Natsuro, of course, had no intention of asking the Second Mizukage to go easy on him, although he really wasn't very proficient in Water Release.
At this moment, Natsuro's gaze swept over the Steaming Danger Tyranny clone, which was about to re-form under the cooling hail, then shifted to the Second Mizukage standing atop the giant clam, Gengetsu's summoned beast.
He knew full well, the clam and the Second Mizukage he could see were just mirages. But trying to pinpoint their real positions purely through Water Release was still a hassle.
However, if he used natural energy sensing, then as long as the Second Mizukage had chakra flowing within him, he wouldn't be able to hide, even behind a mirage.
In addition, he could also easily locate them using Wind, Lightning, or Earth Release.
After all, even with the mirage illusion, the giant clam's sheer mass couldn't be hidden. By sensing the airflow, Natsuro could roughly pinpoint its location.
With Lightning Release, a simple technique like Lightning Release: Electromagnetic Murder, despite its low power, could spread across the ground and easily detect such enemies.
As for Earth Release, it would be even simpler: as long as the enemy remained on the ground, locating them wouldn't be difficult.
As Natsuro considered his options, the Steaming Danger Tyranny had already finished reforming and was charging toward him, its body expanding rapidly as it moved.
Natsuro noted that it was quicker than he had expected, but it didn't matter.
Just as the Steaming Danger Tyranny was about to strike him, he leapt into the air, forming hand signs.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
In an instant, it was as if a raging flood or an overturned river came pouring down from the heavens, an unstoppable mass of water that left no room for escape.
"Tch, is this really the power of someone 'not proficient' in Water Release?"The Second Mizukage twitched at the corner of his mouth.There was no water source nearby, yet Natsuro had summoned such a massive torrent?And he claimed he wasn't good at Water Release?
Still, the Second Mizukage nodded inwardly.The jutsu not only cooled the Steaming Danger Tyranny but also threatened to sweep away his real body, it was a wide-range AOE that even he couldn't dodge easily.
Even though using Steaming Danger Tyranny left him weakened, it didn't mean he couldn't still fight.
The Second Mizukage formed his hand into the shape of a gun, condensing a massive amount of chakra at his fingertip.
"Water Release: Water Gun Technique — Barrage!"
From his fingertip, water bullets burst forth like gunfire, piercing through the cascading waterfall and shooting toward Natsuro.
But Natsuro had been paying close attention to the Second Mizukage's movements.Seeing the water bullets gave him the confirmation he needed, he had found his target.
Actually, even if the Second Mizukage hadn't attacked, he could have found him soon anyway: the water residue left by the Great Waterfall Technique would betray his position.
Now, he had simply found him a little earlier.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!" Natsuro quickly formed a few hand signs, and the water on the ground surged upward, creating a barrier that blocked all of the water bullets.
At that moment, the Steaming Danger Tyranny charged forward, looking ready to explode.
But Natsuro, stepping lightly atop the Water Formation Wall, propelled himself higher into the sky and finished another set of hand seals.
"Water Release: Severing Wave!"
Reaching a suitable height, he spun around, a high-pressure water beam shot out, slicing cleanly through the Steaming Danger Tyranny below.
"Boom!"
The halved Steaming Danger Tyranny exploded violently. Fortunately, Natsuro had ascended high enough to avoid being caught in the blast.
However, the explosion shattered his Water Formation Wall, and without it for support, he began to fall.
But he didn't panic. As he plummeted, he calmly pressed one hand against the rising vapor from the explosion.
"Water Release: Water Prison Technique!"
In an instant, a massive sphere of water formed, sealing in the water vapor and blocking the Second Mizukage's ability to manipulate it. Although it wasn't a perfect seal, it would now be much harder for the Second Mizukage to reconstitute his Steaming Danger Tyranny.
Moreover, since the target was just vapor and not a living being, Natsuro didn't need to maintain continuous chakra flow, even a lingering trace was enough to trap it.
