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[NTU] [ARC-18] Chapter : 229
🕑 Added 2024-12-31 12:44:45 +0000 UTC"Damn it!"
Mangetsu gritted his teeth, ignoring the burning discomfort caused by the lingering acid mist that spared neither ally nor foe. Through the haze, he spotted the source of the chaos.
A massive chakra construct, towering over 20 meters tall and wielding a spiraled sword, loomed in the heart of the battlefield. Within its protective embrace stood their target—Uchiha Shisui.
Shisui clutched his eyes with one hand, his chest heaving as he struggled to regain his composure.
"It’s about time to prepare for a breakout!" he muttered under his breath.
Boom!
The green giant, controlled by Shisui, struck out with a massive hand, swatting away an incoming stream of molten lava. Without pausing, the Susanoo swept its spiraled blade in a wide arc, obliterating the solidifying masses of lava that had begun to encircle it.
"Nee-san... remove the acid mist!" Mangetsu called out, his voice tinged with frustration as he addressed Mei.
Watching Shisui deftly command the massive chakra giant to clear away the surrounding restraints, Mangetsu shouted toward Mei, who was catching her breath.
"Assist me!" he barked before turning to a fellow clan member with blue-and-white hair. "Shamzi, stay close and reinforce me with the Water Transformation Jutsu!"
Even before the acid mist had fully dissipated, Mangetsu wasted no time issuing orders to his clansmen. His body shimmered and then dissolved into a pristine pool of crystal-clear water.
Despite the corrosive effects of the lingering acid mist, the volume of the water began to grow steadily.
Behind him, the Hozuki clan members who heard his command acted without hesitation. Channeling their chakra into flowing streams, they merged their power with Mangetsu’s technique.
"Yasakani Magatama!"
Realizing that Mangetsu seemed ready to unleash a powerful technique, Shisui was not reckless enough to ignore his opponent’s moves.
Susanoo extended its free arm, palm outstretched.
As Shisui poured chakra and energy into his technique, three emerald-green magatama quickly materialized in the giant hand, spinning rapidly as they solidified.
"Go!"
"Damn it, it’s too late!"
Mei Terumi was in the middle of weaving hand seals to disperse the corrosive acid mist and create an opening for Mangetsu. But as her gaze fell on the magatama forming in Susanoo's hand, her heart sank.
She instantly realized the nature of Shisui's counterattack. Knowing the threat, however, was vastly different from having the time to respond—the speed at which his technique took shape left no room for resistance.
All they could do was watch as a streak of emerald green light sliced through the air, hurtling toward Mangetsu with a menacing whine.
"Dance of the Seedling Fern"
In this critical moment, Kaguya Kaito, who had so far played a supportive role, finally sprang into action.
Standing alongside several clansmen, Kaito positioned himself in front of Mangetsu. Raising his hands high above his head, he brought them down forcefully onto the ground.
As chakra surged through him and his kin, a single white bone spur erupted from the earth before them.
Moments later, countless bone spurs burst forth within a twenty-meter radius, clustering tightly together. The spurs intertwined to form a towering, impenetrable barrier of white bone, rising nearly twenty meters into the air.
Bang! Snap!
The collision between Yasaka Magatama and the bone barrier unleashed a deafening cacophony of snapping and cracking sounds. Fragments of white bone shattered violently, scattering in every direction like shrapnel.
"It held!"
Despite the bone forest being utterly obliterated, even the battle-hardened Kaguya Kaito and his clansmen felt the strain etched into their bodies.
"This is... absolutely brutal," Kaito muttered, his voice laced with exhaustion.
Moments earlier, they had nearly completed their combined bloodline secret technique. Yet, for the first time, it had been overpowered and destroyed before it could fully form.
"Leave the rest to me!"
Within a colossal chakra water sphere towering over 20 meters high—nearly matching the size of Shisui's Susanoo—stood Mangetsu Hozuki, his nearly bare form surrounded and supported by his loyal clansmen.
