As the dust settled and the shattered jungle lay bare around them thanks to their chakra cloak projections, and as they were still enshrouded in their full Version 1 forms, Kaito, with his heightened senses from the Three Tails' chakra, spotted Hikari exiting and now standing calmly amidst the chaos in the more open kind of field.
His voice, carrying the guttural undertones of Isobu, echoed through the clearing, "You're tough to pin down, Hikari Hyuga. And you have great vision and reaction speed. However, you're outmatched here now that we cleared everything down."
With a menacing grin, Riku pulsing with the acidic chakra of the Six Tails, added, "It seems that you thought you could take us on your own. Let's see how long you last against us then."
Their voices, tinged with the raw energy of their tailed beasts, filled the clearing, challenging Hikari with their words and the sheer intensity of their presence, trying to intimidate and unnerve him.
'It's truly fascinating. Even with my full capabilities for speed, including Wind Release and heightened processing speed, I'm just keeping pace with them in this form. Their Version 2 could be out of my reach...', Hikari contemplated.
But, out loud, he taunted, "It seems Kirigakure isn't as formidable as it pretends, having to deploy both Jinchuriki away from the village during such critical times.",
"Even the Hozuki Patriarch and those Swordsmen believed their own hype before they faced reality against me...", He retorted sharply, his voice laced with provocation.
However, internally, his mind raced as he meticulously watched every minute movement of the Jinchuriki, preparing to react in an instant if needed.
He understood well that the Jinchuriki, thanks to their Tailed Beasts sealed inside of them, possessed not only a vastly superior chakra reserve but also enhanced physical abilities and regenerative powers, even in their normal states, not to mention enhanced states like now.
Kaito, the Three-Tails Jinchuriki, spoke first, his voice tinged with annoyance, "The past is the past, Hikari. Even you know well that you're no match for the two of us now. So, what were you trying to accomplish by openly setting such a little 'trap'?",
"Do you think those fodders you placed around will manage to help you? You should have just continued hiding as you did these past months instead. Then maybe you would've lived through this war as the little mouse you are ."
Riku, the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, added with a menacing tone, "We've been searching for you tirelessly. The Lord Mizukage has marked you as Kirigakure's number one public enemy after the humiliation you caused.",
"And now that we're here to stabilize this front, which we are doing, we'll return to the village with your head as a trophy. It's only a matter of time."
As Kaito and Riku faced Hikari, their internal fury simmered. This young, proud-looking teen was the primary reason this section of the front had started to falter, forcing them to intervene directly to salvage the situation during the last few months.
Furthermore, this diversion meant abandoning the Mizukage's critical plan to deliver a final blow to the rival political factions led by the Kaguya and Yuki clans.
When everything was aligning for their Mizukage to perfectly consolidate power and eliminate those prominent bloodline clans, his greatest dream and wish in life, this unexpected challenge arose.
The Third Mizukage, who had treated them with all the respect and provided them autonomy, power, fame, and care—unlike the treatment of Jinchuriki in other villages—now had his greatest ambitions thwarted.
This failure to fulfill their leader's greatest aspiration, even only temporarily, weighed heavily on their minds, fueling their resentment and eagerness to exact vengeance on Hikari next.
As the fight soon intensified, and the two Jinchuriki managed to clear the field, which was to their advantage for obvious reasons, Hikari found himself dodging and weaving through a barrage of attacks.
Kaito, utilizing his ability to manipulate coral, launched jagged structures from the ground, aiming to trap or impale Hikari.
At the same time, Riku employed his Soap Bubble Ninjutsu, creating bubbles that exploded upon contact, releasing corrosive substances that sizzled menacingly as they burst near Hikari.
Amid this chaos, Hikari was forced to deploy a series of his Wind Release techniques. His swift and sharp Rotations sliced through the incoming coral structures, turning them into harmless debris.
The Rotation Spheres he hurled disrupted Riku's bubbles, causing them to pop at a safe distance.
Yet, his Wind Release: Rotation Drill was the most energy-draining of all. Hikari spun it furiously, creating a powerful vortex that repelled all the attacks that breached closer.
With the battlefield cleared of obstacles and every dodge costing him precious chakra, he had way less than his opponents; Hikari felt the pressure mounting.
He knew he couldn't sustain this defensive onslaught for much longer and started planning his next move, aware that his window to turn the tide was closing fast.
Therefore, in a pivotal moment, Hikari honed his focus to an unprecedented degree, pushing his cognitive capabilities to their limit as he prepared to deploy the most potent weapon in his arsenal: his unique ability to perceive and manipulate natural energy.
