316-320

*Chapter 316: Madara Uchiha Rises Overnight!*

The borderlands between the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Frost lay along a coastal region.

Stretching from the Mountain Graveyard, the Earth's veins of chakra extended to this place.

At this moment, beneath the quiet night sky and before an endless black ocean,

an old man with ashen hair rested a scythe against a boulder as if it were a cane. Leaning sideways on the rock,

he sat still in the massive shadow cast by an enormous structure, awaiting something.

The old man tilted his head slightly, gazing at the faintly visible crescent moon hanging in the sky.

His brows furrowed in frustration.

"Byakuran, that worthless fool—why is he late again?"

"Tch, I should’ve killed him last time."

The old man let out a cold snort, his expression growing increasingly impatient.

Just then, the rock beside him began to ripple like the surface of water.

A pale figure wrapped in a pitcher plant emerged halfway, wearing a peculiar smile.

"Ah, Lord Madara, good evening~"

"It seems the Third Mizukage has encountered an unexpected individual."

"Byakuran? Who did he meet?"

Madara Uchiha frowned and asked in a cold voice.

The so-called Third Mizukage, Byakuran, hailed from the Snow Clan, just like the First Mizukage, Hakuren.

He had inherited Hakuren’s mastery of Ice Release, Water Release, and Wind Release techniques.

In the original timeline, Byakuran participated in the First Five Kage Summit as the First Mizukage’s bodyguard.

Though he was presumed to be the successor to the Mizukage title, unlike the other villages,

it was not Byakuran who became the Second Mizukage. Instead, the title went to the well-known "Little Mustache," Gengetsu Hozuki.

The reasons behind this change remain a mystery.

"It's that brat you've shown interest in before—" Zetsu's face twisted into a mischievous grin.

"Shinji!"

At these words, Madara Uchiha’s gaze instantly sharpened, his crimson Sharingan spinning to life, revealing a pair of ominous three-tomoe patterns.

"Four days ago, you altered the plan and spared the Third Mizukage, even lending him Tobi."

"Heh, and now that guy’s become terrifyingly powerful!"

Whoosh!

Creak... creak... creak...

In an instant, the azure skeletal hand of Susano’o appeared, swiftly forming a massive hand of flesh and bone.

It grabbed Zetsu tightly, causing his body to creak and groan under the pressure. His cries of agony resembled the squeals of a dying rat.

"Ahhh! Lord Madara, I was wrong!"

Madara Uchiha stared coldly at him.

"Speak."

"Shinji?"

"When you reported to me a few days ago, wasn’t that brat still playing childish games in the Land of Lightning?"

After the Hell Valley incident, Madara had ordered Zetsu to track Shinji’s movements.

He was aware of all Shinji’s experiences in the Land of Lightning and had meticulously planned to force the boy to confront reality.

However—

now, the chosen successor and a pawn intended to manipulate a nation were about to clash prematurely.

To allow these two future enemies to meet now—

No matter how he looked at it, this was Zetsu's failure and a critical intelligence lapse!

Zetsu, his face contorted in pain, spoke hurriedly:

"Lord Madara, the boy you placed to house the Rinnegan is near Shinji. I couldn’t get too close; after all, those are your eyes—"

"When I discovered Shinji’s whereabouts, the two were already dangerously close to each other."

"They’re on the ocean. There’s no way to avoid contact."

Bang!

White flesh splattered across the ground as Madara suddenly stood up.

Madara Uchiha, who had been sitting in the shadows and meticulously controlling the world’s destiny,

had not expected such a critical misstep.

Narrowing his eyes, he gazed deeply into the distant ocean and let out a long breath.

"Let’s hope I’m not too late,"

"Before that fool is forced to reveal Wood Release!"

Madara gripped his scythe and strode toward the water, his expression cold and resolute.

Behind him, the massive Gedo Statue cast an eerie shadow.

"Otherwise—"

"Even if I admire you, Shinji,"

“You’ve become someone outside the plan, so you can only be abandoned!”

Meanwhile,

On the vast expanse of the azure sea, a lone boat was floating at the junction of the moon and sea.

“Damn it, how did the engine get waterlogged?”

Shinji held a repair manual in his hands, standing in the lower cabin. He kicked the smoking engine twice with a clang, feeling a little frustrated.

Thunderboats were quite a nifty invention, no doubt, but this new technology had appeared so quickly that the supporting systems weren’t as refined as they should be. When faced with unexpected issues, it left people utterly clueless.

Cough cough. Shinji would never admit it was because he was speeding with the boat.

