321-325

*Chapter 321: Cellular Regeneration and the True "Lone Lotus Cannon"*

Clang!

The crimson blade, wrapped tightly in thick bandages, slammed to the ground.

In the next instant, dense spikes tore through the fabric, and a grotesque, writhing tongue darted impatiently from the weapon’s tip, dragging across the ground in frenzied motion.

This was no longer a mere blade but a sentient entity—a fish trembling from the fiery will of Shinji’s heart!

Accompanying the ground-shaking crash of the weapon,

a sudden flurry of sharp wind noises erupted nearby, piercing through the air like a relentless storm.

It was the sound of pursuers, trailing closely behind Hozuki. They wore masks marked with the distinctive Mist Village four-water ripple design, their movements devoid of any emotion as they launched lethal attacks aimed precisely at their enemy’s vital points.

In a split second—

Shinji’s instincts screamed in alarm.

He sharply sensed the looming threat aimed at every vital spot: his throat, temple, kidneys, carotid sinus, and even the most vulnerable parts of his body.

As he raised his head,

he saw a group of Mist Village hunters clad in standard uniforms. Some wielded blades, others water whips, while others hurled kunai or prepared hand seals,

coordinating seamlessly in a ten-man squadron. Their synchronized attacks threatened to overwhelm Shinji, targeting him from all directions in a deadly barrage of techniques.

Fortunately, though the attackers were fierce, their strength was still noticeably inferior to that of their leader, Hozuki.

The speed and precision of their movements were not on the same level as Hozuki’s elite strikes. While Shinji might struggle to evade and counter the full-force ambush of a ninja of Hozuki’s caliber,

the same didn’t apply to this group of pursuers.

In a flash,

a dangerous glint flashed across Shinji’s eyes.

Reaching back with both hands, he drew four shuriken from the tool pouch at his waist,

and with a dazzling sweep of his arms, he hurled them outward.

With no hesitation, almost as if instinctive, his right hand then conjured a kunai seemingly out of thin air. Leveraging the interplay of moonlight and the reflective glint of the eight spinning shuriken,

he launched the kunai stealthily under the cover of shadows.

Though it had been some time since he’d last used it, the Uchiha-style Manipulated Shuriken Technique was deeply engraved into Shinji’s muscle memory.

If the mastery-level Manipulated Shuriken Technique was defined by perfect accuracy and calculated precision,

then the transcendent level he had reached allowed him to create possibilities out of impossibilities—utilizing light, airflow, and even his opponent’s reactions.

Every leaf, every petal could be a weapon capable of taking lives.

The eight shuriken, interwoven with steel wires from his tool pouch, formed a chaotic web as they flew toward the nearest enemies,

creating a simple yet deadly trap overhead.

“!!”

The lead pursuer, armed with a straight blade and skilled in close combat, instantly froze.

Charging headlong into such a trap, even if he avoided being skewered by the shuriken, would still mean suffering injuries from the sharp wires.

Realizing the peril, he instinctively swung his blade, aiming to cut through both the shuriken and the wires.

But at that moment,

a razor-sharp gleam emerged from the darkness. The blade effortlessly bypassed his defensive slash, glinting briefly under the moonlit sea.

Squelch!

A burst of crimson blood sprayed into the air.

At the same time, Shinji planted his feet firmly on the ground, bent his knees, and leapt powerfully forward. In one fluid motion, he seized the throat of the fallen pursuer.

But he had no intention of delivering some dramatic final line like, “Shall we dance, even in death?”

Instead,

he used the corpse as a shield, whirling it around his body in a wide arc.

The incoming attacks—shuriken, water whip strikes, and slashes from long blades—all thudded into the lifeless body, sparing Shinji from most of the onslaught.

During his descent, Shinji kicked forward with ferocity, his foot smashing into the forehead of another advancing pursuer. The force contorted the enemy’s face, and as they were about to be sent flying,

he twisted mid-air and grasped their hand, swiftly forming the “Tiger” hand seal.

*“Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!”*

The erratic flames clashed violently with an oncoming wave, the two forces colliding explosively over the ocean.

Steam burst forth, filling the air with a dense, spreading mist.

The remaining pursuers halted, their vision obscured.

One of them quickly formed the “Ram” seal, coldly commanding, *“Disperse your chakra and activate Hidden Mist Jutsu!”*

In such an environment, employing the Hidden Mist Technique would allow them to seize control of the fog-filled battlefield.

However, before the elite pursuers could execute their strategy,

a startling sight emerged from the mist.

Shinji strode out calmly, openly holding the corpse of a fallen pursuer by the neck.

Witnessing this, Hozuki’s expression grew sharp.

He immediately noticed something strange about Shinji’s hand gripping the body.

The hand appeared to be merging into the corpse,

and as Shinji took deep, measured breaths, a crimson glow spread along his arm,

as though something was being drained from the body and absorbed into him.

During this process,

the gaping wound on Shinji’s left shoulder—inflicted by the sharkskin blade earlier—began to close at a visibly astonishing rate.

