Fuguki Suikazan endured the burning pain in his tail and immediately used a Water Release technique to dilute the surrounding temperature before his massive body suddenly sank deeper into the sea.
"You little brat, I'll show you what true despair looks like!"
His hands rapidly formed seals underwater as chakra was continuously refined.
"Water Release: Thousand Feeding Sharks!"
Crash!
With Fuguki Suikazan at the center, the seawater within a hundred meter radius instantly began to boil.
Not from heat, but from the countless sharks violently stirring the ocean currents.
One shark, ten sharks, a hundred sharks. In the blink of an eye, a full thousand semi transparent water sharks far larger than the previous "Rain Four Sharks" burst out from beneath the sea surface.
Every single one of them was the size of an adult tiger shark, their fangs formed from highly compressed Water Release chakra.
The thousand sharks simultaneously raised their heads and let out silent roars before surging toward Kiyohara from every direction, above, below, left, and right like an overwhelming tidal wave carrying certain death.
And it still was not over.
Fuguki Suikazan bit his thumb and slammed a hand against his chest.
"Water Clone Technique!"
Bang! Bang!!
Fifty identical figures leapt out from the sea and occupied different positions around Kiyohara, completely surrounding him in the center.
Although each water clone only possessed one tenth of the original's strength, fifty of them combined with the Thousand Feeding Sharks created a killing formation terrifying enough to make countless shinobi lose all courage.
"DIEEE!"
Fifty Fuguki Suikazans roared in unison as the thousand water sharks closed in at the same time.
At that instant, through her Byakugan, Ginka could only see an endless mass of sharks rushing toward Kiyohara.
She hurriedly unleashed "Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Sixty Four Palms," but even so, she could not disperse many of the sharks.
Everything was happening too quickly.
Caught off guard, she could not even deliver enough strikes.
"Kiyohara!"
Rin's scream was drowned out by the crashing sounds of the water sharks tearing through the sea.
Kakashi attempted to rush over, but Kaguya Dairo tightly entangled him in battle.
Guy roared as he tried to open the Sixth Gate, but the repeated use of the Sixth Gate earlier had already caused his meridians to ache faintly.
He could only continue fighting in the state of the Fifth Gate.
Kurenai formed hand seals with both hands, attempting to cast a genjutsu to interfere, but in front of a ninjutsu of this scale, her chakra was like the glow of a firefly before the moon.
Just as everyone believed Kiyohara was about to be devoured—
Kiyohara raised his head.
Inside those scarlet Sharingan eyes, the three tomoe suddenly accelerated in rotation.
"Hmp."
Just a single glance.
The fifty water clones charging toward him all froze simultaneously.
Their eyes reflected the spinning Sharingan as the chakra flowing through their bodies instantly fell into chaos.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
A series of explosions erupted.
The fifty water clones burst apart like punctured balloons, exploding into countless splashes of water.
But the Thousand Feeding Sharks still remained.
They had no consciousness. They were merely creations of chakra and still followed their final order as they continued tearing toward him.
Standing in the distance, the real Fuguki Suikazan revealed a savage grin.
So what if the water clones had been broken?
The Thousand Feeding Sharks was a genuine offensive ninjutsu. Every single shark possessed enough power to bite through steel.
He could practically already see Kiyohara being shredded into pieces by the shark swarm.
Yet Kiyohara remained completely calm.
"Sage Art: Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique."
He imitated the hand seals Fuguki Suikazan had used earlier, except he infused the technique with cursed seal chakra.
And within that chakra was natural energy.
It had already entered the realm that could truly be called—
"Sage Art."
Boom!
A gigantic shark shaped water projectile more than twice the size of the "Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique" Suikazan had previously unleashed erupted from the sea in front of Kiyohara.
The moment it appeared, the surrounding seawater began converging toward it, causing its body to continue expanding.
"What?!"
The savage grin on Fuguki Suikazan's face instantly froze.
"Impossible! Even if you copied my technique, there's no way you could release something of this scale in such a short instant—"
His words became stuck in his throat.
Because the giant shark moved.
It opened a massive mouth large enough to swallow an entire house and bit down toward the Thousand Feeding Shark swarm.
With a single bite, nearly a hundred water sharks were swallowed whole.
The sharks devoured into its stomach rapidly collapsed, and the giant shark's body expanded another full circle.
Its tail fin swept through the ocean, raising enormous waves.
The remaining hundreds of water sharks rushed forward and bit at it wildly, but their fangs could not even pierce the surface of the giant shark's body.
The power of Sage Art naturally far surpassed ordinary Water Release.
"ROAR!"
The giant shark let out another deafening roar as its enormous body suddenly began spinning.
A vortex formed.
