Kisame plunged into the water, still enveloped in orange flames. The calm river surface erupted with bubbles like boiling water.
Viewing the scene through Aoda's eyes, Orochimaru saw Kisame sink immediately beneath the surface and smirked coldly.
He had previously been burned alive by Aozora's Yakton, unleashed without hand seals. If it weren't for his modified body, he might have already perished.
In the distance, three black tomoe were already swirling within Obito's right Sharingan.
Through his Sharingan, he clearly observed Aozora's brief clash with Kisame.
Zetsu, somehow having also figured out what happened in the distant battle, gazed at the smoldering orange flames and rising steam from the river before finally speaking. "Yakton, without hand seals?"
Obito paused briefly before replying. "No—it's Yakton, but not ordinary Yakton. Otherwise, the Great Fireball Technique wouldn't possess such power!"
Officially classified as a C-ranked technique, the Great Fireball Technique's power approached that of a B-ranked ninjutsu. However, it absolutely could not reach an A-ranked level.
He felt fortunate he hadn't shown off any fire techniques before Aozora previously. Even the Water Encampment Wall Kisame created over the Dahe couldn't withstand Aozora's Great Fireball Technique. He couldn't even imagine which fire technique of his could possibly resist Aozora's Yakton.
When the gap isn't too wide, quantity can make up for lack of quality.
Aozora's current Yakton had exceeded his expectations. Perhaps only a Kekkei Genkai technique could stand against it, if only briefly.
Zetsu sighed. "It seems Kisame won't be able to test Aozora's full strength."
Obito shook his head. "No! Kisame simply wasn't careful enough this time. His real power is much greater than this."
Zetsu nodded. "That makes sense. Otherwise, you wouldn't have specially recruited him into Akatsuki."
...
Inside the river, the turbulent water stirred up countless bubbles, clouding visibility. Even with the Sharingan activated, Aozora temporarily lost sight of Kisame.
Suddenly, sensing something, Aozora leapt high into the air.
Boom!
The small boat beneath his feet shattered into countless fragments. Then, Kisame, gripping Samehada, burst forth from the river water.
At this moment, Kisame's upper body clothing was torn away, revealing a muscular physique resembling solid iron plating. Burnt streaks marred his skin, with strange fleshy growths pulsing and shifting across his body.
Furthermore, the bindings wrapped around Samehada had completely disappeared. The deep-blue blade bristled with barbs, and its tip formed an odd gaping mouth—currently swollen and red all around, as if it had just swallowed chili peppers.
"Samehada's effect? It really isn't in the same league as other ninja swords!"
Instantly, Aozora deduced that Kisame must have used Samehada to forcibly devour the orange flames, then employed the incredible regeneration granted by Samehada to heal his injuries.
"Die!"
Swinging Samehada, Kisame twisted his body and slashed diagonally upward. The blade cut across the water surface, generating huge waves as it aimed at Aozora.
With nowhere to escape midair, Aozora gripped the Drinking Blood Sword tightly with both hands and brought it crashing down like cleaving mountains.
Clang!
Blade met sword, both combatants sensing immense force transmitted through their weapons.
Using the rebounding momentum, Aozora soared higher into the air while circulating chakra inside his body once again.
[Fire Release - Hokuto Flower's Crimson Claw!]
Dozens of orange flames rained down from the sky. At the same time, he swung both hands, sending dozens more high-speed spinning Shuriken flying into the firestorm. They caught aflame and shot toward Kisame Hoshigaki like fiery birds.
Kisame didn't make a mistake this time—he flipped his body and dove straight into the water.
The rapidly spinning Shuriken glowed red-hot from the intense heat, following the fireballs' path into the water where they hissed and sputtered.
But the water slowed their speed. Underwater, Kisame easily deflected them with Samehada.
Tak! Tak! Tak!—
Aozora landed on the water's surface, skidding back a few steps and sending ripples spreading out with every step.
His brow furrowed as he watched Kisame dart beneath the water, sleek as an eel.
Even if the Fire Release was powerful, it remained a Fire Release technique. After being weakened by the massive river, it would be difficult to hit—or even injure—Kisame while submerged.
Glancing at the nearby riverbank, Aozora erupted with chakra and swiftly dashed across the water toward land.
"Not a chance!"
Kisame had already realized that Aozora's Fire Release was shockingly powerful. In any other setting, he might have just run—but here in the Great River, he wasn't going to let Aozora escape so easily.
His gill-like facial openings drawing oxygen from the water, Kisame quickly formed hand seals. Years of training enabled him to seal with practiced ease even beneath the current, each motion smooth and rhythmic, almost mystically fluid.
[Water Release - Five Sharks Jutsu!]
Massive amounts of chakra flowed from Kisame's hands, merging into the river. Soon, five giant sharks emerged, swinging their tails as they leapt from the water, launching themselves toward Aozora.
