Chapter 86: Showdown
On the Mist ninja's sea vessel, three figures leaped down, landing on the surface of the ocean.
Hōzuki Seigetsu was the first to form hand seals, with the other two Mist ninja close behind.
Water Release: Water Formation Pillar (Suiton: Suijinchū)!
Thick pillars of water shot up from the sea's surface, forming a row like a giant wall.
Rumble!
The terrifying wave and the giant wall of water pillars collided, and both immediately exploded, falling back into the sea.
At this time, the two Mist ninja on the left and right had also completed their hand seals. A giant water dragon emerged from the sea on each side, then they attacked the charging Genichi in a pincer movement. As for Hōzuki Seigetsu, he continued to form seals.
Genichi formed a hand seal, and a shadow clone appeared on his left and right. He then leaped up to meet the plunging water dragons. Each of them threw a punch, unleashing their Monstrous Strength (Kairiki), and forcefully blasted the water dragons apart, turning them into countless streams of water that rained down with a roar.
The real Genichi, however, did not stop. His right eye activated the Sharingan, and his gaze met Hōzuki Seigetsu's.
"Shar..."
Seigetsu's eyes went blank. He felt that something was wrong, but it was too late. He instantly felt his body become immobile, and the Hidden Mist Technique (Kirigakure no Jutsu) he was about to release was directly interrupted. Most importantly, he found it difficult to break free.
"This guy is actually an Uchiha..." Seigetsu was puzzled. Wasn't the Uchiha clan supposed to specialize in Fire Release?
The Mist ninja on the right noticed that something was wrong with Seigetsu and quickly formed a seal to release the genjutsu. But just as he helped Seigetsu break free, streams of water suddenly wrapped around his own body from below, dragging him into the water.
And the Mist ninja on the left was covered by Shinnosuke's Multiple Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique (Tajū Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu) and was forced to focus all his efforts on dealing with it. Not just him; Seigetsu was also enveloped by it.
The young ninja, Feiyun, also leaped up, passed over Genichi's head, and in mid-air, opened his mouth. A line of fire gushed out, expanding several feet away, and then exploded with a boom. A dragon-shaped flame shot towards Seigetsu at high speed.
Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique (Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu)!
An attack from the front and back, perfectly timed.
Seigetsu could only use his Hydrification Technique (Suika no Jutsu), allowing the shuriken to pass through his body. He then raised his right hand, and a stream of water spun in his palm. A water mirror materialized, reflecting the figures of Feiyun and Genichi.
The water mirror shattered, and the Feiyun and Genichi within it leaped out simultaneously. The former then opened his mouth and cast the exact same Dragon Fire Technique (Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu). The two identical ninjutsu collided in the air, and a wave of heat instantly rolled out.
The latter and the real Genichi cast the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique (Genjutsu: Kokuangyō no Jutsu) at the same time. The Genichi copied by the water mirror collapsed, and the real Genichi's vision also went dark for a moment.
He had been caught in his own Bringer-of-Darkness Technique!
"What an impressive Water Mirror Technique (Mizukagami no Jutsu)!" Genichi was secretly shocked, but he regained his sight in an instant.
At this moment, the Mist ninja on the left helped Seigetsu block Shinnosuke's lightning jutsu. Seigetsu then opened his mouth and spat, and a rolling mist rapidly spread out.
Hidden Mist Technique (Kirigakure no Jutsu)! This was a powerful tool against the Sharingan. Because the mist was infused with chakra, the Sharingan's insight would be nullified.
However.
Just as Seigetsu completed the Hidden Mist Technique, a rolling current of water wrapped around his body, binding him like ropes. The water clone that had dealt with the Mist ninja on the right also rose up from under the water behind Seigetsu.
Sealing Technique: Water Seal (Fūinjutsu: Mizu no Fūin)!
The water clone made a gripping motion with its right hand, and the water currents binding Seigetsu immediately tightened.
Seigetsu's expression changed. This was not an ordinary water jutsu. He felt his chakra being suppressed. The tighter it got, the more difficult it was for his chakra to flow. It felt as if his chakra was about to solidify.
It's a sealing technique! Seigetsu quickly deduced.
Poof!
Suddenly, Seigetsu's body collapsed, turning into a stream of water that then rapidly wound itself around Genichi's water clone, re-forming into a body. But at this moment, only Seigetsu's head and right hand were in a state of flesh and blood. The rest of him was in a hydrated state, and he had a death grip on Genichi's water clone.
