A picture appeared in front of everyone of a very huge creature.
It looked like both a sea lion and a sea turtle.
It had a large shell on its back and sharp, menacing spikes.
It walked upright like a human and appeared very muscular with sharp claws and equally sharp fangs.
A sharp horn similar to that of a sperm whale grew on the top of its head.
In one hand, it held a huge hammer.
In the picture, this creature was engaged in slaughter.
It was very ferocious.
With a single hammer strike, flames and lightning scattered everywhere.
Those weak creatures couldn't withstand even the aftershocks of the Zudomon Beast's attacks.
They died in one hit.
Soma noticed that this Zudomon Beast seemed different from an ordinary Zudomon Beast.
It had some black, thread-like things entangled on its body.
A voice sounded in Soma's mind.
[Instance Mission: Subjugate the Zudomon Beast.]
[Mission Reward: Materials for Zudomon's Hammer (Thor's Hammer).]
[Do you accept the mission?]
"Yes!"
Soma looked at everyone.
"Everyone, the creature in the picture is the target of our mission. We need to kill it to complete the mission."
"I'm good at forging while you're good at fighting. Does anyone have any ideas?"
Daida didn't speak.
His experience as an ANBU Ninja made Daida somewhat silent and reserved.
Daida was used to following orders.
Kaguya Masui, due to the current situation of the Kaguya Clan, had also become very cautious.
Hozuki Izumo looked around and didn't feel qualified to command.
Terumi Mei opened her mouth, originally wanting to say something, but for some reason, swallowed her words, and for a moment, no one spoke.
Soma looked at Ao.
"Ao-senpai, what are your thoughts?"
"Alright."
Ao nodded.
"From the picture, the creature is very large, like a big Summon Beast or a tailed beast."
"It excels in fighting in aquatic environments."
"It possesses great strength."
"It can use attacks similar to Lightning Release and Fire Release."
"Since this is a team battle, we need to assign our positions and responsibilities within the team first, to achieve better cooperation."
Ao looked at Hozuki Izumo.
"Izumo, your defensive abilities are unique, so how about you engage the monster head-on?"
Hozuki Izumo hesitated.
"I'm not worried about most attacks."
"With the Hydrification Jutsu, I can avoid them."
"But Lightning Release just happens to counter my Hydrification Jutsu."
The Hydrification Jutsu allows members of the Hozuki Clan to be immune to many forms of damage.
It's safe to say that this Secret Jutsu is even stronger than many Kekkei Genkai.
"I can use Lightning Release myself, but without the Thunder Swords, it's hard to counter the monster's lightning attacks. My Lightning Release isn't strong enough."
Ao said, "Of course, Izumo, you won't be handling all the monster's attacks alone."
"We will support you from the sides."
"Masui, Daida, you two are responsible for providing support and assistance to Izumo."
Kaguya Masui and Daida exchanged a glance and nodded.
Terumi Mei hesitated.
"Ao-senpai, with this arrangement, would I be the only one attacking?"
"If I'm alone, I can't guarantee dealing a fatal blow to that monster in a short time."
"It's too big."
"And it seems to have strong defensive capabilities."
Ao shook his head.
"Soma and I will also take action. My attack abilities may be lacking, but Soma's Water Release is very strong."
"This, I believe, is the most suitable plan for now."
"After all, we need to ensure our survival first to have a chance to kill that monster."
Soma nodded and said, "Ao-senpai makes sense."
"This mission is to obtain materials for ninja tools."
"However, it's not an absolutely mandatory mission."
"Everyone's lives are more important."
"If the mission isn't completed and there are casualties, it would be a great loss."
"You are all important members of the village."
Soma made a decision and confirmed Ao's plan.
On the surface, it seemed that Soma, Terumi Mei, and Ao's attack capabilities were insufficient.
But in reality, there was also the Third Mizukage backing them.
Just as Soma finished speaking, the seawater suddenly seemed to boil.
A large number of bubbles appeared.
At the same time, the surface of the sea kept churning.
An extremely gigantic creature emerged.
It was the Zudomon Beast that had appeared in the picture earlier.
In the picture, everyone didn't feel it as deeply.
Now, facing it directly, they felt the immense pressure.
Soma looked at the Zudomon Beast and noticed that there were some differences compared to the Zudomon Beast in his memory.
The Zudomon Beast was still a Zudomon Beast.
It just seemed to have undergone some sort of mutation.
"I'm going in!"
