Night fell, and the moonlight illuminated the vast sea, sharpening every shape on the water's surface.
"How much longer until the Hidden Mist arrives?" asked Hayashi, his gaze fixed on the horizon.
Aoba Yamashiro answered, a hint of excitement in his voice, "At their speed, it should be about fifteen more minutes."
"Very well, gather all the Ninja together."
"Yes!"
Two minutes later, all Jonin from the surrounding waters had assembled. Seeing everyone arrive, Hayashi spoke clearly, "We will head to the trap area now."
The team, composed entirely of Jonin, moved with incredible speed, reaching a sea area littered with water mines and explosive tags in barely three minutes.
The night sea was cold. Even with Hayashi's chakra control at Konoha's highest level, contact with the seawater sent chills through him. Ignoring the rising white fog, they waited for the Hidden Mist ships to appear.
Far away, Yuan, the transport commander of the Hidden Mist fleet, frowned.
"What is it?" a guard beside him asked respectfully.
"Some Ninja have infiltrated the fog. Eliminate any Jonin skilled in stealth techniques and ensure all supplies remain intact," Yuan ordered. His cold tone sent a shiver down the guard Guden's spine.
Once Anbu chief under the Third Mizukage, Yuan had seamlessly transitioned to support Yagura's rise, his power fully intact and even more lethal. Rumors buzzed throughout the Village, but none dared speak openly—he could kill on a whim. Guden never questioned his orders.
As a Family that once produced the Second Mizukage, the Hozuki Clan doubted him, but their doubts had been silenced by consecutive disasters at the hands of the Third and Fourth Mizukage.
Guden sighed and withdrew several elite Jonin from the fleet, moving swiftly toward the enemy's waters. Yuan's fog allowed him to sense every movement; it was a dangerous advantage.
Approaching the enemy, he relied on advanced chakra perception and concealment techniques. The Konoha Ninja ahead appeared unprepared. Could all of them be low-rank scouts? Guden did not hesitate, thrusting his kunai toward Hayashi's neck.
Hayashi remained calm, pretending not to notice. Just as the kunai neared his throat, he twisted his own, sparks flying as his left foot lightly stepped on the water.
The smooth sea erupted into a spray, forming three spiraling jets of water that shot upward like swords. His chakra control was precise, reducing the need for hand seals. Hidden by fog and night, the attack was nearly invisible. By the time Guden realized, Hayashi's ninjutsu was already striking his abdomen.
Surprised, Guden sensed his opponent's overwhelming strength. Yet Yuan's orders forbade retreat. Suppressing his instincts, he barely evaded the spirals with a water clone and melted back into the fog, relying on the mist to conceal his stealth techniques.
Every sound of his heartbeat, breath, and movement disappeared as he hunted for Hayashi, only to find him gone.
"Here." A cold voice echoed behind him. The dense fog barely hindered Hayashi's vision.
Without warning, a powerful strike shattered the back of Guden's head, sending him into the water with a splash.
"Water Release?" Hayashi's Sharingan scanned the battlefield.
Hozuki Reigetsu, who had used his Water Release to evade earlier attacks, appeared a short distance away. Forming a pistol shape with his hand, he launched a bullet-like sphere of liquid.
Water Release: Water Iron Cannon.
Hayashi moved swiftly, creating gentle ripples on the water's surface. In his hand, a serpentine form of lightning chakra manifested.
Lightning Release: Lightning Snake.
Tall waves erupted, clearing a path through the fog. Hyuga Ninja and Kirigakure Jonin continued fighting, but Hayashi paused his attack. The Hozuki withdrew his chakra from the water, evading the strike.
"Trying to lure me into the water?" Hayashi murmured, amused. The Hozuki clan excelled in aquatic combat, but he had no need to dive.
A small, glowing sphere of chakra appeared in his hand. Its light was harmless but acted as a lure, activating a five-senses genjutsu. Even underwater, Reigetsu sensed it, but he was too late. The genjutsu infiltrated his mind.
Struggling to escape, Reigetsu's body felt like a sinking stone. In his panic, seawater rushed into his mouth.
Hayashi, unconcerned, cut down a few Kirigakure Ninja nearby before sending a large white message tag to deliver a signal.
This operation was twofold: first, block Kirigakure's shipping lanes with explosive tags and mines; second, strike the Land of Water's stronghold. The first task had taken three days. Hayashi now ensured the supply convoy passed smoothly while drawing the enemy's attention. Far in the Land of Waves, Sakumo led the majority of the force in the second step.
After confirming Kirigakure ships were approaching, Hayashi gave the order: "You go first. I will handle the Three-Tails Jinchuriki."
The squad moved forward as the sea roared behind them. Flames and water erupted dozens of meters high. Splashes left concentric ripples as they rushed toward the island where the small boats were docked.
Aoba Yamashiro halted suddenly, activating his Byakugan. "Enemies... their chakra is immense," he whispered.
Bathed in moonlight, a towering figure walked toward them. His build was massive, clearly a hulking man wearing a Kirigakure forehead protector, a scarred right cheek, and a shiny bald head.
Aoba quickly retrieved an intelligence manual, cross-checking the figure. "Sir… it's a Three-Tails Jinchuriki."
"Three-Tails Jinchuriki Hosokawa?" Hayashi squinted, puzzled by his presence.
Two possibilities arose: Kirigakure sent him with the supply convoy and he survived the explosions, or they knew of Konoha's plan and deliberately deployed the Jinchuriki. Hayashi sensed a conspiracy.
He commanded decisively, "Proceed ahead; I will hold the Three-Tails Jinchuriki."
Whether by conspiracy or chance, the Three-Tails had arrived on his side, and Hayashi would meet the challenge head-on.
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