"BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—!!!"
Molten lava and corrosive acid slammed violently against the water walls, sending up vast clouds of choking white steam. Kunai, shuriken, and a barrage of elemental jutsu crashed into the defenses, stirring violent ripples and thunderous detonations.
At the exact instant the Water Formation Walls collapsed—
A figure with chakra comparable to a Tailed Beast, his aura wild and unrestrained, shot upward like a reverse-launching cannon shell!
Kisame Hoshigaki completed his final hand seal in front of his chest. An immense volume of chakra surged toward his throat like a flooding river, the veins along his neck bulging visibly.
The next moment, he snapped his head downward, aiming at the charging vanguard of Kirigakure below—
"Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!!"
An unimaginable torrent erupted from his mouth with a thunderous roar!
Water surged over low reefs, uprooted nearby trees, and within mere breaths created a violently expanding lake!
"Front line—defensive formation!"
"Layer the Water Walls!"
Terumi Mei's clear command rang out, still sharp even through the roaring flood.
The Kirigakure shinobi at the front halted instantly, forming hand seals in perfect coordination.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
"Water Release: Water Encampment Wall!"
Layer upon layer of water-blue barriers rose rapidly at the edge of the oncoming artificial lake, interlocking and reinforcing each other into a temporary dam.
Meanwhile, the rear forces spread toward higher ground, avoiding the direct impact.
At the same time, a cold light flashed in Terumi Mei's eyes as her hand cut sharply through the air.
"Jōnin squad! Focus Water Release! Suppress them—tear them apart!"
"Yes!"
More than twenty Kirigakure jōnin surged forward, assembling quickly before her.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
"Water Release: Water Disorder Wave!"
"Water Release: Raging Torrent!"
Dozens of powerful water techniques shot forward—
Water dragons roared.
Blades of water cut through the air.
Streams struck like arrows.
They merged into a vast, deadly blue tide that crashed toward the defectors!
The defectors, though outnumbered, were all veterans of brutal battles—each one elite in skill and experience.
They retaliated with their own Water Release techniques.
For a moment—
The battlefield became a collision of identical azure torrents!
Water dragons clashed and tore at each other.
Walls shattered under pressure.
Streams collided midair and exploded.
Water sprayed everywhere. Mist filled the air.
Yet—
Outnumbered and caught off guard—
The defectors' defenses began to crack.
Their line was pushed back, openings forming under the relentless barrage.
Kisame watched coldly as Raiga Kurosuki and Jinin Akebino charged from the flank, accelerating toward him.
His shark-like face remained expressionless.
Standing at the edge of the lake—
His hands slammed together.
"Water Release: Thousand Feeding Sharks!"
The lake beneath him churned violently.
In an instant—
Hundreds—
Thousands—
Of ferocious chakra-formed sharks burst from the water!
Each one lifelike, jaws wide, teeth gleaming—
A silent storm of predators—
Crashing head-on into the incoming jutsu!
Tearing.
Breaking.
Diverting.
Devouring.
The swarm shattered the Kirigakure jōnin's offensive.
And the remaining sharks—
Still surging forward—
Spread like ripples of death—
Forcing Kirigakure shinobi to dodge or defend in panic.
Their advance—
Stalled again.
"Now! Alternating cover—withdraw with me!"
Jūzō Biwa seized the moment, shouting sharply.
His Executioner's Blade carved a brutal arc, forcing Jinin to pull back momentarily.
No further orders were needed.
The defectors—
Tempered through countless battles under the Uchiha's Red Guard—
Immediately split into small tactical units of three to five.
While retreating—
They launched precise kunai volleys and quick low-level Water Release attacks to delay pursuit.
Using reefs, dry channels, and the lake's edge as natural cover—
They moved in coordinated layers—
Covering each other—
Retreating swiftly and orderly.
"Trying to escape?! Not that easy!"
Terumi Mei's anger flared.
She locked onto Kisame—
Standing like a reef, controlling the battlefield—
And charged straight through the fading mist and residual jutsu!
"Your opponent is me, traitor!"
"Lava Release: Lava Monster Jutsu!"
Molten, corrosive lava surged toward Kisame like a living entity—
Forcing him to divide his attention—
Creating an opening for pursuit.
Kisame stepped down—
The lake beneath him surged upward—
A pillar of water lifting him sideways.
At the same time—
His hands moved.
"Water Release: Water Shark Bullet!"
Several water-formed sharks shot forward—
Colliding with the lava—
Hissing violently as they evaporated—
Steam bursting into the air—
But successfully diverting its trajectory.
Kisame glanced coldly at Terumi Mei—
Then turned sharply—
"Lightning Release: Lightning Fang!"
Raiga Kurosuki arrived from the flank like a bolt of blue lightning—
His twin blades crackling—
Thrusting toward Kisame's ribs!
Even while dealing with Mei—
Kisame twisted—
His fin-like arms blocking like shields—
"CLANG—!"
Lightning, water vapor, and chakra collided violently—
Kisame was pushed back half a step—
Water surging beneath him—
Then—
He drove forward—
A monstrous punch—
Forcing Raiga to retreat.
—
Elsewhere—
Jūzō and Jinin's battle was far more brutal.
