The relentless bombardment from the Ame-nin (Rain Shinobi) had turned the once-solid city walls into crumbling ruins. As the enemy increased their assault, Tsunade's instincts screamed at her to move. With a swift sidestep, she barely evaded the brunt of the explosions, but the sheer force sent debris flying in all directions.
A dull, resounding thud echoed as an Ame-nin was sent hurtling through the air like a broken doll, crashing into the remains of a nearby building.
"Boom!!!"
Tsunade seized the momentary gap in the enemy's formation and charged forward.
"Hahh!!"
She drove her fist into the earth, channeling her monstrous strength. The ground shattered violently beneath her, sending a shockwave outward and disrupting the Rain Shinobi's coordinated assault.
Wasting time in prolonged combat would only drain her strength. If she could incapacitate or eliminate them swiftly, she could extract valuable intelligence from their minds later using Konoha's interrogation techniques.
Sensing her attempt to escape, three Rain Shinobi simultaneously weaved hand seals.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
A wave of searing flames engulfed the battlefield, consuming everything in its path. The intense heat distorted the air, making it impossible to see beyond the inferno.
But just as the Ame-nin thought their target had perished, a figure emerged from the fire.
The whisper of a blade slicing through air barely reached Tsunade's ears—a sound so faint, so precise, it was like the grim reaper whispering in the dark.
She twisted her body at the last possible moment, avoiding a fatal blow but feeling the cold steel graze her side.
Blocking six near-simultaneous attacks from the front was no easy feat, but she had no choice.
"Tch—!"
Her breathing grew heavier. The distinct sound of respiration through a gas mask filled the battlefield, sending a chilling sensation down her spine. She recognized that sound—Ame-nin elites who had undergone brutal training under Hanzō of the Salamander himself. These were no ordinary ninja; they were trained executioners, their loyalty absolute, their hesitation nonexistent.
Tsunade's shoulder burned, the charred skin blackened from the earlier flames. Her right arm throbbed, the nerves momentarily unresponsive. She knew without looking that she wouldn't be able to use it effectively for a while.
That strike… It's him.
The attack that had nearly bisected her was no ordinary sword stroke—it was an Iaidō technique wielded by none other than Hanzō of the Salamander, the legendary leader of Amegakure.
"Boom!!!"
Summoning every ounce of strength she had left, Tsunade drove her fist into the ground. The sheer force of her Superhuman Strength sent a devastating shockwave outward. The elite Rain Shinobi closest to her had no time to react—some were sent flying, others crumpled under the overwhelming impact.
Yet, she didn't press the attack. She couldn't afford to.
Hanzō stood just beyond the carnage, watching her with cold, impassive eyes. His presence alone was suffocating.
Against an opponent of this caliber, Tsunade knew better than to expect a drawn-out fight—he wouldn't bother capturing her alive.
Suddenly, a familiar weight pressed against her back.
Katsuyu!
The blue-and-white slug had been with her all along, hidden until now.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Three Rain Shinobi launched Wind Style: Gale Palm in rapid succession. The cutting gales threatened to slice through anything in their path.
But as their steel blades connected with Katsuyu, the result was unexpected.
The kunai and swords sank into the slug's gelatinous body, getting trapped in its thick mucus. The weapons became useless, their wielders unable to retrieve them.
Tsunade's breathing was ragged. Her abdomen wound, a deep and vicious gash, continued to bleed despite her best efforts. She knew that excessive movement would only worsen the injury.
Tch. This is bad.
Refusing to be slowed down, she lashed out.
"Haaah!!"
A dozen elite Rain Shinobi were blasted back like ragdolls under the force of her punch.
Despite this, her vision blurred for a moment. Blood loss. Pain. She couldn't afford to collapse now.
The sound of her own breath filled her ears, drowning out the rain that continued to fall in a slow, rhythmic pattern.
Above, on the rooftops, more Ame-nin prepared for another strike.
A violent gust of wind picked up—the prelude to another attack.
"Boom!!!"
A massive explosion from a cluster of paper bombs detonated, sending shockwaves across the battlefield.
Tsunade gritted her teeth, barely able to stabilize her footing.
"Not yet…!"
Wind howled around her as swords and kunai rained down. Her escape routes were sealed off.
Then—
Crack!
She felt it. The sharp, unmistakable sensation of a tendon snapping. A blade had nicked her Achilles tendon, slowing her movement.
But Tsunade refused to stop.
The Strength of a Hundred Seal on her forehead pulsed, spreading jet-black markings across her face. With a surge of chakra, her injuries began mending at an accelerated rate.
"Tch."
She clenched her fists. The wind pressure alone from her movements was enough to keep the flames at bay, but even so, she couldn't avoid all of it. Burns covered her shoulders and back, the heat licking at her skin.
As her wounds closed, she realized something.
This wasn't just an ordinary battalion of elite shinobi.
A single glance at their leader confirmed it.
The green-haired man, wielding a kusarigama, moved with a lethal grace, his attack pattern precise and unrelenting.
Hanzō.
The "Demigod" of the shinobi world.
And he was walking toward her.
The overwhelming aura of death surrounded him, his mere presence suffocating.
Tsunade inhaled deeply, gritting her teeth against the pain.
She had to move.
The battlefield was closing in.
Without hesitation, she slammed her left arm into an enemy's chest, sending him flying, and darted toward the opening she had created.
But just as she was about to break free—
Schlk!
A kunai grazed her cheek.
"How much longer, Katsuyu?!" Tsunade called out mentally.
"Seven more minutes, Tsunade-sama!"
Damn it…
Seven minutes in a battle of this scale was an eternity.
Tsunade barely dodged another slash, twisting her body to lessen the impact.
Blood splattered onto the cold, wet ground.
But she wasn't done yet.
Even with the odds stacked against her, as long as she could fight—she would find a way to survive.
Tsunade exhaled, steadying herself.
One last gamble.
She planted her feet.
"Come on, then!"
With a furious roar, she charged forward once more.
And so, the battle continued.
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ ADVANCE 140+ CHAPTERS
Patreon.com/Kora_1