Yagura Karatachi nodded heavily.
He gently pressed the side of Onishi Kyohei's neck, knocking him unconscious. This would make things a little easier for him when the seal was released.
Afterward, he lifted Onishi Kyohei's clothes. Without the slightest hesitation, he slapped a palm onto his stomach. Powerful chakra surged violently, and according to the cipher Elder Genji had taught him, he began undoing the Three-Tails' seal step by step.
In that instant, a thick evil aura erupted from the jinchuriki's skeletal body.
What followed was chakra leaking out like a geyser.
An indescribably vast amount of chakra.
Whether it was the chakra Uchiha Yoru had displayed earlier, or the chakra burning like flames around the body of the jinchuriki Onishi Kyohei, both seemed so insignificant before this chakra.
This was true Tailed Beast chakra.
True monster-level power.
In the blink of an eye, wind and clouds changed above the sea. Dark clouds gathered, violent winds howled, and towering waves rose into the sky. It was a terrifying scene, as if an apocalyptic monster was about to appear.
Orochimaru and Uchiha Yoru clicked their tongues at the same time.
They would not be able to kill the Fourth Mizukage today.
Who could have imagined that this man would be so decisive? The moment he realized his life was in danger, he killed his own jinchuriki without hesitation and released the Tailed Beast to disturb the battlefield.
Speaking of which, the power of a Tailed Beast was only so much. As long as it was not inside one's own village, and shinobi had no reason to fight to the end, even jonin facing a Tailed Beast would not necessarily be in mortal danger.
Because Tailed Beasts were simply too large, while shinobi were far too fast.
A Tailed Beast dealing with shinobi was like a slow-reacting human trying to catch fleas barehanded. Slapping a patch of fleas with the palm could easily kill several, but trying to pinch one specific flea was as difficult as climbing to the heavens.
But releasing a Tailed Beast onto the battlefield to cause chaos and cover another Kage-level shinobi's escape?
That was unsolvable.
As more and more Tailed Beast chakra gathered in the air, the strange viscous feeling in the atmosphere grew heavier and heavier. Finally, it became an enormous sphere shrouded in icy mist.
The icy mist itself was condensed from Ice Release chakra, and naturally expanded and contracted with the fluctuations of Tailed Beast chakra, like a giant embryo in the process of hatching.
Suddenly, a roar came from within the icy mist.
The icy mist contracted inward as though it had encountered a black hole. Soon, a strange-shaped colossus revealed itself.
It was a monster shaped like an alligator snapping turtle, with a heavy shell on its back. Its entire body was covered in layered armor of icy thorns. The most eye-catching feature was its three tails covered in thorny black spikes. They were like three enormous spiked ice pillars, slowly swaying in the air. At a glance, one could tell they were terrifying weapons.
It was the Tailed Beast the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, had once given to Kirigakure.
The Three-Tails, Isobu.
Of course, right now, only Uchiha Yoru knew this name.
Only he knew that this terrifying-looking giant turtle was actually a timid homebody turtle.
The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, stood on the Three-Tails' back. When he saw that the Three-Tails had completely escaped its restraints, he raised his head and coldly stared at Orochimaru and Uchiha Yoru, as if he wanted to carve their faces deeply into his heart.
Then he suddenly jumped into the sea and vanished amid the splashing waves.
Uchiha Yoru sighed and said, "Let's deal with the Three-Tails first. Drive it away, then think of a way to chase the Fourth Mizukage."
Orochimaru smiled and said, "Uchiha Yoru, you're very confident. You can say something like driving away a Tailed Beast so casually. This is a Tailed Beast."
"Why don't you hold it back while I go straight after the Fourth Mizukage?"
To Orochimaru's surprise, Uchiha Yoru actually nodded and said, "Alright. I'll hold back the Three-Tails."
Orochimaru immediately put away all his smile and asked seriously once more, "Yoru-kun, are you sure you want to hold back the Three-Tails by yourself and let me pursue Yagura Karatachi?"
Uchiha Yoru answered just as seriously, "Yes. I'm sure."
Orochimaru's golden snake pupils abruptly shrank into thin lines, then slowly widened again. He said word by word, "Good. If you survive, I'll give you an S-rank mission record."
After saying that, Orochimaru also leapt into the water and disappeared into the white spray. Clearly, he had seen through the technique Yagura Karatachi used to leave and was pursuing him in the same way.
