Shiki pinned the Kage under a relentless barrage of lightning strikes and a stalemate appeared to have formed . . . But was it really like that?
A surge of chakra rushed through the boy's body and, in an instant, the Mizukage's Water Formation Wall destabilized, the man's eyes widened in shock.
Immediately, falling lightning bolts tore through the weakened defense but, despite the unexpectedness, the Mizukage was not so easy an opponent as to fall from something like that.
With a chakra surge of his own, the man made his Water Armor expand into a secondary dome, momentarily blocking the lightning, before he rapidly sunk into the sea.
With enough water between him and the surface, Shiki's lightning jutsu would disperse before they could reach him and, if Shiki chose to chase him, then any elemental jutsu besides Water Release was practically off the table.
Or so the Mizukage thought.
True, Lightning Release would shock its user if used underwater, unless they were protected by something like the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, but Shiki had other options.
Options so unlikely that no one with a normal thought process would see them coming . . .
The boy dove into the water after the Mizukage.
As Water Release users both of them had fairly high mobility under water, while Shiki's had less mastery in that area, he had another boost to make up for it.
*
'Dared to chase me into my home field? Then let's see what you got.' The Mizukage thought to himself, weaving a quick sequence of hand seals.
'Water Release: Tearing Torrent'
The seawater surrounding the man's body began to churn and swirl, unleashing forceful currents capable of massive physical damage, especially when their target was within water.
Chakra surged through Shiki and, just like his defense had faltered before, so too did the Mizukage's attack stall, allowing the boy to slip away like an agile fish.
'Again . . . How is he interfering with my jutsu?' The man wondered.
But the surprises were just beginning.
'Fire Release: Napalm'
From Shiki's mouth, a jet of liquid fire was unleashed, setting the underwater ablaze.
'What!?'
The Mizukage could scarcely believe it, even as the all consuming flame mixed with the water and expanded its searing domain even more fiercely than it would have on the surface.
Fire Release used under the sea surface.
Not only was it possible, its power was not even suppressed in any way. If anything, the shifting seawater seemed to be spreading the fire and enhancing its potency.
Shiki did not even hesitate before targeting a different area, not even aiming at the Mizukage directly.
'Fire Release: Napalm'
The boy was not trying to score a direct hit.
This was area denial and a setup for the next part.
'Fire Release: Napalm'
With the third blast, the Mizukage began to sense Shiki's plan.
The man had been pushed deeper into the ocean, above him laid an expanding sea of fire, separating him from Shiki and hiding the boy's visage.
Then the follow up came.
'Fire Release: Fire Dragon Symphony'
The sea of liquid fire shifted and squirmed as Shiki's jutsu took effect, taking the shape of five enormous, serpentine eastern dragons.
With speed and agility, the fire dragons dove through the sea in a coordinated attack, slowly encircling the Mizukage by progressively cutting off possible escape routes while tightening the "cage".
But Shiki already knew . . .
'I know this isn't enough so come on . . . play your hand. Let me see how far I am from a true Kage . . . or if I'm closer than I think.' The boy thought to himself.
And the Mizukage responded to his expectations.
'Water Release: Great Waterfall'
Despite its name, the jutsu had multiple ways to be used and in the current case, a colossal vortex of water formed around the Mizukage's form and exploded upwards.
On the sea surface, everything seemed calm after the two shinobi dived in, except for the ominous red orange glow of fire coming from the depths.
In an instant however, the surface exploded like a geyser.
A vortex of water rose into the sky like a tower reaching out to the heavens and around it, liquid fire sprayed out everywhere, lighting the surface of the sea ablaze.
The tower then burst apart into a deluge, leaving a grim-faced Mizukage standing on the water's surface.
As for the reason for the grim face, it became immediately obvious.
'Lightning Release: Heavenly Formation Lightning'
With his opponent back on the surface, Shiki instantly went back to the proven tactic.
The Mizukage sneered as lightning fell.
'Hidden Jutsu: Mist Rain'
From the same clouds where Shiki's lightning originated from, thin rain began to fall.
At the same time, as if their power was cut at the source, the boy's lightning faded before it reached its target.
Shiki immediately realized what he was dealing with.
This was, after all, a jutsu he himself coveted for its rather unfair capabilities.
A Hidden Jutsu taught only amongst Kiri's Anbu Oinin who were specialized in capturing Rogue Ninja, Mist Rain produced rain that drained chakra on contact.
If it hit an enemy, it would drain their chakra, if it hit their jutsu, the jutsu itself would be eroded and nullified.
Now, the situation was the reverse of what it was.
Previously, Shiki's lightning forced the Mizukage underwater but now, because of the man's rain, the boy did not dare to surface.
Sure, with his Nirvana Seal supplying him, he did not really fear chakra drain but Mist Rain would also nullify his jutsu, putting Shiki at a severe disadvantage.
However . . .
'Finally, live use of this jutsu!' Shiki internally rejoiced.
With an example right above him, the boy wasted no time, training his Ryugan: Zenchi on each and every detail, memorizing the entire process of Mist Rain in order to copy and modify it later.
A full minute of silence passed by.
This was no common jutsu but a Hidden Jutsu after all, even the Sharingan could not copy those willy nilly.
Poor Mizukage, he might even be thinking he stunned Shiki, locked him out from making a move while in reality, the boy was stealing his village's secret jutsu.
But the stalemate could not continue.
And that being the case, right after he was done memorizing every detail of Mist Rain, Shiki played his next move.
Still under water, the boy held both hands in front of him, left palm facing down and right palm facing up, leaving a large space in between them.
'You're gonna regret giving me time and space old man.' He thought as water began whirling within each of his palms.
What he was in the process of activating however, was no water jutsu.
It was the very motion of Shiki's chakra that influenced the water around him.
Two spheres of violently rotating chakra manifested, one on each palm, stirring the sea surrounding the boy into further tumult with their opposite flows.
Two small Rasengan.
But this was just the beginning.
Slowly.
Ever so slowly.
Shiki brought his two palms closer.
The two Rasengan, once hovering stably above each of his palms, began influencing each other, orbiting around a center point while drawing upon each other.
Until finally . . . They touched . . .
+++++
Hey, Author here!
To promote the novel I will be releasing BONUS CHAPTERS on SUNDAYS based on the previous week's power stone count.
100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
500 Power Stones = 2 Bonus Chapters
1000 Power Stones = 3 Bonus Chapters
Every earned BONUS CHAPTER on Webnovel will also be posted on Scribble.
Just a reminder that you can read up to a FULL MONTH ahead of this site on pa-treon.
I'm trying to become a full time Author now and I'm not going to be starting any new novels just so I can make sure this one is properly completed.
Find those sweet advanced chapters on pa-treon.com/lusoba without the -