"Shisui, you've done well enough."
The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, held far less prejudice toward the Uchiha clan than other high-ranking officials in the Leaf.
He showed no wariness toward the power Shisui had displayed; instead, he stepped forward to offer words of comfort.
"I'm sorry... I failed to force the Kazekage to reveal more of his capabilities."
"Don't worry about it. Leave the rest to me." Minato smiled. Since Shisui had fought so desperately, how could he, as the Hokage, afford to lose?
On the battlefield, the clash between the Fifth Kazekage, Shiraishi, and the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, formally ignited.
Because Shiraishi's intelligence network had thoroughly penetrated the internal affairs of the Mist, he knew perfectly well that the Mizukage before him was nothing more than a puppet. The person pulling the strings clearly intended to use this battle to probe Shiraishi's limits.
But trying to take me down using a trash heap under hypnosis? Utterly ridiculous!
Shiraishi crossed his hands. His Whirlwind Blade transformed into a powerful gust of air-cutting blades. With a flick of his fingers, a vacuum blade sliced through the air, lunging directly at the Fourth Mizukage!
Numerous secret runes appeared on Yagura's coral staff. As the Mizukage performed a one-handed seal, specialized sigils glowed across his body, illuminating the arena.
Due to the previous battle with Uchiha Shisui, the mountain peak had subsided significantly. Yagura seized this opportunity to terraform the battlefield to his advantage.
He spat out a torrent of water that turned into a localized downpour, limiting Shiraishi's Magnetic Sand domain.
Immediately following, Yagura unleashed the strongest secret technique of his coral staff.
Water Style: Realm of the Wild Sea!
Upon activation, Yagura's strongest Water Style manifested. Under his control, the coral staff radiated a dazzling blue aquatic light that showered the area.
This light acted as Yagura's ultimate control domain, heightening his perception and judgment while simultaneously generating an "absolute defense and offense" similar to Sand Manipulation.
Water droplets transformed into countless sharp needles. Shiraishi blocked them with the rotating gales in his palms, noting that Yagura's offensive had no gaps or delays.
The chakra of a Jinchuriki is truly formidable!
The blue light bathed the area in a fifty-meter radius around Yagura, making the battlefield appear dreamlike and ethereal, highlighting the "magnificent youth" aesthetic of the Mizukage.
Seeing that his Water Flying Shoots couldn't handle the Kazekage, Yagura vanished. A split second later, he eerily materialized at Shiraishi's side, his fist cocked back for a direct strike to the face.
Water Style: Pipa Palm!
This was a refined version of Yagura's Tailed Beast transformation attacks. It generated a massive surge of pressurized water upon impact, carrying a powerful explosive shockwave. As Yagura moved via Water Body Flicker, the entire aquatic domain shifted with him!
Shiraishi had retracted his Giant Guardian, but his Circular Pupil was still active. The moment Yagura appeared, Shiraishi sensed him, pivoting his body to evade the strike.
Simultaneously, Shiraishi's fist blurred, striking toward his opponent's abdomen with Lightning energy stored within—ready to explode, yet held in reserve.
During the exchange, Shiraishi used the surrounding water to create a Water Clone.
A Water Clone?
The clone moved with incredible speed, shaping the surrounding water into a blade that whistled toward Yagura's neck.
Facing the pincer attack from the original and the clone, Yagura didn't defend. His joints popped as he swung his coral staff in a wide arc, shattering Shiraishi's afterimage.
The destroyed Water Clone, however, transformed into a massive conductor for lightning, striking Yagura directly. The resulting jolt carried a heavy Genjutsu component, which momentarily interfered with the hypnosis Yagura was under.
Obito, controlling the Mizukage from the shadows, immediately sensed the problem and decided not to let Yagura engage in close-quarters brawling anymore.
Shiraishi remained stationary, the Regeneration Core within his eye constantly analyzing the Fourth Mizukage's combat state.
Relying on his battle instincts, Shiraishi gathered a brilliant blue light in his palm—the Origin Wave—and fired it as a concentrated beam, forcing Yagura back step by step.
The Origin Wave was crude and violent, its blue energy beam tearing through parts of the Wild Sea Barrier, leaving the Mizukage's position precarious.
"The Water Style used by the Kazekage is said to be the same one that drove the Mist's Fuguki Suikazan into a desperate retreat," Onoki observed. Shiraishi's Origin Wave was similar to the Mizukage's barrier in nature, but far more concentrated and destructive.
"Using Water Style against the Mizukage... does the Kazekage intend to challenge the Raikage in Nintaijutsu, the Old Man in Earth Style, and the Hokage in Space-Time Ninjutsu?" Onoki gave a cold laugh.
"This Kazekage has no small ambition; he wants to establish his absolute dominance over all five Kage."
Fighting four Kage and answering each with a different specialized style—this was indeed Shiraishi's plan. The Raikage and Tsuchikage, who had been content to watch, were now feeling a surge of competitive spirit.
On the field, Shiraishi's Sword Dance air currents slashed Yagura's neck. The blue light of the barrier flickered and split as Yagura instinctively tilted his head.
Despite the speed of the attack, Yagura's muscles constricted, leaving only a jagged scar rather than a fatal wound.
Facing Shiraishi's pressure, Yagura retreated again, but Shiraishi was faster. As Shiraishi closed in, Yagura was forced to use Water Body Flicker to appear behind him.
His Pipa Palm gathered a dark red energy, aiming for Shiraishi's spine. The surface of his hand glowed with an eerie light, hiding a potent toxin.
The Raikage shook his head. "The Kazekage is from the Sand; poison is the last thing they fear."
"No, that toxin isn't simple!" Minato noted.
Shiraishi's eyes didn't waver. He shifted his torso, pulling his arm back to evade the direct strike, yet a startling purple-red mark appeared on his skin where the air had grazed him.
A toxin that disrupts chakra flow?
In an instant, Shiraishi gathered water threads at his fingertips and pierced his own skin to neutralize the strange poison. Simultaneously, he manifested a mass of black mist in the shape of a serpent that lunged at Yagura.
The black mist invaded Yagura's space. This unique mist possessed a chakra-disrupting power even greater than the Mizukage's toxins.
As the mist corroded the Mizukage's defenses, Yagura turned deathly pale, and the power of the Three-Tails within him began to stir.
In that case, I'll force the Three-Tails out. Let me see how strong a 'Perfect Jinchuriki' really is.
Shiraishi intensified the black mist, turning it into binding currents that poured into Yagura's senses. As the specialized Ice Style Mist entered his body, Yagura's expression twisted. Just as he prepared to resist, Uchiha Obito—from his hidden position—performed a seal.
Under a specialized command, Yagura, the Jinchuriki of the Three-Tails, entered a state of berserk rampage.
"This chakra... It's the Three-Tails!"
Outside the arena, Kakashi's Sharingan was fixed on the beastly chakra. Memories of the past flooded back, and he sank further into his state of despondency. Minato looked at his student and sighed deeply.
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