"Phew, I'm exhausted. This is definitely a B-rank ninjutsu, but it takes a lot out of me."
"Thanks to you, Chōmei."
After countering the enemy's Great Waterfall Technique, Kazuyama quickly stopped releasing his Great Fire Annihilation. As powerful as the technique was, the chakra drain was immense.
It only made sense—without a massive chakra cost, how else could he have created such a sea of flames?
"Kazuyama, when did you learn such a powerful Fire Release technique?"
"I've never seen you use it before. Holy cow, did all the chakra I gave you just turn into fire?"
Chōmei had seen fierce flames before—both the Four-Tails Son Gokū and the Two-Tails Matatabi could unleash massive infernos. But Kazuyama was only human. Even with a Tailed Beast's chakra, the sheer scale of this Fire Release was astonishing.
"Heh heh, I know a lot more than that."
"Alright, there are still enemies."
Through the Hive Mind's observation, Kazuyama noticed that while the enemy was shocked, they reacted quickly and were already advancing toward the three of them.
"Obito, Rin, prepare to engage."
Kazuyama grabbed Obito and Rin, activating the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport them away from their previous position. In an instant, they reappeared behind three earthen walls.
Seeing the barriers in front of him, Kazuyama scoffed.
"Seriously? Using such a good defensive technique just to block a door?"
As he muttered his complaint, the sensor ninja from the Kirigakure squad had already pinpointed their location.
"Captain, unknowns just appeared out of nowhere!"
"They're behind the three earthen walls!"
The Kirigakure captain frowned. The massive flames had left him shaken—he had assumed the Great Waterfall Technique would be enough to counter them.
Yet, against all expectations, the fire had been stopped.
"Hmph!"
"With the terrain on our side, even if his Fire Release is powerful, so what?"
"Kikugoro, Matsugane, come help me."
"The rest of you, hold them off!"
The Kirigakure captain still intended to use the environment to his advantage to finish off Kazuyama and the others. He popped a military rations pill to replenish his chakra, then immediately began forming hand seals. Seeing this, the two named Kirigakure shinobi understood his plan and rushed to the water pool, forming their own seals.
Meanwhile, the remaining five—including the sensor ninja—charged directly at Kazuyama's group. Through the Hive Mind, Kazuyama tracked their movements and quickly warned Obito and Rin.
"Obito, handle one on your own. Rin, be careful—there's a female ninja among them, and she's your opponent."
"Your own safety comes first!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Kazuyama shot forward like a rocket, raising his hands high.
"Many Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
A mass of serpents burst forth, splitting the battlefield apart under his control. The enemy team was divided into three groups—Kazuyama took on three himself, leaving one for Obito and one for Rin.
The melee erupted instantly.
Both Obito and Rin had undergone intense training with Pakura, significantly improving their Taijutsu. Rin, in particular, had pushed herself relentlessly to become battlefield-ready. Though her opponent was older and more experienced, she showed no fear. Dual kunai in hand, she launched a sharp offensive.
Obito was even stronger. Having trained in Taijutsu with Guy, he excelled in single combat. With his Sharingan aiding him, his opponent struggled to land a hit.
"Tsk, tsk, my disciple is in your care," Kazuyama muttered, eyeing the three surrounding him with a smirk.
Casually tossing three kunai, he suddenly vanished.
One enemy lunged at him with a katana, aiming from an unusual angle—only for Kazuyama to disappear in an instant.
"Feel the terror of Konoha ninja!"
With rapid bursts of the Flying Thunder God Technique, Kazuyama flickered through the battlefield like lightning. His opponents couldn't even touch him.
"Many Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
More serpents lashed out, binding the three as tightly as bundled rice dumplings. The next moment, he hit them with One Thousand Years of Death. Their screams echoed across the battlefield.
Seeing their allies' fate, the remaining Kirigakure shinobi hesitated, fear creeping into their hearts. The urge to flee overtook them.
But at that moment, the Kirigakure captain and his comrades completed their jutsu.
"Water Release! Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
With a deafening roar, three water dragons surged into the air, hurtling toward Kazuyama, Obito, and Rin.
"Obito, Rin! Get behind me!"
At Kazuyama's command, the two didn't hesitate, retreating immediately.
"You think three water dragons are enough?" Kazuyama sneered.
"I'll crush them with my Five Gates!"
Crossing his arms, he bit his thumbs. He had to make an entrance. Mimicking Orochimaru's signature stance, he slammed his hands onto the ground.
"Summoning Technique! Quintuple Rashōmon!"
"Boom!"
The earth trembled violently as towering Rashōmon Gates burst from the ground.
Two close-combat Kirigakure shinobi, caught off guard, were crushed mid-air, sent flying to their deaths.
The water dragons slammed into the gates, only to be obliterated on impact.
"Impossible! A jutsu of this level… is he one of the Three Sannin of Konoha?!"
"No! The Three Sannin are on the frontlines… Who the hell is he?!"
Realizing the danger, the Kirigakure captain and his two remaining subordinates began retreating—unaware of the kunai lying behind them. A kunai marked with a simple phrase: Your father is here!
The five Rashōmon Gates had shattered the battlefield. The two Kirigakure shinobi struck earlier were already dead.
Kazuyama smirked in satisfaction. Who said the Rashōmon Gates couldn't kill? He had just used them to take down two enemies.
His figure blurred. In the next instant, he reappeared in front of the retreating trio.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?"
"Many Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Countless serpents shot forward, ensnaring all three—including the Kirigakure captain.
"Just die quietly."
Kazuyama raised his kunai for a swift execution. The battle had made too much noise already.
But just as his blade struck, a sudden change occurred.
"Lightning Burial: Banquet of Lightning!"
Bolts of electricity erupted from the ground. At the first sign of lightning, Kazuyama instantly teleported away using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
The remaining two Kirigakure ninjas weren't as lucky.
The lightning engulfed them, crackling violently through their bodies. When the storm finally ceased, the two had been reduced to charred corpses.