Naruto: Hatake's No Misfortune

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In Loquat Juzo's eyes, this was all part of Konoha's conspiracy—taking advantage of the current stability on the Lightning Country's front lines to send a group of elite shinobi to attack Kirigakure.

"Damn Konoha! We won't forget this. Once this is over, we must report to Lord Mizukage. Konoha will pay for this!"

However, Muzan wasn't going to give them the chance. Without the cover of the Hidden Mist and with the heat lingering from earlier, the battlefield had already been compromised.

"I won't be able to use the Hidden Mist Technique for a while."

"Mei Terumi, your jutsu has a wide range. Use Lava Release to take him down!"

After several attempts, it became clear that the enemy wasn't vulnerable to sword wounds. Only large-scale ninjutsu could potentially defeat Muzan.

The strength of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen lay in their blades. But even with the power of the Explosive Blade Shibuki and the Great Blade Samehada, they likely couldn't finish off Muzan.

"You want to rely on me?" Mei Terumi responded with a hint of surprise, but she knew the responsibility now rested on her shoulders. Her Lava Release had the potential to corrode even the toughest of opponents.

"Lava Release: Melting Apparition Jutsu!"

A torrent of acidic lava poured forth, hitting the ground with a hiss. White smoke rose into the air as the acid began to burn everything it touched.

"Ninjas really do rely on jutsu," Muzan muttered as his pupils contracted. The acid was effective, eroding the thorns he generated. While he could regenerate, the acid clung to him, continually eating away at his body.

Unlike Fire or Wind Release, which Muzan could heal from quickly, the lingering effects of Lava Release posed a greater challenge.

"Lava Release is indeed a troublesome kekkei genkai."

Muzan wasn't arrogant enough to think he was invincible. He knew there were abilities in the world of ninjutsu that could neutralize even his power. Rushing in recklessly would only lead to his downfall.

"Even if you can counter me to some extent, your strength is still too weak."

At this point, Terumi Mei was not yet the Mizukage from the Fourth Great Ninja War. While her Lava Release was formidable, her chakra reserves were still far behind Muzan's.

In battles between shinobi, chakra capacity often determined the outcome of powerful techniques.

"As for that acid... I'll return it to you!"

"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"

A sharp gust of wind surged from Muzan's mouth like a blade, but instead of attacking Mei Terumi or Loquat Juzo, he targeted the acid on the ground. The wind picked up the acidic mud, turning it into a deadly rain. The surrounding Kirigakure ninjas were filled with dread.

"Run! That's Mei-sama's acid! I don't want to melt alive!"

"Help! I'm covered in acid!"

"Retreat! Get away from the battlefield!"

Even though they were warriors of the infamous Bloody Mist, they weren't foolish. Faced with the deadly rain, they had no choice but to fall back.

"Hmm..."

Mei Terumi hadn't considered using Wind Release to spread her Lava Release farther. Muzan's actions inadvertently gave her an idea, and she made a mental note to incorporate it into her training after this battle.

"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!"

Just in time, Mei Terumi unleashed her Boil Release, neutralizing the acid rain as her eyes remained focused on Muzan. He had forced her to use two of her kekkei genkai, and her chakra reserves were running low.

Sweat dripped down her brow. After using Water Dragon Bullet and two Bloodline Limits, her stamina was depleting rapidly, and the battle had escalated too quickly.

Meanwhile, Muzan's chakra reserves seemed boundless, as he unleashed B-rank jutsu effortlessly. Powerful techniques demanded chakra in proportion to their strength, and Muzan's output was monstrous.

"How are you holding up?"

Loquat Juzo noticed Mei Terumi weakening. Without large-scale jutsu, they wouldn't be able to deal significant damage.

"Not great."

Muzan's presence was overwhelming the forces of Kirigakure. As he retracted his thorns, he prepared to engage in close combat.

Though Loquat Juzo was fast and capable of slicing through Muzan's body with his Decapitating Blade, it seemed futile.

"Foolish. You've missed your chance."

When fighting a medical-nin, one needed to be aware of both the enemy's chakra and the state of their own body. As Juzo raised his sword, he realized his hand wouldn't move, as if something had taken control of his muscles.

Even the Decapitating Blade slipped from his grip.

"What are you doing? You dropped your weapon?" Mei Terumi was shocked. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen valued their blades more than their lives.

"My hand!"

"Have your nerves been severed?"

A faint blue light flickered in Muzan's hand. Medical ninjutsu wasn't just for healing—it could disrupt an opponent's chakra flow and sever their nervous system. A single touch could paralyze or break control over one's muscles.

No matter how skilled a taijutsu fighter was, avoiding a split-second lapse in movement was nearly impossible. Loquat Juzo, unprepared for this, staggered as he attempted to pick up his fallen blade.

"Damn it."

He tried to adjust his stance, but Muzan gave him no opportunity. With Juzo out of the fight, Mei Terumi was quickly overwhelmed.

Even as she tried to retaliate with her acid, Muzan evaded effortlessly, closing the distance between them. Finding an opening, he struck Mei Terumi hard in the chest, sending her flying and coughing up blood.

"Cough... cough..."

Muzan didn't finish her off, instead turning his gaze toward the distance, sensing an ominous presence approaching.

"It looks like the real battle is about to begin."

The Five Great Shinobi Villages had the power to be called such for a reason. Even the weakest, Sunagakure, had its own "nuclear weapons"—the Tailed Beasts.

