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.
Leading the charge, Hasegawa quickly realized something was amiss. The hundred-meter distance should have been covered in an instant, yet the more he ran, the further the weasels seemed to get. How could their figures grow smaller instead of larger? Something was wrong—he must have fallen into a genjutsu!
He turned to seek help from his comrades, only to find that those who had been within arm's reach now appeared impossibly distant. No matter how he ran, he couldn't close the gap.
Finally catching his breath after expelling the last of the muddy water from his lungs, Kaminaru Heiji looked up—and his jaw dropped. The Iwagakure ninjas were moving in an incredibly peculiar manner, their actions slowed to a crawl, as if a film had been slowed down by 120 times. In the current situation, their exaggeratedly slow movements appeared downright comical.
"The guy with the bees, stop staring. Over here!"
Kaminaru Heiji looked around and spotted a one-eyed white weasel speaking to him. The white, red, and black weasels faced him while keeping their backs to the Iwagakure ninjas, their tiny paws forming hand seals. It seemed they were using some sort of jutsu. These must be Jinghang-sama's summoned beasts.
The white weasel spoke again. "Those people are trapped in our Ten Thousand Fragrance Formation genjutsu. Quickly, carry your injured comrade and get out of here. Cover your nose and mouth and hold your breath, or you'll get caught too!"
Kaminaru Heiji quickly complied, hoisting the injured Chiike Takamichi onto his back and retreating to the other end of the canyon. With his bee swarm gone, his combat effectiveness was severely reduced. Staying here would only hinder the others, so he decided to prioritize the safety of the wounded.
The three weasels were employing a unique genjutsu from the Xuanyuan Tomb. They released a special aromatic gas from their bodies, which dispersed into the air. When inhaled, it stimulated the brain to create illusions, rivaling the power of ocular genjutsu.
Meanwhile, the aerial battle between Kazama Xu and Jinghang was nearing its conclusion. The reason was simple: Kazama Xu's "chakra bar" was almost empty.
While Dust Release was undoubtedly powerful, its chakra consumption was immense. From the start of the battle, Kazama Xu had been using Dust Release extensively to counter Jinghang's iron sand. She had even unleashed her ultimate move, Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique. Combined with the continuous high-speed aerial chase, her chakra reserves were now severely depleted.
Her flight speed slowed, and Jinghang drew closer. This couldn't continue. Without a counterattack, she would inevitably fall to the iron sand. Her mind raced as she glanced at the canyon below, suddenly formulating a plan.
Jinghang, in hot pursuit, noticed Kazama Xu abruptly plummeting toward the ground, seemingly preparing to land. His iron sand continued its barrage, but a sense of caution arose in his heart.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
Kazama Xu landed gracefully, turning to erect a semi-circular earthen wall. Jinghang's iron sand barrage struck the wall, sending dust and debris flying.
"Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique!"
As Jinghang closed in on the wall, it suddenly shattered, revealing a massive rock fist, the size of a small mountain, hurtling toward him!
Jinghang neither dodged nor blocked. Instead, he channeled his strength into his right fist and punched directly at the rock fist.
With the power of Sage Mode enhancing his punch, his fist acted like a sharp chisel, driving deep into the massive rock fist. The force dispersed, shattering the rock into countless fragments.
Taking advantage of the momentum, Kazama Xu performed a backflip, her long legs tracing an elegant arc through the air. By the time she landed, her hands had already formed the necessary seals.
"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"
A semi-transparent cylindrical barrier appeared, but Jinghang evaded it with a sidestep.
Kazama Xu smirked wickedly.
The cylindrical barrier suddenly transformed, splitting into countless beams like a showerhead's spray. The expanded range instantly riddled Jinghang's body with countless small holes!
"Got him!" Kazama Xu exclaimed excitedly.
"Not quite," came a voice.
With a poof, the riddled Jinghang dissipated into white smoke. Simultaneously, a figure glowing with blue and gold energy appeared before Kazama Xu, delivering a powerful left hook that knocked her to the ground.
"You're quite clever, turning Dust Release into something so versatile. Luckily, I was cautious enough to prepare. Otherwise, I might have fallen for it. Iron Sand: Capturing Frame!"
Black iron chains wrapped around the unconscious Kazama Xu, binding her hands behind her back.
As early as Kazama Xu's use of the massive rock fist, Jinghang had sensed that her counterattack wouldn't be so straightforward. During the moment when the flying debris obscured her vision, he had created a shadow clone.
Taking a deep breath, Jinghang felt the toll of the battle. Just then, commotion erupted in the canyon below. Looking down, he saw the arrival of reinforcements from Sunagakure.
Relieved, Jinghang stepped onto his Iron Truth-Seeking Orb, carrying the unconscious Kazama Xu as he descended into the canyon.
The mission was a success. They rescued the captured Master Bunpuku and Wu Zhonghe, captured 25 Iwagakure ninjas, and eliminated 33 enemies. The rescue operation was a resounding success!
There was an error in this Chapter, and it has been corrected. Thank you all for the heads-up.