This was the power of *Sage Transformation: Cellular Regeneration Absorption!*

After achieving Sage Mode, it became one of Shinji’s innate abilities. This power allowed him to absorb the flesh and cells of others, transforming them into his own and enabling his injured body to heal at an extraordinary speed.

This ability was strikingly similar to Uchiha Madara’s *"Chakra Absorption"*, though it was slightly inferior in terms of efficiency when extracting and utilizing chakra.

"Haah..."

A surge of chakra flowed through his body once more, and the restored power brought a faint smile to Shinji’s lips.

Bang!

He glanced around at the ten fallen enemies surrounding him, casually tossing aside the pursuer ninja in his hand, whose chakra and cellular activity had been completely drained, leaving behind a mummified corpse.

He exhaled a long breath of white mist, like a roaring dragon stretching across the sky.

Then, Shinji raised his head.

His scarlet *Sharingan* eyes lit up suddenly, with three pitch-black tomoe circling a star-shaped black cross at the center of his pupils.

"Is it over?"

As the veins around his eyes bulged visibly, his expression grew darker, and a twisted, sinister smile appeared on his face.

"In that case... let me return this move to you!"

The moment his words fell, Shinji raised his right hand. In his palm, a mark resembling a black sun appeared in an instant!

Moments later, a radiant, golden-yellow energy sphere emerged from his palm.

This was the *Sage Art Cannon*, a weapon formed by the fusion of natural energy and chakra—

*True Multi-Lotus Chain Cannon!*

Unlike Jūgo, who needed to fully activate his Cursed Seal's second stage, transforming his body to form a cannon barrel, Shinji, having mastered natural energy and attained a Sage Mode far superior to Jūgo’s, could unleash this technique without altering his form or losing his sanity. Instead, a mark resembling a cursed black sun appeared on his right palm.

Through this black sun mark, he could perfectly control the Multi-Lotus Chain Cannon, performing precise operations such as clustering, explosive fragmentation, scattering, indiscriminate point-of-origin bombardments, and evaporation.

Meanwhile, his left hand bore a white crescent moon mark, representing another unique ability.

*Chapter 322: Kisame's Rebellion, Samehada Hooks the Shark!*

“What… is that!?”

At this moment, staring at Shinji’s raised right hand, Fuguki Suikazan instinctively felt that something was off. His eyelids twitched involuntarily as he instinctively dropped to the ground in his current position.

The next instant—

9+

Shinji spread his fingers wide, and a brilliant yellow orb in his palm transformed into a massive beam of light, shooting out with incredible force!

“—Whoosh!!”

The beam pierced through the cabin of the Thunder Ship in an instant, sweeping across in a blinding arc. It was so fast it suffocated the senses, as if reality itself had been thrown into the future. The accompanying gale left the ears deafened by the thunderous roar.

Around the Thunder Ship, the blazing yellow beam that pierced the ocean created towering water columns. In a split second, they connected into a massive ring of surging waves!

Droplets of water rained down, making the scene resemble a sudden downpour.

At that moment, Fuguki Suikazan slowly raised his head from the ground, wiping his face.

But when he looked at what was in his hand, his entire body shuddered involuntarily.

It wasn’t just seawater—it was a viscous mixture of blood and water.

Lifting his gaze slightly higher, he saw—

The nine Mist ninja who had surrounded Shinji aboard the Thunder Ship were now reduced to half their bodies, lined up in two rows, collapsing one by one before him.

In the blink of an eye, ten elite Mist jonin, who couldn’t even conjure water clones in time, were annihilated with a single move!

Fuguki’s scalp tingled as a chill surged from his feet to the top of his head.

Even if someone slaughtered ten pigs, it would take a while.

And these weren’t pigs—they were ten elite Mist jonin!

He gasped for air, realizing he couldn’t possibly accomplish such a feat. Desperately, he pushed himself backward with his legs, abandoning even the Samehada in his panic, trying to crawl to the edge of the Thunder Ship and jump off unnoticed.

But then—

Thud!

The second blade Fuguki Suikazan had secretly prepared appeared!

However, the blade did not slash toward Shinji as Fuguki had expected, only to be blocked futilely by his indestructible heart.

Instead—

The blade pierced straight through Fuguki’s chest, nailing him to the ship’s deck. His face twisted in disbelief as he turned his head.

“Kisame, you—”

Behind him—

The figure who had appeared suddenly removed their mask, revealing a face resembling that of a shark. Kisame Hoshigaki withdrew the blade from Fuguki’s back, watching as his superior collapsed to the ground, powerless to resist. A trace of dull sorrow flickered in his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Captain. This is Mizukage-sama’s order.”

Witnessing this sudden turn of events, Shinji’s heart skipped a beat.

Recognizing the figure’s face, he immediately identified him—

Kisame Hoshigaki, the future “Tailless Beast” of the Akatsuki, and Itachi Uchiha’s partner.

At this point in time, Fuguki Suikazan had not yet betrayed the Mist by leaking secrets to neighboring nations. He was still a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and leader of the Mist Hunter-Nin.

Likewise, Kisame Hoshigaki had not yet claimed the Samehada to achieve his full potential; he was still a subordinate of the Mist Hunter-Nin.

So why did Kisame kill his superior now?

