Chapter 19: The Roar of the Tide
The sun didn't bring warmth to Uzushiogakure. It only illuminated the terrifying scale of the fleet surrounding them. From the top of the Hydro-Chakra Hub, Rimon could see the banners of the Mist, the Rock, and the Cloud snapping in the wind.
Through his combined Kagura-Haki senses, he felt the massive buildup of energy. It was like a physical pressure against his skin.
"They're synchronizing," Rimon muttered.
Across the water, hundreds of Kumo shinobi began to chant, their lightning crackling in unison. Iwa barges tilted their catapults, the stones glowing with heavy Earth-chakra. Mist ships prepared to launch pressurized water-cannons. They were aiming for the exact same point on the silver dome of the barrier.
The Overload
"Rimon! The turbines are hitting the red zone!" Ashina's voice barked through the speakers. "The vibration is cracking the foundation of the northern cliffs!"
"Hold it for ten more seconds, Old Man!" Rimon shouted back. His eyes were fixed on the lead flagship of the Mist.
He wasn't going to wait for them to break his shield. He was going to break their formation.
Rimon's hands flew across the control seals on the Hub's pedestal. He began to reroute the massive, white-hot energy from the barrier into a series of hidden pipes that ran deep beneath the harbor's waterline.
[System Note: Activating 'Vortex Compression'...]
[Targeting: Enemy Vanguard.]
[Warning: Physical Strain Detected in User.]
The Hydro-Compressed Strike
Just as the Alliance released their "Triple Element" bombardment—a terrifying beam of lightning, stone, and water—Rimon slammed his palm onto the "Fire" seal.
"Uzumaki Style: Great Sea Needle!"
The ocean in front of the harbor didn't just splash; it exploded.
A pillar of water, compressed to the density of steel by the sheer power of the Hydro-Generator, shot out from beneath the waves. It didn't look like water; it looked like a solid, glowing blue spear.
The "Sea Needle" tore through the air, moving at speeds that bypassed the physical reaction time of most shinobi. It collided with the incoming Triple Element strike mid-air.
BOOM—
The shockwave was so violent it sent a mist-cloud three miles into the sky. The compressed water cut right through the Alliance's combined jutsu like a hot knife through wax. It didn't stop there. The spear continued forward, slamming into the front line of the Mist fleet.
A heavy scout ship was simply vaporized. The next ship, a Cloud transport, was sheared in half as if by a giant's sword.
The Silence of the Sea
The roar died down, replaced only by the sound of falling rain and the screams of soldiers in the water. The Alliance's "perfect strike" had been canceled out, and two of their ships were now sinking into the deep.
Rimon fell to one knee, gasping for air. His vision blurred, and more blood leaked from his nose.
> [System Note: Energy Overload.]
> [Barrier Integrity: 75% (Stabilizing).]
> [Impact: Enemy Vanguard destroyed. Fleet formation broken.]
>
"That... that was for the 'seedlings'," Rimon whispered, his voice hoarse.
Across the water, the Kages stared at the wreckage. They hadn't expected a counter-attack of that magnitude. They thought they were sieging a village; they realized they were sieging a volcano.
"Did you see that?" the Raikage hissed, his projection flickering with rage. "They didn't use a jutsu. They used the ocean itself. If we don't end this now, they'll pick us off one by one."
The Desperation
Rimon looked out at the ships that were now scrambling to reform. He knew he couldn't fire that shot again soon—the pipes were glowing hot, and his own chakra was dangerously low.
He looked at the gold coin in his pocket.
"They're going to get desperate now," Rimon said to Ashina, who had rushed to his side. "The Kages won't wait for another 'Needle.' They're going to board us. Tell the frontline squads... the war of the walls is over. The war of the streets is starting."
He stood up, using the pedestal to steady himself. He was thirteen, exhausted, and bleeding, but as he looked at the enemy fleet, his eyes were as dark and cold as the bottom of the whirlpool.