The dust enveloped both Yasu and the ninja leader, obscuring the situation from onlookers.
Those watching the scene wished they possessed the Byakugan, eager to see who is the winner.
The ninja of Konoha naturally favored Yasu.
After all, he appeared to be evenly matched with the Hot Spring Ninja leader, not showing any signs of weakness, and had even managed to injure him.
The Cloud Ninja and Hot Spring Ninja, on the other hand, were more optimistic about their leader.
They observed that while Yasu seemed equally matched and even gained the upper hand a few times, demonstrating clever tactics,
the Hot Spring Ninja leader skillfully defused his attacks with his vast experience.
Moreover, even they could tell that Yasu's chakra was dwindling.
Plus, Yasu's strength seemed to have reached the level of a Jonin, but his chakra reserves were more akin to a Special Jonin at best.
So, they were confident that their leader would successfully deflect the Konoha Brat next attack.
Once he did, the chakra-depleted Yasu would be as helpless as a fish on a cutting board, ripe for the taking.
At the same time, some were worried about what would happen if their leader couldn't withstand Yasu's assault.
Just then, a gust of wind swept through, dispersing the dust around Yasu and the Hot Spring Ninja leader, finally revealing the situation to everyone.
Yasu was kneeling on one knee, gasping for breath.
Not far away, the Ninja leader lay on the ground, looking disheveled.
His clothes were riddled with holes, scorched by the intense heat of lightning.
The Hot Spring Ninja and Cloud Ninja were shocked. Had their leader been defeated?!
But to everyone's surprise, the Hot Spring Ninja leader bore no burns or cuts from a ninja blade.
He had many wounds, but they looked more like they were caused by Wind Release ninjutsu. Yet, Yasu's attack had clearly been a Lightning Release Jutsu, leaving everyone puzzled.
However, Minato, with wide eyes, had already figured out what had just happened.
Undoubtedly, Yasu's attack had missed!
The reason his incredibly fast and powerful attack failed was due to the Vacuum Great Sphere that the Ninja leader had released at the last moment.
The Ninja leader had launched many Vacuum Great Spheres before, but Yasu had evaded them all.
Knowing that he couldn't block or dodge his attack, the Ninja leader aimed his final Vacuum Great Sphere not at him, but at the ground beneath them.
The resulting blast of wind propelled his body away, allowing him to quickly evade Yasu's strike.
Although this injured the Ninja leader, it was better than being decapitated by Yasu.
The Ninja leader struggled to his feet, spitting out a mouthful of blood. He looked at Yasu, who was kneeling on the ground, and said in a hoarse voice, "You can't stand up anymore, can you..."
Yasu coughed violently a few times.
As the Ninja leader said, he was finding it difficult to stand. Every inch of his muscles felt like they were tearing apart.
Although the system's simulation had allowed him to learn the ultimate Seventh Form - Flaming Thunder God, he had not yet fully mastered it. He had failed more often than succeeded during training.
This time, he had finally grasped it, but because he had so little chakra left, it had exceeded his body's limits.
He then looked at the Ninja leader in the distance and sighed: "As expected of a ninja village leader, your combat experience is truly rich, and you're decisive too. To think you'd resort to such a mutually destructive method to avoid my attack."
The Ninja leader's lips twitched: "Isn't that what ninja do? When faced with a dead end, you have to gamble. But I won. However, there's one thing I'm curious about. When you drew your sword just now, the distance seemed insufficient to behead me. Was that a mistake?"
Yasu used his ninja blade to support himself, forcing himself to stand. Even so, his body trembled slightly.
The tearing pain in his muscles made his face pale.
He weakly stated: "In our plan, anyone in Hot Spring Village can die, but you cannot."
The Ninja leader was stunned for a moment, even more puzzled. "I can't die? Why..."
He didn't finish his sentence but suddenly sighed. "Forget it, I don't want to know. This is truly the end. I didn't really want to kill you. You're too talented. If you continue to grow, you'll undoubtedly become a strong ninja in the ninja world."
"But you killed so many ninjas from my Hot Spring Village. As the leader of Hot Spring Village, I must avenge them, both in terms of duty and emotion!"
Yasu chuckled. "Don't say such polite words on the battlefield. We're all enemies here. Who are you insulting by saying such things? Besides... who said you won?"
The Ninja leader frowned as he looked at Yasu. Even at this point, he could still say such things, even though standing up was already a struggle, wasn't it?
The Ninja leader ignored him and pulled out a kunai, preparing to finish him off.
Upon seeing this, Minato moved, wanting to save Yasu.
But he suddenly stopped.
The death of Daigo flashed through his mind, as well as Yasu's previous words, 'If I die, it's because I'm not capable enough, so there's no need for you to worry.'
Minato was conflicted in his heart.
He didn't want to save Yasu, and he wasn't wrong. He hated him, not just a little, but a lot.
Especially after Yasu gave Daigo the explosive tags, causing him to die together with the Cloud Ninjas.
But Minato, who aspired to be Hokage, told himself that his decision not to save Yasu was wrong.
At this moment, the Ninja leader had already thrown the kunai in his hand towards Yasu.
Watching the kunai that the Ninja leader threw, Minato moved once again.
He felt that he was wrong. Regardless of whether Yasu was right or wrong, Yasu was fighting for Konoha at this moment.
Even if his ideals were different from his, he should not stand by and watch him die.
If he chose to stand by and watch him die, wouldn't that be the same as betraying his own ideals?
Minato rushed towards him with all his might.
But the distance between him and Yasu was simply too far.
It was too late...
Suddenly.
Minato suddenly stopped again, his brows furrowed as he looked at the kunai that the Ninja leader had thrown towards Yasu.
Why did this kunai feel like it was... off course?
The kunai thrown by the Ninja leader pierced into the ground beside Yasu.
However, in the eyes of the Ninja leader, his kunai had not missed, it had headed straight for his head.
But...
When the kunai struck Yasu, his body suddenly became illusory, until it disappeared and reappeared in another location.
The Ninja leader's expression immediately changed, and he blurted out: "Genjutsu?!"
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