Why had Fuguki and his team attacked Shinji at this moment?

And what exactly was the “Mizukage’s order” that Kisame mentioned?

Could it be that the Third Mizukage wanted Shinji dead?

But why? He had no grievance with him!

Was this an intentional conspiracy against Shinji, or had he just stumbled upon an internal Mist rebellion to eliminate political rivals?

Analyzing the chaotic circumstances and known information, Shinji’s heart sank as he considered the worst possibility—

Could it be—

His earlier contact with the original Akatsuki trio in Yunming City had caught the attention of Madara Uchiha?

Was the elderly Madara, lurking behind the scenes, now targeting him to eliminate unexpected variables in his plans?

At this moment—

The Thunder Ship was littered with bodies, its deck stained crimson with blood.

The severed horn of the Eight-Tails and the Samehada lay quietly on the deck.

The only two people still standing on the ship simultaneously shifted their gaze to these two objects.

Kisame crouched before Fuguki’s corpse, unhesitatingly raising his hands and forming the Tiger Seal!

“Water Style: Water Shark Bullet Technique!”

The next moment, a massive blue shark composed of chakra leapt out of the ocean beside the Thunder Ship.

Kisame bent his knees and leapt, resembling a professional diver, clapping his hands above his head as he dived into the shark formed by the Water Shark Bullet Technique.

Then, with blinding speed, he rushed toward the Samehada near Shinji.

This technique, which had appeared in the Fourth Great Ninja War, allowed Kisame to merge with his jutsu, drastically increasing his speed—so much so that even Might Guy struggled to react.

As Kisame rushed toward his position, Shinji couldn’t tell whether he was aiming for the Samehada or the Eight-Tails’ horn.

Narrowing his eyes, Shinji dismissed all irrelevant thoughts.

No matter what, the Eight-Tails’ horn was non-negotiable!

Aside from the nearly completed Sage’s Heart, the remaining portion of the Eight-Tails’ horn was vital for his upcoming journey to Turtle Island and his mission to assassinate the daimyo.

While the Samehada was valuable, it was of secondary importance.

That said, Shinji wasn’t about to let Kisame take it so easily.

The Kisame with Samehada and the Kisame without it are entirely different beings—the difficulty of dealing with them varies drastically.

If this guy performs a live fusion with Samehada, it would be incredibly challenging for Shinji to take him down in a short time.

With this thought in mind,

Shinji suddenly raised his head, his scarlet eyes spinning wildly with three jet-black tomoe.

He locked onto the water shark bullet carrying Kisame with deadly precision.

The speed of the water shark bullet was so fast that even a multi-lotus rapid cannon couldn’t accurately target it.

Thus—

Shinji abruptly shut his right eye and placed his left hand firmly over his now-wide-open left eye.

The whites of his eye became filled with countless erratic blood vessels, wildly twisting and surging!

Then—

*Dojutsu: Blood Dragon Ninefold Seal!*

The technique activated instantly!

"——Roar!!"

Nine ferocious blood dragons burst forth from the Sharingan, their claws slashing wildly. One dragon first slammed into the massive blade, Samehada, flinging it aside. Its eyes then locked onto Hoshigaki Kisame, its massive jaws opening as it lunged straight for his head!

This technique inherently possessed tracking and illusionary effects. As long as it created a single wound, Shinji could make his opponent wish for death without the hope of achieving it!

"Hmm? Is this the terrifying genjutsu dojutsu mentioned in that kid’s intel?" In mid-air, Kisame’s pupils shrank sharply.

"I’ve been caught in a genjutsu?"

"No, no matter what— I can’t let this thing hit me!"

On instinct, unable to distinguish whether it was a genjutsu or not, Kisame felt a chill run down his spine. Without hesitation, he raised his hands, interlocked his fingers, and formed the *‘Rooster’* seal.

*"Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique!"*

He leaned back, craned his neck upward, and inflated his throat like a frog, gathering chakra within.

With a sudden motion, he roared and spat it out!

In an instant, a massive shark-shaped water bullet erupted from Kisame’s mouth, surging forward and colliding directly with the blood dragon!

This move, executed purely on instinct, accidentally saved Kisame’s life.

The Blood Dragon Ninefold Seal was a dojutsu fueled by chakra and ocular power, its essence composed entirely of chakra. The Great Shark Bullet Technique, which grows stronger by consuming chakra, was its natural counter!

In a split second, the blood dragon collided with the massive shark!

Seizing the moment, Shinji reached for a sealing scroll attached to his lower back. He swiftly unfurled it and pressed it against the Eight-Tails horn.

*Bang!!*

With a burst of smoke, the Eight-Tails horn was sealed into the scroll, which Shinji shoved securely into his storage pouch.

At the same time, the gigantic water shark began devouring the massive blood dragon piece by piece, transforming into a colossal crimson shark that lunged ferociously at Shinji!

However, Shinji had already achieved his objective. In the process, he confirmed that even without Samehada, Hoshigaki Kisame possessed the troublesome ability to absorb others' chakra!

Nonetheless—

Faced with the charging giant shark, Shinji calmly raised his right hand. A black Sun Seal in his palm instantly condensed into a dazzling, massive sage-art energy cannon!