Looking at the increasing pile of dismantled parts by his feet, which he couldn’t seem to reassemble, Shinji wore the same expression as an old man staring blankly at a smartphone on the subway.

“Well, at least I’ve reached the travel route of Turtle Island.”

“All I need to do now is wait for the island turtle to pass by. As for getting back, I’ll have to leave it to Orochimaru to come up with a solution.”

Unable to repair the engine and confirming he didn’t have the knack for merging man and machine into one, Shinji sighed. He stood up from the cabin floor and walked onto the deck.

“Well then,”

“With nothing else to do, I might as well start testing some of my theories.”

Sitting cross-legged on the deck, he glanced at the position of the moon above his head.

He estimated that the island turtle would take about another hour to arrive.

Shinji didn’t intend to idle away the time.

This trip to Turtle Island was to further explore the potential to enhance his Sage Mode.

Turtle Island had two key features:

First, the waterfall of truth, which allowed one to confront the darkness within.

Second, the training chamber, where one could pass a trial to reach their spiritual world.

Mastering a tailed beast and mastering Sage powers shared similarities—they both involved taming wild forces that didn’t inherently belong to oneself.

By conquering the inner waterfall, reaching a state of mental clarity, and then activating a mutated Sharingan,

Perhaps he could replicate what he did in Ryuchi Cave with the Cat’s Eye Stone sent by Tianshin Hime—using the mutated Sharingan to observe and harness the high-concentration natural energy within the cave.

That could lead to methods of extending Sage Mode or accelerating its training process.

Recalling his own experience,

The moment he grasped the Cat’s Eye Stone, it felt as if his entire mind had been cleansed. He achieved a complete emptiness, entering a wondrous state of harmony between man and nature.

This state of mental clarity seemed to resemble the mindset described in the original story—when one could control a tailed beast and become a perfect jinchuriki.

After pulling a fast one on the White Snake Sage, returning to Ryuchi Cave for another Cat’s Eye Stone seemed unrealistic.

Last time, when he was reverse-summoned to Ryuchi Cave by the White Snake Sage, he didn’t see the stone hanging around her neck.

This might indicate that the Cat’s Eye Stone was an exceptionally rare item, even in Ryuchi Cave.

Aside from that,

Before reaching Turtle Island, Shinji had another thing he wanted to test:

That was the seemingly powerful yet largely unhelpful talent listed on his interface—

[Talent: Fragmented Ten Tails Form (S)]!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 317: The Unique Traits of Tailed Beasts and the Sage’s Seal!

The "Incomplete Ten-Tails Body" talent is derived from assembling parts of tailed beasts' bodies. However, compared to the near-limitless chakra reserves of true tailed beasts, the chakra capacity gained from this incomplete talent is limited. It doesn’t even surpass the chakra increase Shinji experienced when awakening the Three Tomoe Sharingan.

Instead, this talent seems to bestow Shinji with a conceptual ability.

Specifically, when Shinji inadvertently entered Konoha's base in Yunming City and encountered Kakashi, this talent revealed some of its practical applications—

[Acquiring the Chakra Traits of the Corresponding Tailed Beast].

Based on the three tailed beast bodies already acquired, Shinji gained:

• Two-Tails: Flame Release – Flame of the Rat Jade

• Eight-Tails: Octopus Sealing Technique

• Nine-Tails: Hatred Manifestation

At the time, the urgency of the situation and subsequent battles left Shinji with no opportunity to study and master these newfound abilities, so he set them aside temporarily. However, based on the intense explosion triggered by the Two-Tails’ chakra at the scene, the effects are straightforward:

• Two-Tails’ chakra amplifies the power of Fire Release.

• Nine-Tails’ chakra enhances physical strength and potentially augments genjutsu.

During the current mission to Turtle Island, mastering these three abilities is second only to the primary goal of developing the Sage Mode.

Among the three, the one Shinji finds most intriguing and wishes to experiment with is—

“Phew!”

Dark chakra surged along the meridians in his hand, forming a swirling, ink-colored sphere that resembled an octopus ink ball.

“Its power isn’t great, and this chakra-formed Rasengan doesn’t have immediate sealing capabilities.”

Gazing at the black sphere in his palm, Shinji pondered for a moment. He abandoned the Rasengan approach and instead formed a series of hand seals, initiating another technique:

Sealing Technique: One-Lamp Formation!

Pressing his palm to the deck, a complex array of runes quickly spread outward. From the center of the formation emerged a basketball-sized, semi-transparent black bubble.

