Seeing Shuoye's move, Yagura's expression changed at once. He hadn't expected Shuoye to actually strike him in front of everyone.
"Water Release: Great Mist Shield!"
But Yagura was a shinobi who had fought his way up through Kirigakure's blood-soaked ranks. He reacted immediately, snapping into a defensive stance.
A dense, churning water mist surged up around him, wrapping his entire body and forming a hardened barrier.
Boom!
The blood-colored orb slammed into the mist shield and detonated violently, blasting the fog apart. A heartbeat later, Yagura's figure emerged beyond the dispersing haze, his face dark and unstable.
The surrounding Kirigakure shinobi stared in shock.
They hadn't imagined the battle would end like this—Shuoye had crushed their leader with a single move.
Yagura was the strongest of Kirigakure's younger generation. No exceptions.
Shuoye glanced at him with open disdain.
"Pathetic."
"Bastard!"
Yagura's face turned iron-gray. That defeat lit his fury like oil on a flame.
He swung his arm and began chanting, voice low and harsh.
The shinobi around him grew grim, chakra rising as they compressed the space around their bodies to the limit.
Then Yagura swept his hand down.
Countless water spheres surged from all directions, swarming toward Shuoye until he was completely surrounded.
These were stronger than before—denser, tighter, more than ten times as oppressive.
Shuoye snorted, a faint curve of mockery at his mouth.
"That won't threaten me."
He drove a fist forward.
The Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power burst out.
Bang!
His left fist smashed into the cluster of water spheres, and the shockwave pulverized them into mist in an instant.
Yagura's pupils shrank, as if he'd seen a ghost.
"Water Release: Great Roar!"
A mass of pale fog gathered in Yagura's hands—more and more, until it took shape.
A savage, white beast formed from the mist itself, five or six zhang long. Thick limbs. A massive head. Two enormous fangs gleaming coldly under the light.
Roar!
It opened its maw and let out a sky-shaking howl, then spewed a storm of water arrows at Shuoye.
Shuoye didn't panic. Susanoo struck once, smashing the water arrows apart.
"Combined Water Release: Water Dragon Grand Spiral!"
Yagura narrowed his eyes. A flash of sharp light cut through his gaze as he roared an order.
In the next instant—
Roar!
Awooo!
…
The surrounding shinobi threw their heads back and howled, voices shaking the air. Wave after wave erupted from their mouths, merging into a terrifying water dragon that lunged forward to bite Shuoye apart.
Where it passed, grass and stone were ground into dust.
"Hahahaha! Shuoye!" Yagura laughed loudly, voice full of vicious triumph. "Thanks for inventing combination jutsu! You think only you can develop new techniques?!"
In his eyes, this strike would at least cripple Shuoye.
"Oh?" Shuoye's voice came calmly from within the towering water vapor. "That's actually a pleasant surprise."
"…Huh?"
A moment later, Yagura's pupils snapped tight.
He cut his technique off mid-cast and spun to run.
But no matter how fast he moved, Shuoye was faster.
A soft tap—and Shuoye's hand was already locked around Yagura's ankle. With a single violent swing, he slammed Yagura into the ground.
Pff!
Blood sprayed from Yagura's mouth, his expression twisting into something ugly.
Shuoye strolled up, wearing a faintly amused smile.
"So you're only this much."
"Damn you! Don't touch me! I'm… the Mizukage!"
Yagura barked, furious.
"Sure. Sure." Shuoye sounded almost tired, his tone dripping with ridicule. "You're the Mizukage."
Then his gaze sharpened.
"But your strength isn't even worth calling 'ant-level.'"
"You—!!"
Yagura was shaking with rage, but he could feel it—no chakra spike, no fluster in Shuoye at all. This wasn't bravado. This was a true monster.
And he was alone.
Winning was impossible.
Despair seeped across Yagura's face.
Shuoye's mouth curled.
Then he drove his right fist forward and hammered Yagura in the chest.
Thud!
Yagura flew back and crashed into the mountain wall with a brutal impact.
"Yagura!"
As the battle in Kirigakure intensified, a furious shout rang out.
A massive stream of acid shot toward Shuoye like a killing spear.
"Hm?"
Shuoye shifted one step sideways, letting it pass, interest flickering in his eyes.
"Utakata!"
Yagura's heart jumped with relief.
Utakata—the Six-Tails jinchūriki of Kirigakure. Strong. Reliable. Not the type who liked fighting, but right now, he was the kind of presence that steadied nerves.
"You're the madman who stormed the Four Kage Summit?"
Utakata drew a deep breath and spoke in a low voice.
His eyes were heavy with caution. Inside him, Saiken was practically screaming warnings.
But he knew what he had to do.
As Kirigakure's elite, he couldn't watch his village be destroyed.
The tailed beast's power churned in his body, rising with his heartbeat—restless, eager to break free.
"Yeah. That's me." Shuoye nodded, smiling. "Looks like I'm pretty famous."
He tilted his head.
"How about this—surrender on behalf of Kirigakure, and I won't move another step. Deal?"
"Not a chance!" Yagura roared. "You think we're like that trash Chiyo?! If Utakata and I fight together, you might not even win! Utakata—"
"Guess we can't talk this out."
Shuoye spread his hands, as if helpless.
Yagura still wanted to shout something, but Utakata quietly grabbed him and pulled him back, voice hard.
"Yagura. We're not his match."
"But we can't all be left here. Kirigakure… needs you alive."
"Utakata, what are you doing? If we—"
Yagura's face changed.
Then, without warning, Utakata struck—sending Yagura flying.
