[On the Other Side]
Before Aoba moved, the Kirigakure shinobi had already spontaneously organized an offensive and launched an attack on the Three-Tails.
"Suiton: Water Impact Wave!"
Although it was a relatively simple water-style ninjutsu, when released simultaneously by a large group of shinobi, all those waters combined into a torrent; the jutsu's power was enormous, like a giant wave striking the Three-Tails.
However…
"How, how is this possible?"
Facing the towering wave, the Three-Tails seemed as if it were used to it; it rode the waves unaffected, cutting through the tide.
It continued to wreak havoc in Kirigakure without being impeded at all.
But it had been attracted by the earlier attack and turned its attention toward the Kirigakure shinobi.
Its mountain-like body toppled toward them.
At that moment, Kirigakure once again felt the terror of being dominated by a Tailed Beast.
Just as the Three-Tails' body was about to fall, a streak of light shot out from the Mizukage building.
It struck squarely on the Three-Tails' demon head.
The mountain-like turtle froze midair, then was blasted away, flying outside the village.
It landed beyond the village limits.
Many Kirigakure shinobi who had been at the point of despair were now stunned; they hadn't yet recovered from the shock of a mountain-sized thing flying over their heads.
"Who… who is that person?"
"Do we even have such a high-level shinobi in our village?"
Only after quite a while did they come back to their senses.
They looked up and, seeing Aoba radiating purple light in the air, gave a shout as if returning from death.
A single punch sent a Tailed Beast flying, even the current Mizukage probably couldn't do that, right?
Aoba looked down at the astonished Kirigakure shinobi with an odd expression.
The Three-Tails is a beast that likes to dwell in rivers, seas, and lakes; it isn't afraid of ordinary water-style attacks. Don't these Kirigakure shinobi know that?
If those below heard his inner thought, they would surely retort loudly.
Even if it's the truth, our Kirigakure shinobi are experts in water jutsu. If not water techniques, then what else would they use?
Outside the village, the Three-Tails that had been knocked away by Aoba still felt dazed.
The world spun before its eyes, it felt dizzy and disoriented; only after some time did it recover.
But by then, the three-tomoe Sharingan in its eyes had disappeared.
That single punch had woken it up, breaking Uchiha Obito's control.
Yet even freed from control, the Three-Tails had no intention of calming down.
Although it had acknowledged Yagura, it did not accept Kirigakure; besides, having been controlled for so long and then struck upon waking, it was furious with no outlet.
The Three-Tails fixed its gaze on the most conspicuous figure in the sky, Aoba, and of course the shinobi below did not escape its notice.
ROAR!
Its short, thick neck strained upward as it let out an angry bellow. Then a stout column of water shot from its mouth, rising skyward before sweeping violently toward the gathered people.
The primary target was the shinobi who had caused it considerable pain earlier, Aoba.
"A Tailed Beast can even use ninjutsu, and it's water-style?"
The Kirigakure shinobi were shocked. With no time to dodge, they frantically formed hand seals, trying to use jutsu to protect themselves.
"Suiton: Water Wall Formation!"
Many shinobi who knew defensive jutsu slapped their hands together and, before the beast's attack arrived, erected a thick wall of water in front of their formation.
But such a mid-level water jutsu could hardly compare to the enormous chakra the Tailed Beast released.
BOOM!
The water wall didn't even last a second before being pierced through by the Three-Tails' water column.
"How can this be?"
The Kirigakure shinobi gaped, while Aoba didn't idle, he had already pressed his palms together and unleashed a large-scale defensive jutsu.
"Mokuton: Wood World Wall!"
A huge shield composed of numerous wooden vines sprang up from the ground instantly, blocking the Three-Tails' attack.
"Mokuton?"
Every Kirigakure shinobi present was startled, and even the Three-Tails felt a chill.
This was Wood Release.
Back then it had been, before it could dwell on that thought, the purple light around Aoba intensified; chakra surged wildly.
"Mokuton: Wood Clone Technique!"
The ground thundered. Everyone stared dumbfounded as an enormous wooden humanoid, even more exaggerated than the Tailed Beast, rose from the earth.
It truly towered like a giant mountain, almost excessively so.
The Three-Tails' eyes became dazed; its gaze, once full of madness and rage, cleared up.
["Hey, shinobi, can we talk—"]
Before it could finish speaking, the wooden giant swung a fist and smashed down toward its head.
———
Eyes shifted to Uchiha Obito.
Already cautious, Obito had intended to use Kamui to escape immediately.
But Aoba saw through his intent, expanded the sealing space to encompass the area before him, and included Obito inside.
His body fell into a momentary standstill.
The Sharingan that had been exposed spun rapidly; the three-tomoe eyes aligned and formed a line.
Finally they took the shape of the Mangekyo Sharingan's design.
The space-time power inside Kamui and the sealing space's force cancelled each other out.
Obito's time resumed playback.
"Huh? What's going on?"
Once his movement ability returned, Obito looked plainly bewildered.
Why hadn't he entered Kamui space?
And Kamui appeared to be activated, yet he remained in the physical world.
What on earth was happening?
"Obito, Kirigakure's shinobi are coming for us. Aren't we running?"
A voice with an electrical edge sounded.
This was the shinobi-armored powerhouse, Deidara.
"I don't know what's going on. Kamui seems unusable."
Obito was starting to panic; he tried again to enter Kamui space, but it still failed.
It was as if a membrane blocked him.
He wanted to go in but couldn't.
'Damn it!', Obito cursed inwardly.
If Kamui failed, that meant he had lost his strongest means of survival.
And at that moment, the Jonin led by Mei Terumi also appeared before him.
Mei caught sight of the Sharingan visible through his mask at once.
"The Three-Tails' eyes are in the Sharingan's form… so you're the one controlling the Three-Tails, and you're the mastermind who previously controlled Yagura."
"Who exactly are you, and why are you targeting our Kirigakure?"
Mei Terumi and the Jonin beside her were furious.
Because from the time the Fourth Mizukage Yagura was controlled, through the ensuing Bloody Mist policy, and now controlling the Three-Tails to destroy the village. It's as if they were being pushed toward death.
What grudge is this?
"Who am I? Why target you?"
Although inside Obito was in panic, he kept a calm facade and sneered.
"You brats, I am Uchiha Madara! As for targeting you, it's simply because you stood in my way."
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