Chapter 239: The Dance of MizuKage
The transition from words to violence was instantaneous. The moment Suigetsu rejected her offer, the Mizukage's charming smile vanished, replaced by the cold focus of a seasoned killer. She didn't waste a second, her lungs already filling with chakra as she unleashed her first assault.
"Lava Release: Melting Apparition Jutsu!"
A torrent of searing, molten rock erupted from her lips, spewing towards Ren and his team with the force and heat of a miniature volcano. The air itself sizzled, and the wooden planks of the dock began to blacken and smoke.
Hmph!
Ren's reaction was a mere flicker of disdain. The attack, while powerful, was telegraphed. Before the lava could even splash against them, he, Suigetsu, and Jūgo had already vanished from their positions, leaping backward in perfect unison to avoid the scorching deluge.
This was the signal Chōjūrō and Ao had been waiting for. Seizing the moment their opponents were mid-air and vulnerable, the two guards sprang into action.
I can't hesitate! Chōjūrō's mind raced, a familiar wave of insecurity washing over him. Lady Mizukage is counting on me! But... these are the people who humbled Kumo and Konoha... Can I really...? No! I must! His resolve hardened, his grip tightening on the bandaged sword. "Lend me your strength! Hiramekarei: Release!"
With his cry, the bandages wrapping the twin blades shattered. The unique weapon, Hiramekarei, glowed with a vibrant, light-blue chakra. Vapor hissed from its "gills," and a dense ball of chakra energy condensed at its tip before firing a powerful, concentrated beam directly at Suigetsu.
"Tch!" Suigetsu grunted, bringing the massive Kubikiribōchō up in a horizontal block. The chakra beam slammed into the broad side of the executioner's blade with a deafening CLANG! The force was immense, halting his backward momentum and slamming him into the ground, carving a short trench through the dock as he skidded to a stop.
He rose, shaking off splinters of wood. A thin line of blood trickled from his lip, but his body, enhanced by his unique Hydrification Technique, was already knitting the minor damage back together. A wild grin split his face.
"You blocked it? I... I really am useless..." Chōjūrō muttered, his shoulders slumping for a moment.
"Hey~ Not bad!" Suigetsu called out, hefting his sword. "One of the Seven Swords, Hiramekarei? Let's see if it can stand up to the real deal!" He charged, no longer on the defensive, and Chōjūrō, shaking off his despair, met him head-on. The clash of their blades—one massive and brutal, the other elegant and chakra-infused—filled the air with a sharp, metallic symphony.
On the other flank, Ao had engaged Jūgo. The veteran's Byakugan-enhanced vision allowed him to read Jūgo's movements with precision, but he was utterly unprepared for the raw, explosive power that answered him. With a guttural roar, Jūgo's body swelled, his skin darkening and hardening as the Curse Mark's power surged through him voluntarily. Bone spurs erupted from his elbows. Ao's precise strikes were met with overwhelming force, and he was immediately forced onto the defensive, his analytical mind struggling to keep up with the berserker's fury.
This left the two leaders standing apart from the chaos of their subordinates.
Ren had landed gracefully, the crimson pinwheels of his Mangekyō Sharingan already spinning calmly in his eyes. He made no move to interfere in the other battles, his entire focus on the Fifth Mizukage.
"How... unrefined," Ren commented, his voice a low murmur that nonetheless carried over the din of battle. "A sneak attack from a Kage. The legends of Kirigakure's ferocity are clearly not exaggerated."
Mei Terumī offered a charming, almost coquettish smile as she slowly walked toward him, her hips swaying. "A shame it didn't work, isn't it? One must use every tool at their disposal when facing a legend such as yourself." Her outward calm was a masterful facade. Internally, her mind was a whirlwind of strategy and dread. She knew the stories. She knew what this man had done to two of the five great villages. Her chances, with only two guards, were slim to none. Her only hope was to end this quickly with her most potent techniques.
"My, my," she purred, her hands beginning to form a series of seals with practiced ease. "When I look closely, you really are quite handsome. Is it a trait of the Uchiha clan? It's such a pity we must be enemies. A man like you deserves... a kiss goodbye."
Ren didn't move. He didn't form a counter-seal or adopt a defensive stance. He simply watched her, his Sharingan memorizing every minute movement, every flicker of chakra. His arrogance was a weapon in itself, a psychological gambit to unnerve her.
He was inviting her attack.
Seeing his utter lack of reaction, a flicker of irritation crossed Mei's face before being subsumed by her killing intent. Her seals concluded.
"Lava Release: Quicklime Congealing Jutsu!"
She took a deep breath and exhaled, not fire or lava, but a vast, blinding cloud of white powder. It billowed out, expanding rapidly to envelop Ren in a thick, corrosive mist that would rapidly absorb moisture, solidify, and suffocate its victim, encasing him in a tomb of stone. The fight for the Mizukage's life had truly begun.
💀 WANT TO READ AHEAD? 💀
👉 JOIN MY PATREON — Patreon.com/The_Ripper_87
════════ ⬛ ⬛ ⬛ ⬛ ⬛ ════════
🔥CURRENTLY AT Chapter 339: The Tsuchikage's Shock🔥
⚡ SUPPORT THE STORY WITH YOUR POWER STONES! ⚡
🖤 EVERY STONE AND EVERY PLEDGE HELPS KEEP THE STORY GOING! 🖤