This basic sealing technique, the One-Lamp Formation, can immobilize anyone standing at its center. Alternatively, when reversed, it ejects restraining runes to form a fragile sealing barrier.

Shinji drew a kunai from his ninja pouch and struck the bubble with full force.

Surprisingly, the blow was smoothly deflected.

He then formed the "Tiger" hand seal, causing flames to ignite along the blade of the kunai, and struck the black bubble again.

Boom!

The One-Lamp Formation shattered.

“As expected, this chakra must be used through sealing techniques.”

“Using the Eight-Tails’ chakra in the One-Lamp Formation gives it defensive power nearly equivalent to a Triple Barrier Seal.”

“And if this chakra is used to perform a Triple Barrier Seal—”

Shinji’s eyes snapped open, veins bulging at the corners as he created two shadow clones with a cross-shaped hand seal. The clones crafted a black Triple Barrier Seal, while Ci raised his hand and aligned four fingers.

Lightning surged violently in his palm.

Hell Stab: Four-Finger Thrust!

Whoosh!

The Four-Finger Thrust struck the Triple Barrier Seal but failed to pierce it!

Shinji withdrew his pinky finger, reducing the thrust to Three-Finger Thrust, and struck again.

Zzzzzzz!

Crack!

Bang! Bang!

Sparks scattered as his lightning-cloaked hand finally pierced through the Triple Barrier Seal. The seal shattered along with the shadow clones maintaining it, vanishing into smoke.

“Not bad!”

Seeing the results, Shinji couldn’t hide his excitement. Moments earlier, the shadow clones had performed not a regular Triple Barrier Seal, but one infused with Sage Chakra—

Sage Art: Sealing Technique – Triple Barrier Seal!

This dramatically enhanced the barrier’s defense, requiring a Three-Finger Thrust to break through, compared to the base Triple Barrier Seal, which couldn’t even restrain the Raikage’s Lightning Armor.

But the true significance lies in—

The Triple Barrier Seal was never designed to integrate Sage Mode. Typically, applying Sage Chakra to ninjutsu increases power and scale, such as Jiraiya’s Sage Art: Goemon or Hashirama’s Sage Art: Gate of the Great God (whose sealing power comes from Wood Release absorbing chakra).

The enhanced defense of the Triple Barrier Seal comes from combining the Eight-Tails’ chakra traits with natural energy to form Sage Chakra. This unique chakra neutralizes and stabilizes the volatile natural energy, enabling the successful application of Sage Mode to sealing techniques.

It’s akin to how Kurama, after reconciling with Naruto during the Fourth Great Ninja War, created shadow clones to help Naruto absorb natural energy from the earth.

Tailed beasts possess the ability to absorb and store natural energy. Though Shinji doesn’t have a tailed beast, he wields the Eight-Tails’ chakra, which is even more suited for storing natural energy due to its sealing properties.

And this—

This is the answer Shinji sought!

“If I construct a seal similar to the Yin Seal using the chakra of the Eight-Tails, capable of storing natural energy…”

“Then, I could extend the duration of the [Sage Mode] and enhance the sustained combat ability of the [Sage Transformation] form!”

“However, creating such a Sage Art seal is theoretically impossible.”

“Because there’s no way to create a cage that can contain a large amount of natural energy. Besides, I don’t even understand the underlying principle of the Yin Seal.”

“But—”

Shinji fell silent for a moment before pulling out a scroll decorated with serpent-like patterns.

Inside, it held a horn of the Eight-Tails.

“I have half of the Eight-Tails’ chakra to spare. Plus, with the unique properties of the Eight-Tails’ chakra and the family sealing technique I’ve mastered…”

In silence, Shinji summoned a small white snake, which spat out a specially crafted scroll bearing the Uchiha clan emblem.

Six bold characters were written on it:

“Uchiha Flame Formation!”

During the Fourth Great Ninja War, Uchiha Obito used this barrier technique. By converting chakra from the caster’s five fingers into fire and connecting it to the inferno rising from the earth, the technique created an enormous fire barrier around its target.

It was a B-rank sealing technique capable of withstanding even attacks from Tailed Beasts.

The infernal prison became an impenetrable wall, reducing any who opposed it to ashes.

Uchiha Obito used this technique to protect the Ten-Tails from the Eight-Tails’ attack. When the Eight-Tails struck the barrier, it felt like nothing more than a scratch.

Of course, this technique required tapping into the earth’s flames to form a defensive barrier capable of incinerating enemies completely.

Currently, Shinji was at sea, so finding an active volcano was out of the question.

