The sudden disappearance of the colossal island-like entity from the sea caused the surrounding waters to rush violently inwards, forming a swirling vortex before settling back into a semblance of normalcy.
Neither side moved immediately. The Kirigakure ninja waited, anticipating the reappearance of the Three-Tails. They refused to believe a fully manifested Tailed Beast could be defeated on its home turf, nor did they wish to reveal any openings by attacking first.
Terumi Mei took a deep breath, trying to calm the tension coiling within her. This was her first direct confrontation with Jōnin-level shinobi from her own village. She tightened her grip on her kunai. Beneath her feet, the undulating surface of the sea grew more turbulent, mirroring her agitated state, seemingly on the verge of erupting.
"Obito," Kakashi called out, "I don't think we've ever really fought together like this before, have we?"
"Yeah—" Obito acknowledged simply.
"Let's show them what we're made of."
The sound of the churning sea gradually faded, replaced by the roar of a dragon, building from a low rumble to a piercing cry. A massive dragon formed of pure blue lightning slowly emerged from the water. Synchronized with Kakashi's breathing, the colossal Thunder Dragon surged skyward, vanishing into the clouds above.
"Do you honestly think a sound-based Genjutsu like this will work on us, brat?" one of the Kiri ninja scoffed. "After analyzing Fuguki Suikazan's corpse, we took precautions before coming here. We've reinforced our ears. As long as we protect them with chakra, your attacks are useless!"
"Naive," the silver-haired young man retorted with a cold smirk, raising his right hand. As the Thunder Dragon coiled through the sky, its roar abruptly ceased. Dark clouds rapidly expanded overhead, blotting out the already scarce sunlight. The sea, previously shrouded in mist, became even more obscure.
"Sound, in essence, is vibration," Kakashi explained. "Your ears are merely one organ for receiving it. As long as your body can perceive stimuli, it will register the vibrations. It's only a matter of time before you fall under the Genjutsu."
He continued, "Covering your ears certainly buys you time, but having lost your hearing, how long can you truly last using Kirigakure's Silent Killing techniques?"
"Mei!"
The orange-haired kunoichi understood instantly. Her hands flew through seals, and the visibility plummeted, dropping to less than a meter. The faces of the Kirigakure ninja turned grim. Those skilled in Wind Release immediately employed various techniques, attempting to blow the dense fog away.
But they seemed to forget: this was the Land of Water.
Kakashi, having used the Thunder Dragon's roar to cancel out the sound of the crashing waves against his own ears, now possessed incredibly sharp hearing. The position of every enemy ninja was laid bare to him, further augmented by his own chakra sensing.
The battle ignited instantly.
The Kirigakure ninja didn't just wait to be slaughtered. Even without their hearing, their experience fighting within the mist far surpassed that of their three opponents. Simultaneously, Obito noted that this tactic nullified much of the advantage his Sharingan would normally provide in the fog.
However, Obito wasn't concerned. He didn't need to attack from the surface. Slipping into the water, he found the visibility underwater was equally poor, yet he could still faintly discern the enemies' silhouettes. Several Kiri shinobi, specializing in water techniques, had the same idea and encountered Obito beneath the waves.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Whip!"
Multiple columns of water twisted and lashed out. Empowered by the home-field advantage, the jutsu's speed and power were formidable. Obito narrowly dodged the whips and immediately retaliated using the exact same technique.
Mistaking Obito's attack for one of their own, a Kiri ninja with poor underwater vision failed to notice the dark current surging towards him until it was too late, snuffing out his life instantly.
"Not so tough," Obito thought, surfacing briefly for air before diving back down to engage the remaining two Mist shinobi underwater.
While Mei focused on expanding the range of the Hidden Mist Jutsu, Kakashi, his hand ablaze with the Raikiri, flashed towards Kuriarare Kushimaru, wielder of Nuibari. Before he could strike, Akebino Jinin, owner of Kabutowari, intercepted him, smashing his blunt sword towards Kakashi and sending him flying. Scattered explosive tags detonated where Kakashi landed.
BOOM! BOOM!
The silver-haired youth burst from the smoke, completely unharmed.
"Is that all you've got?" Kakashi quipped, then mentally kicked himself, remembering they couldn't hear him. He landed deftly on razor-sharp ninja wires strung across the area, moving with practiced grace, almost appearing to dance upon them.
By sensing the subtle changes in the wires' tension, Kushimaru pinpointed Kakashi's rhythm and movements. Several long needles shot through the mist, aimed directly at Kakashi's eyes.
Kakashi pushed his body, accelerating to dodge.
Not bad, he thought. These two... even in this situation, they can track me using the wires. As expected of members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Even deprived of sight and hearing, they remained formidable opponents.
"Longsword Ninja Art: Sea Spider!"
Kushimaru's long, thin needle-sword, Nuibari, split into two threads, then four, then eight, the number of steel wires multiplying accordingly. The eight needles converged, forming the shape of a giant spider. The needle tips rested lightly on the wires as Kushimaru, holding the hilt which acted as the final 'needle,' manipulated the construct's movements.
Jinin immediately followed behind the spider, methodically placing explosive tags at every junction point on the wire network. His sword, Kabutowari, was perfectly suited for explosions, essentially acting like a massive, automated scroll packed with countless explosives.
By now, Kakashi had pushed his Lightning Release cellular stimulation past seventy percent. The physical toll was significant, causing considerable discomfort, though it wasn't as agonizing as the last time he'd used it at full power.
Constant leaping and dodging were the only ways to avoid the high-speed needles and the minefield of explosive tags.
This is tricky...
Tzing! He sliced through several wires, but as soon as he touched the sea surface, new wires instantly took their place. Nuibari, the Sewing Needle, lived up to its name. Indeed, each of the Seven Swords possessed unique and bizarre powers.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Clone!"
The sudden shift in weight on the wires alerted Kushimaru. Unable to discern the real Kakashi, the Sea Spider construct chased one of the figures.
The wires lifted off the water's surface, rising higher and higher, forming a complex, mechanical spiderweb pulsating with deadly intent, ready to ensnare any prey that fell upon it. Water droplets clung to the silver needles like strings of liquid necklaces – grim offerings for the soon-to-be-dead.
This isn't good.
The Lightning Clone engaged the spider construct directly, struggling to parry the attacks coming from its eight legs simultaneously. Kakashi now understood how Killer B could overwhelm Sasuke despite his Mangekyō Sharingan; the eyes' predictive capabilities simply couldn't keep up with such rapid, multi-directional assaults. The clone sustained numerous cuts but finally saw an opening. Before Jinin could react, the clone darted behind him, locking him in a rear-naked choke.
The real Kakashi burst from the mist, his sharp Raikiri slicing through the obstructing wires. A cruel smile spread across Jinin's face. He tossed Kabutowari into the air; the blunt sword plummeted downwards, aimed to split the Lightning Clone's head. Reacting instantly, the Lightning Clone detonated itself.
The resulting momentary paralysis gave Kakashi the opening he needed. He surged forward, his Raikiri striking true, decapitating Jinin in a single blow.
"Damn you!!"
Sensing Jinin's death through the vibrations in the wires, Kushimaru – his partner in the infamous "Heartless Duo" – felt a surge of dread. At the same moment, his mind fogged over, illusions flickering at the edge of his vision as the Genjutsu finally broke through his defenses.
What... What is this... Why can I hear sounds again...?
"Because," a voice stated calmly beside him, "your time is up."
Kakashi withdrew his right hand from Kushimaru's chest, having pierced his heart. He watched impassively as the Swordsman's body, along with his deadly needle, slowly sank into the depths of the ocean, forever buried in the abyss.
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