Uehara Naraku waved his hand, countless droplets from the lake transformed into shurikens, slowly floating into the air.
"Water Shuriken!"
The next moment, these shurikens shot rapidly towards Uchiha Sasuke!
Uchiha Sasuke remained fearless. His Sharingan could clearly see all the shurikens' trajectories. Sasuke couldn't help but curl his lips: "Heh heh, are you trying to compete with the Uchiha Clan in the art of shuriken throwing?"
Countless shurikens flew out from Sasuke's hands, and in an instant, Uchiha Sasuke shattered all the Water Shurikens created by Uehara Naraku!
When all the Water Shurikens were shattered, Uchiha Sasuke suddenly rushed towards Uehara Naraku, the ninja blade in his hand traced an arc.
But Uehara Naraku's figure flickered, suddenly colliding with Uchiha Sasuke, grabbing his wrist and kicking him in the abdomen, sending him flying!
Uehara Naraku closed his hands and began to form hand seals.
This scene couldn't help but bring a smile to Sasuke's heart. He threw a giant shuriken, laughing wildly: "Your hand seal speed is as slow as that guy Itachi from the Uchiha Clan!"
"Hmm?"
Uehara Naraku had to give up the hand seals. After dodging the shuriken, he raised his eyebrow and said: "Is Uchiha Itachi's hand seal speed really that slow?"
"Hmph, more or less!"
Uchiha Sasuke nodded, a thread suddenly appeared in his hand, pulling that shuriken towards Uehara Naraku: "Over the years, I've observed carefully. His hand seal speed isn't fast. It's pretty good if he can make two seals in a second!"
Uehara Naraku let the Mechanical Shuriken hit his thigh, firmly pulling out the shuriken, healing his wound with a wave.
To be honest, a bit curious.
Uchiha Itachi, aren't you too cautious!
Has Sasuke not noticed for such a long time?
Didn't Hatake Kakashi tell Uchiha Sasuke that his brother can make six hand seals in a second?
Uchiha Sasuke sneered contemptuously, pleased that he had interrupted Uehara Naraku's ninjutsu, his fingers sparking with electricity: "The ninjas of Akatsuki have really slow hand seal speeds. I'm grateful to Kakashi because it was witnessing his battles that showed me a ninja could form seals that quickly!"
"..."
Uehara Naraku was at a loss for words.
Actually, sometimes it's understandable why Hoshigaki Kisame's hand seal speed is slow, as the ninjutsu he releases is extremely powerful, requiring a large amount of chakra.
As for Uchiha Itachi... he sure knows how to put on a show!
Elsewhere.
Hoshigaki Kisame, who was secretly observing, glanced at Uchiha Itachi and softly asked, "Itachi-san, how long has Sasuke been like this? He hasn't noticed your quick hand seal speed?"
"..."
Uchiha Itachi speechlessly looked at Hoshigaki Kisame, shaking his head calmly: "You already know, right? If my hand seal speed were too fast, Sasuke wouldn't be able to use his Sharingan to copy the ninjutsu I want to teach him..."
After explaining, Uchiha Itachi added: "If my hand seal speed varied too much, it'd be easy for Sasuke to detect a flaw..."
"As expected of you, Itachi-san."
Hoshigaki Kisame looked at Uchiha Itachi with admiration, shaking his head in sigh: "I can't even make one or two hand seals in a second."
"Ahem ahem..."
Uchiha Itachi coughed lightly and changed the subject: "Uehara's hand seal speed isn't fast either. Is he hiding something too?"
"Heh, that's not hiding."
Hoshigaki Kisame watched Uehara Naraku's slow hand seal movements, twitching the corners of his eyes: "That guy naturally has a slow hand seal speed, which is why he's not very proficient with ninjutsu."
Hoshigaki Kisame grinned and said: "Oh well, let's not mention him anymore. That guy is just lucky, favored by Pain and Konan. As long as he can form the Summoning Jutsu hand seals, it's enough."
"Only good at Summoning Jutsu?"
Uchiha Itachi nodded, albeit doubtingly: "That doesn't seem right... his Water Release Ninjutsu should be quite powerful."
Tomorrow is actually his death day, and Uchiha Itachi doesn't worry too much about it. At least it's clear Uehara Naraku poses no threat to Uchiha Sasuke.
In the lake.
The battle between Uehara Naraku and Uchiha Sasuke had reached a boiling point.
Uchiha Sasuke spat out a fireball, sweeping towards Uehara Naraku: "Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
"Fire Release: Flame Storm!"
Uehara Naraku clasped his hands, releasing a blaze, but this Fire Release Ninjutsu was clearly inferior to Uchiha Sasuke's Great Fireball, and it seemed on the verge of being overwhelmed.