However, Shinji’s Fire Release: Chakra Mode, fueled by his burning heart, combined with the [Blaze Release] bestowed by the Two-Tails’ chakra, should surpass even a volcano’s power!

Looking at the two scrolls in front of him, Shinji couldn’t help but sigh.

“As the saying goes: ‘With great power, bricks will fly.’”

“Strong things are often not that complicated.”

“Even without the Yin Seal, I can create a Sage Seal of my own with an unconventional approach!”

With this thought, Shinji’s eyes lit up. Without hesitation, he bit his finger and slashed it across the two scrolls!

The boy’s excited voice echoed through the smoke dispersing around him:

“Let’s get started!”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 318: Senjutsu: Sealing Technique - Uchiha Flame Formation! Shadow of Intrigue!

Amid the swirling white mist, two objects appeared on the ship's deck.

The first was an enormous object that, upon appearing, cracked the deck and caused the thunder ship to lurch downward. It was none other than the severed horn of the Eight-Tails.

The second was a sealing scroll summoned through a summoning technique.

This was the "Uchiha Flame Formation."

The scroll itself wasn’t made from waterproof material, so it was encased in another scroll to protect it while stored inside the White Snake.

The scroll not only recorded the instructions for casting the Uchiha Flame Formation but also contained the ability to activate it once.

This scroll, gifted to Shinji during his training in Hell Valley by Uchiha Fugaku, was a highly valuable item. If deployed in a critical location, this technique could even alter the course of a war!

Although Shinji had already mastered this barrier technique during his time in Hell Valley, this moment was about engraving the Uchiha Flame Formation into his own body.

To ensure success, he opted to use the sealing scroll, which contained a complete record of the sealing technique.

With this decision made, Shinji first turned his gaze toward the Eight-Tails' horn.

The Uchiha Flame Formation, in some respects, resembled the Earth Release technique used by Tutai to manipulate terrain. Both techniques relied on natural forces, but in the absence of such forces, they required immense chakra consumption.

The first step was to handle the Eight-Tails' horn—cutting a portion of it and integrating it into his body as the energy core to sustain the sealing technique.

Shinji's eyes focused intensely, his pupils widening. He clasped his hands together in a seal.

“First, I need to cut it!”

“Susanoo, strike for me!”

With a commanding shout, flames erupted behind him, and a powerful gust of wind surged. A skeletal arm of Susanoo materialized, transitioning from illusion to solid form. Then, from its palm, a blue blade of light extended!

The Blade of Thunder - Futsunomitama swung down instantly, slicing the Eight-Tails' horn in a 2:8 ratio.

Only a fifth of the Eight-Tails' horn was necessary to construct the chakra required for the sealing technique.

However, even summoning just one arm of Susanoo and energizing the Blade of Thunder caused Shinji to stagger. His body trembled, sweat poured down his face, and he nearly collapsed, his chakra almost completely drained.

“Phew...”

Taking a deep breath, Shinji dismissed Susanoo and the Blade of Thunder. He stepped toward the shorter segment of the Eight-Tails' horn, raised his hand, and pressed it against the horn.

For this step, he needed to use—

"Human Puppet Technique: Chakra Core!"

This technique could refine a person's entire chakra into a marble-sized core.

Undoubtedly, this method, recently acquired from the legendary Puppet Master Chiyo of the Hidden Sand, represented chakra compression far beyond the current standards of the ninja world. Shinji even suspected that the chakra pills consumed by Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki, which contained absorbed ninjutsu, were based on a similar principle.

The ninja world is truly full of geniuses!

As his hand pressed against the Eight-Tails' horn, eerie runic patterns spread across its surface.

Crunch... crunch...

A sharp, grinding sound, like bones being crushed in a blender, echoed.

Even though the horn was severed, the two-meter-tall piece still retained a portion of the Eight-Tails' chakra. Under the technique's compression, it began to shrink—not merely in size, but as its chakra condensed toward Shinji's palm.

The depleted parts of the horn turned into shriveled, lifeless husks, collapsing like deflated leather.

Moments later, Shinji withdrew his hand, now holding an irregularly shaped black orb that shimmered ominously.

“This is where the real danger begins!”

Staring gravely at the orb in his hand, he raised his other hand and pointed its fingertips toward his heart.

Then—

Shlick!

In an instant, his lightning-clad hand pierced his chest, cutting into his body. Blood spurted out violently, exposing his heart, which was entwined with threads of Earth Grudge Fear, glistening under the moonlight.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Shinji pressed the Eight-Tails' chakra core into his heart.

