Chapter 86: Three Warriors at the Pass (Part 3)
Kazama Xu was not the disciple of the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, as many believed. Instead, she was his junior under the tutelage of the Second Tsuchikage, Mū. As the Second Tsuchikage perished alongside the Second Mizukage in a mutual destruction battle, most of Kazama Xu's training was completed under her senior, Ōnoki. Despite this, her talent was extraordinary, and she mastered the intricacies of Dust Release to a level that rivaled, if not surpassed, Ōnoki himself. Her strength ranked among the top three in Iwagakure.
From a young age, she was adored by the elders of the village. Her personality was competitive and ambitious, her actions decisive and ruthless, and her mind sharp and meticulous. Since her debut, she had made countless contributions to Iwagakure, earning Ōnoki's deep trust. In the ninja world, she was known as the "Bloody Mistress of Iwagakure."
But this time, it seemed she had truly met her match.
An enraged Jinghang was a force to be reckoned with. Standing atop his Iron Truth-Seeking Orb, he relentlessly pursued Kazama Xu in midair, firing streams of iron sand like a machine gun.
Kazama Xu could only weave and dodge in the air, constantly adjusting her flight trajectory. She attempted to launch a counterattack with Dust Release, but found it impossible. Jinghang's aerial speed was on par with hers, making it impossible to create distance. Furthermore, his relentless barrage of iron sand left her no room to breathe. In contrast, her Dust Release required hand seals, charging time, and precision—all of which were hindered by her need to evade the iron sand. As a result, she was forced into a continuous retreat, unable to retaliate.
Meanwhile, in the canyon below, only about twenty Iwagakure ninjas remained. Kaminaru Heiji had finally climbed out of the Yellow Marsh, kneeling on the ground and coughing up mouthfuls of muddy water. Seeing this, the remaining Iwagakure forces shouted and charged forward.
"It seems we've been underestimated. Red Eyes, Flat Nose, Ten Thousand Fragrance Formation!"
"Yes!" replied two weasels, one red and one black.
The three weasels took their positions, facing the charging Iwagakure ninjas. Unexpectedly, they turned their backs to the enemy.