Looking at the clean, perfectly smooth cut across the massive boulder… Shimizu was convinced—no one could withstand an attack like that.
As an S-rank jutsu, WaterSevering Wave was notoriously difficult to learn. Its only real drawback was the slightly longer hand seal time.
In every other aspect—power, range—it stood at the absolute pinnacle.
The only requirement… was landing the hit.
Which meant that every time he used it, he had to create the right conditions—prevent the enemy from dodging or escaping.
But once the element of surprise was secured, the result was explosively satisfying.
Just like earlier—
The combination of Rock Lodging Destruction and Rain Formation had merely been feints, forcing Tobi into a trap…
…creating the perfect opening for Severing Wave.
"Is he… dead?"
There was no movement within his sensory range.
That presence—once clearly alive—had abruptly vanished the instant the attack landed.
But Shimizu hadn't forgotten…
…his opponent's elusive Earth Release techniques—appearing and disappearing without a trace.
So he remained on high alert.
The battlefield lay deep in the night, faintly illuminated by scattered starlight.
Bodies of fallen shinobi lay strewn across the ground, blood flowing freely. The hundreds of craters carved by the Rain Formation barrage left the earth looking utterly devastated—like it had been torn apart.
Then—
Crack.
The giant boulder split apart completely.
And silence swallowed everything.
'He's probably dead…' Shimizu thought.
But why did this unease linger?
Was it because everything had gone too smoothly?
A man capable of killing the Second Hokage…
…had really been taken down this easily?
It felt hard to believe.
'No matter how strong a ninja is, they're still flesh and blood. If they're hit by a powerful jutsu, death is inevitable.'
At last, Shimizu stepped forward.
And in that instant—
Everything changed.
A razor-thin branch shot silently toward the sole of his foot—so subtle it was nearly undetectable.
By the time Shimizu sensed something wrong—
his foot had already been pierced through.
'Damn it!'
Body Flicker Technique!
A wave of intense dizziness hit him.
His chakra flow slowed… sluggish, unresponsive.
Poison?
With a dull thud, Shimizu collapsed to the ground.
"Hahahahaha!"
Tobi slowly rose from beneath the earth, looking down at the unconscious Shimizu with smug satisfaction.
"I win."
He stepped forward, extending a finger.
"Wood Release: Cutting Technique!"
Five slender wooden spikes instantly pierced through Shimizu's body. As Wood Release chakra surged in…
…his body should have erupted with thick, jagged branches, impaling him from within.
"—Huh?!" Tobi froze.
The expected spikes… never appeared.
'Where's my Wood Release chakra?!'
A flash of blue light erupted—
BOOM!!
"You… bastard—! Another sneak attack?!"
Tobi's body was blasted dozens of meters away—a massive hole torn clean through his chest.
Shimizu once again used the Body Flicker Technique, appearing behind Tobi in an attempt to finish him off—
—but Tobi sank straight into the ground and vanished.
"You lost. Does the wager still stand?" Shimizu said. The man had escaped too quickly—those elusive Earth Release techniques made him nearly impossible to pin down.
"…Ask your question." Tobi's voice echoed from all directions.
"Why are you so determined to kill Minato?"
After a brief silence, Tobi replied slowly, "Because he can use space-time ninjutsu."
"Why does that mean he has to die? Is that also why you targeted the Second Hokage?"
"That's two more questions…"
"…Fine."
"Shimizu Uzuki—you've successfully angered me. Next time we meet… will be your last," Tobi's voice gradually faded into the distance.
"Talks big…"
Shimizu slumped to the ground. Thinking back to that narrow escape, a chill ran down his spine.
He hadn't expected it…
…but his body had somehow inherited Samehada's ability to devour chakra.
No—not just chakra.
After the poison spread through his body and began to take effect, it, too, had been gradually consumed.
That was the real reason he'd been able to neutralize the toxin so quickly.
And then Tobi's Wood Release chakra…
…had been completely devoured as well.
But what puzzled Shimizu was this—
If both the poison and the Wood Release chakra had been "eaten" by his body…
…why hadn't he felt anything at all?
He couldn't figure it out right now—and with more pressing matters at hand—
He'd have to investigate it later.
After hastily bandaging the five wounds in his body and steadying his condition, Shimizu set off south once more.
…
...
...
"I heard we captured a female ninja this time?" a Sunagakure shinobi said.
"Yeah," replied the guard on duty.
"They're saying she's really beautiful…" The man craned his neck, trying to glimpse the figure inside the tent. Then he suggested cautiously, "…how about we—"
"Miki, drop it," the guard cut him off. "The officer said she's from the Hyuga clan. Ordered me to guard her carefully. The Hyuga are one of Konoha's great clans—she's valuable."
"Tch… can't even take a look?" he muttered, reaching to lift the tent flap.
Smack.
His hand was slapped away.
"Be careful—you might trigger the seal. If that happens, I'm the one losing my bonus."
"Then just undo it. What's the big deal? It's not like anyone will know…" Miki grumbled, before suddenly catching a shadow moving in the dark. He tensed. "Who's there?"
"It's me. Captain Daro."
"Huh?!" Miki froze.
Who the hell was Captain Daro?!
The guard, however, immediately straightened, snapping to attention. "Captain Daro, what brings you here? Weren't you with the main force attacking Kikyō Castle?"
"...And who is he?" Daro asked.
"You don't even recognize him? Miki, seriously—you've been too distracted chasing women…"
"I'm here to inspect the goods," Daro said flatly.
"…What?"
"Didn't you hear me? Remove the seal. I need to see how valuable this Konoha kunoichi is—so we can leverage her properly in the upcoming battle for Kikyō Castle."
"But… the officer said unless he gives the order—"
"I'll explain it to him myself," Daro said, his tone firm and commanding. "Or are you planning to delay Sunagakure's assault on Kikyō Castle?"
"O-Of course not…" The accusation alone was enough to make the guard break into a cold sweat. Without hesitation, he formed hand seals.
"Release!"
"That should do it."
"You two come in as well… help me assess her value," Captain Daro said, lifting the flap and stepping into the tent.
"Yes!"
The two followed him inside—
—and moments later, two dull thuds echoed from within.
"So it really is you… Hyuga Satomi," Daro said.
"...Who are you?"
The transformation technique dissolved.
The familiar figure standing before her made her gasp—
"Senpai?!"
...
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