In a hurry, Uehara Naraku had to form hand seals again, shouting softly: "Water Release: Water Dragon Bomb Jutsu!"
A water dragon surged from the lake, dousing Sasuke's flames.
"This environment is too advantageous for you to fight in."
Uchiha Sasuke saw this scene and couldn't help but shake his head, sighing: "But your Water Release Ninjutsu doesn't seem that strong!"
"Is that so?"
Uehara Naraku suddenly clasped his hands, looking at Uchiha Sasuke, and said in a low voice, "This move is my strongest Water Release Ninjutsu, but it requires a long preparation time. I assume you'll allow me that time?"
"Of course."
Uchiha Sasuke smiled and said, "We're just practicing, after all. In a real battle, you wouldn't have the chance to use it... Of course, in a real life-and-death duel, I'm not entirely confident I could defeat you!"
After all, Uehara Naraku had easily dispelled his Lightning Release: Kirin with a single finger!
Uchiha Sasuke knew full well that Uehara Naraku was helping him with training, so he quietly watched Uehara Naraku begin his hand seals.
The time it took to form those hand seals...
Was a bit too long...
Uchiha Sasuke's expression grew darker, as Uehara Naraku had already completed forty or fifty hand seals, taking nearly a minute!
What kind of Ninjutsu is this!
Just as Sasuke was running out of patience, Uehara Naraku finally completed fifty-six hand seals and shouted in a low voice, "Water Release: Water Giant!"
The next moment, countless waves surged from the ground!
Streams of water snaked around Uehara Naraku's feet, gradually enveloping him and lifting him into the air, while the lake's water continued to flow.
These streams began flowing in strange directions in the air, as if an invisible path guided them.
It looked extremely eerie.
However, Sasuke soon saw the full picture of the water streams!
The water streams formed into a human shape in the air, and in a blur, they gathered into an enormous entity, a water giant even taller than Hozuki's Water Transformation Jutsu!
Even more astonishing, this water giant was lifelike, covered with layers of overlapping armor plates, holding a sturdy sword in its hand.
Just its appearance was quite imposing!
Having acquired the power of water, Uehara Naraku manipulated the water streams with ease, which was just an application of water power.
From afar, Hoshigaki Kisame watched with a hint of surprise on his face, unable to hold back from saying, "That brat Uehara Naraku actually has such a Ninjutsu?"
Uchiha Itachi's face was impassive as he nodded and said, "That's normal. From Uehara's manipulation of the water earlier, it's clear that he's quite skilled in Water Release Ninjutsu, though his attainment is indeed surprising."
"I didn't sense any surprise from Mr. Itachi..."
Hoshigaki Kisame shook his head and said in a low voice, "Even I didn't know Uehara Naraku had mastered Water Release Ninjutsu to this extent!"
"It's easy to see from some minor details."
Uchiha Itachi also shook his head, sighing lightly, "But this move heavily relies on geographical advantages, and Uehara's jutsu execution speed isn't fast enough. If it were a real battle, others would attack before he finished his hand seals, or even launch a surprise attack before he completed the seals."
Everything was as Uchiha Itachi had expected.
Uchiha Itachi indeed anticipated it correctly; Uehara Naraku was very proficient in Water Release Ninjutsu.
"Yes..."
Hoshigaki Kisame sighed deeply and said, "This jutsu has over fifty hand seals, surpassing the record of the Water Dragon Bomb Jutsu, right?"
"Yes..."
Uchiha Itachi nodded and continued softly, "But it's not unexpected. After all, this is a jutsu capable of changing the battlefield."
Though this Water Giant had not yet demonstrated formidable power, its size alone was already comparable to Susanoo!
It just had too many weaknesses.
In his mind, Uchiha Itachi had already thought of various ways to break the Water Giant, and there were countless methods to counter this jutsu.
If Uehara Naraku were standing in front of him, Uchiha Itachi could ensure that Uehara Naraku wouldn't succeed in executing the jutsu.
Underground.
Uchiha Obito hid within the Kamui Space.
Uchiha Obito was continuously relaying the conversation between Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame to Uehara Naraku, which was why Uehara Naraku adjusted his fighting style earlier.
Now, touching his chin, he pondered a question: Why was Uehara Naraku putting on a show for Uchiha Itachi?
After tomorrow's fight between Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi should die on the spot, right?
After Uchiha Itachi died, Uehara Naraku could use the Reanimation to resurrect and control Uchiha Itachi, right?
Why was Uehara Naraku treating Uchiha Itachi as an enemy?
Though it seemed illogical, Uchiha Obito couldn't figure it out.
"Forget it, if I can't figure it out, I won't think about it."
Uchiha Obito shook his head, watching in the distance as Uehara Naraku fought Uchiha Sasuke: "What a schemer, even counting on Uchiha Itachi, who is destined to die..."