Meanwhile, Natsuro continued falling, and a few water bullets shot toward him.
But from the ground, a fountain-like water column erupted upward, and Natsuro landed gracefully atop it, standing high above as the water bullets missed once again.
"You still claim you're not good at Water Release?!" The Second Mizukage couldn't help but shout in frustration.
Natsuro glanced at him, then at the captured vapor overhead. Indeed, with the Steaming Danger Tyranny neutralized, things were much easier now.
If only he had Ice Release, he could have permanently frozen the vapor, making it impossible to explode again.
But developing a Kekkei Genkai was too troublesome and time-consuming, and he didn't want to waste energy on bloodline limits he might rarely use.
In response to the Second Mizukage's complaint, Natsuro said simply, "Compared to my Wind and Lightning Release, my Water Release really isn't that strong."
Natsuro wasn't lying, he could use almost all basic Water Release techniques, but he hadn't mastered them. For example, all the Water Release jutsu he had used still required hand seals.
If it had been Wind Release, even a technique like Vacuum Wave could be cast with just a casual flick of his hand, slashing out multiple wind blades — it was a big difference.
The Second Mizukage fell silent. Thinking back to Natsuro's earlier Lightning Release, he grudgingly accepted that Natsuro might be telling the truth.
At this moment, the Second Mizukage pointed his finger at the Water Prison.Ordinarily, if the user wasn't constantly maintaining it, even a single touch would break the Water Prison Technique.
Natsuro was aware of that weakness. But the Water Prison had already bought him enough time.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Forming hand signs once more, Natsuro conjured a massive dragon of water that coiled around him before roaring and charging toward the Second Mizukage.
"It's useless!" The Second Mizukage called out confidently." Gengetsu's clam isn't just for making mirages, its shell is incredibly tough!"
Even Natsuro's earlier Severing Wave hadn't managed to breach it, so the Second Mizukage wasn't worried about a Water Dragon Bullet, a jutsu he knew well.
But Natsuro had never intended to rely on the Water Dragon Bullet to break through.
"Huh?" The Second Mizukage's eyes widened as he saw Natsuro emerge from within the Water Dragon, using it as cover to close the distance.
The water dragon itself continued roaring downward toward the clam, and when it crashed against it and dispersed, the giant clam remained completely unharmed.
Natsuro wasn't surprised.
At that moment, a spiraling mass of water resembling a jousting lance formed on Natsuro's arm.
"Sage Art ~ Water Release: Hard Whirlpool Water Blade!"
Natsuro had already landed atop the giant clam.The spinning "water lance" thrust directly at the clam's shell.
If it were just an ordinary thrust, it might not have pierced the clam's defenses. But this lance was spinning, drilling with tremendous force.
Water, by its very nature, could easily maintain a spiral shape, making it perfect for this.
Finally, under the relentless drilling of the Hard Whirlpool Water Blade, a hole was torn open in the clam's shell.
From there, the water lance drilled deeper, quickly spreading into a spiraling waterspout within the clam's interior.
In the next moment, the Giant Clam dissolved into a puff of white smoke, its summoning forcibly canceled.
Natsuro spotted the Second Mizukage's figure below, gasping for breath. The aftereffects of using Steaming Danger Tyranny were severe; although it could infinitely explode and reform, the technique still had its limits.
The Second Mizukage, smiling, looked up at Natsuro descending from the remains of the Giant Clam and said, "Then... finish me off."
Natsuro nodded, extending his hand. A water-blue chakra sphere began to form in his palm.
"Water Release: Rasengan."
Natsuro naturally summoned a Rasengan infused with water nature transformation, it was a technique he hadn't used before. At his current level, there was no need for extensive training; he could easily master it.
Originally, he had intended to use the Water Prison Technique, trapping his opponent and then unleashing a Rasengan inside it, forcing the victim into the chaotic, grinding space of the jutsu.
