not far away, Guy watched the scene unfold.
Even he had not expected Hyuga Yukian to be this decisive.
"Captain!"
Guy called out in a low voice and was about to move forward.
However, at that moment—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several sharp sounds tore through the air from the distance.
Immediately afterward, seven or eight figures rushed onto the battlefield.
But they were not Konoha reinforcements.
They were Hidden Mist shinobi.
The signal flare had not only been seen by Konoha.
Hidden Mist had noticed it as well.
The nearby Hidden Mist forces had immediately moved to investigate.
This was a development Guy and the others had not anticipated.
The arriving Hidden Mist shinobi froze briefly after seeing the battlefield.
Ao was clutching his bleeding eye, staggering backward, his face pale as death.
Mei Terumī lay among shattered rocks in the distance, her lower body soaked with blood.
Hohzuki Mangetsu was covered in injuries and pinned down by Ebisu and Genma.
The entire battlefield could only be described as miserable.
Seeing Konoha reinforcements rapidly approaching from the entrance of the bay, the Hidden Mist shinobi wasted no time.
Two of them rushed toward Ao and supported him immediately.
Another hurried to Mei Terumī's side and carefully lifted her up.
Several others originally intended to rescue Hohzuki Mangetsu as well.
But after seeing Ebisu and Genma standing guard, and noticing the approaching Konoha forces, they hesitated briefly.
In the end, they could only abandon the idea.
"Retreat! Retreat immediately!"
One of the Hidden Mist shinobi shouted sharply.
There was no time left.
Without further hesitation, they turned and fled toward the reef formations on the opposite side of the bay.
"Stop!"
Hyuga Yukian attempted to pursue them.
However, after taking only a single step, he suddenly spat out another mouthful of blood.
His body swayed violently, nearly collapsing.
"Captain!"
Guy immediately rushed over and supported him.
Hyuga Yukian trembled from head to toe.
The severe injuries and massive blood loss had already blurred his vision.
Even so, his gaze remained fixed on Ao's retreating figure.
Ao, who was being dragged away by his comrades, also turned his head with difficulty.
Using his remaining right eye, he looked directly at Hyuga Yukian.
Their gazes collided above the blood-soaked battlefield.
During this battle in the Land of Waves, Ao had lost his left eye.
Hyuga Yukian had lost his right eye.
Each injury had been inflicted by the other.
Within their eyes burned only hatred and killing intent.
Both wished nothing more than to kill the other with their own hands.
At that moment, Mei Terumī, who was being carried away by a Hidden Mist shinobi, seemed to regain consciousness from the jostling.
Slowly, she opened her eyes.
Her gaze crossed the chaotic battlefield and landed on Guy, who was supporting Hyuga Yukian.
The emotions within that gaze were extremely complicated.
Anger.
Humiliation.
Shock.
Fear.
And even emotions she herself could not understand.
The instant Mei Terumī looked at Guy, a System notification suddenly sounded in his mind.
[Witnessed Bond: The Birth of Fated Rivals!]
[Acquired: 100 Monk Value]
Fated rivals?
Mei Terumī and me?
Guy was stunned.
But almost immediately, he rejected the idea.
Compared to Mei Terumī's complicated yet immature hostility, the life-and-death hatred between Ao and Hyuga Yukian fit the description of fated rivals far better.
This reward had most likely been triggered because of them.
"Fated rivals..."
Guy quietly repeated the words.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
As the Hidden Mist forces retreated, the Konoha reinforcements finally arrived.
The leading shinobi took one look at the battlefield and his expression immediately changed.
"Medical Team! Prioritize treatment for Hyuga Yukian!"
Two medical ninja rushed forward without delay and began emergency treatment.
Only then did Hyuga Yukian finally reach his limit.
His consciousness faded completely.
Yet even after losing consciousness, his right hand remained tightly clenched.
Resting within his palm...
Was Ao's left eye.