He immediately activated Secret Technique: Earth Grudge Fear Stitching and Forbidden Technique: Physical Regeneration to mend his heart, enclosing the chakra core within it.

With his heart sealed, Shinji spread his fingers wide, his palm covered in fresh blood, and slammed it down onto the scroll at his feet.

During this process, his eyes widened, the veins around them bulging. He absorbed natural energy into his body, merging it with his chakra to form Senjutsu Chakra.

“Senjutsu: Sealing Technique - Uchiha Flame Formation!”

At his shout, the countless characters on the scroll beneath his hand twisted and distorted.

Driven by Senjutsu Chakra, infused with the nature of the Eight-Tails’ chakra and natural energy, the symbols climbed up his arm. They snaked across his shoulder and chest, converging on his heart to form a sealing array centered on it, extending toward his left chest and shoulder.

At this moment, Shinji was modifying the activation direction of his technique.

The core principle of the Uchiha Flame Formation is to stir up subterranean fire to create a powerful barrier. However, there were no subterranean flames or volcanoes in this location. If Shinji wanted to generate a similarly strong and binding defensive wall to lock in natural energy, he would need to find the fire source within himself!

“Whew…”

He let out a deep breath, feeling his heartbeat gradually return to a steady rhythm. The open wound on his chest began to heal as well.

"Up to this point, all preparations are complete."

"Next—"

Shinji raised his bloodstained hand. Flames lit up at the tips of his five fingers one by one, his gaze sharpening.

"All that's left is to ‘ignite’ it!"

At the same time, on the sea, somewhere else.

Thick black smoke billowed from the tall chimney of a massive steamship slowly approaching from the direction of the Land of Water.

On the deck—

"Lord Mizukage, we've spotted a 'lightning ship' ahead. The signalman sent several flag signals, but there’s no response."

"What are your orders?"

A middle-aged man dressed as a captain approached, bowing slightly as he addressed a handsome elderly man with gray and white hair standing at the bow of the ship.

"A lightning ship? Who’s aboard?"

The Third Mizukage, Haku Ran, furrowed his brows slightly. He reached for a telescope hanging at the captain's waist.

Raising the telescope, he looked toward the ship that was still just a small white dot on the horizon.

Through the lens, Haku Ran’s gaze quickly focused on the lightning ship.

And what he saw was chilling—

A massive bull-like horn, blood covering the entire deck, and standing amidst the pool of blood, a black-haired boy with glowing flames on his fingertips, seemingly lost in thought.

The next moment—

The black-haired boy's expression twisted into a sinister snarl. He flipped his hand suddenly, pressing the flaming fingers onto his chest!

With a sharp twist—

It was as if he had flipped the switch to something horrifying.

“—Boom!!”

Centered on the boy,

an invisible gale spread outward in a transparent ripple!

Crack!

In that fleeting instant,

the glass lens of the telescope shattered. Sharp fragments of the densely packed lenses shot through the brass tube toward Haku Ran's eyes!

Startled, Haku Ran steadied himself and tilted his head to avoid the shards.

Then—

On the violently swaying deck of the ship, he raised his head and saw—

A crimson beam of fire shot straight into the sky from the ocean’s surface, piercing the heavens in an instant!

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 319: Shrouded in Mist, Killing Intent Rises!*

The entire ocean surged violently, with towering flames at its center.

The massive ship rocked uncontrollably amidst the natural fury, like a small boat caught in a storm.

Standing on the ship's deck, the Third Mizukage, Byaku Ran, suddenly changed his expression.

"That guy is Shinji!"

He recalled the encounter in the Land of Hot Springs when he had fallen under a genjutsu, witnessing a battle between young geniuses alongside that man.

Now, only three months later, Byaku Ran easily recognized the youth on the lightning-infused ship—the same Uchiha kid favored by that man!

"Why is he here?! And judging by the looks of it, he’s been waiting for me along my route for quite some time.”

“Could it be… the Elder Council sent him to assassinate me?!”

Byaku Ran’s face grew grim.

"Who leaked my route? Was it Hozuki Mangetsu?"

"No, that’s not right! Hozuki Mangetsu left the village for a mission half a month ago. The only ones who know my whereabouts are—"

Byaku Ran’s expression darkened further as his gaze fell on the pursuing shinobi aboard the swaying deck behind him.

This route was classified as a top-secret Mist Village operation!

It involved a transaction with Uchiha Madara, using the life of the Three-Tails Jinchuriki as a bargaining chip to provide life force to the Gedo Statue. In return, he sought Uchiha Madara’s assistance in suppressing the rising power of other factions within the Mist Village.

