'Is that the Great Fireball Technique?!'
'How could its power be so immense?!'
Sakura's eyes narrowed. She could sense that this Great Fireball Technique rivaled Sasuke's in both power and speed.
After all, even the elite jōnin Kakashi couldn't match Sasuke's mastery of Fire Release.
'Naruto, stay close to me!'
With that thought, Sakura reacted swiftly, forming two hand seals and crying out sharply:
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
Instantly, a torrent of water erupted from the river, forming a circular, rotating wall that enveloped Sakura and Naruto.
This Water Formation Wall, inherited from the Second Hokage, not only required fewer hand seals but also differed fundamentally from ordinary versions.
Instead of simply creating a static, circular water barrier, the Second Hokage's technique rotated around the caster, providing flawless, all-around defense.
The defensive force generated by the rapidly swirling water far surpassed that of a standard Water Formation Wall!
Boom!
The clash between Water Release and Fire Release erupted in a thunderous explosion. In an instant, over half of Sakura's Water Formation Wall had been evaporated by the Great Fireball Technique.
Scalding steam billowed across the river, obscuring vision and filling the air with a hazy mist.
The surging, scorching air even brushed against Sakura's face behind the water wall, leaving a faint blush on her cheeks.
But in the end, Sakura successfully blocked the massive fireball. The water wall collapsed with a splash, revealing Sakura and Naruto inside.
"That Fire Release...!" Naruto exclaimed, his mouth agape in astonishment.
Aside from Sasuke, this was the first time he had ever witnessed such a powerful Fire Release ninjutsu. The sheer force had nearly shattered Sakura's Water Formation Wall.
"Huff... huff..."
Sakura gasped for breath. Since the battle had taken place in Takigakure, a region teeming with rivers and waterfalls, she hadn't needed to expend much Chakra until now.
But hastily summoning the Second Hokage's Water Formation Wall had still taken its toll.
"What secret technique are they using?" Sakura murmured, her eyes fixed on the gradually fading mist, her voice tinged with bewilderment.
She had long known that Rain Ninja excelled in Water Release. But what kind of strange jutsu could suddenly grant them such overwhelming Fire Release prowess?
Moreover, the Great Fireball Technique felt eerily familiar to Sakura, almost as if Sasuke himself had cast it. This left her utterly perplexed.
"Watch out, Naruto!"
Sakura spoke in a low voice, issuing a warning.
"Mhm!"
The thick fog gradually dissipated, revealing the scene within. Two figures clad in black robes adorned with red clouds slowly emerged, their faces obscured.
"Mr. Itachi," Kisame Hoshigaki teased as they walked, "it seems Konoha's rookies this year are quite formidable. They effortlessly blocked your Fire Release technique."
'Itachi?!'
Sakura froze at the name, her gaze hardening as she locked onto the figure. Uchiha Itachi stood before her.
"Uchiha Itachi!"
Her expression turned solemn as she studied the man's face, which bore a striking resemblance to Sasuke's.
This wasn't Sakura's first encounter with Uchiha Itachi. Before that incident, she had occasionally seen him picking up Sasuke from school.
Back then, Itachi's face had radiated warmth and affection.
Now, only cold detachment and serenity remained.
"Uchiha Itachi? Who's that? Do you know him, Sakura?" Naruto asked, puzzled.
"Idiot!" Sakura seethed, wishing she could pummel the clueless boy. "He's the one who slaughtered the entire Uchiha clan! The man who brought endless pain and suffering to Sasuke!"
"Damn him!"
Hearing this, Naruto clenched his teeth, his fists tightening until his knuckles cracked.
"So this is the bastard! We can't let him get away with this!"
"Don't rush in, Naruto!" Sakura grabbed his arm, glancing briefly at Uchiha Itachi's crimson Sharingan before quickly shifting her gaze elsewhere.
"This guy wiped out the entire Uchiha clan. His power must be unimaginable. We need to be extremely cautious. And whatever you do, don't look into his eyes! Those Sharingan eyes... just like Sasuke's."
Sakura's vigilance reached its peak.
During their mission to the Land of Waves, they had learned that Sasuke had awakened his Sharingan after his battle with Kurosuki Raiga.
Sasuke had even explained some of the Sharingan's abilities to them.
Coupled with Sakura's studious nature and Maruboshi Kosuke's vast ninja experience, she had long understood the dangers of the Sharingan!
'Sasuke's classmates, Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto, huh?'
Facing their guarded stances, Uchiha Itachi merely glanced at them before turning to Kisame Hoshigaki beside him.
"I'll go reinforce Kakuzu's position. You handle things here, Kisame."
"Understood, understood," Kisame Hoshigaki waved dismissively, his face a mask of weary resignation. "I anticipated this arrangement long ago, Mr. Itachi."
Uchiha Itachi nodded silently, said no more, and leaped away, racing toward the location Tendō Pain had previously specified.
"Don't even think about leaving!"
Seeing Itachi attempt to escape, and deducing from their conversation that Sasuke and Kakashi were facing enemies allied with them, Sakura realized they couldn't let him get away.
'He can't escape!'
Panicked, Sakura barked a sharp command and lunged forward to intercept him, but Naruto moved even faster.
The moment Itachi stirred, Naruto attacked, transforming into a powerful whirlwind that slammed into him.
Bang!
Kisame intercepted Naruto's attack, unleashing a massive, invisible shockwave that churned the water violently. Both fighters recoiled a considerable distance.
"Impressive strength for a brat," Kisame said, rubbing his arm. He grinned at Sakura and Naruto. "Don't underestimate me, Konoha brats."
Sakura's eyes narrowed, her anxiety intensifying as she considered the danger Sasuke might be in.
'We have to take this guy down quickly and go help Sasuke!'
With that thought, Sakura swiftly formed a hand seal.
'[ Ugly seal? Looks like the Water Dragon Bullet. ]'
Seeing the seal, Kisame Hoshigaki smirked playfully, his voice light and mocking. "Judging by how you blocked Mr. Itachi's Fire Release earlier, your Water Release skills are quite decent. But..."
His expression shifted into a sinister grin, revealing rows of sharp, menacing teeth as a chilling murderous intent erupted from him.
"Your Water Release teacher must have forgotten to warn you: never use Water Release against Kirigakure shinobi!"
Kisame's eyes flashed with disdain, conveying the sentiment that this was mere child's play, and how dare she presume to show off her skills before an expert.
In an instant, he completed over a dozen hand seals, while Sakura had barely finished her fourth.
"That hand seal speed is— what?!"
Before he could finish his sentence, Kisame's pupils constricted in shock.
A lifelike water dragon erupted from the lake's surface before Sakura, lunging forward with terrifying speed.
Boom!
The water dragon slammed into the momentarily stunned Kisame, its massive force driving him deep into the lakebed with a resounding crash.
A colossal wave surged upward, carrying clouds of silt and sand.
Sakura's emerald-green eyes calmly watched as the disheveled Kisame slowly resurfaced.
A mocking smile curled her lips as she said dryly, "It seems your Water Release teacher also forgot to tell you who the greatest Water Release master in the Ninja World truly is!"
___
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