Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave was originally a terrifying Water Release used to transform flat land into a lake. When activated by a shinobi with an enormous amount of chakra, its power became strong enough to temporarily turn even a desert into a forest of waves.
To the shinobi of Kirigakure, Water Release was their pride and symbol. Activating Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave could not only kill enemies, but also transform the battlefield into the environment they were best at. It achieved several goals at once.
However, the greatest problem with Water Release ninjutsu was its insufficient killing power. Aside from a few techniques belonging to the Second Hokage, most relied on massive water volume to obtain sufficient force.
Even with enough water, it was still difficult to directly cause a shinobi's death. Usually, it could only disrupt enemy formations, consume the enemy's stamina, and alter the battlefield environment.
But on the sea, the greatest home ground of Water Release, it was completely different when Kirigakure shinobi used Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave.
Not only was the consumption of using the ninjutsu greatly reduced, but they did not need to spend precious energy transforming the environment. They could even obtain an enormous boost from the sea, increasing the ninjutsu's power by half out of thin air.
Furthermore, Water Release naturally possessed the trait of merging and stacking. When Kirigakure shinobi used Water Release ninjutsu, they did not need to undergo strict training. They did not even need to jointly cast ninjutsu.
After the Fourth Mizukage used a powerful Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave, the other Kirigakure shinobi only needed to follow the direction of the Mizukage's ninjutsu and cast the same Water Release. Their own ninjutsu would stack into it, expanding the scale and power of the Mizukage's Water Release.
When more than three hundred shinobi joined in one after another, they created an enormous tsunami that shook the heart, one that could almost crush any enemy.
Uchiha Yoru looked at the massive tsunami and was deeply shocked.
He finally understood why the sea was Kirigakure's home ground. When they fought upon the sea, the environment naturally allowed them to achieve the effect of coordinated ninjutsu. It was truly absurd.
No wonder Orochimaru had firmly refused to launch a counterattack until the Kirigakure shinobi army collapsed. So it was because he feared that once they counterattacked onto the sea, they would suffer a counterattack from Kirigakure shinobi.
No wonder the Third Raikage only brought a few shinobi to launch a surprise attack. The more people one brought onto the sea, the easier it became to suffer disaster under Kirigakure's attacks.
A Kirigakure force of merely a thousand shinobi could unleash a tsunami. Before such terrifying Water Release, only shinobi of jonin level and above could guarantee their own safety.
Uchiha Yoru looked at the tsunami, his heart filled with amazement.
Ever since Kumogakure and Konoha joined forces to crush the Kirigakure shinobi army, Kirigakure had truly gained a new life.
After four months, he had led the Tiger Unit and fought two waves of Kirigakure shinobi within three days, yet both times, they had encountered giant ninjutsu attacks.
If the Kirigakure shinobi four months ago had possessed this level, then even with the giant hole at Kubota Village, the drainage capacity of a single giant hole would not have been enough to withstand such a tsunami attack. The Tiger Unit would absolutely have suffered disastrous casualties.
Today's Tiger Unit also had no way to deal with a tsunami of this scale.
But this was not a problem with the Tiger Unit.
It was his problem.
It was Konoha Village's problem.
If the Third Hokage had not harbored dirty intentions, and if he himself had not coveted the legs of a giant octopus and enjoyed the easy life of island garrison duty, the Uchiha of the Tiger Unit should never have been forced to meet Kirigakure shinobi on the sea.
Having Uchiha shinobi skilled in Fire Release fight Kirigakure shinobi skilled in Water Release on the sea—of course they could not handle it.
However, facing this giant tsunami, Uchiha Yoru was not afraid.
He even smiled with considerable relief.
He had calculated a ninety-five percent victory rate before the battle. How could he possibly not have considered a tsunami attack?
What made Uchiha Yoru feel relieved was that after dealing with this huge tsunami, then dealing with the Fourth Mizukage, his reputation would definitely soar into the sky. Even with Orochimaru's help, it would be impossible to suppress.
Since it could not be suppressed, Orochimaru definitely would not waste effort trying to suppress it.
The Third Hokage would learn Uchiha Yoru's intelligence at the first opportunity, and then he would make his characteristic response.
Uchiha Yoru would inevitably leave the Land of Hot Water, leave the Tiger Unit, and return to Konoha Village to wait on standby while being hidden away.
Uchiha Yoru suddenly smiled.
