Chapter 66: The Clash in the Tower (Patreon)

Facing the impassioned Amegakure ninja, the Konoha group realized the situation was turning sour, but there was nothing they could do. This was the irreconcilable hatred between Konoha and Amegakure. Even Jiraiya could only attempt to "atone" by teaching Nagato and the others; he could never truly erase it. This hatred and loathing had been suppressed by Kakashi's combination of threats and inducements, only to be reignited by that intruder.

So, the only solution was to kill that suddenly appearing, detestable individual and become Hanzō and Amegakure's only viable choice.

"You all..."

Facing the clamor from his own men, Hanzō instinctively opened his mouth. But seeing those furious faces, for a moment, he didn't know what to say. They simply didn't understand what they were facing or what they were trying to resist. The reserves and strength of a Great Nation were far beyond what the Land of Rain could match.

If... if I were still young...

"Hanzō, are you still hesitating?"

Hyūga Kumokawa sighed, then spoke. "Look at yourself now. Like those pitiful courtesans whose beauty has faded, trying to hide their frivolous, dissipated ugliness with heavy makeup, desperately wiping away the deepening wrinkles at the corners of their eyes. Truly pitiful."

Here, he paused, looking down at Hanzō below with a faint smile. "I know what you're hesitating about. What if I said... I could restore your body to its peak condition, and grant you power far surpassing your past self? What then?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Hanzō jerked his head up. "What did you say?"

Almost simultaneously with Hyūga Kumokawa's statement, Hatake Kakashi instantly realized they could wait no longer.

"Now!"

At his low command, the already prepared Konoha ninja snapped to attention, swiftly forming hand seals.

"Water Release: Raging Waves!"

"Water Release: Wild Water Wave!"

"Water Release: Water Trumpet!"

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

Boom!

The sound of water roared forth at that moment. A wall of water over ten meters high seemed to surge toward the sky. Blue sheets of water crashed down from above, swallowing everything in sight. The raging flood, guided by hand seals, was lifted and twisted by an invisible force. Like a spiraling tornado, the water coiled around the Leaf ninjas. Under their control, it compressed and took shape, forming a ferocious dragon's head.

"Stop! You—!"

Hanzō hadn't even recovered from Hyūga Kumokawa's words when he suddenly saw the Leaf ninjas forming seals and launching a jutsu all at once. His face twisted in shock and fury as he shouted something, but his voice was completely drowned out by the roaring water.

""Lightning Release: Chidori!""

Kakashi Hatake's hands moved like a blur, weaving seals at lightning speed. As he infused lightning chakra into the Water Release jutsu, he heard someone beside him shout the exact same technique name.

"What?!"

He turned his head in disbelief and saw it—in 'Hyūga Kumokawa''s palm was the same terrifying blue-white lightning, screeching sharply and crackling with violent power. For a moment, Kakashi seriously wondered if he'd been caught in a genjutsu.

"Wait—how do you know Chidori?! Aren't you from the Hyūga clan?!"

But there was no time to question it. Kakashi poured his lightning chakra into the water dragon, and beside him, the Hyūga Kumokawa present did the same.

Bzzzz!!

The piercing shriek of lightning was amplified to its limit. The instant the Chidori pierced into the water dragon, the lightning exploded outward like countless crazed blue veins, spreading across the dragon's massive, winding body!

Roar!

The water dragon—several meters thick and made of roaring water and lightning—reared its head, bared its fangs, and lunged upward at the figure above with unstoppable, crushing force. The sheer impact of the high-pressure water smashed cracks into the tower walls, as if a tidal wave was about to swallow everything in front of it.

Yet atop the web of dense black shadows, that figure showed no sign of panic at all.

Hyūga Kumokawa calmly watched the water dragon thrash toward him. He slowly raised an arm, and a black prayer bead, wrapped in shadow, compressed and reshaped itself into a shield in front of him…

Boom!

The water dragon slammed into the shield with terrifying force. Massive waves mixed with violent lightning shot straight into the sky! Blinding arcs of electricity exploded at the point of impact, lightning surging and crackling nonstop, turning the dark tower and the night itself as bright as daylight. White steam and scorched black smoke burst outward in an instant, spreading through the air as the tower finally gave way, cracking and collapsing with sharp, brittle sounds.

"Damn it! Fall back!"

Hanzō's face darkened as he barked the order, retreating without hesitation together with the Rain ninjas.

But Kakashi Hatake ignored the falling rubble. His eyes were locked on the storm of lightning and mist ahead—until a figure slowly emerged from the hazy fog, and an icy chill ran straight through his bones.

"Ret—"

He roared hoarsely, his leg muscles snapping tight as he formed seals without hesitation, about to use the Body Flicker. His body stretched into a blur, pushing past his limits and shooting backward like an arrow in the blink of an eye!

The others reacted a beat too late, raising their hands to form seals. But it was already too late.

"Unfortunately, the distance between us means nothing."

Hyūga Kumokawa's voice carried a trace of amusement. The shield in front of him reverted into a circular string of prayer beads, revealing the shadow spike beside him—coiled like a spring compressed to its limit. He flipped his wrist, loosened his clenched fist, and his lips barely moved.

"Bang."

The sound was like a death knell.

In the next instant, countless sharp spikes erupted from his side. Shrill whistling screams tore through the air as they punched through the water mist and rain curtain, blasting hollow pockets in their wake. They shredded the air with dozens of black water streaks carved across the sky.

That speed. That power… Forget flesh and blood—even steel plates would be pierced clean through!

"..."

Staring at the falling spikes before them, the Leaf ninjas' minds went blank. Terror twisted their faces into something barely human, their eyes filled with nothing but the razor-sharp tips closing in.

Too fast—far too fast!

That crushing sense of death nearly broke them.

"Ahhh!!"

They swung their weapons wildly. Blades flashed and shifted at high speed, sparks bursting and dying in front of their bodies. The spikes aimed at their hearts and heads were barely deflected—but the rest tore straight through them.

Pshk! Pshk! Thud!

Blood blossomed again and again. Like nails driven through paper, the spikes punched clean through their bodies, screaming as they left multiple gaping holes behind. The terrifying penetration didn't stop in flesh or bone—it blasted straight through, burying itself even deeper beyond them. Blood splattered across the surrounding walls, scattering crescent-shaped droplets like blood-red moons, staining everything into a sea of crimson.