The cannon wasn’t just aimed at the Great Shark Bullet—it also targeted Samehada, spinning mid-air after being knocked away, and Kisame, who was reaching out for the blade, almost within his grasp!

The discarded Samehada had now become the bait in Shinji’s trap to reel in the shark!

Indeed, the Great Shark Bullet could absorb chakra—

But what about sage energy?

Shinji’s eyes turned sharp, brimming with lethal intent. Without hesitation, he spread his five fingers, and the sage-art energy cannon blasted forth!

A brilliant yellow beam of destruction erupted, obliterating everything in its path in an instant!

The air trembled, and the falling rain was momentarily twisted into a phenomenon resembling sonic-boom clouds!

*Swoosh!*

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 323: The Third Mizukage—The True Power of a Kage!

A radiant yellow light in the center of the field of vision suddenly expanded—larger and larger still!

The fan-shaped light cannon quickly transformed into a massive beam, five meters in diameter, roaring forward!

The blood-red shark that had consumed the blood dragon collided head-on with it in an instant.

In the next moment,

The once-powerful Shark Bullet Technique that devoured chakra with reckless abandon became nothing more than a slightly dense water bomb, incapable of absorbing chakra.

Before the light cannon, the blood-red shark crumpled like a paper creation, blown apart from head to tail in the blink of an eye!

Without losing momentum, the beam surged toward Kisame Hoshigaki, suspended mid-air.

“This is bad!”

Gripping the Samehada tightly, Kisame’s heart skipped a beat. But hanging in mid-air, he was nothing more than a sitting target.

“This isn’t chakra. What is this?!”

Kisame had never seen such a technique—one that completely bypassed the power of his Shark Bullet. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, his shark-like face turning pale as his small, beady eyes widened in terror.

At the critical moment,

He instinctively swung the Samehada around in a defensive posture, holding the massive blade like a shield against the incoming light cannon.

“It’s useless!”

A flash of coldness appeared in Shinji’s eyes. His multiple-lotus beam cannon was composed purely of senjutsu chakra.

In an unavoidable situation, neither Kisame’s Shark Bullet Technique nor the Samehada could absorb its energy.

Against such an attack, only advanced ninjutsu with perfect shape transformation and inherent mass could stand a chance.

But Kisame, despite possessing fire, wind, earth, and water chakra natures, had mastered no such ninjutsu. Most of his abilities revolved around auxiliary techniques like the Earth Style: Subterranean Voyage. His true specialty was water-style techniques.

“Boom!!”

In an instant, the light beam engulfed Kisame. A cloud of white mist erupted in the sky!

However, at that moment,

Shinji frowned and raised his hand to catch something falling from the mist—shards that sparkled like fragments of ice crystals.

“This is… ice?”

Looking up, he saw—

Outside the Thunder Ship, a column of water rose from the sea to the sky, rapidly freezing into a massive pillar of ice.

High above,

A man with gray-white hair adorned with blue, bead-like ornaments stood atop the ice pillar. His eyes, habitually shut, were partially open, revealing icy-blue pupils. His right hand was raised, and before his palm was a shattered, frost-covered shield of extreme ice.

This thin, fragile-looking ice shield had managed to block Shinji’s senjutsu cannon!

At that moment, the man standing atop the ice pillar held the Samehada in one hand.

Looking down with a cold gaze,

His usually closed eyes opened slightly, revealing piercing ice-blue pupils. His expressionless face turned to Shinji, standing on the broken Thunder Ship.

“...”

Without unnecessary words,

The Third Mizukage, Shirabe, who had resolved to kill everyone present except Kisame, calmly uttered two words:

“Dragon’s Ascent.”

With this emotionless command,

Shinji was startled to find that the surrounding sea had already frozen into solid ice.

And then—

“Roar!!”

Four massive dragons, entirely composed of ice, burst from the frozen sea. They slithered through the air, their claws tearing apart the deck of the Thunder Ship as they lunged toward Shinji!

Without seals or any visible preparation,

It was as though Shirabe’s commands bent reality to his will, the sheer speed leaving no room for reaction.

Shinji’s sharp instincts screamed of danger. Just as the four ice dragons closed in, he twisted mid-air, throwing a shuriken wrapped in threads of his Earth Grudge Fear technique. It hooked onto the ship’s railing, propelling him to safety.

But—

“Ice Style: Absolute Ice Prison!”

It was as if Shirabe had predicted Shinji’s every move.

Opening his icy-blue eyes once more, Shirabe locked his gaze onto Shinji’s location!

With a single glance,

The frozen sea surged upward, forming a massive ice prison that engulfed Shinji completely!

“What kind of nonsense is this? This guy doesn’t even need hand signs to cast jutsu!”

Shinji was stunned, watching the icy walls close in on him.

A deep sense of foreboding filled him; he instinctively knew that touching the ice would lead to disastrous consequences.

It was akin to Jirōbō’s Earth Style: Earth Prison Dome in the future—a technique that absorbed chakra.

And this ice prison—

Shinji swung two shuriken midair, pulling the threads to make them spin in a circle, halting his momentum just before crashing into the ice wall. With a backflip, he landed gracefully on the frozen surface of the sea below.

