On the deck, blood splattered!
The first enemy died under the Wood Release technique!
Akihara Kagura swiftly retreated, raising his hand to erect his fingers. Two vines sprouted from the deck. Two approaching Mist ninjas tried to retreat quickly, but one of them couldn't avoid in time and was pierced through by a vine in an instant!
"Wood Release ninjutsu..."
"You kid... are a Wood Release ninja!"
The surviving Mist ninja looked at Akihara Kagura in shock.
Ninjas, more or less, had to understand a part of history: the god of ninjas, Senju Hashirama, ended the chaotic Warring States period single-handedly with the power of Wood Release!
On the other hand,
Uchiha Itachi was engaged in combat with another Mist ninja, wielding a ninja sword!
Even with the advantage of the Sharingan, Uchiha Itachi had to admit that his enemy was somewhat tough to handle, facing an elite ninja from the Mist Village!
"Sharingan!"
"This kid is from the Uchiha clan!"
Mist ninjas were not unfamiliar with the Sharingan. They had often been involved in wars against the Konoha Village, where the Uchiha clan was a common participant. On the contrary, the Wood Release kid was a rare item.
"Catch them two kids!"
"Kill them, leave no troubles behind!"
Except for the team that went to support the Fourth Mizukage Yagura, other teams surrounded the ship where Uchiha Itachi and Akihara Kagura were!
Vines sprouted from the ship!
The entire ship resembled a giant octopus with huge tentacles!
Every Mist ninja trying to approach the ship was repelled by the vines, and even two that had slipped through the net on the ship were pulled out by the thick vines!
"Water Release: Exploding Water Shock Wave!"
A group of Mist ninjas neatly assembled together, forming hand seals in unison, and spouted waves of water towards the direction of the ship!
The vines quickly closed together!
Akihara Kagura controlled the thick vines to converge, enveloping the entire ship into a hollow wooden sphere, defending against the collective Water Release ninjutsu of the Mist ninjas!
The entire hollow wooden sphere continually floated on the sea surface, yet it ultimately remained undamaged by the water-based ninjutsu attacks of the Mist ninjas.
"Do not stop!"
"Attack them with all your might!"
"Those two kids can only hide inside and take the hits!"
The Mist ninjas, already having the upper hand, naturally did not wish to cease their attack, even resorting to various techniques and forming new hand seals to use their most powerful jutsu.
"What should we do?"
Uchiha Itachi, hidden within the protective circle of vines, quietly asked, "If we let them attack from outside..."
"Then they won't be able to break through the Wood Release defense."
"But..."
Uchiha Itachi, with a look of concern, raised a critical question: "Kakashi-senpai is still outside, what if they start to surround and attack Kakashi-senpai first..."
The two of them could avoid danger under the protection of the Wood Release defense, but what about the group of Mist ninjas outside, along with a Mizukage, ganging up on Hatake Kakashi?
Hatake Kakashi...
He might not be able to withstand it!
Hatake Kakashi was already struggling!
Just the Water Release ninjutsu of the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, was enough to overwhelm Hatake Kakashi, making him feel like he could be drowned by the Water Release jutsu at any moment!
Whether it was chakra or Water Release jutsu, the Fourth Mizukage Yagura could use them effortlessly, and Kakashi knew that he could never be his match at sea!
"..."
Hatake Kakashi, gasping for air, watched Yagura, who didn't even seem to change his breathing, and a sense of despair slowly welled up in him.
"We need to rescue Kakashi-senpai."
Uchiha Itachi, observing the situation outside through the gaps in the vines, continued, "This environment is not conducive to our fight; the sea is the Water Release ninja's home turf. I feel that Kakashi-senpai is about to lose his strength..."
"Then let's turn this place into our turf!"
Akihara Kagura extended his hand and pressed it against a vine. Immense chakra began flowing through the vine, causing numerous vines and roots to extend beneath the water!
"Watch your step!"
"Watch your step!"
Just at this moment, a Mist ninja suddenly noticed a dark shadow appearing beneath the sea surface under their feet, startling them into loudly warning the others!
However...
It was too late to stop it!
Countless thick branches emerged from beneath the sea, forming a net-like structure, densely woven together, transforming the area into a dominion of vines and roots!
Everyone was forced to stand on the vines!
The vines swiftly entangled around the bodies of the Mist ninjas, binding them together, and even continuously absorbing their chakra!
"The plants created by Wood Release..."
"They don't rely on drawing nutrients from the earth through their roots but grow from the life energy obtained from the chakra of the Wood Release ninja."
Akihara Kagura undid the defensive vines wrapped around the ship, calmly observing the new battlefield he created: "Where I am, there the roots will be."
"..."
Uchiha Itachi felt there was a double meaning in these words.
However, regardless, Akihara Kagura's preemptive defense bought them time, and using this gap, he controlled the Wood Release to change the tide of the battle. At least they and Kakashi were safe now...
Before that...
There was still a most troublesome enemy to deal with.
The Fourth Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura, had already leaped up from the vines, quickly jumping towards a safe area of the sea. His body in mid-air rapidly transformed, covered by a swirling mass of crimson, furious chakra!
"That is..."
Uchiha Itachi couldn't help but widen his eyes.
"The Jinchuriki!"
Hatake Kakashi landed beside them, gravely answering the question: "The Mizukage of Mist is a Jinchuriki, but it's unknown which one is inside him..."
Boom!
The transformation of the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, is not yet complete!
As the chakra of the Mizukage became increasingly wild, three spiky tails emerged first from behind him!
In the next moment!
As Yagura's body plunged into the sea, his transformation into a full Tailed Beast was completed. A giant monster resembling a turtle, covered with a thick shell and bristling with spikes, floated on the water's surface!
"This is... the Three-Tails..."
Hatake Kakashi's breathing became heavy again.
Originally, Rin had the Three-Tails implanted inside her by the Mist Village. Unexpectedly, this time in the Mist Village, he witnessed the true form of the Three-Tails.
"A Tailed Beast comparable to the Nine-Tails..."
Uchiha Itachi recalled the painful destruction caused by the Nine-Tails in the Konoha Village.
"There are differences among the Tailed Beasts, right?"
Akihara Kagura felt that there was still some difference between the Nine-Tails and the Three-Tails. He even gave an example: "It might be like the difference between me and Tenzo, the Wood Release ninja; or between you and Uchiha Shisui, the Sharingan users..."
Silence.
Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Itachi both turned their gaze to Akihara Kagura.
It must be said, Akihara Kagura's comparisons were quite accurate, though not very flattering for the two of them.
"Don't look at me like that..."
Akihara Kagura raised his head and looked back at the giant Three-Tails, saying, "Do you think there's something wrong with the thinking of the Mizukage of the Mist Village? Transforming into a Tailed Beast in front of us... Hasn't he heard the story about the First Hokage capturing Tailed Beasts to make money?"
"The First Hokage wasn't so superficial..."
Hatake Kakashi pondered for a moment, then spoke slowly: "Perhaps, in the eyes of the Mizukage, there is also a difference between your Wood Release and that of the First Hokageā¦"
(TL: Damn, it backfired HAHA š)