Uchiha Yoru clicked his tongue in wonder.
He did not recognize the ninjutsu used by these two Kage-level experts at all. He could not even judge whether they were Water Release ninjutsu.
In the end, the Uchiha clan's collection of ninjutsu still was not comprehensive enough. The elders of past generations had not recorded anything about Water Release. Clearly, they had been highly repulsed by Water Release.
As a result, Uchiha Yoru's understanding of Water Release remained at the level taught by the Ninja Academy. As long as it involved advanced ninjutsu and techniques, he knew absolutely nothing.
The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, must have discovered this weakness of the Uchiha clan, which was why he deliberately chose Water Release ninjutsu as his main focus.
When fighting Uchiha shinobi, using Water Release could not only restrain Fire Release, but also bully the Uchiha's lack of understanding of Water Release, allowing him to gain every advantage in terms of intelligence.
Tobirama Senju had devoted himself to researching and developing Water Release with such intensity, and in the end, he became the foremost Water Release shinobi in the shinobi world.
How ironic.
Suddenly, the Three-Tails, Isobu, slowly opened its eyes.
As its consciousness fully awakened, the evil and surging chakra was quickly withdrawn into its body. The strange viscous feeling in the air rapidly vanished as well.
The Three-Tails, Isobu, swept its gaze across the surrounding environment and discovered there was only one shinobi. A look of surprise appeared in its eyes. Clearly, it did not quite understand the situation.
But this homebody turtle did not dwell on the matter.
Nor did it kill people to vent its anger after escaping, like other Tailed Beasts.
Instead, it turned and moved toward the deep sea.
As for Uchiha Yoru, the only living person present, Isobu did not care at all.
Right now, it only wanted to find a body of water deep enough, then hide at the bottom so that Kirigakure shinobi would not find it and seal it again.
Isobu was an anomaly among Tailed Beasts. As long as there was even the possibility of not fighting, it absolutely would not fight.
This was also the reason Uchiha Yoru had dared to boast in front of Orochimaru that he could hold back the Three-Tails alone and prevent it from affecting Orochimaru's pursuit of Yagura Karatachi.
Because he knew this unknown piece of intelligence.
As long as he did not take the initiative to provoke the Three-Tails and did not block its path toward freedom, no battle would occur.
But when Isobu slowly opened its eyes, when it began withdrawing its chakra and that chakra underwent a qualitative change, Uchiha Yoru was stunned by what he saw.
His heart was pounding wildly.
His cells were roaring.
His intuition had never been so clear and certain:
Isobu's eye.
That right eye.
That was the key!!
The key to the final breakthrough of the Foundation Establishment realm!
Yes.
As Isobu withdrew its chakra, that terrifying Ice Release chakra displayed differentiation in its eyes. Its left eye gathered the power of Wind Release, while its right eye gathered the power of Water Release.
But that was not the key.
The key was that as the Tailed Beast chakra condensed, a tiny bit of incomparably pure natural energy was squeezed out, also condensing at the center of its eye.
This tiny amount of natural energy was not only water-aspected natural energy, but after being tempered by the most violent Water Release chakra for who knew how many years, its nature had already changed.
Or rather, it was seed-like water-aspected natural energy.
It contained the most life-filled characteristic and could completely satisfy Uchiha Yoru's breakthrough requirements.
The opportunity Uchiha Yoru had bitterly searched for over several months, the key he had swept across the eastern sea again and again without finding, had suddenly appeared before him.
He absolutely could not let it go.
Uchiha Yoru smiled bitterly and began forming seals. Then he placed his palm on the surface of the sea.
Summoning Jutsu: Rika-chan, Come Here.
Thick white smoke dispersed, and Miwa Masayo appeared on the surface of the sea.
The tabby cat opened her eyes, but what she saw was not her litter-scooper. Instead, icy crystal thorns filled her entire field of vision.
From Miwa Masayo's perspective, layers upon layers of icicles towered like mountains. She had no choice but to raise her head high before finally seeing the most distinctive three tails.
The instant she saw those three icicle tails, she recognized it as a Tailed Beast.
The tabby cat's fur exploded.
Her entire cat body went stupid.
Although Miwa Masayo immediately guessed what Uchiha Yoru wanted to do, she still could not help asking, "Yoru, what are you trying to do, nya?"
