Without forming any hand seals, Mizuki Ryosuke swung his ice spear forward.
"Shh!"
A thick ice wall, spanning five meters in width, materialized instantly, intercepting Hanzō of the Salamander's Iai Slash. Despite the unparalleled sharpness of the technique, the blade barely managed to chip away at the frozen barrier, scattering shards of ice into the air.
This brief exchange wasn't just an attack—it was a test. A silent acknowledgment of their positions.
Taking the opportunity, Ryosuke adjusted his stance, bowing slightly as he turned his broad back toward the wounded Tsunade.
"Get on. Now."
His voice was calm, yet firm.
Tsunade, despite the agony from the deep wound in her abdomen, gritted her teeth and did not hesitate. Wrapping her arms tightly around Ryosuke's chest, she pressed her body against his back, her long, toned legs locking around his waist for support.
The warmth of her body, even amid the cold battlefield, sent a strange ripple through Ryosuke's heart.
"So this… is the future Fifth Hokage…"
Yet, there was no time for such thoughts. Tsunade's injuries were severe, and hesitation meant death.
"Hold on—I'll get us out of here."
Ignoring the burning pain in her stomach, Tsunade leaned forward and whispered into Ryosuke's ear, her breath warm against his skin.
Ryosuke briefly turned his head and met her determined gaze, already deducing her escape plan.
But first, there was a battle to fight.
Hanzō of the Salamander narrowed his sharp eyes. Even if they didn't need to fight to the death, a fake battle wouldn't fool the elite shinobi surrounding them. Besides, their relationship was fragile—Hanzō wouldn't pass up the opportunity to test the true strength of the Fourth Mizukage.
Mizuki Ryosuke tightened his grip on his ice spear, shifting into an aggressive stance.
"Move."
With that single command, Hanzō vanished.
The surrounding Rain Shinobi tensed at the chilling words. Then, without hesitation, they scattered—knowing all too well that staying too close to Hanzō when he truly got serious was a death sentence.
Mizuki Ryosuke reacted instantly.
Ice Release: Frozen Hall of Mist!
Driving the ice spear into the ground, Ryosuke summoned a semi-circular dome of thick ice around himself.
For two years, he had refined his Ice Release techniques, honing them to the point where he could now cast most Ice Ninjutsu without hand seals. However, there was a catch—he needed a medium composed of pure ice to channel his power effectively.
His ice spear was that medium.
Against any other opponent, such a defense would have bought ample time.
But Hanzō was no ordinary shinobi.
Appearing within a breath's span, the legendary Rain Shinobi leader swung his scythe with terrifying precision.
This time, Hanzō wasn't holding back.
The Chakra-conducting metal of his Kusarigama (linked sickle and chain) glowed with a faint blue hue, enhancing its lethality. This was the same rare material used to forge Sarutobi Asuma's Flying Swallow blades—capable of transmitting chakra through weapons to amplify their cutting power.
Hanzō's blade sliced through the ice barrier as if it were paper.
But Mizuki Ryosuke had been waiting for this moment.
His ice spear shifted, transforming mid-swing into a colossal spiked war hammer.
Ice Release: Colossal Frost Hammer!
"Hah!"
With a deafening roar, Ryosuke unleashed a devastating downward smash, his muscles surging with a combination of Yang Release and Tsunade's own superhuman strength technique.
"WHOOSH!"
The air itself seemed to shatter from the sheer force of the swing.
Hanzō's pupils contracted, his instincts screaming at him—this blow was beyond lethal.
With no time to counter, he raised his Kusarigama in defense.
"BOOM!"
The impact was earth-shaking.
The force bent the reinforced metal of Hanzō's weapon, sending him hurtling backward like a launched projectile.
But the attack wasn't over yet.
Upon contact, the frost hammer detonated, sending thousands of razor-sharp ice shards flying toward Hanzō like a frozen explosion.
From any normal perspective, it looked like the Demi-God of the Shinobi World had just been crushed.
Yet, Ryosuke's sharp gaze remained unreadable.
Something felt off.
"That strike… felt like I hit air instead of solid mass."
Realization dawned on him—Hanzō had used a special melee technique to disperse the impact.
Sure enough, midair, Hanzō twisted his body, flicking his tattered cloak.
The black fabric, imbued with a unique defensive property, absorbed the remnants of the shattered ice, deflecting every single shard.
Despite being thrown across the battlefield, Hanzō landed without a scratch.
The so-called demigod lived up to his reputation.
Still airborne, Hanzō's Kusarigama suddenly whipped forward, the deadly hooked blade spinning toward Ryosuke at a near-impossible angle.
"Damn—!"
Ryosuke barely had time to react. With Tsunade on his back, dodging was not an option.
Instead, he raised his free arm, letting chakra surge outward as a layer of pure ice enveloped his body.
Ice Release: Frost Armor—Saint Cloth Form!
"CLANG!"
The Chakra-enhanced scythe struck the ice armor, sparks flying.
Despite its legendary cutting ability, the weapon failed to pierce through.
Hanzō, however, was one step ahead.
The chain attached to the Kusarigama suddenly coiled around the impact point, hooking onto Ryosuke's armor.
Instead of falling back, Hanzō yanked himself forward—using the chain as a grappling hook to pull himself toward Ryosuke!
Their battle was about to enter its next phase.
The Fourth Mizukage vs. the Demigod of the Shinobi World.
And neither side was willing to yield.
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