With his Byakugan strained to the utmost, he activated its special mode, which allowed him to see natural energy, a rare talent unique to his vision.
Simultaneously, Hikari began to control the chakra coursing through his body finely, oscillating it intensely to prepare for various external projections needed to control that natural energy he was now 'seeing' everywhere outside.
This preparation was crucial for interacting with the natural energy he now visualized outside his body, blending it with his own chakra to amplify his power. This complex technique demanded a profound 'flow state,' which Hikari had diligently honed over recent months.
With everything set, Hikari propelled himself forward at astonishing speed by channeling his chakra into his legs and feet. As he always did, he used the natural energy around him to boost his velocity alongside the wind release.
As he moved, he also enveloped one of his palms externally with a mix of controlled and distanced natural energy and wind chakra, careful to ensure it didn't directly contact his skin to avoid harm.
He planned to use it to 'push' the natural energy into his enemy and kill him quickly, utilizing the advantage of this surprise attack they didn't know he had in his arsenal.
This sudden burst of speed and power caught Kaito off guard. To him, it was as though Hikari had vanished, reappearing with an enhanced velocity that was nearly impossible to track with the naked eye. He was now at least a level faster than before.
The natural energy, invisible to them, left Kaito and his companion momentarily bewildered, unsure of the source of Hikari's newfound speed and strength.
Meanwhile, as Hikari closed in on Kaito, he simultaneously launched a Rotation Sphere from his free palm towards Riku. This time, the sphere was not only faster but significantly more potent, enhanced by a surge of natural energy that Hikari had skillfully woven into its core.
The added natural energy intensified the sphere's rotational force, making it a more formidable projectile than ever before.
The natural energy amplified the sphere's destructive power and autonomy. Once released, the sphere moved with unprecedented velocity, propelled by the natural energy that coursed through and around it.
Hikari found that he no longer needed to guide it with his Wind Release; the natural energy itself dictated its trajectory, carrying it towards Riku with lethal precision.
This strategic deployment allowed Hikari to focus his full attention on Kaito, attempting to capitalize on the momentary distraction his attack provided.
As Hikari closed the distance between himself and Kaito, ready to deliver his potent attack with a palm infused with natural energy, he was taken aback.
Kaito's chakra cloak reacted instinctively. The dense chakra converged at the point of impact to form a robust barrier against the natural energy.
Realizing the natural energy alone wouldn't penetrate, Hikari quickly adapted.
"Not enough time, I need to use the drill then!", Hikari exclaimed, surprised by the resilience of the chakra cloak.
He swiftly began forming his Wind Release: Rotation Drill, now attempting to integrate natural energy into the technique for the first time to enhance its penetrating power.
This integration required precise control and additional time to stabilize the volatile energies involved.
Not to mention that he still didn't master it quite well like all the other 'integrations', because he learned that technique even in its ordinary form, and was familiar with it, only recently.
However, as Hikari focused on refining his technique, Kaito seized the moment to escalate the battle further.
With a surge of power, he transitioned into his more formidable Version 2 Jinchuriki form, his silhouette expanding and distorting with even more intense and wild chakra.
This sudden transformation meant that Kaito was now enveloped in a much thicker and more aggressive chakra cloak, presenting an even greater challenge to Hikari's attack.
As Kaito's transformation into his Version 2 form was completed, a massive surge of energy erupted from him.
The ground beneath his feet cratered under the immense force, a testament to the formidable power now at his command.
His body was now encased in a dark red, nearly black chakra cloak that took on a humanoid shape, acting as an endoskeleton that magnified his physical capabilities.
The chakra shroud, thick and pulsating with violent energy, formed a formidable defense that could repel even the most robust attacks.
In addition to the sheer increase in strength, speed, and chakra, Kaito could still use chakra arms to extend his reach and manipulate his surroundings aggressively.
Moreover, the advanced form allowed him to generate chakra bones around his body, providing additional defensive mechanisms and offensive options.
As Hikari's new 'Senjutsu: Wind Rotation Drill' spiraled towards Kaito, the jinchuriki used the enhanced chakra arms granted by his Version 2 transformation to parry the attack.
The energy was so dense and potent that it stopped Hikari's drill in its tracks, demonstrating the formidable defense of the Version 2 cloak.
At that moment, Riku, having also transformed into his Version 2, moved with startling speed and power. He surged forward and delivered a powerful punch to Hikari. The impact was fierce, sending Hikari hurtling backward through the air.
The force of the blow was a clear testament to the increased strength and speed provided by the Six Tails' chakra.