Uchiha Yoru also let out a long sigh. After lifting Miwa Masayo into his arms, he pointed his right hand toward the Three-Tails' head and said helplessly, "I need its right eye. No matter what, I have to obtain it."
Of course he did not want to fight the Three-Tails.
But the Three-Tails' right eye was the key to his Dao.
That was very helpless.
At this moment, Uchiha Yoru suddenly understood the greatest awareness of an immortal cultivator:
Whoever blocks my path to the Dao is my irreconcilable enemy.
Do not talk about robbery being unjust.
Do not talk about communication being the best solution.
He was fighting for a single thread of life toward attaining the Dao.
He was struggling for his life.
Uchiha Yoru's heart had never been so firm before. There was no longer the slightest hesitation toward the coming battle.
As Uchiha Yoru's Dao companion, Miwa Masayo clearly sensed his resolve. Her stiff body gradually softened. Her standing fur became smooth again, and her eyes gradually turned firm.
The tabby cat suddenly leapt from Uchiha Yoru's arms onto his shoulder and said in the firmest tone, "Since battle is unavoidable, then fight, nya. Don't hide your strength anymore, nya."
Uchiha Yoru nodded and said firmly, "This is my life-or-death battle. I will go all out."
The Three-Tails, Isobu, which had been strolling across the sea, was suddenly startled.
It sensed a trace of killing intent.
Strangely, the killing intent was clearly not strong, yet it was terrifying enough to make it tremble deeply.
The Three-Tails stopped and slowly turned to look behind it. At first glance, it saw Uchiha Yoru and the tabby cat on his shoulder.
Uchiha Yoru had already made up his mind, but he still habitually asked, "Isobu, can you give me your right eye? I can exchange it for anything you want."
The Three-Tails remained silent for a long time before slowly asking, "How do you know my name?"
Naturally, Uchiha Yoru did not answer. He asked again, "That isn't important. What matters is that I'm asking you—can you hand over your right eye?"
The Three-Tails, Isobu, fell silent again, then said, "No eye. Tell me how you know my name."
Uchiha Yoru suddenly smiled.
He smiled and said to Miwa Masayo on his shoulder, "See? I've already done my utmost. But I still couldn't avoid battle. You can't blame me for this."
Miwa Masayo said irritably, "I know, nya. Start already."
But the slow-moving Three-Tails, Isobu, was actually the first to attack.
Its three towering tails suddenly smashed down like giant pillars, accurately striking the spot where Uchiha Yoru stood.
Uchiha Yoru threw out a kunai engraved with "The Dao follows nature" in advance, then easily dodged this ferocious strike with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Immediately afterward, he placed his right hand before his mouth, loosely shaping it like a trumpet, then blew out Phoenix Sage Fire that filled the sky. The scale of the flames was fully comparable to the all-out attack of two squads.
The Three-Tails, Isobu, was surrounded by countless flames. Every inch of space outside its body was filled with densely packed Phoenix Sage Fire burning fiercely.
In truth, Uchiha Yoru could still increase the amount of Phoenix Sage Fire even further.
But he did not intend to use this jutsu to attack the enemy. It was meant to let Miwa Masayo perform flame jumps, so there was no need to increase the amount.
The greatest characteristic of the Phoenix Sage Fire Uchiha Yoru used was that the core of the flame was woven from fire-aspected natural energy, allowing it to continuously draw fire-aspected natural energy from the natural environment to maintain itself.
This was an eternal natural flame.
But because the core structure was not yet perfect, the temperature of this undying flame was very, very low. Forget a lethal thousand-degree heat—it could not even reach the standard of six hundred degrees.
To the Three-Tails, Isobu, flames at this temperature posed no threat at all. If they got too close, they would even be extinguished by the Three-Tails' Ice Release chakra.
It could be said that this undying natural flame had no killing power whatsoever.
But as Miwa Masayo's jumping medium, it was flawless.
The Three-Tails, Isobu, immediately felt the tabby cat's ferocity.
According to Uchiha Yoru's needs, this little cat continuously attacked the Three-Tails' right eye socket.
The sharp, scorching Pure White Claws left four deep claw marks every time. Under the influence of high temperature, the four claw marks would quickly merge and continuously erode the surrounding icicles, violently expanding the wound.
At first, the four shallow claw marks meant nothing to the Three-Tails.