The enemy and the tsunami had not even been dealt with yet. What was he letting his thoughts wander for?
He stuffed the copper whistle into his mouth and blew the command to prepare the Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu. At the same time, he formed hand seals with both hands and extracted a massive amount of Earth Release chakra from his body's cells.
The Uchiha were shocked by the attack order. As they gritted their teeth, formed seals, and extracted chakra, they suddenly sensed an enormous chakra fluctuation.
Only then did they realize that their Brother Yoru actually possessed such a massive amount of chakra.
"W-what's going on? Is this Brother Yoru's chakra?"
"This is unbelievable. Forget us Uchiha—even the Senju clan and Uzumaki clan, can they really have this much chakra?"
"The Uzumaki clan… right! Naruki, you were classmates with Kushina Uzumaki. Do you think she has as much chakra as Brother Yoru?"
"I remember Kushina Uzumaki's chakra wasn't this large."
"Hiss—!"
"Do you think Brother Yoru forced us to polish our stamina, refine chakra, and calm our minds to strengthen our spirits because he wanted us to obtain this kind of chakra volume?"
"Ah? Ah… ah!!!"
"I understand! It's the Hundred-Refinements Body Tempering Method! The Cyclic Refining Method! The Still-Mind Soul Tempering Method!"
"Sage of Six Paths above… what did we miss?"
"I swear, I'll never slack off again. I absolutely have to obtain this kind of power."
"Me too!"
"Same here!"
The enormous chakra volume was simply too shocking. It stunned the Uchiha until they went numb.
By the time they distinguished that it was Earth Release chakra, the younger brothers no longer felt there was anything wrong with it.
That was Brother Uchiha Yoru.
He was that powerful.
So what if he had mastered Earth Release?
Uchiha Yoru, no longer concealing anything, emitted chakra fluctuations as bright as the moon in the night sky. Even across the enormous tsunami created by Water Release, the Kirigakure shinobi could all sense that terrifying fluctuation.
The Fourth Mizukage was extremely shocked. He could not help asking, "How could an Uchiha possess such an enormous amount of chakra?"
No one answered the Fourth Mizukage.
The Kirigakure shinobi had all been stunned.
Kaguya Yoshi and Hozuki Oborozuki were even more shocked than the Mizukage. Both of them were equally dumbfounded, mentally calculating whether they could oppose the owner of this chakra. They did not hear the Mizukage's question at all.
Only the jinchuriki, Jonin Onishi Kyohei, remained completely unconcerned. He had long grown accustomed to the chakra volume of the Three-Tails inside his body.
That was an even larger and even more sinister chakra.
He even smiled with great interest and made a request to the Fourth Mizukage.
"Lord Mizukage, leave this guy to me. I'll let him understand that a shinobi's chakra ultimately cannot compare to a Tailed Beast."
When Yagura Karatachi heard his words, his eyes brightened.
That was right. He should not be frightened by this chakra fluctuation. Chakra volume had never been the only standard of strength. Even if it was, the jinchuriki beside him was stronger.
He laughed loudly and said, "Very well, Jonin Onishi Kyohei. I'll leave this Uchiha to you."
Yagura Karatachi looked at the dispirited Kirigakure shinobi behind him and smiled again.
"Why don't you make your official debut now? Let the Uchiha and our own shinobi know that we are stronger than them!"
Onishi Kyohei answered excitedly, "You said it perfectly. This is exactly what I wanted to do!"
Kirigakure's first jinchuriki gently touched the seal on his body.
A wicked aura poured out from his body. Along with this aura, an indescribably vast chakra surged forth, pressing the surface of the sea into a slight depression.
Onishi Kyohei's face was ferocious. His face was red as blood, and veins bulged across his smooth bald head, as if some monster inside him were struggling to escape.
As more and more terrifying chakra leaked out, dark clouds unconsciously covered the sky above the sea. The heavy air became increasingly bone-chilling, and the temperature was clearly falling.
The Yuki clan shinobi could not help looking over.
They were incomparably certain that this chakra was Ice Release.
Farther away, Orochimaru, who was carefully approaching, raised his right hand and signaled the Konoha reinforcements to stop advancing. Then he closed his eyes and carefully sensed the chakra aura ahead, clicking his tongue in wonder.
"Heh. I knew that Uchiha boy would hide things, but I never imagined he could have this much chakra. This already exceeds me and my teacher."