Centered around the giant shark, a massive whirlpool with a diameter exceeding a hundred meters instantly appeared.
The terrifying suction force dragged all the remaining water sharks into the center of the vortex, where they were shredded and crushed apart by the violently rotating currents.
This technique possessed the ability to instantly absorb the chakra contained within any physical attack directed at it, causing it to grow even larger.
Unless it suffered damage beyond its upper limit all at once, such as "Daytime Tiger," it was extremely difficult to destroy.
And Kiyohara's version was an enhanced form infused with natural energy.
Then the semi transparent giant shark charged directly toward Fuguki Suikazan.
Seeing this, every hair on Fuguki's body stood on end.
Just as the giant shark was about to devour him, Mei's voice suddenly rang out from the side.
"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!"
At some point, she had already rushed near Fuguki Suikazan. Her hand seals completed instantly as her red lips parted slightly, releasing what appeared to be a gentle white mist.
The mist drifted toward the giant shark.
Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!!!
Terrifying heat and powerful acid acted simultaneously.
The Water natured chakra forming the surface of the golden giant shark melted and evaporated at a visible speed, like ice thrown into boiling sulfuric acid.
This was her kekkei genkai, a combination of Fire nature chakra and Water nature chakra, creating Boil Release possessing both extreme heat and powerful corrosive acid.
Its corrosive power was so great that even the skeletal structure of Susanoo could be melted away.
The giant shark's massive body rapidly dissolved within the acidic mist.
Seeing this, Fuguki Suikazan finally snapped back to reality and shouted in wild delight.
"Terumi, well done! If we join forces—"
Unfortunately, before he could finish speaking, Kiyohara had already appeared beside him.
As everyone knew, villains died because they talked too much.
Every villain always wasted time speaking endless nonsense, waiting for everyone else to gather their bonds and launch a counterattack together.
Kiyohara had no intention of quietly watching Fuguki Suikazan recover.
The moment he closed the distance, Kiyohara's right hand rested upon the hilt of the shinobi blade at his waist.
When did he move?!
Fuguki Suikazan had not even seen Kiyohara's movement trajectory clearly.
Instinctively, he tried to retreat, tried to form seals, tried to attack with his hair—
But Kiyohara's blade was faster.
Clang!
The shinobi sword left its sheath.
A streak of blade light carved a pale line through the air, slashing in from Fuguki Suikazan's right shoulder, cutting diagonally across his entire chest before exiting through the left side of his waist.
Slash!
Blood erupted everywhere.
Fuguki Suikazan's right arm, along with nearly half his chest, was completely severed and sent flying.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
A miserable scream echoed across the coastline.
Fuguki Suikazan staggered backward as blood gushed from the severed arm like a fountain. The agonizing pain nearly caused him to lose consciousness.
But he was still not dead.
His vitality had already far surpassed that of ordinary humans. In his fused state with Samehada, he had long since left the realm of humanity.
"You bastard! Bastard!!"
Fuguki Suikazan's face twisted viciously as his remaining left hand rapidly formed seals.
"Shinobi Art: Hair Needle Senbon!"
The remaining orange hair atop his head stood upright one strand after another, hardening into thousands of steel needles that shot toward Kiyohara at close range like a torrential storm.
At such a short distance, with such a dense attack, it was almost impossible to dodge.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
A continuous series of sharp metallic impacts rang out.
Kiyohara stood in place without even raising a hand to block.
The hair needles, which possessed enough power to pierce steel plates, were all deflected the instant they struck his body.
Fuguki Suikazan's pupils shrank violently.
He saw it clearly.
A layer of black metallic luster covered the surface of Kiyohara's skin.
Steel Release: Steel Hardening!
"It's over."
Kiyohara raised his left hand as lightning exploded wildly within his palm.
"Lightning Release: Chidori Current."
Crackle! Snap!
Blue white lightning serpents erupted outward from Kiyohara's body, instantly spreading across Fuguki Suikazan's entire form.
"Ughhhh!"
Paralysis.
The violent electric current surged through every muscle and every nerve.
Fuguki Suikazan's body convulsed uncontrollably as he instantly entered a completely rigid state.
Kiyohara stepped forward, extending his right hand with all five fingers spread open before gently pressing them against Fuguki Suikazan's neck.
The next second—
Crack.
A crisp sound of bones shattering rang out.
Fuguki Suikazan's neck was crushed alive beneath Kiyohara's grip.
Within his widened eyes, fear, unwillingness, regret—
Every emotion froze in that instant before completely dispersing.
Splash.
His enormous body collapsed backward into the sea, sending crimson waves splashing upward.
Dead.
One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, the first master of Samehada, Fuguki Suikazan—
Had fallen here!
