Chapter 36 – Konoha Gold (Part 3)
The battlefield descended into chaos in an instant.
As pure taijutsu specialists, Hyūga Ganghachirō and Hyūga Haining were the first to close in alongside Minamoto Ren—they had to get in close if they wanted to deal any damage.
Nawaki unleashed a Water Release technique. Truth be told, using Water Release against a member of the Hōzuki clan while they were using Hydrification was… well, stupid. But it wasn't really his fault. Anyone encountering a bizarre, liquid-bodied enemy falling from the sky for the first time would be nervous.
Akimichi Dōtō and Inuzuka Gaku tried their clan's secret techniques, but they were useless—Hydrification was immune to physical strikes, and their styles were entirely physical.
In contrast, Shimura Yū acted the most cleverly—he used Wind Release. Elemental attacks could still have an effect.
But it didn't matter.
Before his liquefied body could fully reform, Hōzuki Mangetsu was already weaving hand seals. By the time Minamoto Ren drew his blade, Mangetsu had completed his jutsu.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
A massive torrent erupted—though not entirely from thin air. When Mangetsu had landed earlier, he had already brought a great deal of water with him, much of which had seeped into the ground but not been absorbed. Now, it surged back under his control.
Opening with an A-rank technique—Hōzuki Mangetsu's skill was evident.
Ren was forced to halt his slash mid-air, twisting his body and forming seals with both hands.
Lightning Release: False Darkness!
From his mouth, Ren spat a crackling bolt of lightning, fast as a flash, hissing as it raced toward Mangetsu's liquefied form.
"Oh? A Lightning Release user? Looks like I'll have to deal with you first."
False Darkness pierced through Mangetsu's water clone—but the real Mangetsu had already submerged into the lake formed by his Great Waterfall Technique.
Ren's eyes swept from side to side, his mind racing. He couldn't afford to panic—six more jōnin were rapidly approaching. No… not just jōnin. Judging by the fact that each carried a ninja blade, they were elite jōnin.
Within the small lake, Mangetsu's hands flashed through seals again, chakra gathering ominously.
Water Release: Water Bullet Technique!
In a water-rich environment, the technique's power was greatly amplified—the projectile shot forth like a torpedo.
"Rotation!"
Hyūga Haining stepped in beside Ren, spinning into a perfect defensive sphere that intercepted the strike. Still, the Water Bullet's force was so great it nearly drained his chakra reserves completely.
That was the difference between elite jōnin and chūnin. Even as a member of the prestigious Hyūga clan, Haining had nearly been overwhelmed. An ordinary chūnin would've been skewered.
"Thanks," Ren said sincerely.
Haining merely waved him off—it was nothing worth mentioning.
Ren quickly considered his options. If they didn't force Mangetsu out of the water, this fight could drag on forever.
Shimura Yū didn't speak. Instead, he started weaving seals. Ren glanced at him, wondering what he was up to.
Lightning Release: Current Conduction Technique!
Yū plunged his hand into the lake, electricity crackling and spreading outward like a nest of lightning serpents.
It was a low-level jutsu with limited use—but here, it was perfect. Yū had every right to feel proud.
Forced out, Mangetsu burst from the water, Hydrification ending. His snow-white hair and shark-like teeth marked him clearly as a member of the Hōzuki clan.
Hōzuki Mangetsu—cousin of Hōzuki Suigetsu. The same extraordinary talent, the same mastery of Water Release and kenjutsu.
Compared to the later Hōzuki Suigetsu who followed Sasuke, Mangetsu was stronger, more gifted… and far more ambitious.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Without wasting words, Ren lunged in, his Juan sword dancing in a dense, relentless flurry, pressing Mangetsu back.
Rather than fear, Mangetsu's eyes gleamed with greed as he stared at Ren's blade.
"Nice sword. After I kill you, I'll be adding it to my collection."
"Form Two—Yokozuna!" Ren answered with his blade.
The crushing strike blasted Mangetsu backward—right into Hyūga Ganghachirō's range. With a stomp, the ground beneath him lit up with the Eight Trigrams diagram, and his palm shot forward, brushing the edge of Mangetsu's robe.
The Hyūga clan's Gentle Fist specialized in sealing chakra points and controlling energy flow. If Mangetsu got caught in it, no matter how many tricks he had, they'd all be useless.
Mangetsu knew it, too. Which was why, mid-air, he used the same trick again—activating Hydrification to slip past the Gentle Fist's grip.
But Minamoto Ren had already anticipated this move.
A stream of water shot through Hyūga Ganghachirō palm, half-condensing into the form of Hōzuki Mangetsu. The watery figure swung the Hiramekarei, aiming to behead Ganghachirō in one clean strike!
Ren appeared right behind Hōzuki Mangetsu, pressing his palm against the man's half-liquefied back, a wide grin spreading across his face.
Sealing Technique — Square Seal!
The Square Seal could only interfere with chakra flow for a very short time, but it was simple, fast to activate, and unlike the Eight Trigrams Palm, it didn't require direct contact with the flesh—it could be cast wherever the user desired.
The Hydration Technique relied heavily on precise and continuous chakra control. For that very reason, a simple and easy-to-learn sealing jutsu could do what many complex ninjutsu could not—it could restrain the Hydration Technique!
"What—?!"
The confident smirk vanished from Hōzuki Mangetsu's face. His half-water body solidified in an instant, making him vulnerable to physical attacks.
"I hate elemental types the most!"
Ren's blade plunged into Mangetsu's back. This time, what spilled out was no longer water, but bright crimson blood.
One stab to the heart.
Two stabs to the kidneys.
These were the deadliest targets ANBU had drilled into him—and Ren struck every single one without hesitation.
"Lightning Blade — Kiba!"
From the distance, a blinding arc of lightning in the shape of a massive sword shot forward at incredible speed, threatening to engulf everything in its path. Ren had no time to finish Mangetsu off; he raised his own blade and unleashed a slash to meet the attack head-on.
"Move!" Ren barked. Killing one was already enough—staying to fight longer would be suicide.
The Hannya Squad and Okada Squad immediately retreated, while the Seven Ninja Swordsmen made no move to pursue, instead rushing to surround Hōzuki Mangetsu.
"Got careless there, Captain," Jūzō Biwa chuckled, hefting the Kubikiribōchō on his shoulder, showing no hint of grief for his injured leader.
"Scroll," Mangetsu said calmly, even as the life drained from his eyes.
Jūzō nodded, retrieving a light blue scroll from behind Mangetsu. With a sharp rip, he unfurled it directly before Mangetsu's face.
Forbidden Technique — Hydrification Rebirth!
The fading vitality in Mangetsu's body reversed as if time itself had rewound. The large pool of blood he had lost surged back into his veins like water soaking into dry earth… He had tainted his clan's sacred Water Pool, forcing it to bear the cost of his death in his stead.
Propped up by his comrades, Mangetsu sat upright, his gaze calm and still as a stagnant pond.
He replayed the battle in his mind—from first contact to his near-death. Every key moment seemed to trace back to that ANBU wearing the Hannya mask. He was the most decisive, the most ruthless, the strongest in raw power—and the first to lead his squad in retreat.
"He must die," Mangetsu said coldly.
"No matter the cost, we must kill the ninja codenamed 'Hannya.' If he lives… Konoha will gain its next Hashirama Senju."