Meanwhile, the two shuriken embedded in the ice wall were quickly covered by a layer of frost at an astonishing speed.

Then—

Crack!

The shuriken, obtained from Orochimaru’s laboratory and of exceptional quality, suddenly snapped in two. One half fell to the ground, while the other remained lodged in the ice wall, seemingly fused with it. The break was jagged and rough.

“This is...”

“Hehehe, kid~”

Suddenly, a mocking voice came from nearby. Standing on the icy ground within the ice prison, the frostbitten Kisame Hoshigaki forced a sneer despite trembling from the cold.

“This... is the true power of a Kage!”

“The Third Mizukage’s Ice Release can create what is known as ‘absolute zero’—extreme ice!”

“Anything that touches this ice is frozen at the molecular level, stripping away its kinetic energy and leaving only potential energy. The result? It becomes an ice corpse.”

“And the Third Mizukage doesn’t even need to form hand seals!”

“The moment his eyes open... is the moment of judgment for the guilty!”

Hearing this, Shinji frowned deeply.

Great...

Another one of those black-hole intelligence gaps.

The Third Mizukage, a character who never fought in the original storyline, now stood before him. And his abilities? Absolutely terrifying.

No hand seals, jutsu cast with astonishing speed, and that absurd Ice Release capable of reaching “absolute zero.”

Honestly, even Haku, whose Ice Release was self-awakened without guidance after the destruction of the Yuki clan, could already be considered a broken mechanic in the original.

But now—

Here was a veteran bloodline limit user, someone from the same era as Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama, a man who had survived since the Warring States period.

How strong must his Ice Release be?

Crunch!

The ice ceiling above the prison silently opened up, creating a three-meter-wide hole.

Through this newly formed “skylight,” the night sky outside was visible.

And outside the ice prison, standing atop the head of a massive ice dragon, was a man with his eyes closed.

Yet, even with his eyes shut, he seemed fully aware of everything around him.

“Kisame, don’t get careless. Together—”

“Let’s kill him.”

His command was cold and indifferent. Third Mizukage casually tossed the massive blade Samehada from his hand. The blade plunged downward, embedding itself into the icy ground at Kisame’s feet.

“Hehehe~ As you wish, my Mizukage!”

A cruel smile spread across Kisame’s shark-like face. He pulled Samehada from the ice and pointed it toward Shinji.

“Uchiha brat, I forgot to tell you something,” he sneered.

“The longer this drags on, the weaker you’ll become.”

“And me—”

“I’ll only get stronger!”

Then, under Shinji’s watchful gaze, Kisame’s expression turned ferocious. Without hesitation, he gripped Samehada’s spiked surface, letting its barbs pierce his palm. His blood trickled onto the blade.

Silently, he activated—

Samehada Fusion!

Chapter 324: Layers of Mystery, Ice Release: Extreme Frost Eye!

As the fusion with Samehada began, Kisame’s body gradually transformed into that of a shark. His palms grew webbing, fins emerged from his elbows, and three closable gill slits appeared on each shoulder. A long, scaly shark tail extended from his lower back.

His face also became increasingly menacing, resembling a ferocious shark. This was the Samehada Fusion Mode, a form that allowed Kisame to merge with the power of Samehada, transforming him into a half-human, half-shark creature. It enabled him to move and breathe freely underwater, while significantly amplifying his innate chakra-absorbing abilities to an outrageous degree.

Through ninjutsu, taijutsu, or any other means of contact, he could absorb the chakra of his opponents. Additionally, this form granted him an extraordinary sensory range.

“He doesn’t have much chakra left in him,” Mizukage said calmly, standing atop the ice dragon’s head with closed eyes. He identified Shinji’s weaknesses and devised a plan:

“Kisame, you’ll wear him down and absorb his techniques. I’ll block his Sage Art attacks and dispel any illusions he casts. Force him into a desperate situation! After that, I’ll use Frozen Waterspear Annihilation to freeze and dismember him!”

With that, Mizukage leapt from the ice dragon’s head. His body eerily melded into the ice prison, appearing like a painting on the prison’s mirror-like walls.

This was the Ice Release Secret Technique: Demonic Mirror Ice Crystals, a skill that allowed the user to move at the speed of light between reflective surfaces. Originally used by Haku in the canon, Mizukage now demonstrated his mastery by employing this technique while simultaneously maintaining the Extreme Ice Prison.

Hearing his enemies openly discuss their plan to eliminate him, Shinji’s face twitched slightly as his expression turned cautious.

In a one-on-one fight, defeating Kisame would have been no trouble for him. Both his Sage Art and Sharingan illusions were effective counters against Kisame.

But now, facing two opponents, the situation was different.

The Sage Art attacks could be nullified by the Third Mizukage’s mysterious Extreme Ice Shield, and the Mizukage could move rapidly within the ice prison, always appearing at Kisame’s side to dispel the Sharingan’s techniques.

Kisame, with no concerns holding him back, was practically invincible in this environment. He could rapidly heal using the chakra stored in Samehada and continuously deplete Shinji’s chakra through repeated attacks.