In a situation devoid of any terrain advantage, Mangetsu Hozuki unleashed the Water Style: Tatedori Hat technique. Supported by the steady infusion of chakra from his clansmen behind him, the size of this formidable ninjutsu continued to expand relentlessly.
"This is going to be troublesome," Shisui muttered, massaging his temples as he observed the rapidly growing "thorn ball" composed entirely of water and chakra now just 40 meters away.
The technique was clearly designed to rival Susanoo in power. Shisui silently thanked his fortune that the battlefield lacked a significant water source; otherwise, overcoming such an attack would have been exponentially harder.
"So this is the famed genius of the Hozuki clan... and Shunshin no Shisui?"
As Mei Terumi finally dissipated the lingering acid mist, the Mist Ninjas stationed at the perimeter to prevent Shisui's escape caught their first clear glimpse of the intense battle unfolding within.
Despite their best efforts, the ordinary Mist Ninja couldn't help but feel the vast gulf separating them from prodigies like Shisui and Mangetsu. Watching the two colossal figures controlled by these elites, they were starkly reminded of their own insignificance.
"Compared to geniuses like them, how are we any different from ordinary civilians?"
"Everyone, use Water-Style ninjutsu!"
Although Mangetsu's technique was formidable, the battlefield was neither at sea nor near a significant water source. On land, such a powerful jutsu would exact an enormous toll on chakra, particularly without allies to generate water through supplementary techniques.
"Water Style: Exploding Water Wave!"
One of the Mist Ninjas unleashed a large-scale water jutsu, drenching the surrounding ground in water to create a more favorable environment for Mangetsu's technique. However, Terumi Mei didn’t pause to observe the effects; her focus was already on their next move.
He turned to Ao and commanded sharply, "Ao, use your Byakugan to observe the enemy’s every move!"
Without waiting for a response, he continued, "Gather a team of elites and prepare to intercept the enemy!"
She intended to warn Ao further, reminding him to be cautious of the opponent's genjutsu, but her attention was abruptly drawn to the clash between Mangetsu and Shisui.
"You brat, this time I’ll show you just how strong I am!"
With the support of Mei and his allies, Mangetsu moved with unparalleled confidence, as if the battlefield itself bent to his will. At this moment, he felt invincible, convinced he could even hold his own against a tailed beast.
Perhaps... the legendary Fourth Mizukage isn’t so terrifying after all!
Boom!
The spiral sword crashed down, sending water splashing in all directions. Shisui glanced at Mangetsu, who was relentlessly engaging him, and furrowed his brow deeply.
'Do I really have to use Kotoamatsukami on top of Susanoo?'
Though he was capable of wielding the powerful genjutsu, Shisui always hesitated. Manipulating someone’s mind felt inherently wrong, an act steeped in an unshakable sense of moral unease.
But in this dire situation...
“What’s the matter? Have you given up on using your illusions?” Mangetsu taunted, his voice brimming with confidence. Despite the overwhelming power of Shisui’s chakra-infused giant, Mangetsu believed his own ninjutsu could match it.
The real challenge was the Uchiha’s illusions.
Though he sounded fearless, Mangetsu wasn’t as composed as he let on. Beneath his bravado, anxiety gnawed at him. He wasn’t foolish enough to completely underestimate his opponent.
Although Mangetsu was now cautious and had the support of his companions, the thought still lingered: What if?
What if I fall into the enemy’s genjutsu again?
The mere possibility sent a wave of unease through him. It would be utterly humiliating to succumb to the illusion in this state.
Hiss!
The spikes protruding from the surface of the massive water sphere shot outward, shattering portions of the emerald-green chakra giant’s materialized energy.
Mangetsu manipulated the enormous chakra-infused water ball, shaping it into a massive maw lined with jagged fangs, poised to bite down on his opponent.
Bang!
The spiral sword swung in a wide arc, deflecting the assault once more. Shisui’s gaze shifted to Mangetsu, hidden within the swirling water ball. Resolute, he made up his mind.
Comments
Jose Miranda
Thanks for the chapter
