Jinin Akebino's face darkened so much it looked as though water might drip from it.
The plan for the all-out offensive had been completely ruined.
Those explosive eggs falling from the sky had killed close to a thousand Kirigakure shinobi in an instant.
Part of it was because the attack had come too suddenly, and the eggs' power truly was enormous.
But the other part was because the Kirigakure shinobi had been too concentrated.
Because they were packed together, the explosions caused vastly greater casualties.
And with everyone crammed together, even running was difficult.
In the chaos, some Kirigakure shinobi did not die in the blasts at all, but beneath the feet of their own comrades.
One step. Then another.
A Kirigakure shinobi was trampled to death by his own village's people.
And Yata Crow's attack still had not stopped.
Explosive eggs continued falling from above.
"It must be Suikazan!"
"I already felt something was off about that bastard earlier."
"He changed completely after the failed ambush on Pakura."
"Last time, we had such a perfect opportunity, and he chose to retreat on his own."
"This entire operation was planned by Suikazan from start to finish. The timing, the location, everything. And under those circumstances, we just so happened to suffer this kind of attack?"
"I don't believe for a second that Suikazan had nothing to do with it."
"If not for Suikazan, how would Sunagakure know our exact location?"
"How would they know our timing?"
"Fuguki Suikazan sold out the village. He's a traitor!"
In Jinin Akebino's mind, Fuguki Suikazan had already been condemned.
But he also knew that, at a time like this, the more urgent matter was to stabilize the Kirigakure army, which had already fallen into chaos.
"Spread out!"
"All shinobi with long-range attacks, come to me!"
Jinin Akebino stared fixedly at Yata Crow in the sky.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!"
A Kirigakure shinobi rapidly formed seals, and in the next moment, a water dragon shot upward toward the sky.
Elsewhere, another Kirigakure shinobi flicked his wrist, sending more than a dozen shuriken flying upward.
But it was useless.
Yata Crow was flying too high—so high that ordinary Kirigakure shinobi's attacks could not possibly reach it.
They could not even graze it.
An explosive egg plunged straight toward the group of shinobi Jinin Akebino had only just managed to organize.
Boom!
With a tremendous explosion, another wave of Kirigakure shinobi was killed.
A massive crater appeared in the earth below.
Rasa looked down from above.
Expressions of despair spread across the faces of the Kirigakure shinobi.
"We can't hit it! We can't hit it at all!"
"We're just targets!"
"What kind of summoning beast is this?"
"Run! Hurry, run!"
"..."
Yata Crow's enormous body circled in the high sky.
Below, the Kirigakure shinobi scattered like startled birds and beasts.
In a short span of time, it was impossible for them to organize any kind of offensive again.
Yata Crow let out a cry.
It was in an excellent mood now. Watching so many Kirigakure shinobi die beneath its bombardment, Yata Crow felt all the resentment in its heart evaporate.
Its thoughts felt utterly refreshed.
Its anger had been fully vented.
The only issue was that Yata Crow had laid too many explosive eggs in one go and was already nearing exhaustion.
But even if it could keep going, with the Kirigakure army now so scattered, a single egg dropped down would kill only a handful—at most a dozen or so.
As for lowering their altitude and using Magnet Release to attack the Kirigakure shinobi—
Rasa had no such intention.
That would be handing Kirigakure an opportunity.
Rasa himself might be fine.
But Yata Crow's body was too large. Once it descended, it would become a living target.
A dozen attacks, or even several dozen, would pose little threat to Yata Crow.
But once the number reached the hundreds—or thousands—
Yata Crow would absolutely not be able to withstand it.
Even the Third Raikage had fallen to Iwagakure's human-wave tactics.
No matter how strong Yata Crow was, it was still not the Third Raikage.
Jinin Akebino's face looked terrible.
"It's ruined. Everything's ruined!"
The entire Kirigakure army had descended into chaos. Unless they could bring down the giant bird in the sky immediately, there was no way to regather the troops in a short time.
In other words—
This operation to launch an all-out assault on the Sunagakure army had ended before it had even begun.
Jinin Akebino glared up at Yata Crow.
"Damn it!"
The failure of the all-out offensive was only part of the problem.
What worried him more was that the Third Mizukage might pin the blame for everything onto him.
Nominally, the commander was Hozuki Yunwu. But everyone among the higher-ups knew that Yunwu had no talent for command at all. He was just there for appearances.
If someone had to take responsibility, that responsibility would definitely fall on him.
That was exactly why Jinin Akebino cared so much.
And now, the operation had failed.
What kind of punishment would he suffer?
Last time, when he had done nothing wrong, he had already been stripped of his command.
What about this time?
"This isn't my fault."
"It's all Suikazan's fault!"
"Fuguki Suikazan definitely colluded with Sunagakure and sold out Kirigakure!"
...
...
Elsewhere, Genjiro and the others were frowning.
Judging by the time, the Kirigakure army's frontal assault should already have begun.
And yet there was still no movement at all.
"What's going on?"
"Could Hozuki Yunwu have betrayed the village?"
"But Jinin Akebino is still there."
Fuguki Suikazan was growing increasingly anxious.
This operation had been designed by him.
So if something had gone wrong, he would naturally be the most anxious of all.
"Who'll take over for me?"
"I will!"
Terumi Mei's eyes lit up and she rushed forward at once.
Fuguki Suikazan hesitated briefly, but still stepped back.
Terumi Mei looked at Pakura, excitement plain on her face.
"Sunagakure's hero, Pakura. I've heard your name for a long time now. Everyone says your strength is extraordinary—that among the kunoichi of this era, you are the greatest. Please, teach me."
Pakura narrowed her eyes slightly.
"And you are?"
"Terumi Mei of Kirigakure!"
As she spoke, Terumi Mei began forming seals.
"Take this."
"Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique!"
Pakura's brows lifted slightly.
"A Kekkei Genkai? No wonder you dared face me directly. But you're far too naive. A shinobi's strength is not determined by Kekkei Genkai alone. More than anything, it comes from relentless training, day after day."
"You're still far too early."
Pakura twisted her body and dodged Terumi Mei's attack.
Then, while still in midair, she adjusted her posture.
In the next instant, she charged straight toward Terumi Mei.
Terumi Mei's expression changed.
And just then—
Whoosh!
A sharp sound cut through the air as Kushimaru Kuriarare arrived in time, intercepting Pakura.
Genjiro's heart tightened. Only after seeing that Terumi Mei was unharmed did he finally let out a breath of relief.
Then he turned to look at Fuguki Suikazan, and his gaze gained a trace of displeasure.
But Suikazan never noticed.
At this moment, all his thoughts were focused on why the Kirigakure army had not arrived yet.
"Lord Genjiro, have we received any news?"
"What's going on with Hozuki Yunwu?"
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