Rumble—
The sound of thunder exploded within the clouds.
Yang Jiu transformed into a streak of golden lightning, sweeping low over the wasteland outside the Hidden Mist Village. His ten-meter-long silver-gold body cut through the air, leaving a trail of scorched scent.
Senses fully open.
Thirty li ahead was a vast lake—the largest freshwater lake outside the Hidden Mist Village.
The corners of Yang Jiu's mouth curled up slightly.
"Three-Tails..."
He licked his lips.
"Let me see what you actually look like."
Thirty li passed in an instant.
Soon, a boundless expanse of water appeared on the horizon ahead. A faint mist hung over the lake, which was quiet to an almost eerie degree.
Yang Jiu hovered above the lake and closed his eyes.
His perception spread toward the depths of the lake like invisible ripples.
Ten meters.
Fifty meters.
One hundred meters.
One hundred and fifty meters—
There.
At the deepest part of the lake, a terrifyingly massive mass of Chakra was slumbering. That Chakra was somber and heavy, like a giant rock buried under the deep sea—quiet yet filled with pressure.
Yang Jiu opened his eyes.
"Come out."
His voice spread throughout the entire lake via lightning.
"I know you're down there."
The lake surface remained calm.
Three seconds.
Five seconds.
Ten seconds.
Yang Jiu raised an eyebrow.
"Playing dead?"
He raised a front paw, and a bolt of golden lightning descended from the sky, slamming hard onto the lake's surface!
Boom—!!!
The lightning exploded, and lake water splashed everywhere! The entire lake seemed hit by a giant hammer, kicking up waves dozens of meters high!
Furthermore, terrifying electrical waves rampaged through the lake, electrocuting all the fish; some were even turned to ash.
Thick water vapor shrouded the entire lake surface.
This time, there was finally a reaction from the depths.
A dull roar came from the abyss.
"Roar—!!!"
The roar shook heaven and earth, and the entire lake trembled violently!
The lake surface began to churn frantically. Countless bubbles rose from the bottom, and the water seemed to boil!
Then—
A behemoth slowly rose from the lake bottom.
First was the carapace.
A heavy, bluish-gray shell, rough as rock, covered in menacing spikes and irregular bony protrusions. The plates were layered, their edges sharp as knives, glinting coldly in the sunlight.
Then the head.
A massive head emerged from the water. A prominent hooked horn grew on its forehead, slightly curved like two inverted blades.
Its right eye remained closed, while its left eye was wide open—the white of the eye was a strange dark red, and the pupil was as gloomy as an abyss, staring fixedly at the uninvited guest in the sky.
On its face and neck, exposed dark red flesh could be seen, forming a sharp contrast with the bluish-gray hard armor, exuding a fierce and violent aura.
Finally, the tails.
Three thick, flattened tail limbs rose from behind, like the tail fans of a giant lobster, with fine serrations along the edges.
They swayed slowly in the sky, each movement kicking up towering waves and stirring the entire body of water.
Its limbs were short and stout, covered in the same bluish-gray hard armor. Its claws were sharp, stepping firmly beneath the water's surface.
The entire beast lay across the lake like a moving gray mountain.
Three-Tails Isobu.
Nearly fifty meters long, it was like a giant underwater rock when still and could churn the entire lake when moving.
Yang Jiu hovered in mid-air, looking down at the behemoth.
In his golden eyes, there was no fear, only excitement.
"Quite handsome!"
He muttered.
Isobu's single eye stared fixedly at the silver-gold giant wolf in the sky.
Its eye was full of disdain.
A ten-meter-long little wolf cub dared to disturb its slumber?
"Roar—!!!"
It let out a heaven-shaking roar. Its three giant tails rose simultaneously and lashed out fiercely at Yang Jiu in the sky!
That power was enough to smash a small mountain!
Yang Jiu didn't dodge.
He wanted to test whether a Tailed Beast's strength was greater or his own.
Then, he turned into a streak of golden light and met one of the sweeping giant tails with a swipe of his paw!