Silence.
A deathly silence.
Only the sound of waves crashing against the reefs and the faint echoes of distant fighting remained.
Everyone stopped moving.
The faces of the Mist shinobi were filled with confusion and shock.
Their commander, the mighty member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen they regarded as an absolute powerhouse, had died just like that?
Killed by a boy who looked no older than a teenager, crushed as casually as one would crush an insect?
"L-Lord Fuguki—"
A Hidden Mist chunin spoke with a trembling voice.
The next instant, his voice transformed into a shrill roar.
"Revenge for Lord Fuguki!"
"Kill him!!"
Dozens of Mist shinobi charged toward Kiyohara like an enraged swarm of hornets, their eyes bloodshot.
But at that moment—
Slash!
The Executioner's Blade pierced straight through the chest of the Mist chunin leading the charge.
The chunin lowered his head in disbelief, staring at the blade tip protruding from his chest before painfully turning around to look behind him.
Biwa Juzo expressionlessly pulled the Executioner's Blade free.
Blood flowed along the blade and was rapidly absorbed by the sword itself.
The rust covering the surface of the Executioner's Blade began absorbing the blood to restore Biwa Juzo's stamina while slightly healing his injuries.
"L-Lord Biwa… why…?"
The Mist chunin coughed blood as he stared at him in utter confusion.
Were they not comrades?
And with Konoha's shinobi standing right there, why were they fighting among themselves?
Within the Kirigakure, unless it was part of some selection process, internal fighting between comrades was strictly forbidden.
Otherwise, the number of Mist shinobi would have long since dwindled to almost nothing.
Biwa Juzo flicked the blood from his blade and revealed a mouthful of pale white teeth.
"Why? Because I need blood."
He spoke as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
Then he looked toward the surrounding Mist shinobi, his eyes cold as though he were looking at livestock.
"As for revenge?"
Biwa Juzo paused briefly before continuing.
"Of course I'll take revenge. But before that—"
He suddenly swung his blade again, instantly cutting a Mist genin who had tried to retreat into two halves.
"I'll borrow your blood first."
"You—!"
The Mist shinobi were both shocked and furious.
They never could have imagined that one of their own would attack them.
Within the Mist, only the Hidden Mist themselves were truly terrifying.
Watching the scene unfold, Rin quietly asked Kurenai beside her,
"Are all the people of Kirigakure… like this?"
Kurenai pressed her lips tightly together as disgust flashed through her eyes.
"I heard Kirigakure implements the 'Bloody Mist Village' policy. Their methods of training shinobi are extremely cruel. Comrades killing each other, masters and disciples slaughtering one another… for them, that's normal."
Kakashi tightened his grip on his kunai. During a brief gap in his battle against Kaguya Dairo, his Sharingan glanced toward Biwa Juzo.
"Be careful. He's using the Executioner's Blade to absorb blood and recover his injuries."
Kakashi warned everyone else.
Sure enough, the wound in Biwa Juzo's chest that Kiyohara had pierced earlier was visibly healing.
Although it was not as fast as medical ninjutsu, the recovery in combat capability was already obvious enough.
Biwa Juzo took a deep breath, feeling strength surge back into his body once more as he turned his gaze toward Kiyohara.
"That idiot Suikazan was too careless."
He hoisted the Executioner's Blade onto his shoulder, the blade tip pointing directly at Kiyohara.
"But I won't be."
Before his words even finished, his entire body transformed into an afterimage and rushed forward.
Not in a straight line, but in a zigzagging assault, every step exploding with violent sprays of water atop the ocean surface.
His speed was at least thirty percent faster than before!
"Die!"
The Executioner's Blade descended with a shrill howl that tore through the air.
This strike contained all of Biwa Juzo's power and killing intent.
He had once used this blade to split giant boulders apart, cut through steel ships, and harvest the lives of countless jonin.
He was confident that even if Kiyohara use Earth Release hardening defenses, this blow would still shatter his internal organs from the impact alone.
In that instant, Kiyohara raised another weapon.
It was Samehada, which he had just picked up beside Fuguki Suikazan's corpse. The blade was still trembling faintly.
Kiyohara's posture while holding Samehada was clearly awkward, and even his grip was incorrect.
But at the exact moment the Executioner's Blade was about to strike Samehada, Kiyohara's wrist suddenly twisted.
Samehada's blade, covered in countless barbs, met the Executioner's Blade head on.
Not with brute force.
But by shaving across it!
"Samehada: Shaving Slash."
Kiyohara calmly spoke those five words.
Clang!!
The collision between the two swords exploded with a thunderous sound that sent pillars of seawater soaring several meters into the air.