Aozora sprinted across the river surface, kicking up sprays of water behind him.
Three dark tomoe spun like whirlpools around a blazing crimson iris as Aozora analyzed the movement trajectories of the five sharks in an instant.
[SCARLET FLAME SLASH!]
Scorching chakra coursed through Aozora's unique meridians before surging into the Drinking Blood Sword in his hand, turning the blade glowing red-hot like a piece of iron taken straight from the forge.
In the next moment, Aozora swung his sword, unleashing a blinding arc of flame. The scorching chakra split into five blazing trails of fiery sword light that slashed toward the incoming sharks.
Instantly, the sharks were cut clean in half. Steam erupted from their severed bodies, boiling the surrounding water and preventing the pieces from rejoining.
Seeing this, Aozora allowed himself a slight smile. This Uchiha sword style wasn't bad at all.
After forging the Drinking Blood Sword, he'd trained alongside Kenta and Shisui, learning some of the Uchiha sword techniques for emergencies.
He could've just launched a Great Fireball Jutsu or another Fire Release at Kisame's summoned sharks—but that would've kicked up a ton of steam.
Even though his body could withstand scalding steam without serious injury, such vapor would obscure his vision. It might give Kisame the chance to use stealth techniques like the Hiding in Mist Jutsu.
Kisame's expression grew increasingly grim. His once-reliable jutsu now seemed to have met its match.
With no choice left, he altered his hand seal formation and activated another technique.
[Water Release - Rain of Four Sharks!]
Suddenly, eight giant sharks leaped from the water, soaring midair before diving toward Aozora.
Upon seeing this, Aozora casually threw out several kunai.
When the kunai struck the sharks, the explosive tags attached detonated instantly. The huge sharks exploded into countless thin streams of water droplets, raining down harmlessly.
Aozora kept charging forward without looking back.
Kisame replied with a cold chuckle, "Got careless, didn't you? Let's see how you dodge this?"
Before his words faded, the fine streams of water in the air transformed into shark-shaped projectiles, raining down like sword-like arrows toward Aozora.
But Aozora didn't even blink—he charged straight through the hail of sharks toward the shore.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The tiny sharks, capable of slicing trees apart, merely tore countless rips across his coat adorned with red clouds and left faint white marks along his skin.
After passing through the shark rain, Aozora stood atop a giant rock by the riverside, turning to face his opponent.
Half of Kisame's body floated above water while the lower half remained submerged, ready to retreat beneath the surface at any moment.
Seeing Aozora completely unharmed, confusion filled Kisame's wide eyes. What kind of body was this?
Looking at Kisame, Aozora mocked, "Even Mist's notorious freak hides within the river like a coward. You better change your title—how about 'Turtle King of the Mist'?"
As he taunted, secretly Aozora gathered massive amounts of Homura Chakra inside him, preparing to unleash his specialty—the Great Fire Dragon Jutsu.
Once Kisame came just a little closer, he planned to serve him a special gift: a taste of homemade shark soup.
But Kisame wasn't foolish. Though impulsive and warlike, he still possessed a calm mind—or else he wouldn't have been entrusted with executing disloyal comrades within the Mist.
Though anger burned in his eyes, he didn't advance an inch. Instead, he dutifully formed hand seals once more.
[Water Release – Great Shark Missile Technique!]
A gigantic shark emerged beneath his feet. It circled briefly before gradually growing enormous, opening its mouth full of sharp teeth. Then it surged toward Aozora alongside the massive waves.
With so much water around, those two Ultimate Water Release techniques had already become as powerful as S-ranked ninjutsu.
Observing this, Aozora couldn't help but shake his head in frustration.
His coat was already nearly torn to shreds—why wouldn't Kisame just charge in and end this already?
Backed by the deep and unpredictable river and possessing chakra reserves rivaling that of a tailed beast, what chance did anyone stand against Kisame in this state?
Perhaps some might, but Aozora—who had recently attained Kage-level strength—was certainly not among them.
[Fire Release – Great Fire Annihilation Technique!]
Realizing killing Kisame would be difficult, Aozora changed his approach, altering his chakra flow to release the slightly inferior—but still powerful—Great Fire Annihilation Technique.
Orange chakra erupted from his mouth. In an instant, it transformed into scorching flames carried by the wind, forming firewaves taller than ten meters that surged toward Kisame's monstrous wave.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!
Flames clashed with cascading water!
Deafening explosions and bursts of spiritual energy rang out continuously. Droplets of water and flame scattered like falling rain.
A massive plume of steam erupted like a mushroom cloud, spreading for miles in every direction and blinding everyone in sight.
In the end, the monstrous shark's wave finally overwhelmed Aozora's Wave of Fire, surging toward Aozora's position.
However, long before the steam started billowing, a burst of white smoke rose from Aozora, and he vanished without a trace.
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