Boom! ! !
The deafening roar and explosion seemed to lift the water of the entire lake into the sky.
From a distance, it appeared like a water dragon surging upstream, piercing the sky with majestic force, shattering the swirling blizzard, and then descending with the force of a million tons, cascading down with a thunderous roar.
The rushing torrent surged forward like a wild beast gone berserk, violently demolishing any obstacle in its path.
Within a radius of thousands of meters, the forest was uprooted by the flood, carrying broken stumps and stones with its unstoppable force, smashing through the forest's barriers and rushing away.
As the torrent gradually subsided, the lake's water level dropped by several centimeters.
Large swathes of forest lay destroyed, and the land was submerged. The scene resembled nothing short of a catastrophe!
If it hadn't been for Juzo's prepared ninjutsu to shield his comrades, everyone might have been swept away by the flood for miles.
Clap Clap Clap.
The applause rang out sharply.
Uchiha Sogetsu clapped his hands approvingly and nodded, praising, "Impressive, truly worthy of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Your reaction speed was exceptional. Utilizing the nearby terrain, you dispersed the impact of the water release. Your quick thinking was commendable."
"You... you maniac!"
Juzo stared at the black figure standing like a steel mountain in the middle of the lake, his face drained of color.
He had never imagined that the Three-Tailed Isobu, their last resort, would be unleashed prematurely by Uchiha Sogetsu. They had no psychological preparation or protective measures in place.
"Uchiha Sogetsu!!!" Raiga's forehead veins bulged, roaring furiously, "Releasing a tailed beast! Are you out of your mind?"
"Isn't this exactly what you wanted?"
Uchiha Sogetsu adjusted his glasses and spoke coldly, "Instead of blaming me, perhaps you should figure out how to deal with this behemoth."
Huff! Huff! Huff!
It seemed to echo his words.
In the next moment, the massive silhouette of the Three-Tailed Isobu emerged from the mist.
The waves surged violently, surrounding its mountain-like form, resembling blooming fireworks. The immense pressure, suffocating with chakra, engulfed all Mist Ninjas present in an instant.
Buzz!
Two enormous yellow pupils, like copper bells, illuminated the mist like searchlights.
After being sealed at the lake's bottom for an unknown duration, it had been roused from deep slumber. Its enraged roar, capable of incinerating everything, finally resounded.
True to its Tailed Beast reputation, Isobu's roar alone whipped up a hurricane visible to the naked eye.
Crash!
The gusts soared into the sky, dispersing the mist and unveiling Isobu's body—a steel-like hill—in everyone's view.
A colossal creature resembling a mud turtle, covered in a tough, heavy shell studded with sharp thorns.
Behind it, three flat, massive tails swayed through the air, each movement resonating with terrifying power capable of making the air itself roar.
"This is the legendary Three-Tailed Beast: Isobu!"
Even the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Juzo and Raiga, were seeing a living Tailed Beast for the first time.
Within that massive, steel-like body resided unparalleled power. Every roar, every motion, every breath possessed destructive force akin to mountain torrents or tsunamis—a force of nature.
No matter how extensively described in books, witnessing it firsthand was incomparably shocking.
"What do we do, Juzo?"
Raiga gulped, tightly gripping his Kiba with both hands, steeling himself. Yet each time he looked up to face the colossal monster and met its cold yellow eyes, the courage he had mustered evaporated instantly, vanishing without a trace.
Surveying the other ANBU members, their reactions were more dire than his own. One among them, visibly timid, trembled so severely that he seemed incapable of further combat.
Raiga didn't blame those who were afraid. He, too, felt fear gnawing at his resolve.
"They can't be faulted," he murmured. "Even I'm terrified."
It wasn't unreasonable. Few ninjas had ever encountered a tailed beast—monsters that existed only in legend. Each appearance heralded natural disasters capable of laying waste to entire nations.
And yet, here they were, a handful of fighters, daring to confront such beings?
"Ridiculous," he scoffed silently. "Even ten times our number wouldn't suffice."
"Quick, inform Lord Mizukage!" Juzo, though clearly shaken, managed to retain composure. "Report the situation accurately and request the Sealing Squad's immediate deployment. We'll delay the tailed beast and Uchiha Sogetsu until then."
The mention of his name startled Raiga, his eyes widening. "Stop the tailed beast here, Juzō?"
"Are you mad?" Raiga interjected, incredulous. "We're talking about a tailed beast! Even if it costs us our lives, it's beyond our grasp!"
"I'm not insane, Raiga," Juzō replied calmly, taking a deep breath. Fear mingled with determination in his eyes. "Remember, we're less than 50 kilometers from the Hidden Mist Village."
His words struck Raiga like lightning.
"Less than 50 kilometers. If we don't act, the tailed beast will reach the village swiftly." Juzō's voice lowered, resolute. "Imagine the consequences. It's our duty to prevent that catastrophe."
The potential devastation of a tailed beast's rampage through the village was unspeakable.
Regardless of its flaws, the Hidden Mist Village was their "home." Their families, civilians—countless lives hung in the balance.
"They are ninjas, and when needed, they must give everything to protect the village."
"If even the ninjas retreat, who else will come to defend our village?"
Juzo's words rang out like a bell, awakening everyone.
"So, for the Hidden Mist Village."
Juzo exhaled deeply, drawing the executioner's sword from his back, gripping the hilt firmly, and declared, "No matter what, we must hold back the tailed beast and Uchiha Sogetsu. We cannot let him near our village!"
"Tsk, I never expected to be schooled by you one day!"
Raiga swept his bangs aside, a wild grin on his face as he tightly grasped his Raiga twin swords and growled, "You're right, Juzo. We are the Seven Mist Ninja Swordsmen, and our village stands behind us. We cannot let this guy... destroy everything!"
"That's right, we are the ninjas of the Hidden Mist Village!"
Even the fearful Anbu found courage in this moment, facing the colossal tailed beast, and shouted shakily, "Let's do this! No retreat!"
"The village is our backbone; we have no path of retreat!"
Juzo shouted, brandishing his executioner's sword, charging towards Isobu like a warrior prepared for death. "Follow me, everyone!"
"Now is the time to uphold the Ninja Way!"
Raiga roared, lightning crackling around him as he surged forward. "Uchiha Sogetsu, we will never let you destroy our home!"
Uchiha Sogetsu frowned, pondering to himself, "Why do I feel like I've become the villain?"
********
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