Even his decision to depart with the delegation heading to the Land of Lightning was made abruptly to deliver the Three-Tails Jinchuriki to Uchiha Madara. He had already prepared to sacrifice the Jinchuriki.

Only a select few among the pursuing shinobi had knowledge of this route, and they had been under his watch the entire time, leaving no chance to send out any information.

Except, perhaps, for the leader of the pursuing shinobi.

Byaku Ran suddenly turned his head, his cold gaze locking onto the figure of Kisame, who stood gripping the hilt of his Greatsword: Samehada.

At that moment, on the deck, Kisame felt the chilling, sinister look from the Third Mizukage. A shiver ran down his spine, and his grip on Samehada’s hilt instinctively tightened.

"Why is he looking at me like that? What does that glare mean? Does he… know about my allegiance to Kyoji Yagura? Is he planning to kill me?"

For a fleeting moment, Kisame almost couldn’t resist slamming Samehada onto Byaku Ran’s head, shouting, “The stone man has only one eye, and the Yellow River shall rise against the heavens!” He imagined boldly defecting on the spot, raising the banner of rebellion for Kyoji Yagura.

But the ambush to eliminate the Third Mizukage was not yet in motion, and neither Kyoji Yagura nor Kanryu were ready. Kisame barely held back his impulsive urge to behead the Mizukage then and there.

Then, Byaku Ran spoke, his voice devoid of emotion:

"Xiguashan."

"Take everyone and kill that brat for me!"

"Uh?" Kisame was dumbfounded. He looked in the direction the Mizukage was pointing—toward the massive pillar of flames responsible for the ship's tremors.

There, he recognized the figure of Shinji amidst the flames.

Another shiver ran down Kisame’s spine. His previously confused mind suddenly cleared.

Me? Take down Shinji? Are you kidding me?

After the Hell Valley Battle and the destruction of Yunming Castle, Shinji’s reputation had shaken the entire shinobi world. Tales of his assassination of a nation’s daimyo had spread widely.

It wasn’t just about whether he could take on Shinji—who knew how many S-rank rogue ninjas might appear by that kid’s side?

But Byaku Ran’s impatient glare grew colder.

Kisame stiffened, realizing that defying orders would only lead to his demise. The Mizukage’s increasing paranoia and cruel methods as he aged meant he’d face severe consequences if he disobeyed.

Gritting his teeth, he raised his hand, signaling his men to leap off the deck and charge toward Shinji.

The other pursuers followed his lead without hesitation.

At the rear of the group, a shark-like member of the pursuing shinobi moved to leap past Byaku Ran. Just as they were about to jump, Byaku Ran spoke softly, his words audible only to the two of them.

"Kisame Hoshigaki."

The cold, detached voice whispered in Kisame’s ear.

"When the opportunity arises, kill Kisame.”

“The Greatsword: Samehada will be yours.”

Kisame Hoshigaki froze. Behind his mask, his shark-like eyes met the Mizukage’s unwavering, resolute gaze.

After a brief silence, Kisame nodded silently. Then, without hesitation, he leapt into action.

After finishing all of this,

Bailan looked coldly at the two groups about to clash, the chill in his gaze growing even deeper.

Regardless of whether this brat’s appearance here was intentional or an accident,

at such a critical moment, anyone who might leak secrets must be silenced—permanently.

This matter must not be revealed!

If the existence of Uchiha Madara behind him were exposed, Bailan wasn’t particularly afraid of how the people of the Hidden Mist Village might react.

What he truly feared,

was Uchiha Madara himself!

He feared that Uchiha Madara would kill him for failing to handle matters properly!

A month and a half ago, when he traveled to the Land of Hot Water to meet Uchiha Madara,

there was already a murderous intent in Madara's eyes when he looked at him.

That day, Madara had genuinely intended to kill him. For some unknown reason, he changed his mind at the last moment,

saying that Bailan still had some use.

(This corresponds to Chapter 218, where Uchiha Madara explicitly states his intent to kill someone but changes his mind because of specific circumstances.)

Thinking of this, Bailan couldn’t help but let out a bitter, self-mocking smile.

Back then, in order to prove he was stronger than Hozuki Gengetsu and to pave the way for the Hidden Mist Village’s future,

he chose to ally with a tiger.

Yet now, he had reared a tiger that had become a threat.

Even though he was the Mizukage of the Hidden Mist,

the entire Land of Water was already shrouded under that man’s shadow!

