Chapter 55: Victory or Defeat

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Ah!
A painful scream echoed over the sea.
A Cloud Ninja was suspended midair, a jet of water piercing directly through his abdomen, and he fell screaming.
Another Cloud Ninja moved through the air using wind-style techniques, evading the water attack.
Earlier it had been four against one, now two against one!
“That guy…”
Cloud Ninja Jonin Shuu stared at Genichi Kusashita, who had just surfaced from underwater: “That illusion didn’t affect him at all; instead, he turned it against us, that damn brat…”
Forming hand signs, Jonin Shuu unleashed his lightning-style Illusion of Thunder Pillars to block vision again.
Genichi Kusashita closed his eyes and formed the Tiger seal.
Illusion—Technique of the Path of Darkness!
This time, he blocked the vision of both opponents.
*Clap, clap, clap*—the sound of footsteps skimming the water’s surface rang in his ears.
Genichi realized that one Cloud Ninja was rushing directly at him, while the other circled behind—this one was the one who had used the illusion.
Forming hand signs once more, he executed Water Style—Water Array Wall!
Water surged upward around him, spinning in a protective barrier.
Only then did he open his eyes.
The shimmering water remained, and the Thunder Pillars of Lightning Style still hovered.
Jonin Shuu maintained the technique, while the other Cloud Ninja charged toward the battlefield behind Genichi.
Meanwhile, the other Cloud Ninja with a blade had broken free from the Path of Darkness illusion and leapt down from the sky.
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!*
Shuriken flew from the falling Cloud Ninja’s hands.
Genichi dodged nimbly, then vaulted upward, drawing a sword in each hand.
At that moment, the spinning water array wall lost control and began to fall.
*Clang!*
Sparks flew.
The two clashed midair; the Cloud Ninja raised his sword to block Genichi’s twin blade strike.
After a brief pause, Genichi began to descend, while the Cloud Ninja used the force of the twin strike to swing back up.
The Cloud Ninja immediately bit down on his own ninja blade and formed hand signs rapidly.
Wind Style!
Judging the situation as he fell, Genichi swiftly sheathed his swords and, as his feet touched the water’s surface, clapped his hands together.
The water still falling around him was once again controlled by Genichi and gathered above his head to form a defense.
Just then, a strong gust of wind blasted from the Cloud Ninja’s mouth overhead.
Boom!
Water splashed everywhere.

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*Smack!*
The Cloud Ninja landed and immediately closed in with his blade.
At the same time, Jonin Shuu circled behind Genichi, brandishing kunai to attack.
Genichi held his swords with both hands, fending off the relentless assault of the two Cloud Ninjas.
He was being overwhelmed.
The two ninjas pressed in close, giving him no chance to form hand seals.
Just then, the towering water array wall behind suddenly crashed down with a thunderous roar.
Several figures swiftly retreated, pursued closely by Sakumo Hatake and others.
“Ryuuun, retreat!”
Jonin Shuu shouted at the Cloud Ninjas assaulting Genichi.
The blade-wielding ninja immediately withdrew, and Jonin Shuu stepped back, forming hand signs to deploy the Thunder Pillars illusion again.
But in the next moment, his body split in two and exploded into smoke with a *boom*.
Sakumo Hatake appeared before Genichi: “Genichi, are you alright?”
Genichi panted lightly, blood streaking his left arm and right leg, drops falling onto the sea surface: “I’m fine, just a minor injury.”
Facing two attackers, even if one was only a clone, was not easy—Cloud Ninjas were formidable opponents.
Sheathing his blades, Genichi immediately employed the Soldier’s Technique, stopping the bleeding and quickly healing his wounds.
His eyes fixed on the opposite side.
Killer Bee was being supported backward by Ai, a wound ran across his chest and abdomen, another on his neck, blood staining his torso. Yet Genichi noticed the wounds were healing rapidly.
Even without being a sensory ninja, he could sense a unique power emanating from Killer Bee.
Eight-Tails Chakra!
Looking at Ai, the future Fourth Raikage, he also bore a deep slash across his chest, though no blood flowed from it.
At this moment, Ai’s hair stood on end, his lightning chakra mode clearly pushed to its maximum.
However, Ai was surely not as strong now as he had been during the Third Great Ninja War; that chest wound was clearly inflicted by their teacher, Sakumo Hatake.
“Truly the White Fang of Konoha!”
Ai muttered grudgingly, then led everyone in retreat, even taking the bodies of their comrades floating on the sea.
They had come in six; only three remained standing when they left.
Two were dead, and Killer Bee was severely wounded.
As the Cloud Ninjas prepared to board their ship, Uchiha Ryouichi looked reluctant: “Captain…”
Sakumo shook his head: “No more fighting. Let’s go back.”
Mutou and Muui exhaled in relief.
They didn’t want to fight anymore.
Especially Mutou; though a Jonin, the gap between him and Sakumo or Ai was vast.
Even Killer Bee was stronger than him.
If not for Sakumo, he suspected he would have been wiped out by that powerful Cloud Ninja in an instant.
If they continued fighting, a warrior like Sakumo would not fear it.

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Uchiha Ryouichi was not afraid either because Sakumo would always come to save his subordinates first.
He and Muui were different; if anyone was to die, it would be them first.
…
The thoughts of the Grass Ninja went unnoticed.
Hearing Uchiha Ryouichi’s voice, Genichi turned to see a gruesome wound on his right cheek, flesh torn outward, nearly reaching his left eye.
“Hurry back to the ship, I’ll heal your wounds,” Genichi said promptly.
The group returned to the ship.
Two vessels began to separate, one heading south, the other east.
Onboard, Genichi treated Uchiha Ryouichi’s injuries.
They were not especially severe.
Though scars would surely remain.
Sitting nearby, In Yama’sho hesitated before speaking: “Captain, that guy…”
Sakumo said, “That guy is probably a Tailed Beast Jinchuriki!”
“Jinchuriki!”
Mutou exclaimed, while Muui looked bewildered.
Uchiha Ryouichi also suddenly understood: “So that’s it.”
He had sensed something different about Killer Bee.
Bee had been caught by his illusions, but broke free too quickly; the facial wound was inflicted then.
If Bee hadn’t been so alert and quick, that slash might have been fatal.
As for the cut on Bee’s neck, that was not his doing but Sakumo’s.
Ai had been slashed across the chest by Sakumo while protecting Bee.
However, Ai’s lightning chakra mode offered strong defense; the wound only cut through skin and flesh, not fatal.
“Also, that guy named Ai should be the son of the Third Raikage.”
Sakumo noted, “A very formidable young man; his lightning chakra mode is highly refined.”
His slash only broke Ai’s defense without causing serious injury, showing his skill.
Even in one-on-one combat, the two would likely be evenly matched.
This time, Genichi created favorable conditions; Killer Bee threw Ai off balance.
That was why Sakumo did not pursue.
If the Tailed Beast had been unleashed along with Ai, they might have lost several people.
After speaking of the Cloud Ninjas, Sakumo turned to Genichi with a smile in his eyes.
His disciple was becoming more and more outstanding.