The moment the Zudomon Beast appeared, its gaze fell upon Soma and the others.
It seemed to sense the threat posed by Soma and his team.
"Water Release: Water Gun Jutsu!"
Hozuki Izumo, seeing the Zudomon Beast still hesitating, immediately raised his hand and fired.
"Boom!"
A mass of water shot towards the Zudomon Beast like a cannonball.
The impact was extremely strong.
Even with the Zudomon Beast's thick skin, it felt intense pain.
It was even injured.
Soma sighed slightly in his heart.
"The Hydrification Jutsu and the series of Water Release Ninjutsu derived from it are indeed very powerful."
"With my current Water Release talent, simulating a Water Release Ninjutsu similar to the Water Gun isn't difficult."
"But without the prerequisite of the Hydrification Jutsu, its power is greatly reduced."
"When used, it's not as destructive as the Water Release: Water Fang Bullet."
"There's still a significant gap compared to the Hozuki Clan's Water Gun Jutsu."
Hozuki Izumo's attack enraged the Zudomon Beast.
Its expression turned vicious.
It raised the hammer in its hand and hurled it fiercely towards Hozuki Izumo.
The hammer flew through the air with a whistling sound.
In an instant, the hammer reached Hozuki Izumo.
Hozuki Izumo's pupils contracted.
"So fast!"
Hozuki Izumo felt an unprecedented sense of danger.
Even when facing Danzo's ambush before, he hadn't felt this way.
"I can't withstand this, I'll die!"
"Hydrification Jutsu!"
The hammer came crashing down.
"Bang!"
Hozuki Izumo was smashed apart, but fortunately, before the hammer made contact, he had already used the Hydrification Jutsu, turning his body into water.
The water scattered, but under Hozuki Izumo's Chakra control, it quickly reformed.
Hozuki Izumo's figure reappeared not far away.
He panted heavily, with a look of lingering fear on his face.
"This strength is incredible!"
The others were relieved that Hozuki Izumo had taken Zudomon Beast's blow.
If it had been anyone else, they might have died.
Hozuki Izumo looked at the Zudomon Beast again, his expression quickly changing from panic to anger.
"Damn creature!"
"It'll take another hundred years before you can kill me."
"Before proving myself to those short-sighted fools in the Hozuki Clan and defeating Shimura Danzo, I absolutely won't die!"
The thrown hammer, guided by some force, returned to Zudomon Beast's hand.
Just as the Zudomon Beast was about to throw the hammer again, Soma and the others intervened.
Daida formed hand seals.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!"
A water dragon surged towards Zudomon Beast.
At the same time, Kaguya Masui launched his Water Release attack from another direction.
"Water Release: Water Fang Bullet Jutsu!"
Hozuki Izumo and the other two stood in three different directions.
However, they weren't too far apart.
They could disperse the Zudomon Beast's attacks and provide timely support.
Meanwhile, Ao used his Byakugan to observe Zudomon Beast's weaknesses.
Soma and Terumi Mei hadn't started to act yet.
"Ao-senpai, how is it?"
Ao's expression was grim.
"Almost no weaknesses."
Ao said, "If there's anything, it's that the monster's body is covered in thick fur, so using Fire Release might be effective."
"But it has a massive turtle shell."
"Its defensive capabilities are obviously very strong."
"And given that we're in the sea."
"Both offensively and defensively, this monster is very powerful."
"To win, there's probably only one way."
"A war of attrition."
Ao didn't mention the Skeleton Emperor as a decisive measure at this time.
Soma looked at the Zudomon Beast.
"Ao-senpai, if we lure this monster onto land, it should be easier to deal with, right?"
"Perhaps."
"Then let's give it a try."
Soon, Hozuki Izumo and the others received their orders.
They discreetly adjusted their positions to move the battlefield towards the direction of the land.
At the same time, they kept the Zudomon Beast's aggression focused on them.
They pretended to show weakness, not letting Zudomon Beast sense the danger, but instead making it believe it had a chance to quickly kill Hozuki Izumo and the others.
In addition to what Ao mentioned about the Zudomon Beast having a certain disadvantage in speed, it also had another weakness.
That was, in terms of the complexity of battles it had experienced compared to battles with ninjas like Ao, it was not at the same level.
It's not that the Zudomon Beast has low intelligence.
It's just that it doesn't have as many tactics.
And when facing tactics, traps, and the like from opponents, it doesn't immediately see through them.
Drawn by Hozuki Izumo and the others, Zudomon Beast's figure had already reached the land.