With this thought,

Bailan gazed at Uchiha Tsukuyo, standing at the center of the waves,

and Kisame, who was charging toward him. His expression grew stern.

With just Kisame, it was naturally impossible to kill Uchiha Tsukuyo.

So...

Bailan took a deep breath and extended his hand from his wide sleeve.

In his palm, a small spore quietly blossomed.

The spore took root and sprouted along his arm, wrapping around half his body.

Soon, a pale-faced figure with a whirlpool-like head emerged from his shoulder.

“Hehehe~”

“Oh, Third Mizukage, are you finally going to tell me what it’s like to take a dump?”

Bailan’s face darkened. He turned his head to look at the whirlpool-shaped head and locked eyes with its hollow, deep sockets. Then he said,

“You’re called Zetsu, right? Hurry up and help me!”

“By myself, I can’t kill him!”

“Huh?”

“Well, since Lord Madara ordered me to assist you, of course I’ll help!”

The whirlpool-faced Zetsu chuckled and then spoke in a tone that was both serious and comical:

“But my name is Tobi. Call me Tobi!”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 320: The Heart—The Strongest Muscle!*

At this moment,

While Shinji was busy conducting experimental research on his own body, he had no idea that the Third Mizukage, fully armed, was not far away, preparing to launch an attack on him.

He was currently at a critical juncture.

After igniting his heart with the "Five Fingers of Fire" to activate the Uchiha Flame Formation, Shinji realized something:

He had overdone it.

When he initiated the Fire Release: Chakra Mode combined with Matatabi’s chakra, along with natural energy and Gyūki’s chakra, it formed Sage Chakra. This Sage Chakra established the Uchiha Flame Formation in his heart, creating a barrier so strong that even a Tailed Beast-level attack couldn’t break it.

This barrier, imprinted onto his body, was incredibly durable.

How durable, you ask?

Even Hell Stab: One Finger Thrust couldn’t penetrate it. Its defensive strength rivaled the strongest Lightning Release armor running at full power!

From now on, Shinji wouldn’t have to worry about anyone targeting his heart,

Because at this moment, his heart was as tough as diamond—literally!

But that’s where the problem arose.

Shinji had only considered strengthening his defense to suppress the rampaging natural energy within him.

However, he overlooked an important fact: the Uchiha Flame Formation, enhanced by Sage Jutsu, was inherently composed of natural energy and chakra. Trying to use natural energy of the same density to suppress itself was somewhat wishful thinking.

As a result, although the Uchiha Flame Formation formed a self-sustaining cycle based on Fire Release: Chakra Mode—essentially layering his heart with armor that could expand to cover his entire body and even beyond—it failed to seal away the immense natural energy.

“The issue lies in energy compatibility!”

Scratching his head, Shinji activated his Sharingan, his expression grave as he glared at his own chest.

Through the enhanced vision of the Sharingan, he could closely observe the chakra flow within the Uchiha Flame Formation.

At this moment,

Natural energy freely entered and exited his heart like it owned the place.

“It seems I’ve hit a dead end,” he muttered.

“The defensive capabilities of the Sage Jutsu-enhanced sealing technique blinded me. I shouldn’t have used Sage Jutsu to suppress natural energy. Instead, I should have directly used Tailed Beast chakra to construct the seal!”

“But... there’s still a way!”

Without hesitation, Shinji formed a new set of hand signs.

Since Sage Jutsu couldn’t restrict natural energy, he decided to construct an additional layer—or even multiple layers—of sealing techniques inside the Uchiha Flame Formation, driven purely by Tailed Beast chakra.

Fortunately, he had mastered an advanced and powerful sealing technique:

*Ultra Deathmatch Barrier (S-Class Mastery)*

This sealing technique, derived from the Uzumaki clan’s Regeneration Barrier, possessed self-regenerative properties. While its defense wasn’t particularly strong, its unique characteristics and Shinji’s mastery of it at the grandmaster level made it perfect for this situation.

By combining the two, he would complete the ultimate creation: a “Sage’s Heart” with unparalleled defensive strength and the ability to seal natural energy!

However, just as he was engrossed in his research,

The outside world intruded.

Suddenly, Shinji’s vision went dark.

Under the moonlight, a massive shadow loomed over him!

A colossal ship, so large that its stern was out of sight, surged atop an eight-meter-high wave.

Moments later,

From the massive ship, figures agile and skilled leapt down one after another!

The leader of the group was a brawny man with spiky orange hair like a sea urchin. He wielded an oversized sword as large as a door, swinging it with force as he aimed a diagonal slash at Shinji’s shoulder!

