At this moment, Han glanced into the distance but didn't see Roshi's iconic Lava Release, which surprised him.
He knew that if Roshi unleashed his Lava Release at full power, it would cause a much greater commotion than his own Boil Release, but there was nothing now.
What's going on? Even if he encountered skilled Leaf ninjas, he should have unleashed the full power of his Lava Release, right? Or could it be...
Han found it hard to believe that Roshi could have been captured so quickly. If jinchuriki were that easy to catch, they wouldn't be considered powerful weapons by every ninja village.
It might be possible for jinchuriki who haven't fully matured yet, as they can't utilize their full potential as jinchuriki. However, Roshi and Han had both matured and were considered pillars of strength in the Hidden Stone Village.
Logically, no one in the Hidden Stone Village, without resorting to a sneak attack or catching them completely off guard, could capture them in such a short time.
Yes, it was impossible for anyone to possess such an ability, Han was convinced of that. However, the fact that there was no activity in Roshi's direction was also true, so there had to be a reason.
Han didn't think Roshi was holding back. He began to speculate on many possibilities, such as Roshi being teleported to another location by space-time ninjutsu, or being surrounded somewhere, because it was impossible for anyone to capture Roshi in a short time.
Impossible?
This thought suddenly popped into Han's mind: was it truly impossible for anyone to do it? An unexplainable emotion stirred within him, forcing Han to ponder.
Han was a calm and intelligent person, and due to being a jinchuriki, he was very perceptive even as a child. This might be a common trait among jinchuriki; even the open-minded Naruto Uzumaki displayed unusual perceptiveness in certain areas. After becoming a ninja, as his experience grew, this perceptiveness could become a powerful weapon.
Han was certain there was a problem. In an instant, he thought of many things, with numerous possibilities flashing through his mind. Then, a pair of scarlet eyes appeared in his thoughts.
It was the Sharingan!
Han remembered that Onoki had previously deduced a possibility based on intelligence from the Land of Rivers battlefield: that Kagami Uchiha, the head of the Uchiha clan, might have awakened the power of the Mangekyo Sharingan. The fact that the Mangekyo Sharingan could control Tailed Beasts became known after the battle between Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju.
After Kagami Uchiha led his unit to the Land of Grass, Onoki specifically had people monitor their movements, preventing jinchuriki from entering their support range. It was precisely because Kagami Uchiha's unit was not in this area that Roshi and Han were deployed to the battlefield.
However, no one stipulated that Kagami Uchiha's unit's location was Kagami Uchiha's location.
As a ninja, Han was naturally very aware that the ninja profession primarily involved deceiving others, and secretly infiltrating a battlefield was not an impossible feat. For example, Onoki's whereabouts were a key focus of the intelligence war between both sides; if Fumori Masaki hadn't caught up to him in time, Onoki, with his Dust Release, could have inflicted significant damage on the troops.
Han felt it was better to be careful. If he really encountered a Mangekyo Sharingan user, he might be at a disadvantage. However, his Boil Release, to some extent, was also a weapon to defend against the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Even the Mangekyo Sharingan is a visual jutsu that primarily relies on sight. As long as it's a genjutsu type, it can only work through direct eye contact. Han's Boil Release can create steam that obstructs vision.
For a Sharingan without penetration abilities, it would naturally be very effective.
But if, like before, he was caught off guard and made eye contact with a Sharingan, and if Kagami Uchiha was right there, he might really be in serious trouble.
Although he had thought so much, not much time had actually passed. At this moment, Asuna had already rushed over, quickly forming hand signs. With a swing of her sword, a strong wind swept away the steam, revealing a passage for people to enter. What was even more surprising was that Asuna's speed was even faster than before!
Even with the steam accelerating him, Han couldn't evade her for a moment. His eyes widened instantly. Due to his Boil Release, he had achieved very high accomplishments in taijutsu. There weren't many people in the entire ninja world who could contend with him in taijutsu. This girl, who was even younger than him, actually...
As the two passed each other, Han sustained several cuts on his body, and blood flowed with the wind. Just as Han retreated, Sakumo Hatake arrived. With a flash of lightning, he condensed it into the shape of a spear and shouted, "Lightning Release: Lightning Spear!"
Like a thunderbolt falling from the sky, a violent explosion occurred within the swirling steam, and not just once, but twice in a row. Han's figure emerged from it, with large scorched areas on his body. Even his Tailed Beast Cloak almost failed to sustain itself, only slowly recovering with subsequent support.
In his line of sight, a flash of lightning and a fast black streak were closing in on him. Han's heart sank. He once again drew upon the Tailed Beast Chakra. The number of tails on his chakra cloak had increased to five. For him, this was giving his all. If he entered the second form of Tailed Beast Transformation, he couldn't be sure if he could maintain his sanity.
Under the influence of the Tailed Beast Chakra, Han's own strength also greatly increased. Propelled by the steam of his Boil Release, he engaged in a fierce battle with Sakumo Hatake and Asuna, with occasional support from Mizuki and Risa Yamanaka. This time, no one gained any advantage over Han.
Against the perfectly coordinated Team Sakumo Hatake, Han was able to contend with them single-handedly, a terrifying feat indeed. No one in Team Sakumo Hatake was an easy opponent, yet even together, they couldn't defeat Han, who even seemed to have a slight upper hand.
At this moment, everyone in Team Sakumo Hatake once again realized what kind of monster a jinchuriki truly was. How many people in the entire ninja world could single-handedly subdue these jinchuriki?
Just then, Han's body suddenly trembled, his brows furrowed tightly, and a large amount of steam surged from his body, so dense that it was almost completely white, making it impossible for ordinary people to see his figure.
Team Sakumo Hatake immediately became cautious, and at this point, they noticed that the nearby Hidden Stone ninjas had already begun to retreat, so they all used Earth Release to obstruct them.
After Asuna used Wind Release to blow away the steam, Han had already vanished. Sakumo Hatake looked at Risa Yamanaka, who shook her head, indicating that Han's chakra had also moved far away.
"It seems he noticed my arrival. The Tailed Beast Chakra has elevated his senses to an incredible degree," Kagami Uchiha's voice rang out.
"Father," Mizuki immediately went to Kagami Uchiha's side, and the others followed, greeting Kagami Uchiha.
"I had originally intended to kill two birds with one stone, but it seems that plan has fallen through," Kagami Uchiha said. "However, at least the basic objective of the mission has been accomplished."
Upon hearing this, the rest of Team Sakumo Hatake understood that at least Roshi had been captured by Kagami Uchiha, so this secret mission could not be considered a failure.