It stood upright on its hind legs, seeming to still have good flexibility.
However, the Zudomon Beast's situation had actually worsened quite a bit.
Even though the Zudomon Beast's defense was formidable all over its body, relatively speaking, its abdomen was much weaker in defense compared to its back. Moreover, the Zudomon Beast's agility had decreased significantly.
"It's not enough." Soma glanced at the distance the Zudomon Beast had moved away from the seawater. The farther Zudomon Beast was from the seawater, the more passive it became. Returning to the seawater would take more time.
This gave Soma and the others greater operational space to intercept it. Hozuki Izumo and the rest intentionally controlled the intensity of their attacks to keep the Zudomon Beast alert but not threatened.
However, at that moment, Soma suddenly noticed something on the Zudomon Beast's body seemed to shift. Immediately after, the Zudomon Beast's expression changed. It swiftly turned its head and headed back towards the seawater.
Soma's pupils constricted. "Mei-san, it seems we acted prematurely."
Terumi Mei nodded. In the next moment, she flashed forward and intercepted the Zudomon Beast's path.
"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Jutsu!"
A mass of boiling Water Mist surged towards Zudomon Beast. This wasn't ordinary Water Release; it was high-temperature Water Mist with strong corrosive properties. In the original storyline, Terumi Mei's Skilled Mist Jutsu could corrode even Susanoo.
Although Terumi Mei's current strength was certainly not on par with when she is a Mizukage, it still possessed considerable power. The Zudomon Beast's fur was corroded, causing intense pain to overwhelm it. This only served to further enrage and agitate the Zudomon Beast.
It retreated from the area covered by the Water Mist. Its two eyes glowed crimson. The hammer in its hand was raised high and slammed fiercely into the ground, causing a powerful shockwave to spread out.
Terumi Mei's Water Mist was affected, dissipating significantly. At the same time, lightning, sparks, and intense flames spread wildly in all directions.
Hozuki Izumo, closest to Zudomon Beast, immediately fell into a state of paralysis. The widespread lightning attack was so intense that Kaguya Masui and Daida were preoccupied and unable to assist Hozuki Izumo.
Unlike the lightning emitted from the spikes atop Zudomon Beast's head, this lightning was much stronger.
"Its Lightning is an elemental attribute," Soma explained. "But fire is not. It's generated due to the interaction of lightning with the air. It's like Guy opening the Eight Inner Gates; there's no fire attribute chakra involved, but friction with the fists and air creates flames."
Soma seized the opportunity.
"Fire Release: Crimson Earth Spider!"
A red flame spider appeared and swiftly moved between the Zudomon Beast and Hozuki Izumo. In the next moment, it lunged towards the Zudomon Beast.
"Boom!"
The spider shattered, transforming into a large amount of flames that adhered to Zudomon Beast's body, burning its fur.
This caused the Zudomon Beast, who had originally intended to attack Hozuki Izumo, to pause. This gave Hozuki Izumo time to recover.
"Water Release: Water Mist Jutsu."
Hozuki Izumo concealed his own figure.
With no target in sight, the Zudomon Beast once again headed towards the direction of the seawater.
"Lava Release: Melting Apparition Jutsu!"
A powerful, viscous, and corrosive liquid fell upon Zudomon Beast's head. In an instant, it poured down on the Zudomon Beast.
Previously, the Zudomon Beast had already endured considerable depletion. The restraint from Hozuki Izumo and the others was proving effective.
Just now, it had suffered attacks from Skilled Mist Jutsu and Soma's Crimson Earth Spider. Now, it was hit by this Lava Release attack.
Considering the Zudomon Beast's defensive capabilities, it wasn't fatal. However, the pain inflicted upon the Zudomon Beast was substantial.
A deep, roaring growl emanated from the Zudomon Beast's throat.
The Zudomon Beast stared intently at Terumi Mei.
The hatred seemed to be focused solely on Terumi Mei. Terumi Mei's eyes flickered as she prepared to dodge at any moment. However, to her surprise, the Zudomon Beast did not attack her directly. Instead, it crouched down, using its turtle shell to defensively hide its more vulnerable parts.
This made it much more difficult for Soma and the others to restrain the Zudomon Beast.
"Lava Release: Melting Apparition Jutsu!"
"Fire Release: Crimson Earth Spider!"
"Water Release: Water Fang Bullet Jutsu!"
"..."
Everyone attacked with full force. However, the Zudomon Beast completely ignored them, heading straight towards the seawater.
