On the battlefield, dust and sand swirled across the sky, wrapping the dim, yellow world in a heavy, opaque veil.
Hatake Sakumo moved with lightning speed, his figure appearing and vanishing amid the blowing dust. His short blade slashed with the ferocity of a driving gale, each swing carrying a sharp whistling sound as he launched a fierce assault on Shang Qi.
Shang Qi showed no fear. His gaze was steady and intense, burning as if with a raging fire. Clad in his indestructible armor, which emitted a cold gleam through the dusky haze, he extended the sharp short swords from his vambraces and resolutely met Hatake Sakumo's attack.
The moment blade and sword clashed, a crisp, sharp, and piercing series of impacts rang out. Sparks flew in all directions, like brilliant fireworks blooming in the night sky, briefly illuminating both of their faces through the dust.
Hatake Sakumo's swordsmanship was fierce and versatile, every strike containing immense power and exquisite technique. His short blade was at times as devious and erratic as a venomous snake, and at times as ferocious and powerful as a charging tiger.
After a few passes, Hatake Sakumo felt a jolt of surprise. He realized that Shang Qi was far more troublesome this time than in their previous fight. Shang Qi's defense was as tightly sealed as an impenetrable wall, his armor absorbing the vast majority of the attacks, while his counterattacks grew increasingly sharp and vicious.
Taking advantage of Hatake Sakumo's momentary distraction, a flash of ruthless intent crossed Shang Qi's eyes. He thrust his short sword forward like lightning, aiming directly at Hatake Sakumo's vital points.
Reacting swiftly, Hatake Sakumo agilely sidestepped the fatal blow and immediately followed up with a ferocious horizontal slash.
Shang Qi raised his vambraces to block the impact hard. The immense force sent a numbness through his arms, but he gritted his teeth without retreating an inch.
"This guy is improving at such a startling pace!" Hatake Sakumo thought to himself in astonishment.
He had originally expected to suppress Shang Qi as easily as he had last time, never anticipating that Shang Qi's strength could grow to such a degree in so short a time.
Shang Qi's attacks grew increasingly fierce. The short sword in his hand flickered like a snake's tongue—flexible and lethal—as he constantly sought out flaws in Hatake Sakumo's guard.
Hatake Sakumo, meanwhile, responded with composure, wielding his short blade with effortless mastery to neutralize wave after wave of Shang Qi's fierce onslaught.
As the battle wore on, Hatake Sakumo was surprised to discover that Shang Qi's offensive maneuvers actually carried the distinct shadow of the Hatake style of swordsmanship.
"You've actually managed to grasp the essence of the Hatake style!" Hatake Sakumo said in disbelief.
Shang Qi sneered, a trace of disdain crossing his face. "Your swordsmanship isn't all that impressive after all!"
With that, he charged once more. His figure darted across the battlefield like a phantom, the combination of his short swords and armor forming an unbreakable defense.
Hatake Sakumo did not shrink back. His gaze remained steady and focused, and his short blade danced in an airtight blur as he engaged Shang Qi in a fierce exchange of blows.
Every attack from Shang Qi was packed with overwhelming power, while Hatake Sakumo displayed the steady composure and rich experience of a veteran powerhouse. His swordsmanship grew increasingly refined, every movement perfectly timed as he sought out Shang Qi's weaknesses.
After a violent collision, the two men each retreated a few steps. Their breathing grew ragged, but their fighting spirit showed no sign of waning—instead, it burned brighter than ever.
"Again!" Shang Qi shouted, charging fiercely at Hatake Sakumo once more.
Hatake Sakumo did not flinch, resolutely meeting him head-on. Short blade and short swords crossed once more, producing a continuous series of ringing, powerful impacts as the battle entered a white-hot phase of intensity.
On the other side of the battlefield, the clash between Akimichi Torifu and Third Kazekage Retsuji was equally thrilling.
Akimichi Torifu took the initiative, his eyes wide as a formidable aura erupted from him. He activated his Multi-Size Technique, his body expanding instantly and his muscles bulging until his normally robust frame became colossal, brimming with shocking power.
He charged fiercely at the Third Kazekage, unleashing a devastatingly powerful heavy punch. The fist was as large as a small hill, accompanied by a howling gale.
Third Kazekage Retsuji, however, showed no panic. His gaze remained calm and collected as his hands wove through hand seals with fluid, practiced ease.
He executed "Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wall", causing vast quantities of iron sand to surge up from the ground and rapidly condense into an immensely sturdy wall that gleamed with a cold metallic sheen.
Akimichi Torifu's heavy punch slammed violently into the Iron Sand Wall, producing a muffled, thunderous roar that shook the entire battlefield. Yet the Iron Sand Wall did not budge an inch, successfully blocking Akimichi Torifu's attack.
Seeing his attack thwarted, Akimichi Torifu did not hesitate for a second, quickly adjusting his strategy.
He scooped up a massive boulder with both hands, the heavy stone seeming as light as a feather in his grip. Raising it high, he hurled it down forcefully toward the Third Kazekage.
Retsuji calmly manipulated the iron sand, causing it to quickly converge into multiple razor-sharp iron sand spears. Like rows of sharpened lances, they shot toward the boulder in midair.
The boulder was struck by the iron sand spears and shattered instantly, dissolving into countless rock fragments that rained down like a storm of debris.
The shattered stones pounded the earth, kicking up a cloud of dust and throwing the battlefield into even greater chaos.
Pressing his advantage, Retsuji quickly formed hand seals once more, executing Magnet Release: Iron Sand Drizzle.
Countless fine-needle-like formations of iron sand rose from the sandy ground around him, then rained down toward Akimichi Torifu.
Akimichi Torifu hurriedly concentrated his Chakra across the surface of his body, forming a light-blue protective membrane while leveraging the advantage of his enlarged physique to shield his vital areas with his thick arms.
The iron sand needles struck his body in a rapid succession of dense impacts, but they were all blocked by the protective membrane and his tough skin, failing to inflict any substantial harm.
Akimichi Torifu seized the opportunity to counterattack. He stamped his giant foot hard against the ground, rapidly closing the distance to the Third Kazekage.
His massive fists, wreathed in howling wind, rained continuous blows down upon Retsuji.
Retsuji used his Iron Sand Wings to take flight into the air, deftly dodging Akimichi Torifu's onslaught. His figure appeared light and agile in midair, forming a sharp contrast with Akimichi Torifu's colossal frame.
Launching an Iron Sand Feather assault from the sky, the iron sand wings on his shoulders fired countless tracking iron sand feathers, shooting toward Akimichi Torifu like a storm of arrows.
Facing such a dense barrage of attacks, Akimichi Torifu was unable to dodge entirely. Multiple iron sand feathers struck his body, leaving shallow gashes in his skin.
His mobility was somewhat restricted, but Akimichi Torifu did not give up.
Enduring the pain, he activated the Multi-Size Technique once more to enlarge his legs as well, then leaped powerfully into the air in an attempt to strike Retsuji overhead.
Seeing this, Retsuji immediately manipulated the iron sand to form a massive iron sand sphere, wrapping himself tightly inside it.
The surface of the iron sand sphere was smooth and sturdy, forming an impregnable iron sand defense.
Akimichi Torifu's attack landed on the sphere, denting the metal surface in several places, but it failed to break through.