If this continued, Shinji would become nothing more than fish on a chopping block!

This was a blatant strategy, and the Third Mizukage had no fear of Shinji overhearing it.

However, what truly baffled Shinji was: How did the Third Mizukage achieve these abilities?

He could perceive everything around him without using his eyes—was it possible the Mizukage also possessed the Mind’s Eye of Kagura?

He could cast ninjutsu without hand seals. Even the so-called God of Shinobi would at least form the "Ram" or "Tiger" seal when performing their legendary techniques. Even Shinji, with his mastery of single-hand seals, would still require at least one hand to form a basic seal, augmented by various enhancements.

The notion of a ninja casting techniques without any seals belonged to the ninja sages of thousands of years ago.

Could it be that the Third Mizukage had surpassed the limits of a ninja and reached the level of a sage?

If that were the case, why had he lost the succession battle for the Second Mizukage to Gengetsu Hozuki?

Why had the Land of Water fallen into stagnation, manipulated by Uchiha Madara, with the Third Mizukage doing nothing to change its course?

The inconsistencies in the information troubled Shinji, prompting him to glance again at the silent and expressionless Third Mizukage, who stood with his eyes closed within the ice prison’s mirrored walls.

In combat, strategy outweighed sheer force.

There must be information about the Third Mizukage that Shinji didn’t yet know.

If he could uncover this information, perhaps he could turn the tables and break free of this dire situation!

As his thoughts raced, Kisame prepared for an attack. Grinning slightly, his shark-like eyes locked onto Shinji. With uncharacteristic politeness, he said:

“Well then, Third Mizukage-sama, I’ll entrust my life to you. Oh, and please close the skylight for me.”

Snap!

With a sudden shout, Kisame clapped his hands together, his eyes glaring fiercely as he abruptly tilted his head back.

“Water Style: Great Exploding Water Shockwave!”

“It’s coming!” Shinji’s face turned grim as he raised his left hand to his chest, forming the “Tiger” seal.

“Fire Style: Majestic Dragon Flame Jutsu!”

This Fire Style ninjutsu gathers a massive amount of chakra within the body, compressing it into the shape of a flaming dragon. The technique allows the user to skillfully manipulate the dragon to attack the enemy in front of them. Experts in the technique can even execute it with just the “Tiger” seal.

At this moment,

Shinji hooked his index finger and suddenly flipped his body mid-air, tilting his head back as he forcefully exhaled!

A fiery dragon head, meticulously condensed, erupted from his mouth with a roar, surging toward the icy wall ahead!

At the same time,

In the midst of this process, Shinji swiftly raised his right palm, aiming it at Kisame, who was unleashing massive waves of water behind him.

The black sun-like mark on his palm glowed brightly, gathering energy into a multi-petaled energy cannon!

A bright yellow beam of light condensed at the center of his palm and blasted out with a thunderous roar!

At this moment,

Both attacks were launched simultaneously.

If the Third Mizukage chose to save Kisame, the ice wall would shatter, freeing Shinji from the range of the Demonic Ice Crystal Mirrors, buying him precious time.

But if the Third Mizukage opted to block the fire dragon, Kisame would undoubtedly suffer severe injuries from the unabsorbable Sage Art energy cannon!

“So, what’s your choice, Third Mizukage?”

Shinji raised his head, his cold gaze piercing through the icy wall at the indifferent, closed-eyed Third Mizukage.

At that moment,

On the mirror-like surface of the ice prison wall,

The Third Mizukage slightly tilted his head, suddenly opening his eyes to reveal piercing, ice-blue pupils that glanced toward Kisame!

“Ice Style: Ultimate Ice Shield!”

A chillingly thin yet incredibly sturdy layer of ice suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of Kisame.

“As I thought, the key to this guy’s ninjutsu lies in opening his eyes.”

“Now’s my chance!”

The blood vessels around Shinji’s eyes bulged as bloodshot veins rapidly spread across the whites of his eyes. His three black tomoe spun wildly—

“Sage Art: Sharingan—Blazing Gaze!”

This dojutsu ignored distance and whether direct eye contact had been made. As long as the target was within a 360-degree field of vision and had their eyes open, the technique would hit its mark!

The true purpose of Shinji’s dual attack was this very moment—to force the Third Mizukage to act, make him open his eyes, and confirm whether opening them was indeed a prerequisite for his ninjutsu.

In an instant,

Shinji locked eyes with the Third Mizukage’s ice-blue pupils through the icy wall!

However—

Crack!

A sound like shattering ice suddenly came from somewhere to Shinji’s side.

The Third Mizukage, who had been hypnotized by the dojutsu, vanished from the ice wall.

The technique had missed!

Shinji abruptly turned his head toward the source of the cracking sound.

There, in mid-air, hidden by the icy mist emanating from the wall,

an eye made entirely of ice came into view!

No, it wasn’t revealed. Instead, it had cracked under the chakra wave impact of the dojutsu, making it stand out from the surrounding environment. This allowed Shinji’s Sharingan to detect it.

This floating eye, crafted from ice, reminded Shinji of a certain jutsu he had encountered in the original story—

The Third Eye, created by Gaara of the Hidden Sand Village using Sand Style.