Boom—!!!
An earth-shattering collision sound exploded!
Sparks flew, and air currents surged. The shockwave spread like a tsunami, kicking up hundred-meter-high waves!
The giant tail was forced back. Yang Jiu was also sent flying by the massive recoil, flipping several times in the air and sliding for a hundred meters before stabilizing himself.
He shook his numbed paw and looked down—the tips of his claws throbbed slightly, and a few faint white marks were left on his silver-gold fur.
But those golden eyes grew even brighter.
"Tough enough."
He muttered.
As expected of a Tailed Beast, especially one known for strength and defense.
Even after two reinforcements and evolutions, he was actually slightly weaker in terms of pure strength.
"If that's the case..."
Yang Jiu narrowed his eyes.
"Then how terrifying must Senju Hashirama's strength be?"
To defeat Uchiha Madara with his Susanoo-clad Nine-Tailed, that guy's strength was far beyond his imagination.
Tsk.
However—
He looked up at Isobu.
His strongest asset had never been his Physical Body.
It was his even more powerful lightning.
In Isobu's single eye, a hint of surprise appeared for the first time.
This little thing... actually withstood its full-power strike?
And it seemed completely fine?
Yang Jiu hovered in the air, golden electrical arcs beginning to dance frantically around him.
He looked at Isobu, the corners of his mouth slowly curling into a cold arc.
"Isobu."
"The warm-up is over."
His voice was low like thunder, echoing across the entire lake.
"I'm getting serious now."
"I hope you can hold out a bit longer."
Isobu's single eye suddenly widened.
"Isobu?"
This human—no, this wolf—how did it know its name?!
It had been slumbering in this lake for who knows how many years.
After being created by the Six Paths Sage, it had been passed around, sealed, reborn, sealed again, reborn again, and finally ended up in this lake.
In the current Ninja World, those who knew its true name could be counted on one hand.
This wolf, how—
However, before it could figure it out...
Boom!!!
Golden lightning had already completely enveloped it!
Three-Tails Isobu: Young man, you have no martial ethics!!!
Before it could even finish its internal complaint, the first pillar of lightning slammed solidly onto its back!
Boom—!!!
Lightning exploded, and stone fragments flew!
Three of those hard bluish-gray spikes on Isobu's carapace were instantly blasted off! The break points were charred black, with faint wisps of smoke rising.
"Roar—!!!"
Isobu let out a roar of pain. Its three giant tails lashed out frantically, trying to strike down the damn sneak-attacker in the sky.
But Yang Jiu didn't get close at all.
He simply hovered at an altitude of five hundred meters, looking down at the disheveled beast below without stopping.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three golden lightning pillars fell in succession!
Isobu wanted to dodge, but its massive forty-nine-meter-long body had nowhere to hide under such carpet bombing!
The first pillar hit its left shoulder, shattering a large section of its shell!
The second pillar hit its tail, causing the three giant tails to twitch frantically from the electric shock!
The third pillar was the most ruthless—it went straight for its single eye!
Isobu was so startled it jerked its head back. The lightning pillar grazed its head and slammed into the lake, erupting in a hundred-meter-high wave!
"Roar—!!!"
Isobu was furious.
Completely enraged.
It opened its massive mouth, and Tailed Beast Chakra condensed frantically. A black Tailed Beast Ball formed instantly and shot toward Yang Jiu in the sky!
Yang Jiu watched the whistling Tailed Beast Ball without even blinking.
He merely had a thought.
Boom—!!!
A golden lightning pillar even thicker than before descended from the sky, colliding head-on with the Tailed Beast Ball!
The two energy orbs locked in a stalemate for less than a second—
Boom!!!
The Tailed Beast Ball exploded!
The shockwave rippled out, and Isobu was jolted back dozens of meters!
Meanwhile, Yang Jiu remained hovering in place, unmoving.
"It seems that in terms of energy attacks, I'm still superior!"
He looked down at Isobu, his golden eyes filled with amusement.
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