The battle reached climax. Kiri and Uzu/Konoha Alliance both suffered heavy casualties. Dead bodies, kunais, shurikens, and craters caused from ninjutsu littered the area.
Uchiha Naka, Uchiha Arashi, and Uchiha Naori stood together with their sharingan glaring at the 12 quasi kage level Kiri-nins before them. Behind them, 15 other Uchiha Jonin in high collared Uchiha combat robes stood with swords and combat sickles in their hand. Unlike the three in the front, rest were out of breath with signs close to showing chakra exhaustion. Some of them even had their three tomoe sharingan deactivated due to fatigue.
On the other side, 12 Kiri nins stood in defensive formation with Terumi duo, Yuki, Hozuki, and Hoshigaki Jonins in the front. Seven others were either standing or kneeling behind the five. They were not in good conditions. Uchiha's Shuriken jutsu, sharingan, and vast Jutsus
"Those twelve are all at middle or large ninja clan's clan leader level strength or close to it…" Uchiha Naori calmly stated as she swung her blade to remove the blood stains on it.
"Heh! So what! They were still unable to take even one of us down!"
"Naka! Fuuki and Shiori nearly died because of them. Don't underestimate your opponents too much."
"Hng! You know what I'm trying to say Arashi. I'm just trying to boast our morale!"
Uchiha Naka pouted for a bit before focusing his attention on Kiri-nins.
"Especially watch out for those auburn-haired Lava release and boil release duos. Not to mention the Yuki and Hozuki duo too, their water and ice combination is nothing to joke about."
Uchiha Arashi stated with serious expression.
"Don't forget that Hoshigaki member as well. I cannot see the end of his chakra capacity. If not for their signature shark like features, I would have thought that we were facing pureblooded Senju or Uzumaki." Uchiha Naori added.
These three were childhood friends and most talented Uchiha Jonins excluding Fukashi and Shinichi. They all used sword as their main weapon and they practiced and trained their Kenjutsu together since youth.
PIIII~~~~~~~~!!
A loud whistle signal echoed.
"??!!!"
"What is that signal!"
"Look, Kiri is retreating!"
"?!! What! As if we will let you run away so easily!" Uchiha Naka lunged towards Kiri-nins before a figure stood between his path and 12 Kiri forces.
"Mizukage?!! Naka! Be careful!"
Naka also recognized Hozuki Gengetsu and immediate took few steps back in retreat. Other clansmen soon joined him and surrounded the Mizukage. Uchiha Naka looked at the Mizukage for few moments before brandishing his sword and charged against him.
"Mizukage… Hng! But it's just a clone! Nothing I can't handle!"
Naka successfully slashed through Hozuki Gengetsu's clone, but instead of dispelling the clone or disintegrating into pool of water. It started to bloat like a balloon.
Uchiha Naka stared at Gengetsu's clone in confusion and disbelief.
"What is going on?"
Before anyone could react properly the clone grew into a giant. They could see a very rapid and dense movement of water chakra within the clone.
Uchiha Naka and other Uchiha Jonins quickly weaved hand seals to attack the giant clone before it can grow larger.
Katon Gokakyu no Jutsu !! 火遁・豪火球の術 (Fire release : Great Fireball Technique!)
However, this was a mistake. Their proud fire release only expedited the process.
"Everyone! Retreat! Naka Watch out!"
Uchiha Arashi shunshined next to Uchiha Naka but…
BOOOOMM!!!!!!!!!
***
Few minutes ago.
Yuki Shuto carried injured Kaguya Morikawa back to Kiri's fleet, while Hozuki Gengetsu stood 50 meters apart from Uchiha Fukashi and Uchiha Sosuke.
"Water clones? What are you trying to do Mizukage!" Uchiha Sosuke asked.
"Heh! You should feel honored Uchiha clan head! Although it is incomplete, I am about to showcase my ultimate technique for you guys as a parting gift from me for the first time!"
Mizu Bunshin Joki Bakuha no Jutsu 水分身蒸気爆破の術 (Water clone: steam explosion technique)
Gengetsu spoke with some anger mixed in his voice. He was pissed off by the fact that Morikawa received a fatal injury. This was not part of his calculation for this expedition.
"I see. I have failed to consider a possible Mangekyo user within Uchiha clan… it seems like it was you who blocked my Tsunami in the beginning wasn't it? Uchiha Fukashi! Disciple of Ninja Shura!"
"…" Fukashi did not answer Gengetsu's question and silent stood still and tried his best to recover some chakra.
"Hehehe. I will take that as a yes."
Gengetsu smirked a he sent his water clones to spread throughout the battlefield.
"Sosuke, those clones are not normal, there is a thin layer of oil covering the water clone."
"??!!"
"We must pull back our forces. Do not pursue the retreating Kiri-nins. Whatever that clone is… it is nothing good for us."
Sosuke nodded and summoned his contract summon. A black crow appeared with a puff of smoke and after making an eye contact with Sosuke's sharingan, it broke off into multiple black feathers, which turned into crows and spread throughout the battlefield.
"FATHER!"
With a blur, Uchiha Shinichi arrived next to Fukashi with a shunshin. Surprisingly, in this chaotic battlefield, Shinichi did not have a single injury or blood stain on him, only his eyes were bloodshot in dark blood red color. Moreover, there was a strong stench of blood and burnt flesh lingering around him, especially on his sword. Shinichi's sword no longer contained the dense fire chakra from previous night, but its blade remained in deep dark crimson color, not because of fire chakra, but because of all the flesh and blood of enemies he slew and burned.
Gengetsu frowned at Uchiha Shinichi's appearance, but sensing that most of Kiri's forces retreated in succession Gengetsu also decided to return. He left a single clone behind and departed while leaving few remarks.
"Well, take care. Uchiha and Konoha and Uzu allied force!"
"""…"""
Three Uchiha didn't chase after Mizukage and stared at the water clone with caution. It was a jutsu that Mizukage created as a 'parting gift' for them. It was bound to be special.
Shincihi did not hesitate and threw a barrage of shurikens coated in fire.
Katon: Hōsenka Tsumabeni 火遁・鳳仙花爪紅 (Fire release: Pheonix Sage Flower Nail Crimson)
However, to Shinichi's surprise, Gengetsu's clone did not dodge or block his attack and welcomed his attack with an open arm.
Burning shurikens hit the mark, but the clone did not dispel or disintegrate into pool of water. Instead, the clone began to bulge like a balloon.
"??!!!!"
"The heat is exciting the water chakra inside the clone! At this rate…!!! Everyone, back off, this is a self-exploding clone!"
Fukashi spoke in a hurry. Through his Mangekyo Sharingan, Fukashi was able to instantly understand what was happening inside the clone. The water vapor and steam within the clone was expanding rapidly and the pressure accumulating within the clone was something that they cannot handle in close distance.
Uchiha Fukashi, Shinichi, and Sosuke, immediately backed off as Gengetsu's clone bloated into a plump giant before it exploded.
BOOOM!! Boom!! Booom!!!
Same explosion occurred in various areas of the battlefield.