"What the... More of them?"
The pirates were already struggling against Natsuhane's initial Great Fireball. Now, faced with a series of similarly massive fireballs, they were utterly overwhelmed. Just as the deadly flames were about to engulf them, a giant red crab suddenly appeared, blocking the attack with its body.
The pirates were saved, but the crab itself was thoroughly cooked by the intense heat.
"Mmm, smells like roasted crab," Natsuhane muttered, sniffing the air. The unique aroma of cooked seafood filled his nostrils, making his mouth water slightly. Ever since arriving in the Land of the Sea, he hadn't had a proper seafood meal.
Turning back to Kaisei and Kaijin, Natsuhane said, "Once this is over, you owe me a seafood feast."
Kaijin and Kaisei exchanged a glance before replying in unison, "Uh... sure, of course."
With a swift movement, Natsuhane vanished into the steam-filled battlefield. Unlike the two men, who were paralyzed with fear, Natsuhane remained calm and composed, a demeanor they hadn't even seen in the elite ninjas of Kirigakure.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Kaijin couldn't help but mutter, "As expected of an Uchiha, truly terrifying..."
Kaisei was taken aback. "What? Natsuhane is from the Uchiha clan?"
Kaijin nodded. "Yes."
Hearing this, Kaisei smacked his thigh in frustration. "Damn it, if I had known earlier that Natsuhane was from Konoha, we wouldn't have bothered with those unreliable ninjas from Kirigakure! Konoha is far superior!"
Kaijin sighed. "You really think Natsuhane cares about money? Didn't his words just now make it clear? He's after the daimyo's position in the Land of the Sea! We... we've been played from the start..."
Kaisei fell silent, understanding the futility of regret now. The survival of the Land of the Sea rested entirely in Natsuhane's hands.
To capture the leader, you must first take down his subordinates.
Ignoring the small fry, Natsuhane targeted the leader of the pirates, the owner of the giant crab, Funato Kuroki.
Kuroki had the same goal.
"Summoning Jutsu: Edge-Horned Crab!"
Kuroki's shout made Natsuhane expect another crab summon, but instead, Kuroki summoned a massive clawed arm, which he then attached to his own arm.
"Oh? Interesting," Natsuhane said, intrigued by the weaponized summoning technique.
"Who are you?" Kuroki demanded, glaring at Natsuhane. "You don't look like you're from the Land of the Sea. The men here are all weathered from the sun and sea. You look too well-groomed."
Natsuhane smirked. "Is that a compliment?"
"Compliment? Answer my question, or I'll crush you with my claw!"
Natsuhane glanced at Kuroki's peculiar appearance, noticing the unusual gills on his neck. "What are those three slits on your neck? They expand and contract, and they look pretty fascinating."
"These aren't slits; they're gills!" Kuroki proudly unzipped his shirt, revealing his gills more clearly. "My father is the Funato Clan leader. Only those of pure Funato bloodline who have awakened their power have these gills. You've messed with the wrong person, kid!"
Natsuhane's eyes widened slightly. "Is that so?"
The shinobi world was indeed full of surprises. He wondered if Hoshigaki Kisame from the Akatsuki had any relation to these people.
"Who are you? Tell me!"
"A mere passerby."
"A passerby? Fine, if you won't talk, I'll make you!"
Kuroki charged at Natsuhane with his giant claw, aiming to crush him.
"Your Fire Release may be powerful, but you must be out of chakra by now. Don't worry; I won't hold back. I'll turn you into minced meat!"
As Kuroki approached, Natsuhane remained unfazed, closing his eyes briefly. When he reopened them, his Sharingan glowed brightly in the steam-filled air.
Kuroki was taken aback, stopping in his tracks. "Is that... the Sharingan? No, wait!"
Kuroki had encountered Uchiha before along the coastal regions of the Land of Fire and recognized the Sharingan. However, Natsuhane's eyes were different. Instead of the usual tomoe, his eyes bore a black heart-like pattern.
A sense of unease crept over Kuroki as Natsuhane's eyes bore into him. "What's with those eyes?"
Natsuhane smiled faintly. "You'll understand soon enough."
"Ugh!"
Suddenly, Kuroki felt excruciating pain in his sides, as if two bombs had exploded inside him.
"M-my stomach!"
Kuroki collapsed, writhing in agony, while his bewildered subordinates watched in confusion.
"Black Mist Lord, what's wrong?"
As his men expressed their concern, some of them also began to clutch their stomachs in pain, collapsing one by one.
Soon, the entire pirate crew was down, groaning in pain.
"Kaijin, let the villagers know they can come out. The crisis in the Land of the Sea... is over."
As far as the eye could see, not a single enemy was left standing.
Note: If there are any errors with the naming from this chapter onwards, please inform me so I can correct them.