Chapter 24: The Water Master
Thud! Thud! Thud!
A forest of razor-sharp iron sand spikes erupted from the ground directly beneath Manda, impaling the colossal serpent's body with brutal efficiency.
"You wretch!!!" The searing pain sent Manda into an even deeper frenzy.
"Lord Sasori, your defense seems a bit lax!" While Manda was distracted by its injuries, Orochimaru emerged from the earth directly behind the Scarlet Sand Scorpion. His jaw unhinged, and the legendary Sword of Kusanagi shot out like a beam of light. "Die!"
Shunk!
The sword pierced clean through Sasori's torso.
But before Orochimaru could savor the moment, his eyes widened in alarm, and he hastily retreated.
In the next instant, a poisoned steel cable, cold and menacing, shot out from Sasori's back like a phantom, lashing through the space Orochimaru had occupied a moment before.
"Hmph. Your reflexes are decent," Sasori sneered, completely ignoring the grievous wound in his chest. No blood flowed from the injury; it was as if he weren't made of flesh and blood at all.
"Begone!" Orochimaru's retreat gave Sasori the perfect opening to finish dealing with Manda. While a Jonin might struggle against the great serpent, to Sasori, it was merely a larger, more troublesome beast.
"Iron Sand: Giant Hammer!"
A massive quantity of black iron sand gathered in the air above the writhing Manda, coalescing into a colossal cube that descended with crushing force. This was the very technique the Third Kazekage had used to suppress a Tailed Beast. To deal with a massive enemy, one used simple, overwhelming force.
"GYAAAAH! Damn you!!!" Manda felt its entire body being compressed, on the verge of being pulverized into paste. It had no choice. With an enraged roar and a puff of smoke, it reversed the summoning contract and fled back to Ryūchi Cave.
The iron sand cube slammed into the ground with a deafening CRASH, shaking the very earth.
"Now then, Orochimaru… you're the only one left." Sasori took a measured breath, his cold gaze settling on the snake Sannin who had just reappeared. Dealing with Manda, despite his dismissive attitude, had consumed a significant amount of his chakra.
"Truly fearsome, Sasori. Even Manda was so powerless against you," Orochimaru licked his lips, a sly grin spreading across his face. "However, your chakra consumption must not be insignificant."
His intention for summoning Manda was never to gain a fighting partner. It was purely to drain Sasori's chakra reserves, securing an advantage for himself.
"Heh. I have more than enough left to deal with you," Sasori retorted, unmoved. He even added a mocking jab. "Besides, maintaining that Impure World Reincarnation isn't cost-free for you either."
Orochimaru shrugged dismissively. "So what? I can guarantee that in the end, you will be the one to fall. You probably aren't aware…" His tone grew ostentatious. "…that an Impure World Reincarnation possesses an immortal body and the trait of infinite chakra. That means…" He grinned widely, watching Sasori's expression darken with realization. "…even if Uchiha Naoki exhausts his chakra, it's impossible for him to inflict lasting damage on the Second Hokage. So what if he knows about the reincarnation? I specially enhanced the Second Hokage's body, making him more than capable of holding Naoki back. The final scenario will inevitably be Naoki, drained of chakra, falling in defeat, leaving you to be besieged by myself and the Second Hokage until you collapse from exhaustion!"
Hearing this, Sasori couldn't help but snort coldly. "And what if things don't unfold according to your script? Don't forget, since Naoki knows of the reincarnation jutsu, perhaps he also knows of its weaknesses—flaws even you might not be aware of."
These words made Orochimaru's smile vanish instantly. He glanced toward the distant Uchiha Naoki, a familiar thread of fear coiling in his gut. It was true. Who knew how much more information Uchiha Naoki possessed?
Meanwhile, With Uchiha Naoki and the Second Hokage
During the clash between Orochimaru and Sasori, Senju Tobirama had used the Flying Raijin to engage Uchiha Naoki in a series of brief, intensely perilous exchanges. He had paid the price of a regenerating arm to leave a deep gash on Uchiha Naoki's chest. Senju Tobirama had confirmed that relying solely on the Flying Raijin would not yield a decisive victory against this peculiar Uchiha.
"In that case…" Senju Tobirama's eyes sharpened. "…I shall create my own domain!"
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
The moisture in the surrounding air suddenly coalesced, transforming into raging waves that surged in from all directions. Uchiha Naoki had nowhere to hide, crying out "Not good!" as he was directly swept into the deluge. Within a radius of several hundred meters, Senju Tobirama had forcibly created a world of water.
"To create such an exaggerated volume of water in a place with no natural source…" Sasori observed, having floated into the air atop the Third Kazekage puppet to avoid the aquatic domain. He couldn't hide his astonishment. "Is this the power of the Second Hokage, the 'God of Shinobi' on the battlefield? It's truly staggering."
Even Orochimaru could only nod in silent praise. This was less "Water Release" and more "Ocean Release." The volume of water was simply astonishing.
Trapped at the bottom of this artificial sea, Uchiha Naoki knew he couldn't stay put. In the water, how could he hope to match Senju Tobirama? He'd be like Kisame Hoshigaki facing a dried persimmon—completely out of his element.
"Uchiha brat, die!" Sure enough, before Naoki could even reach the surface, Senju Tobirama was upon him. In the water, the Second Hokage moved like a fish, his speed terrifying.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Vortex!"
His hands flew through seals. The surrounding water instantly began to rotate at high speed, forming a powerful vortex with immense traction force, ensnaring Uchiha Naoki within its core.
"He's trying to pin me down to make a single, decisive blow easier!" Uchiha Naoki's mind was clear, but the sense of crisis was overwhelming. He couldn't allow Senju Tobirama to establish his domain and run rampant.
"Scorching World: Eruption!"
HUM!
The entire body of water trembled violently. Uchiha Naoki's body began to glow a fierce red, and a wave of super-high-temperature heat erupted from him with catastrophic force. The water vortex instantly collapsed, the transpiration of the water creating a deafening roar as the volume visibly plummeted.
Hmm?! Senju Tobirama felt the temperature of the water around him skyrocket. The flow rate decreased drastically. The Uchiha boy before him shone like an avatar of the fire god. The terrifying power erupting from him actually pushed the water back, creating a temporary vacuum zone around his form.
"This guy…" Senju Tobirama was stunned, a sliver of genuine fear piercing his composed demeanor. "To think even in the water, I cannot fully suppress him!" His eyes narrowed to slits. "Then I must kill you now, while I still have the chance!"
The water wasn't gone yet. Uchiha Naoki had to maintain his fiery aura to keep it at bay, meaning he couldn't use his full lava-body intangibility. His materialized form was a perfect target.
"Water Release…" The remaining water around him churned and gathered. A sharp, piercing aura erupted from Senju Tobirama, condensing into an attack that shot forth from his hand like a white flash of pure, pressurized force. "…Water Severing Wave!"