Chapter 50: The Mist's Reckoning
"Tailed Beast Bomb..."
The Fourth Mizukage was also shocked to find himself at a disadvantage in close-quarters combat. But he immediately seized the opportunity, gripping Uchiha Naoki's fist tightly as a Tailed Beast Bomb began to condense in his mouth. Such a close distance, such a perfect chance—how could he let it slip away?
"Magma Style: Crimson Canine!"
But coincidentally, Uchiha Naoki thought the same. His body transformed into lava at an incredible speed, and a millstone-sized lava dog's head erupted from his shoulder, sheathed in Armament Haki. It instantly morphed into a black hellhound, charging straight at the Fourth Mizukage right in front of him.
Hot! Hard!
A chill ran down the Fourth Mizukage's spine, forcing him to dodge immediately. At the same time, he released the unfinished Tailed Beast Bomb from his mouth.
BOOM!
Blazing flames collided with the energy cannon, illuminating the entire battlefield. Uchiha Itachi and the others were momentarily blinded.
When their vision cleared, another horrifying scene greeted them. Uchiha Naoki's fists were superheated yet completely black. Like a god of war, he charged straight at the Fourth Mizukage, initiating a super-high-speed physical brawl.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The entire battlefield showed only the constant clash of two phantoms, one red and one black, continuously exploding the ground, making it difficult to distinguish who was winning.
Uchiha Itachi immediately activated his Mangekyō Sharingan to see the situation clearly and couldn't help but marvel, "He's not even at a disadvantage in a fierce battle against a Jinchuriki? Has he grown to such a terrifying level? Not even a Kage-level powerhouse can suppress him?"
He admitted to himself that unless he used Amaterasu with immense ocular power to quickly defeat the Fourth Mizukage, he couldn't achieve such results in a conventional battle.
Suddenly!
The two separated, and terrifying, violent fluctuations erupted from the Fourth Mizukage as black, blue, and red particles gathered at high speed. Uchiha Naoki's body boiled over, lava roaring, also emitting devastating waves.
Seeing this, the Scarlet Sand Scorpion realized something and urgently shouted, "Everyone, scatter!" Simultaneously, he shot out two chakra strings to grab Uchiha Itachi and Juzo Biwa, using the damaged Third Kazekage puppet to carry all three into the sky.
The next moment!
"Magma World: Scorching Detonation!"
"Tailed Beast Bomb!"
Uchiha Naoki threw a terrifying punch, unleashing a fan-shaped crimson shockwave from the ground. The Fourth Mizukage, firmly planted, spat out a massive energy mass as heavy and hot as a meteorite, which also erupted from the ground, distorting the very air.
BOOM!
Like planets colliding, the two forces exploded instantly. The entire Kirigakure trembled; the surrounding seas surged with wild waves. The earth collapsed at high speed amidst the roaring, spreading and tearing outwards. Hurricane-level winds swept in all directions, forcing the Scarlet Sand Scorpion and the others higher into the air to avoid being torn apart or burned.
This blow was too powerful! Most of the beach was instantly submerged, and the Fourth Mizukage's residence was reduced to underwater ruins, artificially creating a massive lake near the sea. Of course, the water was scalding hot—the kind that could cook meat.
"Who won?" This was what the Scarlet Sand Scorpion and the others in the sky wanted to know.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Several more clashing sounds echoed, causing huge splashes. Then, the water's surface suddenly exploded, and two figures emerged on the water.
"Cough, cough..." One figure coughed, revealing himself as Uchiha Naoki. Half of his clothes were burned away. His entire left shoulder was scorched, and his chest was sunken, but it recovered quickly under everyone's gaze. His right arm had chunks of hardened coral slowly falling off, revealing dense, tearing wounds.
Beside him, naturally, was the Fourth Mizukage, burned and unconscious.
Undoubtedly, Uchiha Naoki had won. But even with the Scarlet Sand Scorpion's assistance, it had required such effort. One could imagine the Fourth Mizukage's strength—far surpassing that of an Orochimaru not yet at his peak or Yugito Nii. It was only because the Mangekyō restrained Tailed Beasts that Uchiha Obito had controlled him so easily.
But before the group could celebrate, a squad of Kirigakure Anbu suddenly descended, surrounding Uchiha Naoki.
Then, a charming woman with long, reddish-brown hair led a group of Mist ninja down. Behind her, a handsome man in very cool clothes walked slowly, exuding the unique oppressive aura of a Jinchuriki. And a tall, heavyset man with green stripes on his cheeks, sharp teeth, and a massive sword on his back.
"What a commotion!" The charming woman spoke, looking at Uchiha Naoki with a bright smile. "It's amazing. I never expected you to be so powerful, Uchiha Naoki-kun, to defeat even the Fourth Mizukage-sama."
"So, could you return the Fourth Mizukage to us? After all, he is an important combatant for the village, as well as its leader. It would be quite unpleasant if news of his capture spread."
Hearing this, Uchiha Naoki looked troubled. "That's truly a pity. I'm afraid I can't promise you, beautiful sister. The Fourth Mizukage is wanted by the organization. I can't hand him over without permission." He feigned regret, his expression dramatically portraying a desire to comply but an inability to do so. "If he were mine, maybe I really could give him to you."
"Then it seems... we have no choice but to fight. You're being rather uncooperative, little brother." The charming woman shook her head, also wearing a regretful look. "It's such a shame to have to kill someone like you."
As she spoke, she instantly shed her earlier laziness and casualness, becoming cold and severe. "Everyone, retrieve the Fourth and eliminate the intruders!"
With that, she charged towards Uchiha Naoki, who was exhausted and even pale. Clearly, she intended to use force to reclaim the Fourth Mizukage from him.
"Illusion: Golden Bind!"
Being on the water's surface and heavily depleted, Uchiha Naoki was naturally unwilling to fight a Water Release master here. He wasn't skilled in genjutsu, but the power unleashed with the three tomoe was still considerable.
The charming woman's expression changed sharply. She quickly averted her gaze, her forward momentum involuntarily stalling. She formed hand seals extremely fast. "Water Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
By obscuring vision, she could avoid the danger of eye contact and falling under Uchiha Naoki's genjutsu. In just a second or two, the entire lake was shrouded in thick fog. One couldn't see the enemy five meters away.
But facing this fog, Uchiha Naoki suddenly smiled. A slightly deep voice echoed through the mist. "This might be a very effective tactic elsewhere... But unfortunately, you're facing me. In that case, this move is a mistake."
With his Observation Haki activated, the thick fog was no impediment to him. Instead, it became a hindrance to the charming woman. Even if she had a special perception technique used in conjunction with the Hidden Mist Jutsu, could it be as comprehensive and direct as Observation Haki?