Juzo only felt a horrifying force surge through his sword. The tiger's mouth between his thumb and finger split open as the Executioner's Blade was violently knocked aside.
How was this possible?
Even if Kiyohara had copied Suikazan's technique, there was no way he could use it this skillfully on his very first attempt—
Wait.
Juzo's eyes suddenly widened.
He saw it.
The right hand gripping Samehada's handle was radiating scorching heat.
Fire Release chakra!
He was using Fire Release chakra to burn Samehada!
At that instant, Juzo felt as though he were seeing a plantation owner whipping his slaves.
Anyone who failed to work hard would only receive the whip.
This brat Kiyohara was actually using such a method to control Samehada?
Samehada was a living weapon. Although it could devour chakra, it was still a living creature and instinctively feared high temperatures.
Now, being roasted by flames, it trembled painfully while even its barbs curled inward.
It could only obediently follow Kiyohara's intentions and continuously use its barbs to attack Juzo.
"Good."
Kiyohara spoke softly, almost as if comforting a pet.
"If you don't behave, it'll hurt even more."
Samehada's trembling slightly paused.
Although its intelligence was not especially high, its biological instincts clearly told it something.
This human was far more terrifying than Suikazan.
Resistance meant death.
Obedience… might allow it to live.
After a brief struggle, Samehada finally gave up resisting.
Kiyohara nodded in satisfaction and infused even more Fire Release chakra into the handle, though this time it was no longer burning.
Instead, it was nourishing.
Under Kiyohara's control, the Fire Release chakra transformed into a perfectly comfortable warmth, wrapping around Samehada's handle like a soothing hot spring bath.
The warm sensation caused Samehada to release a comfortable buzzing hum.
Fuguki Suikazan had only ever drained its strength. When had he ever treated it this gently?
When had it ever experienced something resembling a massage?
"Well then, time to work."
Kiyohara looked toward Biwa Juzo, a slight smile curving at the corner of his mouth.
Holding Samehada in one hand, he pointed the blade toward him.
"Samehada: Chakra Devour."
Buzz!
The countless barbs covering Samehada's blade suddenly spread open like an awakened hedgehog.
A suction force spread outward from the blade tip and rushed toward Juzo.
Juzo's expression drastically changed.
He was far too familiar with this technique. Suikazan had once used this exact move to drain countless enemies dry of chakra!
"Retreat!"
Without hesitation, Juzo instantly withdrew backward.
But Kiyohara was even faster.
No, it was not Kiyohara who was fast.
It was—
Samehada.
Stimulated by Kiyohara's Fire Release chakra, Samehada seemed as though it had been injected with stimulants. Its desire to devour chakra exploded wildly.
It even extended its own blade proactively as the barbs stretched outward like tentacles, grabbing toward Biwa Juzo.
"Samehada: Flying Chain Slash!"
"Damn it!"
Biwa Juzo swung the Executioner's Blade to block, but the instant the blade collided with Samehada's barbs, he clearly felt the chakra he had poured into the sword being rapidly drained away.
Samehada was devouring the chakra within the Executioner's Blade!
"Monster…"
That was the final word to flash through Biwa Juzo's mind.
Then he hurriedly retreated another step, violently stomping against the water surface before leaping high into the air.
At the next moment, Kiyohara raised his left hand, his index and middle fingers pressed together.
Lightning gathered at his fingertips, stretching and extending—
Transforming into a long azure spear of lightning!
"Lightning Release: Chidori Sharp Spear."
Whoosh!
The lightning spear pierced through the air, instantly penetrating the Executioner's Blade that Biwa Juzo had hurriedly raised in defense midair. Without losing momentum, it viciously stabbed straight through his right chest.
Slash!
Blood sprayed outward.
Juzo groaned heavily as he staggered backward.
Lowering his head to look at his chest, he saw that the lightning spear had already vanished, but a charred penetrating wound remained behind. Burned flesh curled outward from the edges while white smoke continuously rose from it.
The intense pain caused cold sweat to cover his forehead.
But he had not lost yet.
As long as there was still blood, the Executioner's Blade could help him recover!
Juzo's gaze swept across the battlefield before locking onto the nearest Mist genin.
Kill her. Absorb her blood—
Just as that thought surfaced in his mind, Kiyohara's voice sounded beside him.
"Want to drink blood?"
Kiyohara pressed one hand downward against the water surface.
"Water Release: Five Feeding Sharks."
Smack!
The sound of his palm striking the water was extremely soft.
But the next second—
Five shark shaped water bullets, each larger than the "Rain Four Sharks" yet smaller than the "Thousand Feeding Sharks," burst from the sea and lunged toward Biwa Juzo!
(End of Chapter)