"How strange. Why has that boy stopped hiding? Isn't he very worried about being discovered by my teacher, then dragged back to the village and trapped there?"
Very quickly, Orochimaru sensed an even larger and more frightening chakra.
He immediately judged that it was the chakra of a Tailed Beast.
Thus, Orochimaru's confusion was resolved. He sneered.
"So that's how it is. Tailed Beast chakra. Has Kirigakure also created a jinchuriki? No wonder that Uchiha boy doesn't dare continue hiding. He sensed danger."
"Heh. The Kirigakure shinobi are going to be unlucky."
Orochimaru turned back and ordered, "Continue forward. Be careful not to move too quickly."
He reduced the Konoha shinobi's advance speed by half, focusing most of his attention on the changes in aura ahead as he assessed the best timing to enter the battlefield.
Orochimaru was not worried at all that the Tiger Unit would be defeated.
Perhaps Kirigakure's Water Release would cause great losses among the Uchiha, but as long as Uchiha Yoru was there, there would be no danger of defeat.
In his impression, although Uchiha Yoru was always hiding this and that, once he was pushed into a corner, that guy would launch a counterattack without regard for anything.
He had not even hesitated when killing Root shinobi from the same Konoha Village.
Most importantly, Orochimaru discovered that after Uchiha Yoru sensed danger, he had taken the initiative to set a trap and ambush Root shinobi who harbored ill will toward him.
The temperament and decisiveness Uchiha Yoru displayed filled Orochimaru with fear, but also with confidence.
Orochimaru even thought that if Uchiha Fugaku possessed this sort of personality, his teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi, absolutely would not dare have any thoughts toward the Uchiha.
The Third Hokage would even firmly suppress Shimura Danzo to prevent his "impulsiveness" from destroying the village's stable and united overall situation.
After all, the Third always prioritized dealing with the "honest" side while indulging the side that made trouble.
That was not a good habit.
Previously, Orochimaru had no interest in the Hokage position and was too lazy to care about these things. Now, after being stimulated by Uchiha Yoru into wanting to become Hokage, he was still too lazy to advise his teacher.
When a stubborn old man made mistakes, how could he be persuaded with reason?
Orochimaru knew that the best method was to wait until he took office, then use the major personnel change of the Hokage transition to handle the relevant matters according to his own style.
He only needed to handle a few troublemakers, and the village's rules would naturally change.
That was much better than directly opposing his teacher.
Orochimaru only hoped that after Uchiha Yoru returned to the village, he would obediently endure.
Or that the Third Hokage would not force this boy into a dead end.
Everyone could live peacefully and steadily until Orochimaru took office.
"Hm?"
Amid the interference of the Tailed Beast chakra, Orochimaru finally distinguished the chakra released by Uchiha Yoru.
It was actually Earth Release chakra.
"This boy's first revealed card is an enormous amount of chakra, and his second card is actually Earth Release. The Uchiha clan actually developed Earth Release chakra."
"This boy is quite generous. He's revealing quite a lot of cards today."
"Why do I feel like Uchiha Yoru is saying to me: I'm done pretending. I'll lay my cards on the table. I'm extremely strong…"
"No, this boy must have developed Lightning Release as well. Lightning Release is very common among Uchiha shinobi. It's impossible that he hasn't developed it."
"He must have developed Wind Release too. For an Uchiha, developing Wind Release should be at least ten times easier than developing Earth Release."
It had to be said that Orochimaru's guesses about the development order of chakra natures were almost all wrong.
But his guesses regarding the nature transformations Uchiha Yoru had already mastered were indeed extremely accurate.
His confidence in Uchiha Yoru grew even stronger.
Mastering at least four nature transformations meant that no matter what type of ninjutsu the opponent used, Uchiha Yoru could use the opposing nature transformation to counterattack and gain every advantage in battle.
Thus, the Konoha shinobi slowed down even more.
…
Uchiha Yoru did not know that after a round of wild speculation, Orochimaru had decided to delay support. Otherwise, he would definitely curse.
But perhaps he would not curse.
Because he had finally made his decision.
No more pretending.
He would lay his cards on the table.
Come and see my strength.
After the powerful Earth Release chakra poured out, he brought his hands together with a sharp clap, activating the ninjutsu.
Earth Release: Earth and Stone Excavation.
The ninjutsu's effect passed through thirty meters of seawater and stirred the earth and rock layers of the seabed, destroying the rock plate structure supporting the crust. The seabed suddenly sank downward by eighteen meters, affecting an area of one million one hundred thousand square meters.