"Yagura—go!"
Utakata roared, his voice absolute.
His body began to change.
Chakra surged like a storm tide, wrapping him in thick layers of radiance as the tailed beast transformation took hold.
It was violent. It was painful.
Utakata didn't care.
Even the Raikage and the others working together hadn't been able to beat Shuoye—what chance did the two of them have?
Within the blinding light, Utakata's shape blurred, swelling larger and stronger, like a colossal beast stepping onto the battlefield.
Roar!
The tailed beast's bellow rolled through the air.
"Utakata-sama!"
All around them, Kirigakure shinobi froze, staring at the transformation with awe and dread.
"Go!" Utakata thundered. "I'll hold him!"
His eyes locked onto Shuoye, fearless resolve burning bright.
For Utakata, Kirigakure mattered more than his life.
Yagura said nothing. But emotion and guilt collided in his chest.
"Go!"
Utakata's decision forced Yagura to face his own weakness—and selfishness. He wanted to say something, but words meant nothing here.
In the end, he clenched his teeth and retreated with the others.
"Mizukage?" Shuoye laughed coldly, golden light flickering in his eyes. "What a useless coward—running away."
"Shuoye!" Utakata's voice shook with fury. "Your opponent is me!"
Shuoye's gaze sharpened.
"Then let's end it quickly."
His blade split the air, screaming toward Utakata.
No mercy.
No hesitation.
He struck again and again, blade light flashing like meteors—each cut aiming for Utakata's heart.
"Guh!"
Utakata grunted, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth and splashing onto the rocks.
His body trembled—but he didn't step back.
If anything, he stood firmer.
He forced the tailed beast's power out, roaring through his veins like a raging sea.
"Complete Tailed Beast Transformation!"
With a sky-shaking roar, he became a massive slug-like form and charged straight at Shuoye.
The Six-Tails' acid surged like a tidal wave, the enormous body nearly swallowing Shuoye whole.
In that moment, Utakata pushed beyond his limit, erupting with frightening strength.
·Please give flowers····
"Kill!"
Utakata's voice was low and unwavering, filled with stubborn will.
He knew what awaited him.
He didn't fear it.
"So this is your resolve," Shuoye said, eyes cold as steel. "Better than Yagura's, at least."
But Shuoye had no intention of letting go.
His blade descended like a storm.
"Too bad." Shuoye's tone stayed calm, blade light flickering. "With this little strength, you think you can stop me?"
"Don't look down on me!"
Utakata roared as the Six-Tails lunged in.
The collision shook the world.
Rocks exploded. Dust swallowed the air.
Their power met—then compressed—until it formed a gigantic blade nearly seven meters long, its edge aimed straight at Utakata's chest.
If he'd reacted a fraction slower, he would've been cut in half.
Even so, he paid the price.
A deep wound tore across his chest, his clothes split open, blood pouring down in a steady stream.
So… painful…
Utakata staggered back, clutching the wound, breathing ragged.
Not enough. Still not enough!
Shuoye's gaze remained indifferent. He kept pressing forward, his body like a phantom—each strike carrying brutal force, driving Utakata back step by step.
......
"If I don't use my trump card… I really can't take you down."
Utakata's voice was thick with resentment. Pain twisted his face as the tailed beast's power spun wildly.
"Acid Hell!"
Countless streams of acid surged together, shaping into a living serpent that snapped viciously at Shuoye.
"That's your trump card?" Shuoye sneered. "Too soft."
He punched.
Crack!
The acid serpent shattered.
Utakata's eyes flashed.
"Now!"
The shattered acid reformed—
And wrapped around Susanoo like chains.
"This… is the real killing move!"
Utakata roared, and white smoke hissed across Susanoo's surface as the acid displayed terrifying corrosion.
"Oh?" Shuoye chuckled. "That's actually interesting."
That kind of corrosion might kill a Kage-level opponent.
Just not him.
He had the Hōgyoku within him. Even unawakened, the chakra it supplied was beyond most tailed beasts.
Even if Shuoye stood still and let Utakata corrode him, Utakata would collapse from exhaustion long before he ate through Susanoo.
"Surrender, Shuoye!" Utakata's eyes burned. "Leave now, and I'll let you go!"
"Then try it."
Shuoye smiled.
"Rock Quake."
He swung his arm, slamming Susanoo down hard enough to dent the ground.
A formless vibration spread outward.
Crack—crack—crack!
The earth split into countless fissures. Giant boulders tore free and launched toward Utakata, screaming through the air like arrows.
Utakata's brows tightened. A bad feeling rose fast.
As expected.
"Enough."
Shuoye's smile turned sharp.
His speed spiked.
Susanoo flashed behind Utakata and drove a brutal kick into his back, sending him flying.
Pff!
Utakata spat blood as he crashed into the ground, carving a deep trench.
Cough—cough…
Blood kept spilling from his mouth.
"You lost."
Shuoye laughed, his face full of mockery and contempt.
At his feet, Utakata couldn't rise.
Blood soaked his thigh. The vibrations had shaken his organs to the brink of collapse.
Yet Utakata wasn't panicking.
Yagura and the others were safe.
In the end… I won…
He coughed up more blood, speaking weakly.
"Heh." Shuoye smiled, completely unconcerned. "You think they really got away?"
Or rather—he hadn't planned to chase Yagura from the start.
Kirigakure was surrounded by sea—water-style shinobi territory.
Even for Shuoye, catching Yagura in that environment would be exhausting and unrewarding.
And more importantly…
There was no need to chase at all.
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