This man was none other than *Kisame’s mentor, Fuguki Suikazan*.

At this moment, his expression was tense, his gaze locked onto Shinji’s shoulder and waistline.

In his mind, he was calculating frantically:

“To survive against this seemingly indestructible brat, I absolutely can’t let him use that terrifying Fire Release!”

“So, I must land a decisive blow—destroy his heart!”

“Based on the latest intel, this brat also has an Earth Release technique that hardens his body.”

“This strike will probably fail, but that’s fine. I’ve already instructed Kisame to launch a sneak attack from behind and pierce his heart. As long as my Samehada hits and absorbs his body-hardening technique...”

“Then the second strike might succeed, and I’ll have a slim chance of surviving!”

Yes, Fuguki Suikazan’s only goal was to survive.

Even with his unique chakra-absorbing sword, Samehada, he had no illusions about defeating Shinji. After all, even two Tailed Beast Jinchūriki had fallen to this boy.

What’s more, Fuguki had already betrayed the Third Mizukage and pledged allegiance to Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage. Naturally, he wasn’t willing to risk his life for the Third Mizukage at this point.

Thus, he carefully planned how to survive this suicidal first strike and fake serious injuries, leaving the terrifying Shinji to be dealt with by the Third Mizukage.

However, contrary to Fuguki Suikazan’s calculations—

At this moment...

Shinji suddenly saw a massive blade, as wide as a door, flying straight toward his head.

His heart involuntarily skipped a beat.

At the moment, all of his chakra was being used to construct a sealing array. The Eight-Tails Chakra Core, which was supposed to generate his chakra, was busy creating a regenerative barrier and couldn’t redirect chakra to his body in time.

Meanwhile, the natural energy he had absorbed was locked within his heart by the sealing array, unable to enhance his body.

Without chakra or the boost from natural energy, the speed of his body—which had only just started undergoing physical training—was far too slow to dodge the incoming blade!

He had no choice but to take the hit head-on.

Still, although his body couldn’t react, thanks to his ever-sharper Sharingan, Shinji could see every move of Hoshigaki Fuguki as if the man were moving frame by frame in slow motion.

This meant the stance he used to endure the attack mattered a great deal. Relying on his combat intuition, Shinji shifted his body within a narrow range to avoid suffering irreparable injuries. Protecting his heart—the most critical part of his system—had always been his basic strategy in battle.

But today, Shinji was shocked to discover something peculiar.

As the blade swung toward his heart, his body, which should have instinctively reacted to the life-threatening danger, remained utterly still.

It was as if—

Doing nothing and standing still was the best response?

These thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.

At that moment, Hoshigaki Fuguki, his expression grave, swung the massive Samehada sword. The broad blade carried a fierce wind that shattered the sound barrier as it whirled downward.

Whoosh!

The blade sliced diagonally toward Shinji’s left shoulder.

Thud!

Blood and flesh flew in all directions as the immense force of the strike shattered bones.

Crunch! Crack! Crack!

Without any delay, the blade cut through his shoulder, crushed the bones along its path, and aimed directly at Shinji’s heart!

Witnessing this, Hoshigaki Fuguki couldn’t help but hold his breath.

What the hell?

Why isn’t this kid dodging?

Am I really about to hit him? Am I actually about to land this strike?

Damn it, could this be genjutsu?!

Despite landing a seemingly decisive blow on an almost unbeatable opponent, Hoshigaki Fuguki didn’t feel any joy. Instead, he was overcome by confusion and anxiety.

Could it really be this easy?

Just like that, I can destroy his heart and take away his Fire Style?

But in the next moment—

CLANG!

It sounded as if the blade had struck solid diamond. A sudden recoil sent shockwaves through Hoshigaki Fuguki’s entire body, his face trembling uncontrollably from the jarring force.

For a brief moment, he stood frozen like Tom the Cat after slamming into a bell, his body shuddering from head to toe.

The immense recoil from Shinji’s heart and the searing heat that spread at the point of contact filled Hoshigaki Fuguki with dread. Instinctively, he kicked Shinji away and released his grip on Samehada, which had turned scorching hot and clattered to the ground, glowing red.

Eyes wide with horror, Hoshigaki Fuguki stared at Shinji in disbelief.

“What... what the hell?! Why can’t I cut through you?”

Shinji blinked, contemplating the question from the pudgy man who had just attacked him. After a moment of somber thought, he answered with a serious expression:

“You idiot,”

“Isn’t it common sense?”

“The heart is the strongest muscle!”

(End of Chapter)