But afterward, the wound formed by the high temperature could no longer be ignored no matter what.
It hurt too much.
What troubled the Three-Tails was that Miwa Masayo was far too small. The strong wind generated by its attack movements could blow the tabby cat away. It was fundamentally impossible to hit her.
And when it used Ice Release ninjutsu to cover the area, this little cat could jump between the flames and easily avoid the Three-Tails' ninjutsu.
If the Three-Tails used too much force, it would reveal an opening, and Miwa Masayo would jump to its eye socket and viciously slash twice.
The most honest Tailed Beast was entangled by the cat sage. Even after using every method available to it, it could do nothing to Miwa Masayo.
It could not exactly fire a Tailed Beast Ball at its own body. That would hurt far more than being scratched around the eye socket by a little cat.
As the Three-Tails' wound continued expanding, it finally broke through its thick icy thorn skin. Blood flowed out, running down the Three-Tails' body and into the sea.
The Three-Tails' blood was different from ordinary creatures' blood.
After flowing into the sea, during the process of spreading and dilution, the chakra contained within it spread in an even faster and stranger manner to a distant stretch of water, awakening two strange fish sleeping there.
Soon, the vibrations from the Three-Tails' furious roars also spread there. The two strange fish completely woke up. They tracked the Three-Tails' chakra and rapidly approached the battlefield.
Miwa Masayo was also beginning to feel exhausted.
After all, fighting the Three-Tails with a body only three feet long meant every movement required her to pour in all her strength to ensure she avoided the Three-Tails' attacks.
After all, the injuries the tabby cat inflicted on the Three-Tails only brought it pain. But if the Three-Tails touched her even once, it would mean the end of the cat sage's life.
She had no choice but to go all out.
After leaving claw marks around the Three-Tails' right eye socket once again, Miwa Masayo suddenly flipped a kunai out from beneath her belly and stabbed it fiercely into the depths of the Three-Tails' wound.
When the Three-Tails, Isobu, let out another roar of pain, Miwa Masayo burrowed into the flames and disappeared.
This time, she did not appear beside the Three-Tails, but returned to Uchiha Yoru's side.
At this moment, Miwa Masayo was already extremely exhausted. The fur all over her body was soaked with sweat, and she looked rather bedraggled.
When the tabby cat was lifted by her litter-scooper, she could not stop panting heavily, yet she said happily, "Fighting a Tailed Beast feels pretty good, nya. That was really exciting, nya."
"You worked hard."
Uchiha Yoru gently combed through the tabby cat's fur with pity. He shared his own natural energy with the cat sage, helping her recover from fatigue as quickly as possible.
"My mission is complete, nya. Next, it's up to you, Yoru."
"No problem. Thanks to you delaying it long enough, I've already completed the preparation for my senjutsu. Leave everything next to me."
Hearing this, Miwa Masayo breathed a sigh of relief.
With Uchiha Yoru's cautiousness, since he could say such words, he clearly had complete confidence.
She asked happily and curiously, "Yoru, what jutsu are you going to use, nya?"
Uchiha Yoru smiled and answered, "The ultimate power of the Uchiha clan's kekkei genkai."
Uchiha Yoru's description was too pointed, so Miwa Masayo understood instantly.
But because of that, she was so shocked she forgot to breathe, staring blankly at her litter-scooper.
After quite a while, the tabby cat finally recovered and stammered, "I-impossible, right? You clearly haven't awakened…"
"Rika-chan, I was also just taught a lesson by an elder, and only then did I sense the existence of the ultimate power. I also discovered that there isn't only one key to opening the Uchiha's ultimate treasure."
Wisdom shone in Uchiha Yoru's eyes. He said proudly, "By using the operating method of 'divine' power, I can bypass the treasure's defenses and touch this power in advance."
"After all, the origin of this power seems to be 'divine' as well."
Uchiha Yoru activated his three-tomoe Sharingan.
At the same time, his chakra boiled, madly surging into his brain. In a special region, it transformed into Sharingan ocular power, pouring into his Sharingan like a vast river.
Uchiha Yoru's three-tomoe Sharingan far surpassed those of others. It could even be called the strongest beneath the Mangekyō Sharingan.
But even so, enduring such powerful ocular power was still extremely difficult.
As expected, his Sharingan was injured. Thick bloody tears flowed down, making him look extremely miserable.
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