The expressions on everyone's faces immediately turned grim.
"The beast has realized!"
"We can't let it return to the seawater, or all our previous efforts will be in vain."
"Killing this beast in the water is too difficult."
"Stop him!"
Soma squinted his eyes slightly.
"Using the shell tactic?"
"Then let's see if you can really see it through."
Soma took out Explosive Tags from his ninja pouch, then with a flick of his wrist, he aimed at the path of Zudomon Beast. The kunai with the Explosive Tags landed on the beach.
The Zudomon Beast noticed it but was unaware of the function of the Explosive Tag, thinking it was just a simple kunai attack. This was due to a misunderstanding.
Therefore, the Zudomon Beast did not change its course. When the Zudomon Beast reached the vicinity of the Explosive Tags, Soma detonated it directly.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
A series of explosions rang out. The strong shock waves forced Zudomon Beast to stop involuntarily.
However, Soma's actions did not end there. At the moment when the Explosive Tags exploded and stopped the Zudomon Beast, under Soma's control, a water sphere silently approached underneath Zudomon Beast. Inside the water sphere were numerous Explosive Tags.
After releasing the Explosive Tags, the water sphere dissipated. Under Soma's exceptional control of Water Release, the water sphere did not interfere with the explosive power of the Explosive Tags.
"Ignite!"
A louder sound than before echoed out.
"Boom!"
The entire beach trembled. The massive body of the Zudomon Beast was blasted into the air. Several large wounds appeared on its body, dripping with blood.
If the Zudomon Beast had been standing, Soma's Explosive Tags wouldn't have had such an effect. However, the Zudomon Beast was firmly lying down. The enclosed space beneath its body intensified the Explosive Tags' power.
"Bang!"
The Zudomon Beast crashed to the ground, flipping over. Its shell faced the ground. It struggled desperately with its limbs, like a giant turtle flipped over and unable to right itself.
However, the Zudomon Beast was not a real turtle but a Digimon. It endured the pain forcefully, propped itself up with one hand, and flipped itself back over.
Rolling on the ground for a long distance with its shell as a shield, the Zudomon Beast was now just a step away from the seawater. Terumi Mei and the others, who had just breathed a sigh of relief seeing thr Zudomon Beast flipped over by the explosion, became extremely tense again at this sight. They quickly formed hand seals.
"Lava Release!"
"Water Release!"
"Lightning Release!"
"..."
They spared no effort. With all their Chakra, they unleashed attacks on the Zudomon Beast without reservation, using the fastest hand seals, disregarding costs, and sparing no expense.
However, the Zudomon Beast's shell defense was too strong.
Incredibly strong.
It held firm against all the attacks.
Zudomon Beast endured these assaults and steadily approached the seawater step by step. One hand had already touched the seawater.
The hearts of Terumi Mei and the others sank to the bottom.
A trace of human-like smile appeared on Zudomon Beast's face. Its eyes, glancing at Soma and the others, revealed a cruel humanity.
"Even this can't kill me. Indeed, my defense is ridiculously strong."
Soma shook his head.
"Now, we can only rely on you, Mizukage-sama."
A silhouette appeared beside Soma.
It was the Third Mizukage.
"Leave it to me from here on!"
The Third Mizukage took a step forward.
An extremely terrifying aura emanated from the Third Mizukage.
"Decay, Skeleton Emperor!"
The Skeleton Emperor was hurled by the Third Mizukage.
Despite the Zudomon Beast's extreme confidence in its own defensive abilities, when faced with the Skeleton Emperor, it couldn't help but feel a sense of fear, sensing the danger posed by the Skeleton Emperor.
Just like earlier when Hozuki Izumo faced the hammer thrown by Zudomon Beast.
The Zudomon Beast wanted to escape, to hide. However, Soma and the others attacked relentlessly, restraining Zudomon Beast.
Coupled with the Zudomon Beast's previous injuries.
If it were in its full state, Zudomon Beast might have been able to dodge the Third Mizukage's attack.
But now, Zudomon Beast couldn't.
It could only face it head-on.
Zudomon Beast gritted its teeth and thrust its shell forward.
"Boom!"
The axe blade of the Skeleton Emperor collided with Zudomon Beast's shell.
The power of decay and corrosion immediately spread.
The Zudomon Beast's indestructible shell, under everyone's gaze, decayed at a visible speed.
From the shell to the flesh, fur...
All the way to its entire massive body.
---
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