Yagura's Tailed Beast Ball gathered once more, flying towards the Third Mizukage.
Unexpectedly, this time the Third Mizukage did not use a Sealing Technique to deal with the Tailed Beast Ball, but instead, charged forward to meet it, raising his right arm.
"Water Style: Great Dragon Arm!"
With a tearing sound!
The fabric on his right arm ripped, revealing aged, knotty muscle as he channeled all his Chakra into this one move.
A water dragon gathered on his arm, fiercely smashing down towards the Tailed Beast Ball.
The Tailed Beast Ball cracked open, with blistering white light shooting out from the fissures, making it impossible to keep one's eyes open.
Yagura's pupils narrowed.
The astounding explosion swept both him and the Third Mizukage into its midst.
A sharp screech and the blinding light overwhelmed Yagura's senses.
Yet, relying on his instinct for danger, Yagura barely managed to dodge to the right amidst the terrifying storm generated by the explosion.
Pain came from his left arm, something had been lost.
Yagura grunted, quickly moving away from the explosion area and out of the dense dust.
His entire left arm had been sliced off by some sharp blade, fallen somewhere unknown.
Blood continuously sprayed from the wound. Yagura quickly wrapped the injury with his Tailed Beast Cloak to stop the bleeding.
Landing on a relatively flat platform of rubble, Yagura steadied his breath, cold sweat streaming down his face as he stared intently at the undissipated dust ahead.
The Third Mizukage walked out of the dust, his right arm bloody and mangled, clearly rendered useless.
To create an environment suitable for his Water Style Ninjutsu with the Tailed Beast Ball, he didn't hesitate to sacrifice an arm for the opportunity.
With such resolve, the Third Mizukage's murderous intent grew even stronger.
"You really are reckless, Third Mizukage."
Yagura breathed heavily, letting out a bitter smile.
Tailed Beast Chakra indeed provided him with self-healing effects, but the ability was limited and could not regenerate a lost arm out of nothing.
However, he had long prepared to lose his life.
Losing an arm would only slightly weaken his combat power, but it wouldn't affect the overall situation.
"You little brat! I won't allow you to do anything to this village!"
"If you could be just as resolute in other aspects, I wouldn't have reached this point. People only push themselves when forced, thus releasing resolve and power far beyond the norm. Currently, there's no fundamental difference between you and me."
Yagura sighed once.
"Rubbish! No matter the excuse you use to cover up your mistakes, I will never easily forgive someone who harms the village, Yagura!"
Enraged, the Third Mizukage shouted, unable to agree with Yagura's viewpoint.
"Even so, with your right arm crippled, you must have little Chakra left, right? Are you planning to sacrifice your left arm and continue fighting me?"
Yagura asked.
The expression on the Third Mizukage's face was indecisive; Yagura's toughness exceeded his expectations.
He originally thought the earlier move would severely injure Yagura, but it only cost him an arm.
How to defeat Yagura became the Third Mizukage's knotty problem.
"Yagura, have you forgotten about us?"
At this moment, as a voice rang out, several figures landed beside the Third Mizukage, staring at Yagura with shared animosity.
The appearing group were the high-ranking officials who had been observing the battle from the sidelines.
Some were supporters of Yagura, believing he had valid reasons for his actions, while others were neutrally observing.
However, those who rejected Yagura or were close to Fuguki saw the Third Mizukage nearing defeat. If they didn't come to his aid now, once he was defeated, Yagura's attention would turn to them.
At this moment, stepping forward as the Third Mizukage and Yagura both lay wounded, the timing was perfect.
"How rare, the rats from the gutters want to come out and see the sunshine?"
Yagura said, completely dismissing these guys.
Although these people together with the Third Mizukage could overpower him even with help from the Three-tails, it would mean he inevitably meets a bitter ending.
But they only stepped forward now when he and the Third Mizukage were both wounded, harboring ill intent, with ulterior motives.
The Third Mizukage also knew each of these high-ranking officials had their own agendas, but now the most important thing was to control Yagura and stabilize Hidden Mist.
"Careful or you'll bite your tongue, we won't let your scheme to control Hidden Mist through violence succeed."
One high-ranking official spoke with righteousness.
Yagura did not respond this time, but looked around.
The steps of the ruins had unknowingly filled with people, surrounding them heavily.
A large number of Hidden Mist Ninja gathered, each stained with blood and dusty, obviously after a tough battle, arriving here for support.
Seeing this, the Third Mizukage finally relaxed a breath.
Just the people here trying to suppress Yagura would be a bit risky, even bearing a heavy price.
But now, with more than a thousand elite Hidden Mist Ninja gathered, even if Yagura unleashed the Three-tails completely, they could easily subdue it.
"Yagura, surrender, your attempt to use force to control the village has failed. Since you became the Three-tailed Jinchuriki, for the future of the village, I'll spare your life."
The Third Mizukage made a promise.
It was also his final act of forgiveness.
If Yagura didn't cherish this chance, he could only destroy him along with the Three-tails.