This eye, however, was the Ice Style: Ultimate Ice Eye,

crafted by the Third Mizukage using his Ice Release!

“!!” Shinji froze momentarily, staring at the ice eye as if realizing something.

But in the next moment—

Because the Ultimate Ice Eye had shattered, the reflected image of the Third Mizukage on the ice wall appeared slightly distorted, as if unable to fully open its eyes or cast ninjutsu to stop the Majestic Dragon Flame from slamming into the ice wall.

The concentrated fireball of the Majestic Dragon Flame smashed through the ice prison with a deafening explosion.

At the same time, the massive waves from Kisame’s Great Exploding Water Shockwave surged forward!

Boom!!!

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 325: I’m Waiting for My Cooldown. What Are You Waiting For?*

The massive fireball from Haolong’s Flame instantly shattered the icy prison, and the torrential water column spewed out by Kisame Hoshigaki followed through the opening, like a dam burst open.

A surge of water rushed forward and crashed onto the icy surface below.

Amidst the cascading waves stood Shinji, perched atop the crest, a faint smile gracing his face.

After seeing the icy eye that had formed, Shinji roughly deduced what the Third Mizukage was relying on to fight, and why his combat style seemed so peculiar.

The enemy kept his eyes shut because he was using a technique similar to Gaara's Sand Eye—a sensory jutsu called Ice Release: Ice Clairvoyance. This technique uses the refraction of light through ice crystals to track opponents.

Even without possessing the Ice Release Kekkei Genkai of the Yuki Clan, shinobi in snowy environments could utilize such far-sight techniques.

As someone with the complete Ice Release heritage of the Yuki Clan, it was only natural for the Third Mizukage to use this jutsu.

Strictly speaking, the Third Mizukage’s fighting style closely resembled that of the Third, Fourth, and even the future Fifth Kazekages of Sunagakure: they all relied on controlling large-scale Kekkei Genkai to dominate battles.

This was evident from his earlier use of massive ice dragons and ice prisons.

Unlike the Kazekages, however, this Mizukage had developed an entire combat system based on Ice Release.

He replaced his physical sight with the omnipresent Ice Release: Extreme Ice Eye, which allowed him to survey the battlefield without revealing his real eyes.

This provided two advantages: acquiring a bird’s-eye view of the battlefield and avoiding direct eye contact with opponents, which could protect him from Sharingan-based genjutsu.

This strategy was likely developed to counter someone in particular—a powerful collaborator: *Madara Uchiha*.

Such a combat style must have been formed as a contingency against Uchiha Madara.

Another peculiar point was that the Mizukage didn’t require hand seals but only opened his eyes to release ninjutsu.

Shinji speculated:

"Maybe... this guy can weave hand seals with his eyes! Closing his eyelids might hide the sealing process, and opening them could correspond to the final seal, the ‘Serpent’ seal, often used in Water or Ice Release techniques!"

When all other possibilities are eliminated, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

The ways shinobi weave hand seals are often unconventional. While most ninja use their hands, the Uchiha clan has been known to use others’ hands to perform seals. Jiraiya used his feet, Minato mastered one-handed seals, and there have even been ninja in the original story who used their eyes to form seals.

“So that’s it,” Shinji mused aloud. “No wonder this guy looks so formidable but lets Kisame take point while he hides in a mirror, sneaking around to assist.”

Standing atop the wave, propelled by its force, Shinji suddenly halted his momentum by dragging one hand along the water’s surface. He steadied himself, gazing intently at the two figures who had emerged from the shattered ice prison.

His eyes shifted to the man with gray-white hair, trailing behind Kisame, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips.

He called out loudly, “Third Mizukage, have your taijutsu skills declined so much that you have to rely on cheap tricks to feign strength?”

“Hmm?!” Upon hearing this, Mizukage, the man behind Kisame, froze briefly. His expression darkened.

“How does he know?”

Indeed, the Third Mizukage, Mizukage, was even older than Hiruzen Sarutobi. As a tactical ninja specializing in large-scale battlefield control, taijutsu was never his strong suit.

Thus, he relied on Kisame, who was younger, stronger, and equipped with the fusion abilities of the Samehada, to confront Shinji head-on.

Mizukage knew full well that he could never defeat Shinji—someone who had vanquished Sunagakure’s “Boxing King” Ebizo and possessed the taijutsu strength to take down two Tailed Beasts bare-handed.

If this brat got close, Mizukage wouldn’t last three punches before meeting the ghosts of the Hozuki clan.

Exposed so directly, Mizukage’s face darkened further, though his eyes remained closed.

“To see through my façade after only one exchange...”

“This kind of insight... it’s just like Madara Uchiha’s!”

Tilting his face upward toward Shinji, Mizukage gritted his teeth.

“This brat is far too dangerous. He cannot be allowed to leave this place alive!”

Recalling the humiliation he had suffered under Madara Uchiha, Mizukage made up his mind.

“This world cannot have a second Madara Uchiha!”

With that thought, Mizukage opened his piercing blue eyes and glared at the water beneath Shinji’s feet.

He shouted, “Kisame, attack!”

