Chapter 280: Kitsuchi
Tsunade's face was full of anger: "I want you to make a promise that Iwagakure will not be the first to join the war, and will not unilaterally expand the scale of the war. Just one promise, is it that difficult?"
The Third Tsuchikage was even more defiant than her: "I will not make such a promise. Our Iwagakure is different from your kind of village that goes back on its word. We value promises more; we will not casually promise things we cannot do."
"Don't think we don't know, your Iwagakure has been secretly employing the Akatsuki for combat."
"This old man has no idea what you're talking about!"
The two quickly started arguing.
Shizune held Tonton, listening with a worried expression.
Ino, on the other hand, was looking around. How exciting! Arguing with the Third Tsuchikage at the gates of Iwagakure! Should I run east or west later? If I don't reveal the giant clay bird, can I escape?
The Flying Thunder God Technique was improved in the hands of the Fourth Hokage, greatly increasing its teleportation distance. What Ino and the others learned was still the old version, the Second Hokage's Flying Thunder God. This ninjutsu had a maximum teleportation distance limit, and the chakra consumed would increase exponentially with the extension of the distance.
Ino estimated that if she used the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape, she should be able to get away.
She looked at her "inside contact," Kurotsuchi. Kurotsuchi wanted to meet her gaze, but for some reason, felt a sense of guilt and her eyes involuntarily flickered away.
"Let's make a bet!" Tsunade said in her very characteristic style. "Let your granddaughter fight my disciple. If you win, we'll turn around and leave. If you lose, you just have to promise not to be the first to join the war. How about it? Do you dare to bet!"
The Third Tsuchikage, with a stern face, looked very seriously at Shizune. The fair-legged senior apprentice-sister held the pet pig, smiling while pointing at Ino to her right, meaning, "Look for her, don't look at me."
Ino gave a fawning smile and nodded, feigning weakness. The Third Tsuchikage "hmphed."
As an old ninja who had lived from the Warring States period to the present day, he had seen too many people and too many things.
Although it was often difficult to gauge strength without a fight, some temperamental aspects couldn't be hidden.
Even adding Ino's two lifetimes together, she wasn't as old as the little old man. Her concealment was meaningless.
Tsunade's disciple was a whole lot stronger than his granddaughter! The Third Tsuchikage read this information from Ino's expression and movements.
He raised his head: "Tsunade, as descendants of the First Tsuchikage and the First Hokage, you and this old man are considered peers. I won't bully you. Your disciple should be of the same generation as my son. Let Kitsuchi fight her. Do you dare to bet?"
The problem was now back on Tsunade's side.
Kitsuchi was the father, Kurotsuchi the daughter; there was a huge disparity in age, experience, ninjutsu, and chakra.
Ino looked up at Kitsuchi's 2.17-meter frame. Good heavens! Those arms, those legs, that waist, as robust as a giant. Could her small frame win against that?
This brawny man could suppress the Gedo Statue and the Ten-Tails with Earth Release, and could send a tailed-beast-transformed Kinkaku flying with a single punch. He was definitely Kage-level. She really didn't have much confidence in winning against such a strong enemy.
The fight against Konan had a bit of letting water go, plus the oil transformation countered Konan. Now, facing Kitsuchi, there was no counter to speak of. On the contrary, his Earth Release countered Ino's Water Release.
Facing Yugito Nii, Tsunade would let Ino try, but facing Kitsuchi was a bit risky. Speaking of which, Kitsuchi was an veteran ninja of the same generation as Ino's father.
Ino really wanted Kurotsuchi to step up and fight at this moment. Unfortunately, the last mental suggestion was a bit too much. Now, this girl's eyes would wander whenever she saw her, without any hint of anger or feeling underestimated.
Kitsuchi was also very quiet, unfazed by praise or blame, completely lacking the impatience or dissatisfaction of fighting a junior. It seemed he had practiced the Will of Stone to its extreme.
Ino felt her momentum was a bit weak, so she took a step forward.
"Lord Tsuchikage, Senior Kitsuchi, I am very willing to spar with Senior Kitsuchi, but..." She smiled. "But my techniques are quite powerful. I'm afraid that if I'm not careful, I might injure Senior Kitsuchi and affect the relationship between our two villages. How about I demonstrate my ninjutsu? If you think you can defend against it, then we'll fight. If you think you can't, we can discuss it further. What do you say?"
The Third Tsuchikage stared at her for a while, then turned his head and asked his son with his eyes.
Kitsuchi nodded silently, agreeing to this condition.
Iwagakure lacked nothing more than stones.
Hearing that Ino needed a large stone for her ninjutsu demonstration, the Third Tsuchikage had someone bring over a seven or eight-meter-high, jet-black mountain rock.
Ino took two deep breaths, faced the mountain rock, raised her right hand, and the chakra sphere in her hand rapidly compressed. Its rotation speed increased, and the accumulated chakra grew more and more.
"Great Ball Rasengan!" Creating a Rasengan one meter in diameter, she pressed it directly into the center of the mountain rock!
The Great Ball Rasengan's rotation speed was extremely fast, and its chakra-cutting ability was unparalleled.
In one second, it pierced through the mountain rock. The surface of the rock no longer showed spiderweb-like cracks, but instead, a perfectly smooth, enormous hole appeared in the central area. Judging by the marks, it looked as if it had been entirely cut out by some mechanical device.
After Kitsuchi saw it, his expression remained unchanged, clearly unafraid: "It's the Fourth Hokage's ninjutsu, right? I've seen this move before."
Ino couldn't back down either: "Alright, I'll experience senior's Earth Release ninjutsu then!"
This wasn't Ino looking down on him; Kitsuchi indeed only knew Earth Release. Unlike Ino, who had developed six chakra natures – Water, Earth, Wind, Fire, Yin, and Yang – Kitsuchi appeared very slow in attribute development. But this man also had his merits. Relying on his rock-solid tenacity and will, he painstakingly practiced Earth Release, forcing it to an extreme level.
"I hear you are a ninja who is very skilled in using Water Release ninjutsu. I have a bit of an advantage this time," Kitsuchi said very frankly.
Earth counters Water. If Ino only used Water Release, she would indeed be at a disadvantage.
She said nonchalantly, "It's alright, senior. My teacher has also taught me many Earth Release ninjutsu."
Tsunade proudly puffed out her chest. That's right, don't look at me drinking and gambling all day; this old lady knows Earth Release too!
Shizune covered her face, truly too embarrassed to look.
You, a Konoha ninja, want to use Earth Release in our Iwagakure?
Kurotsuchi, Akatsuchi, and many Iwagakure ninjas, including the Third Tsuchikage, looked over. Kitsuchi wanted to see what level this Konoha ninja's Earth Release could reach and motioned for her to make the first move.
It had to be said, this kind of senior ninja world figure had more grace than someone like Yugito Nii, who would rush over for close combat.
Kumogakure ninjas were characterized by their impulsiveness; they were hasty in everything they did. Now, the Iwagakure ninjas were very steady. Ino relatively preferred their style.
Once the unrelated personnel on both sides dispersed, she quickly formed hand seals, her fingers moving so fast that afterimages could be seen.
She started with the Third Hokage's Earth Release ninjutsu.
"Earth Release: Great Mud River Flow!"
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