"Boom!"
"Boom!"
The sounds of the fierce battle continued to echo as Gilgamesh struggled against Thena, who was overpowering him with relentless force.
Just then, Tony Stark arrived on the scene. Hovering above, he quickly scanned the area, spotting the three severely injured ninjas and the clashing figures of Gilgamesh and Thena.
Looking at the two locked in combat, Tony asked, "Jarvis, do we have any information on them?"
"None, sir," replied Jarvis.
Tony speculated, "Could they be from Asgard?"
Tony's voice boomed down, "Both of you, stop fighting!"
As he aimed his repulsors at the two below, his shoulder-mounted missiles deployed, poised to fire.
According to Jarvis's gathered intel, these two had appeared together in New York, only to break out into sudden battle.
To Tony, neither seemed particularly friendly, but he was fairly certain the three ninjas were on the right side.
Hearing the voice from above, Gilgamesh glanced up to see Iron Man. In that brief moment of distraction, Thena seized the opportunity, slamming her weapon into his chest and sending him flying.
Tony muttered sarcastically, "Seems like I interrupted something. My apologies!"
In a split second, Thena's weapon transformed into a longbow, and she fired an arrow directly at Tony. Dodging swiftly, Tony evaded the attack just in time.
"You can try this on for size," he called, firing his repulsors at Thena, sending dual beams of energy in her direction.
Thena's weapon morphed into a shield, blocking Tony's blasts. As they engaged in a stalemate, Tony launched all his shoulder missiles toward her position.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Dozens of miniature missiles zoomed forward, zeroing in on Thena's location.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The series of explosions sent flames and smoke billowing high, temporarily obscuring Thena from view.
Taking advantage of the cover, Jinpachi and his two companions began retreating from Tony's attack zone, dragging their injured bodies away from the battlefront.
From the sky, Tony called down, "You three Hidden Mist ninjas—are you alright?"
Just then, Jarvis's voice came through, "Sir, the target's vital signs remain unchanged."
"What?" Tony said in surprise.
A golden arrow shot out from the thick smoke, hurtling straight toward Tony's face. Raising his right arm, he activated his shield just in time to deflect it.
"Clang!"
The powerful impact sent Tony spinning backward through the air. Before Thena could follow up with her attack, Gilgamesh rushed back into the battlefield, resuming his fight against her.
Jinpachi glanced at his teammates and whispered, "Let's leave this to them. We're getting out of here!"
After witnessing their opponent's overwhelming power, the three ninjas had no desire to remain in the fight. This wasn't their target, and retreating was a valid option.
The other two nodded in agreement, understanding that survival was the priority. They hadn't been given a new chance on life just to lose it here.
Swoosh!
But before they could use the Body Flicker Technique to escape, two figures appeared directly in their path.
Standing before them were none other than Mei Terumi and Ao, who had sped across the city using the Body Flicker Technique.
Mei Terumi stepped forward and commanded, "Ao, help our Hidden Mist ninjas recover their injuries."
Ao nodded, responding, "Yes, Lady Mizukage."
Seeing Mei Terumi before him, Kushimaru Kuriarare recognized her as the Fifth Mizukage and their designated target.
He took out a sealing scroll, retrieved the Mizukage's ceremonial cloak, and presented it to her.
"Lady Mizukage, this cloak was entrusted to us by that esteemed person for you," he said respectfully.
Mei's lips curled into a smile as she took the cloak from his hands, recognizing it as a gift from Charles. She asked, "Does he have any other orders?"
"We are at your command, Lady Mizukage," they responded in unison.
Mei nodded with a pleased expression, thinking to herself, 'Lord Charles clearly still has a place in his heart for me, Mei Terumi.'
Turning her gaze toward the ongoing battle, Mei put on the Mizukage's cloak, instantly radiating the presence of a Kage-level ninja.
She felt her chakra intensify upon wearing the cloak, her strength increasing by nearly ten percent.
"Time to teach this one who dared to harm my Hidden Mist ninjas a lesson!"
The three of them were surprised by her powerful aura, noting that with her dual Kekkei Genkai abilities, she was likely on par with the Fourth Mizukage.
Without hesitation, Mei teleported into the fight between Gilgamesh and Thena.
"Water Style: Water Wall!"
A massive water barrier surged up in front of Gilgamesh, attempting to block Thena's strike, but her spear pierced right through it.
"Stand aside!" Mei shouted, moving swiftly to the edge of their clash.
"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!"
A scalding mist billowed from her mouth, spreading across the battlefield. Her form then vanished in the thick, obscuring vapor.
Ao, meanwhile, carried the three injured ninjas away from the battlefield, knowing all too well that the Mizukage's fury would affect a vast area.
Sensing the high temperature, Gilgamesh quickly withdrew, avoiding the reach of the Boil Release.
From above, Tony Stark asked, "Jarvis, where are they?"
"Sir, the area below is extremely hot. I can't detect any targets within the mist."
In Tony's view, the entire Boil Release-covered zone showed as a red, high-temperature warning.
Thena, holding dual swords, stayed alert, scanning her surroundings. The intense heat and thick mist ate away at her combat suit.
"Lava Release: Dissolving Jutsu!"
A wave of corrosive acid suddenly surged toward Thena. Reacting quickly, she conjured a golden shield, blocking the attack just in time.
Boom!
The acid collided with the shield, emitting a muffled thud. The remnants of the lava began eating away at the shield, producing a hissing sound and releasing wisps of white smoke as it corroded through the surface.