"Traitor! Die!"
Jinin roared, eyes bloodshot.
Wielding Kubikiribōchō like a war machine—
Each strike shattered reefs—
Sent water surging backward.
He targeted Jūzō relentlessly—
Determined to avenge Kushimaru.
Jūzō showed no fear.
His gaze was as cold as his blade.
The Executioner's Blade—
Heavy enough to block and absorb force—
Wide enough to sweep enemies back—
And guided by his understanding of Kirigakure tactics—
He evaded at the last possible instant—
Countering with deadly precision.
"CLANG! CLANG! BOOM!"
Blades collided.
Sparks flew.
Explosions echoed.
Compared to ninjutsu—
Taijutsu was their true strength.
From reef to reef—
They fought—
Leaving destruction in their wake.
Jūzō retreated while fighting—
Toward the extraction point.
Jinin pursued relentlessly—
Roaring with fury.
—
The battlefield split into two intense fronts:
Terumi Mei and Raiga vs Kisame.
Jūzō vs Jinin.
Five warriors—
All Kage-level or close—
Their clash filled with chakra, water, lava, and lightning.
To any ordinary observer—
It would seem like gods battling.
—
Meanwhile—
Under the cover of these elite fighters—
The main body of defectors disengaged efficiently—
Retreating toward their rendezvous point with Fuguki Suikazan.
Fuguki, who had sensed everything early—
Did not send reinforcements.
Instead—
He frowned slightly—
Looking behind him.
Dozens of defectors were working rapidly in a cleared area.
From sealing scrolls—
They pulled out heavy metal slabs—
Each engraved with faint glowing blue patterns—
Placing them in precise alignment.
Each slab—
Carefully forged.
Intricately etched.
As they connected—
The glowing lines linked together—
Forming a larger, complex pattern—
The prototype—
Of a mobile—
Space Transmission Array.
"Faster!"
"Zone Three alignment—check the angle! The chakra conduits must match perfectly!"
A supervising jōnin spoke in a low voice, eyes sharp.
"Over here! Energy node slab—handle it carefully! If the patterns are damaged, none of us will survive the consequences!"
Heavy thuds echoed softly.
Whispers passed between them.
Fatigue.
Focus.
Excitement.
All mixed together.
They knew exactly what they were building—
Not just a structure—
But a pathway—
To power.
To victory.
To the future.
Fuguki withdrew his gaze, his expression relaxing slightly as he barked:
"Move faster!"
"We must complete the base before Kirigakure catches up!"
His urgency sounded real—
But both he and his men knew—
Time was more than sufficient.
They had rehearsed this—
Hundreds of times.
Every placement.
Every alignment.
Every chakra channel—
Perfected into instinct.
That was why the shogunate allowed this—
To deploy a teleportation array on the battlefield itself—
To bring Infinity City's forces directly into the enemy—
And crush them in a single strike.
"Lord Black Cat—the base structure is nearly complete. We can begin."
Fuguki bowed slightly to the black cat nearby.
The cat stopped licking its paw—
Its deep eyes scanning the array—
Then Fuguki.
"We all serve the General. No need for such formality."
It nodded slightly—
Its tail flicking once.
"Poof."
With a puff of white smoke—
It vanished.
—
Infinity City.
Shogunate Tower. Eighth Floor.
Inside the General's office—
Bright.
Calm.
A different world from the battlefield.
An Lan leaned back in his chair—
Fingers tapping rhythmically.
Mikoto stood beside him, reporting intelligence from Rōran.
Ye Yue stood further back—
Straight and silent.
Qianyao rested on the sofa—
Eyes closed—
Ready at any moment.
Three Uchiha elders sat nearby—
Each maintaining distance—
Waiting.
Since they couldn't go to the battlefield—
They would witness the clan's glory from here.
Suddenly—
White smoke appeared in the center of the room.
The black cat landed lightly.
"Lord An Lan. Lady Mikoto."
"Fuguki reports—the forward teleportation array base is nearly complete. It has reached the designated activation point. Awaiting further instructions."
All eyes turned.
Filled with anticipation.
"Qianyao."
An Lan spoke.
"Yes, Lord General!"
She opened her eyes instantly—
Stepped forward—
Arms spreading outward.
A clear projection formed in the air—
A real-time image transmitted from Fuguki.
"The formation is complete. Energy flow is stable. It has reached activation threshold."
Mikoto assessed quickly.
An Lan watched the glowing array—
A faint smile forming.
"Ye Yue."
"Yes, Lord General."
"Tell Fugaku—prepare."
"Yes!"
A scroll vanished from Ye Yue's hand.
—
Underground.
Level Three.
The teleportation array chamber.
The air was heavy.
No wind.
No sound—
Except nearly two thousand suppressed breaths.
Three armies stood—
Like mountains of steel.
Silent.
Unmoving.
Their armor gleamed faintly in the dim light.
A killing intent—
Cold.
Heavy.
Sharp—
Filled the entire space.
They stood there—
And they were already an army.
Time passed—
Then—
At the front—
Uchiha Fugaku opened his eyes.
A scroll dropped into his waiting hand.
The teleportation array beneath them glowed—
Illuminating his raised arm.
"All units—prepare!"
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