However, since the Second Mizukage had already conceded, there was no need to be so cruel. A regular Water Release-enhanced Rasengan would be enough to end this fight.
Soon, Natsuro pressed the Water Release Rasengan against the Second Mizukage.
In an instant, the Second Mizukage was shattered into countless fragments, and Natsuro swiftly completed the sealing. He tossed the sealed body over toward Shikamaru's group.
At that moment, Natsuro turned his gaze toward the other two battlefields.
The fight between Gaara and Rasa had already ended, Rasa had been successfully sealed inside a pyramid of sand. Around the pyramid were sealing formulas, with the kanji for "Seal" glowing in the center, a special sealing technique unique to Gaara.
Now, only the battle between Ōnoki and the Second Tsuchikage remained.
Without hesitation, Natsuro disappeared from his spot.
"Truly terrifying, that Natsuro..."Shikamaru muttered, staring at the two sealed bodies nearby.
The level of power Natsuro displayed was simply monstrous. And Shikamaru realized something else, the techniques Natsuro had used didn't even seem to be his specialties.
Before today, Shikamaru had never seen him use Water Release techniques. In fact, all the intel indicated he specialized in Wind and Lightning Release. Ater ethis battle, the records about him across the ninja world would surely need updating.
"Yo, need a hand, Tsuchikage?" Natsuro greeted Ōnoki as he arrived.
"Hm? Lord Hokage, you've already finished?"Ōnoki widened his eyes, after all, Natsuro had been up against the Third Raikage and the Second Mizukage!
Others might not know, but Ōnoki was very familiar with their power, The Third Raikage had once exhausted an entire army of Iwagakure ninja before falling.
Even disregarding the Third Raikage, the Second Mizukage's strength was no less formidable, Ōnoki knew firsthand, as the Second Mizukage and the Second Tsuchikage had once perished in mutual destruction.
"Naturally," Natsuro nodded.
"Truly impressive...The next generation has surpassed us," Ōnoki sighed repeatedly before finally nodding, "Then, please lend me your strength, Lord Hokage."
Natsuro agreed and turned his attention toward the Second Tsuchikage. This time, he didn't plan to use Earth Release. Since the Second Tsuchikage didn't rely much on Earth Release either, his specialty was Dust Release and without a Kekkei Tōta, he couldn't compete with Dust Release directly.
Besides, Natsuro was curious to experience the true power of Dust Release firsthand.
The Second Tsuchikage also noticed Natsuro's arrival and showed a hint of surprise. As a sensory ninja, he could sense that the chakra signatures of the Third Raikage and the Second Mizukage had vanished one after another.
This alone was proof that Natsuro had successfully sealed them.
The Second Mizukage had been his old rival, the Second Tsuchikage knew very well how powerful he was. Thus, the fact that Natsuro had swiftly defeated both opponents was terrifying.
Still, the Second Tsuchikage didn't falter, between his palms, a white cube with a bright, shining sphere at its center formed.
"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"
Right from the start, he decided to test Natsuro's strength with Dust Release, which suited Natsuro just fine.
At that moment, a strange, invisible chakra ripple surged from Natsuro's hand.The space around his palm began to distort and twist.
Even Ōnoki, just watching from the side, felt his vision being pulled toward it, forcing him to look away.His heart was filled with shock.
What kind of ninjutsu is this?! I've never seen or even heard of anything like it!
Natsuro casually swung his arm, and in that instant, space itself was slashed open as if by a blade. At the same time, the Dust Release technique and even the Second Tsuchikage's body were sliced apart.
"Space-Time Ninjutsu: Dimensional Blade!"
Natsuro nodded to himself. As he expected... No matter the defense, no matter the technique's power, in front of the Dimensional Blade's absolute spatial slicing, they were all paper tigers.
Even Dust Release, famed for its terrifying might, couldn't stop the Dimensional Blade's advance.
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Currently on Chapter 398 - Indra and Asura, Sasuke and Naruto