"The Mizukage…"

The two warriors battling ahead also sensed the arrival of overwhelming chakra. Pakura of the Scorch Release, once hailed as a hero of Sunagakure, recognized the ominous energy of the tailed beast.

"Isobu, the Three-Tails."

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The only person who could genuinely threaten Muzan was the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi. As a true Kage-level shinobi and the Jinchūriki of the Three-Tails, his power was undeniable.

"Every time I see a tailed beast, it's astonishing," Pakura commented, her eyes locked on the menacing figure before her.

She had always been cautious around tailed beasts. As the monk's body weakened, the seal on the tailed beast grew more fragile, requiring constant vigilance. Only a select few in the village could manage it.

Pakura was one of them.

There was an unspoken rule in the ninja world: the power of a tailed beast increases with the number of tails. The One-Tail in Sunagakure was considered the weakest. But the Three-Tails, and its Jinchūriki being a Mizukage, was a different story.

Even in her demonic form, she wasn't confident she could take on both the Mizukage and a tailed beast.

Instinctively, she moved closer to Yamanosatsu, following his lead.

When she glanced at him, however, she noticed how relaxed he seemed.

"Why aren't you worried?" Pakura asked, her voice tinged with concern. She had been preparing an escape plan, just in case, but Yamanosatsu's calm demeanor made her doubt her own caution.

Was there a way out of this?

"Why worry? No one can kill us," Yamanosatsu replied, not disclosing Muzan's true weakness. They were in Kirigakure, a village filled with sensory-type ninjas. If anyone overheard, discovering Muzan's weakness could be catastrophic.

"Can't be killed…"

Pakura reflected on her current condition. She could still recover from most injuries, whether from hidden wounds or deep cuts. But the true threat of a tailed beast lay in its Tailed Beast Bomb—a force capable of obliterating mountains. She wouldn't just be injured; she'd be erased.

She had survived too much to die here in Kirigakure.

"Boom! Crash!"

Suddenly, a massive figure appeared. Yagura had flawlessly transformed into the Three-Tails, though it seemed he was under some form of control.

Muzan had no intention of retreating. His body began expanding, spurred on by the darkness of the night—a time when he could unleash his full power without fear of the sun, his greatest weakness.

In mere moments, he had transformed into a towering giant.

"Roar!"

The surrounding ninjas gasped in shock and horror. The monstrous form before them defied understanding—was this truly a power any ninja could wield?

Even the Seven Ninja Swordsmen hesitated. They had seen giant beasts before, but those were always tailed beasts. This creature, however, was something else entirely, composed of pure flesh and muscle, exposed sinews amplifying its terrifying appearance.

Only a monster could fight another monster, and the thought unsettled everyone present.

"What is that?!"

"Why are we facing such a powerful enemy in Kirigakure?!"

"The moon… is it turning blood red? I hope our village can repel this invader."

Despite Yagura's oppressive rule over Kirigakure, he was still their Mizukage, and the only one who could stand against such an enemy.

Pakura and Yamanosatsu, both now demons, were taken aback by Muzan's transformation. Was this the true terror of a demon?

The Three-Tails, with its turtle-like form and spiked shell, was a near-perfect combination of offense and defense. But Muzan, with his unparalleled regenerative abilities, wasn't afraid. As long as night persisted, Muzan held the advantage.

Muzan didn't plan to kill Yagura. He had already achieved two objectives.

The first was rescuing Pakura from Sunagakure and reinforcing the Twelve Demon Moons.

The second was to reveal the Twelve Kizuki

Organization to the world, and what better way than by challenging one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages?

After today's battle, the name Twelve Kizuki would be etched into the history of the ninja world.

A single man against a shinobi village—this would be a tale passed down through generations.

Facing Yagura's full tailed-beast transformation, red chakra radiated from his body.

"Boom!"

Muzan's body was struck by coral, an attack Yagura wouldn't allow him time to counter.

Muzan's giant form slowed his movements, and as he raised his arm, Yagura's spiked shell crashed into him, tearing his flesh apart. Despite Muzan's size, his giant form was underdeveloped—imposing, but not as powerful as it appeared.

"Shadow Wheel!"

With a dull roar, the Three-Tails curled into a wheel, using its enormous weight to crush Muzan. But Muzan's rapid regeneration made the attack futile. He grabbed hold of the tailed beast without hesitation.

As he fused parts of the Three-Tails' body into his own, each movement from the giants shook the battlefield, cracking the earth and reducing nearby houses to rubble. Water from the surroundings began flooding the battlefield, a perfect advantage for the Three-Tails. If Yagura could drag Muzan into the water, he might be able to defeat him.

In this battle of titans, the ninjas on the sidelines could only watch. This was a fight beyond anything they had ever seen.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen hesitated to attack Pakura. They were waiting on the Mizukage. If Yagura fell, they'd be left as rogue ninjas, with no village to return to.

Many of them were already considering what would happen if Yagura failed to suppress the enemy. The end of the Bloody Mist's reign had been the hope of many, but they had never been able to overthrow Yagura's cruel rule.

Muzan's body sprouted thorny vines of flesh, attempting to entangle the Three-Tails. But the tailed beast's raw power, coupled with its spiked shell and relentless attack, made it an unstoppable force.

Yagura faced Muzan head-on.

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