As Mizukage opened his eyes, the ice beneath his feet spread outward in a frenzy, racing toward Shinji.

Hearing the command, Kisame grinned coldly, raised his hands above his head, and dove headfirst into the ocean.

Now, Mizukage no longer concealed his intentions. His eyes locked onto Shinji as his hands came together in the Serpent seal.

With a sinister growl, he bellowed:

“Ice Release: Ice Dragon Burst!”

Layers of ice crystals climbed up Shinji’s legs, binding him firmly to the frozen surface.

“——ROAR!!”

Four massive ice dragons erupted from the ice, coiling and surging toward Shinji, sealing off all his escape routes.

Meanwhile, beneath the water...

The now-transformed Kisame Hoshigaki, in his fusion mode with Samehada, clasped his hands together in a seal, baring his sharp teeth as he snarled:

"Water Style: Great Exploding Water Shockwave!"

Immediately, the ocean beneath the icy surface began to churn violently.

No, it wasn’t boiling—

The sea was reversing its course and surging toward the sky!

Moonlight refracted through the ascending water droplets, casting a glow on Shinji’s face.

Yet, he remained completely unshaken, even savoring the surreal spectacle before him. He allowed himself to be swept into a massive, nearly 300-meter-diameter ellipsoidal water prison created by the surging sea.

Earlier, Kisame’s first "Great Exploding Water Shockwave," cast from within the ice prison, had quietly replaced the seawater beneath with water infused with his chakra.

Now, a second wave of the same technique, enhanced by the ocean's surface environment, layered onto the first, lifting the entire sea to form an enormous water prison!

This colossal-scale jutsu left Shinji with no escape as he stood on the ocean's surface.

Boom!

Kisame leaped agilely from beneath the waves and dove straight into the water prison floating above the sea.

Mizukage curled his lips into a sly smirk as his hands formed seals and pressed against the water prison.

"Ice Style: Absolute Ice Prison Technique!"

In an instant, the outer layer of the 300-meter-wide water prison froze solid, gradually transforming into a massive ice sphere that slowly began sinking into the depths of the ocean.

Inside the ice sphere, Kisame swam toward Shinji, his expression brimming with confidence as though the situation was entirely under his control. He chuckled darkly:

"Little Uchiha brat, you should thank me~

"After all, I’ve prepared a special grave just for you!"

Suspended in the water prison, Shinji opened his eyes, casting a calm, indifferent glance at the gloating Kisame.

"What? You don’t believe me? Heh~"

Kisame narrowed his eyes, staring at Shinji like a patient predator.

"This water prison is infused entirely with my chakra," he sneered.

"Every second you spend here, your chakra is being siphoned away!"

"In this water-filled environment, you can only hold your breath; you can’t use fire-style techniques like the one you used to break the ice prison earlier. And with the Third Mizukage outside reinforcing the ice layer constantly—"

"In the end, this place will become a 300-meter-wide solid ice sphere, sinking 10,000 meters to the ocean floor!"

"The increasing pressure will gradually strip you of your ability to move."

"You’ll grow weaker and weaker—"

"And I,"

Kisame’s tone turned icy as his gaze locked onto Shinji,

"will kill you at the moment you’re at your weakest, when your chakra is completely drained!"

As his words echoed, Kisame clasped his hands together. Within the ice sphere, a stream of bubbles rose as he stared coldly at Shinji.

"Until then, why don’t you play with my little friends first?"

"Summoning Jutsu: Thousand Shark Feeding Frenzy!"

Kisame pressed his palm to the sphere, activating a massive summoning technique.

One after another, tiger sharks with dull coloration, serrated teeth, and deep brown markings appeared, summoned by Kisame into the ice prison. They immediately began circling Shinji like predators awaiting their meal.

Yet, despite being trapped in this perilous situation—surrounded by a thousand ravenous sharks and flanked by two powerful enemies in Kisame and the Third Mizukage—Shinji’s expression was strangely calm.

He stared intently at Kisame, who continued summoning sharks, and at the Third Mizukage, who hovered outside the ice sphere, watching as if anticipating a grand show.

He finally understood—

Though these two claimed they wanted him dead, they had multiple chances to engage him in close combat yet avoided direct confrontation. Instead, they relied on large-scale Water and Ice Style techniques to trap him.

Their plan was clear: to slowly exhaust him through chakra absorption, summoned beasts, and natural environmental pressures, boiling the frog in water, so to speak.

Indeed, this was one hallmark of ninja battles.

But seriously—

He was simply waiting for his cooldowns.

What were they waiting for?

Were they really so terrified of fighting him up close?

Shinji glanced at his chest—

Specifically, at the heart within, where the "Sage’s Heart" was being steadily constructed.

The regenerative barrier embedded in the Uchiha Fire Formation was complete. Powered by the Eight-Tails’ chakra core, it was quietly birthing a powerful force—something far beyond Shinji’s previous limits, like a colossal vacuum pump drawing in energy.

From an unseen vantage point, natural energy from a 10-kilometer radius spiraled rapidly, surging into Shinji’s heart.

At this moment—

A deep, abyssal power was beginning to awaken.

(End of Chapter)