Naruto: Hatake's No Misfortune

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"Fortunately, we have Muzan with us. Without him, we'd all be in real danger."

Cold sweat beaded on their foreheads, betraying the unease they tried to suppress. Surrounded by such dense thorns of peril, survival seemed like a distant hope.

"Stay alert. Someone's coming," Hizashi warned, his voice low but firm.

Freed from the Caged Bird Seal and equipped with his powerful abilities, Hizashi felt a strange evolution taking place in his eyes. Though not yet fully developed, this new power would need time to grow after the war. Despite this, his vision remained sharp, even in the darkness. He detected a powerful chakra signature in the distance—far more potent than the Iwa-nin around them—shining like a bright moon among stars.

He pointed in a specific direction. "Even Muzan will need to be cautious with this one."

"They're here!" Hizashi tightened his grip on his sword, eyes focused on the rapidly approaching figure. Muzan's form flickered, and in an instant, he was at the front, ready to face the threat head-on.

A massive fist of rock surged toward Muzan, threatening to crush him into the ground. But with a swift motion, Muzan dodged, narrowly avoiding the attack.

"Crack!"

The earth-shattering sound echoed as Muzan used his blade's sharp cutting edge to deflect the blow. He spotted his opponent—a powerful ninja rushing toward him. It was none other than Ōnoki's son, Kitsuchi!

The Earth Release technique Kitsuchi had just used was beyond that of an ordinary ninja. What surprised Muzan more was Kitsuchi's speed; he was also a formidable taijutsu specialist.

Both fighters recognized each other immediately. Muzan's expression grew serious, while Kitsuchi was slightly surprised.

"A black robe... and that sword?" Kitsuchi murmured.

Kitsuchi had studied the techniques of the legendary White Fang of Konoha, Hatake Sakumo. Muzan's appearance and fighting style quickly revealed his identity.

"I didn't expect to face a Hatake here..."

Despite Muzan's young age, Kitsuchi didn't underestimate him. Their brief exchange had proven that Muzan was no ordinary ninja—one who could break through defenses and rescue his comrades. Kitsuchi would need to give his all in this battle.

"This battlefield isn't for you," Kitsuchi said coldly. "Earth Release: Rock Fist!"

His hands quickly hardened into stone, and with a powerful punch, he struck toward Muzan.

The ground where Muzan had been standing moments before exploded, creating a small crater. The impact was terrifying, rivaling the strength of Tsunade's punches. Iwagakure's elite Earth Release users were unmatched in both offense and defense.

"This power... it's insane," Muzan thought.

If Tsunade had been here, she might have faced Kitsuchi head-on. But Muzan wasn't Tsunade. Instead, he relied on his speed and reflexes to dodge the attack at the last moment. As he saw an opening, he slashed at Kitsuchi with his sword, but all he heard was the grating sound of metal against rock. His attack hadn't pierced Kitsuchi's petrified skin.

Muzan noticed a small chip forming on his blade. While the sword was of decent quality, it wasn't the famed White Fang. It worked well enough against ordinary opponents but struggled against Kitsuchi's rock-hard defense.

"Earth Release: Giant Split Arm!"

Using the earth around him, Kitsuchi formed two massive arms, mirroring his movements. The enormous arms left Muzan with no room to dodge; he had no choice but to stand his ground.

But that wasn't the worst of it. Muzan saw that the stone arms, glowing faintly under the moonlight, were enhanced with the same petrification technique Kitsuchi had used earlier. Cutting through them with a regular blade was impossible.

A light blue chakra enveloped Muzan's hand. He knew better than to flee; trying to use an Earth Release technique against an Iwa ninja would be suicidal. They'd easily trap him in layers of rock.

Although cutting through the entire arm wasn't an option, Muzan's chakra scalpel relied on precise control. Thin, light blue lines traced across his arm—an indication of his intense focus. This level of mastery over the chakra scalpel was something even Tsunade hadn't fully developed.

One small mistake could cause the chakra scalpel to fail, a risk most people wouldn't dare take. But Muzan's hands, honed through countless battles, moved like instruments of pure will.

With a swift motion, the chakra scalpel sliced through the upper part of Kitsuchi's petrified finger, giving Muzan just enough of an opening to dodge the next attack.

Kitsuchi, though familiar with Konoha's medical ninjutsu, was surprised to see the offensive potential of the chakra scalpel. If it could cut through his petrified skin, it was capable of far more damage.

"This technique can break my defense," Kitsuchi realized. "I need to be careful."

"Earth Release: Rock Stealing Stick!"

A stone staff materialized in Kitsuchi's hand as he stared Muzan down, both warriors waiting for the other to make the next move.

Kitsuchi wasn't worried about time. Aside from Muzan, the Konoha forces posed little threat to his village's defenses. The longer the battle dragged on, the greater the advantage would shift toward Iwa. Reinforcements were already closing in, while Konoha's team needed to complete their mission and escape as soon as possible.

Muzan's scarlet eyes scanned the battlefield. Despite fighting alongside Hizashi, the situation wasn't improving. The screams of their comrades echoed in the distance. Muzan clenched his teeth and charged forward.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Muzan formed one-handed seals and unleashed a massive fireball, obscuring Kitsuchi's view. He followed closely behind, ready to strike.

But Kitsuchi didn't retreat. Instead, he slammed his stone staff into the ground.

A massive crack split the earth, sending a shockwave that dispersed the fireball. Caught off guard, Muzan was sent flying, skidding across the ground as blood trailed behind him.

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