Earth and Stone Excavation, a B-rank Earth Release ninjutsu, normally had a collapse range of three hundred square meters and a sinking depth of around four or five meters.
Even with powerful chakra support, it should have been impossible to reach such a scale.
The secret was that, under the cover of powerful chakra, a massive amount of earth-aspected natural energy had already seeped into the seabed in advance, softening the structure of the seabed rock layers and amplifying the power of the ninjutsu by thousands upon thousands of times.
When the seabed suddenly sank, causing twenty million cubic meters of seawater to pour into the huge pit, an incomparably terrifying depression appeared on the surface of the sea.
The surging tsunami happened to be on one side of this depression.
The giant wave that had originally been pouncing toward the Uchiha was forcibly dragged back by the pressure difference created by the sunken seawater.
After the giant wave filled the seawater depression, it violently struck the sunken surface of the sea, stirring up towering white foam. But it could no longer form a tsunami-like giant wave.
At this moment, the Tiger Unit's Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu was also completed.
The Uchiha breathed out flames that blotted out the sky, densely covering the Kirigakure shinobi.
The Kirigakure shinobi who had experienced similar scenes trembled reflexively. Then they shouted loudly:
"Don't use offensive Water Release ninjutsu! You'll suffer for it!"
"Use Water Formation Wall! Use Water Prison Jutsu!"
Thanks to the Fourth Mizukage unifying authority, the Kirigakure shinobi had communicated intelligence in advance. This allowed them to make the correct response in time.
One water curtain after another rose above the sea, protecting all the Kirigakure shinobi.
The flames of the Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu covered the Water Formation Walls like a storm of fire.
The dense and gorgeous flames were like torches thrown into water. After making countless hissing sounds, they went out, completely unable to shake the Water Formation Wall.
Water Release countered Fire Release.
That was certainly true.
But none of the Kirigakure shinobi felt relaxed.
The Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu indeed could not break through the Water Formation Wall, but there were simply too many Phoenix Sage Fires. They fell as densely as a rainstorm, making people's scalps tingle.
Most fatal of all was the enormous difference in endurance between the Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu and the Water Formation Wall.
The Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu consumed very little and possessed the common advantage of Fire Release ninjutsu. As long as the caster had sufficient chakra, it could be maintained endlessly.
But the Water Formation Wall had a limit to its duration.
No matter how much chakra the caster possessed, the water curtain could last at most one hundred forty seconds before the structure of the ninjutsu collapsed.
In the past, no shinobi would maintain Water Formation Wall for a long time. There was even less need to maintain it until its limit.
That was because previous offensive ninjutsu all pursued high burst power. What they wanted was to break open the defense in one strike and directly cause fatal damage.
This was the only correct path for an individual to use ninjutsu.
But today's situation was different.
Uchiha Yoru had changed his thinking and played a war of sustained attack, exploiting the enemy's weakness in endurance and easily gaining a tactical advantage.
Under the dense, rainstorm-like coverage of the Phoenix Sage Fire, the Kirigakure shinobi had to promptly replenish new Water Formation Walls to protect themselves from being killed by the flames of the Phoenix Sage Fire.
Thus, more than a thousand Kirigakure shinobi were suppressed by fewer than two hundred Uchiha, trapped in place and unable to move.
These shinobi were all veterans. With one glance, they knew that outside the water curtains, it was extremely dangerous. The density of the flames left no space to dodge at all.
Forget ordinary shinobi—even jonin, even Kage-level shinobi, could not avoid every flame.
Only one shinobi was an exception.
The jinchuriki, Jonin Onishi Kyohei.
His entire body was shrouded in flame-like Tailed Beast chakra. When the Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu approached within ten meters of him, it was extinguished by the bone-chilling chakra aura and could not get close at all.
Thus, Jonin Onishi Kyohei released even more violent Tailed Beast chakra and charged toward the Konoha shinobi while laughing wildly.
Seeing the jinchuriki charge toward the enemy alone, the Fourth Mizukage grew anxious.
A jinchuriki was a battlefield weapon capable of causing enormous losses to the enemy.
But an isolated jinchuriki could also easily fall under the encirclement of shinobi.
However, Yagura Karatachi, as Mizukage, had no ability to charge through the rainstorm of Phoenix Sage Fire.
He could only watch anxiously.
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