He noticed the flash of lightning that tore through the dense fog sweeping towards him. He immediately leaped back with Genichi's clone, dodging the attack. After landing on the water's surface, Seigetsu's right index finger was already aimed at the clone's temple.
Water Release: Water Gun Technique (Suiton: Mizudeppō)!
A highly condensed droplet of water appeared at the tip of his index finger, then shot out, piercing the water clone's head.
Poof!
The water clone dissolved.
"As expected, a clone!" Seigetsu snorted to himself.
At this moment, Genichi, Shinnosuke, and Feiyun did not move recklessly. Feiyun was right in front of Genichi, while Shinnosuke was to his front left. The three of them were no more than five meters apart, but they still couldn't see each other clearly.
"Genichi, let's get out of this mist!" Shinnosuke's voice sounded, followed by several shuriken flying from different directions.
Feiyun, on the other side, parried all the shuriken with a kunai. He immediately threw his own shuriken based on the sound he heard. And Genichi charged forward, quickly brushing past Feiyun, and reached Seigetsu, attacking with a flying kick.
Seigetsu had just deflected Feiyun's shuriken. Seeing Genichi charge before him, he immediately ducked and protected the left side of his head with one hand.
Splash!
A stream of water slapped against Seigetsu's hand. He immediately sensed something was wrong, but before he could react, he was hit hard on the right side.
Poof!
Seigetsu's body exploded into a stream of water, which then swept towards Genichi from the surface of the sea, trying to use the same trick to bind him.
Genichi snorted. Chakra exploded from under his feet, and the seawater instantly erupted. This couldn't harm Seigetsu, but it also prevented him from achieving his goal. He could only retreat with the flow, re-form his body, and then raise his hand to condense a Water Gun (Mizudeppō), shooting it at Genichi from a distance of just over a meter.
At this moment, the two of them could see each other's blurry figures. And with the Hidden Mist in effect, their vision was blurred at this distance, which greatly affected the use of the Sharingan. Seigetsu had enough combat experience to know this; it wasn't the first time he had fought a Sharingan user.
Spurt!
Blood splattered. Genichi let out a grunt. His left arm was pierced, and his figure quickly retreated.
Seigetsu immediately gave chase. He raised his right hand, which directly hydrated, then extended into a water whip that shot out and wrapped around the retreating Genichi.
Water Release: Water Current Whip (Suiton: Suiryūben)!
"Die!" Seigetsu yanked the whip, pulling Genichi towards him. At the same time, he gathered power in his left hand, and water coiled around his wrist.
Great Water Arm Technique (Gōsuivan no Jutsu)!
Seigetsu's left hand slammed into Genichi's body, forcefully blasting it apart. It dissolved into countless streams of water.
"A water clone!" Seigetsu was stunned, then his expression changed. "Impossible... it's... a genjutsu!"
Instantly, the world enveloped in mist began to violently fluctuate and distort, then it shattered into pieces.
Seigetsu saw Genichi. He saw the bodies of his two comrades floating on the surface of the sea. And he himself could no longer move. As for the Genichi before him, he was completely unharmed.
"When?" Seigetsu was horrified. "When did I fall for the genjutsu?"
Apart from the very beginning, he had never made eye contact with Genichi again.
Pat, pat, pat~
Genichi walked forward, formed hand seals, and then pressed them to Seigetsu's abdomen.
Sealing Technique: Evil Sealing Method (Fūinjutsu: Fūja Hōin)!
The jutsu formula spread out and branded itself onto Seigetsu's body, sealing his chakra.
Losing his chakra, Seigetsu immediately fell into the water with a splash, but he was then pulled up by Genichi.
The genjutsu was released, and his body could finally move. Seigetsu looked up and gritted his teeth. "When did I fall for your genjutsu?"
"I never made eye contact with you!"
Genichi said faintly, "No comment."
Shinnosuke smiled. Genichi's Sharingan was extremely deceptive. The Uchiha always used their Sharingan to cast genjutsu, but Genichi wasn't a true Uchiha. He didn't need the Sharingan to cast genjutsu.
So, Seigetsu had fallen for the Kyōka Suigetsu even before he had cast the Hidden Mist Technique. The Hidden Mist and the battle within it were all part of the illusion.
And because Seigetsu didn't think he would fall for a genjutsu, he never realized he was in one, and thus never tried to break it. He was easily captured by Genichi.
The battle on the sea was over. The two Mist ninja ships were now rapidly retreating.
"Leave it to me!" Feiyun said, leaping up to give chase. Then, under Genichi's gaze, he used a fire jutsu to set the two ships ablaze, turning them into giant torches.
(End of Chapter)
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