A massive chunk of earth hurtled through the air. Ye Zi's spirit form passed straight through it, while Ye Zi himself swung his blade, splitting the chunk cleanly in two.
As Ye Zi descended from midair, his spirit form lunged toward Tsunade. She swiftly darted left and right, deftly evading the spirit while closing the distance to Ye Zi.
Standing on the fractured ground, Ye Zi smoothly twirled his blade, returning it to its scabbard in a swift, practiced motion.
Tsunade's limb-regenerating technique was something Ye Zi had seen Kushina use before. Severed limbs could regrow instantly, this was not merely healing but true regeneration.
The lightning-charged blade, Chijin, was sharp enough to easily pierce Tsunade's defenses, sever her head, or impale her heart. Yet these efforts would likely be futile.
As long as Tsunade's chakra reserves weren't fully depleted, any injury inflicted by a blade wouldn't be fatal. With that in mind, Ye Zi opted not to rely on his sword.
However, the terrifying speed of her regeneration undoubtedly consumed large amounts of chakra. If he could drain her reserves completely, the battle would end.
While dodging the spirit form's attacks, Tsunade rushed at Ye Zi. When she saw him sheath his blade, she didn't dwell on it, instead charging headlong toward him, her fist prepared to deliver another devastating blow.
The spirit form wasn't slow, but Tsunade's speed was far superior, allowing her to outpace it.
Leaving the spirit behind, her fist closed in on Ye Zi amidst a deafening burst of wind and pressure.
Ye Zi tilted his head, narrowly dodging her strike. The sheer force of the punch generated a wind pressure that momentarily deafened his right ear.
To restrain Tsunade, Ye Zi needed to gain control of her movements, increasing the odds of his Wood Release hitting its mark.
Ignoring his minor injuries, Ye Zi stepped forward with his right foot, closing the gap. With his right hand spread wide, he placed it directly on Tsunade's left chest, where her heart was located.
"Wood Release: Piercing Roots Technique!"
Feeling the soft texture beneath his palm, Ye Zi's eyes turned cold as chakra surged into his hand.
Just as the technique was about to activate, Tsunade struck with a ferocious upward knee to Ye Zi's chest. The impact sent him flying like a cannonball, blood spraying from his mouth.
The Piercing Roots Technique was disrupted and failed.
The spirit form, which had been advancing toward Tsunade from behind, suddenly froze mid-air as Ye Zi suffered severe damage.
Tsunade's gaze briefly shifted to the blackened handprint on her left chest, her instincts prompting her to guard against the spirit form. But when she saw it frozen in place, she hesitated for a moment.
"Did that last hit disrupt his control over the spirit form?"
Not wasting time, she stomped forward, heading straight for Ye Zi's landing point.
Though Ye Zi's Lightning Dragon Cloak provided defense, Tsunade's devastating blow still transmitted enough force to deal significant internal damage.
The lightning's paralyzing effects seemed to have no impact on her regenerative abilities, allowing her to channel her full power through the cloak.
Despite the formidable strike, Ye Zi's Wood Release and Hashirama Cells ensured that even severe injuries couldn't incapacitate him. While mid-air, he managed to stabilize himself, landing safely, though hunched over, clutching his chest.
At this moment, Tsunade charged forward with both fists clenched.
Ye Zi looked up slightly, his dark eyes locking onto Tsunade's advancing figure. Placing both hands on the ground, he channeled chakra into the earth beneath him.
"Wood Release: Antler Strike!"
Tsunade's expression shifted as she detected danger. But it was too late. Antler-shaped wooden spikes erupted from the ground, piercing through her soles and pinning her in mid-air, halting her charge.
"Ugh…"
Tsunade groaned, pain evident on her face.
The irregular wooden antlers penetrated her soles, then continued through her legs, abdomen, and chest, emerging drenched in blood.
Ye Zi had timed his technique with precision, anticipating the exact moment Tsunade's feet would touch the ground.
When the antlers erupted, they impaled her on the spot, like a skewer, suspending her mid-air.
"This should keep you still for a while," Ye Zi muttered coldly. Using Antler Strike, he managed to immobilize her, though he doubted it would be enough to kill her. It was merely a prelude to his next moves.
The spirit form reactivated, flying toward Tsunade's back from a hundred meters away.
Simultaneously, Ye Zi formed hand seals.
"Wood Release: Tree Bind Flourish!"
As his hand seals completed, wooden tendrils sprouted from Ye Zi's palms, quickly thickening and coiling toward Tsunade like massive serpents.
Whether it was the spirit form or the Tree Bind Flourish, either would seal Tsunade's fate if they connected.
The spirit form could invade her body, granting Ye Zi control or delivering a fatal blow.
The Tree Bind Flourish, on the other hand, would bind Tsunade, draining her chakra until she was utterly depleted, marking the end of her life.
Caught in a pincer attack while impaled by the Antler Strike, Tsunade appeared to be at her limit.
Blood streamed down the numerous antler-like wooden spikes, quickly pooling into a crimson puddle on the ground.
These antler spikes not only pierced through Tsunade's liver and intestines but even punctured her heart. Yet, despite such devastating injuries, she refused to succumb.
Normally, a person subjected to such an attack would undoubtedly be dead.
But Ye Zi knew this alone wouldn't be enough to kill Tsunade. Without hesitation, he seamlessly followed up with a second wave of attacks in a decisive judgment.
Even amidst such horrific injuries, Tsunade didn't die. However, the ordeal significantly drained her chakra reserves.
Having released the chakra stored in her Yin Seal over the years, Tsunade now possessed an immense chakra pool. Unless Ye Zi leveraged his Wood Release's chakra-absorbing properties to accelerate the depletion, Tsunade could maintain such high-intensity combat for over an hour.
Tsunade's eyes snapped open, and a surge of chakra erupted from within her body, generating a gale that swept outward from her in all directions.
This was a clear sign of a chakra explosion.
With a guttural roar, Tsunade forcefully extended her legs outward, enduring a second wave of agonizing damage to free herself from the wooden spikes embedded in her legs.
A faint, nearly imperceptible sound emanated from the ghastly wounds on her legs as they rapidly began to heal.
Moments later, Tsunade stomped her feet against the ground, channeling tremendous force to propel herself upward. In one violent leap, she escaped Ye Zi's Antler Strike, albeit at a gruesome cost.
Blood sprayed in all directions, painting the area beneath her in a grotesque, crimson tableau reminiscent of a macabre piece of art.
To escape the Antler Strike, Tsunade subjected herself to at least thirty severe lacerations. Injuries that would be fatal to any normal human healed entirely before she even landed, leaving not a single scar. Her clothes, however, were tattered, and she was drenched in blood.
As Ye Zi watched Tsunade break free from the Antler Strike in such a brutal manner, his eyes gleamed with a hint of astonishment.
"This woman... truly ruthless."
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Currently on Chapter 441 - What is Lost Then Found Is Never the Same...