The Third Mizukage struck by the flaming arrow dissolved into a puddle of water that dripped down and was instantly vaporized by the intense heat radiating.
Using the cover of the Water Formation Wall, the already-on-guard Third Mizukage had swapped his real body with a Water Clone.
Mitsuki's gaze shifted toward the one who had released the Water Formation Wall. That shark-like face—although this was their first time meeting in reality, Mitsuki recognized him at a glance.
"Thanks to you, Kisame," Yagura said with a nod toward Hoshigaki Kisame.
"Protecting Mizukage-sama is my duty. What matters now is figuring out how to eliminate the enemy."
Kisame had just returned to the village after completing a mission, only to encounter an enemy invasion—and not just any enemy, but the rumored explosion maniac himself.
Yagura reminded him, "He has the ability to reflect ninjutsu. Use taijutsu only."
Kisame's brows instantly furrowed. If he couldn't use ninjutsu, his strength was effectively cut in half. But as a Kirigakure shinobi—when an enemy had already barged into their village—no matter how difficult it was, retreat wasn't an option.
Drawing a sword from behind his back, Kisame coordinated with Yagura to attack Shimizu Mitsuki from two directions.
Meanwhile, the Third Mizukage waited from afar, observing the battlefield and searching for the perfect timing to unleash
"Hazy Blade Slash".
Facing the pincer attack of two elite Kirigakure shinobi, Mitsuki raised two fingers and slid them along the blade of the Mistcutter, switching Chidori's mode into Flames.
Against multiple opponents, this form was more practical.
"Fuuuh—"
A wave of flame roared forth, and the Flame Release-infused chakra extended the Mistcutter's blade even further.
They were banned from using ninjutsu—Mitsuki wasn't.
He swung the flaming tachi in a spinning motion, unleashing a circular wave of fiery sword aura.
The slash, carrying blistering heat, rippled outward, warping the air.
Kisame sheathed his sword mid-motion and rapidly formed hand seals.
"Great Shark Bullet Technique!"
A gigantic shark made of water surged forth, swallowing Mitsuki's flame wave whole, then—under Kisame's control—shot upward, preventing Mitsuki from counterattacking.
Covered by Kisame's jutsu, Yagura successfully closed in on Mitsuki's flank and brought his staff down in a heavy strike.
Mitsuki raised his blade horizontally to block. But without the cell-stimulating boost of Chidori, his strength and speed had inevitably dropped, forcing him to brace with both hands to withstand the blow.
Yagura's taijutsu style was the complete opposite of his youthful appearance—brutal yet full of technique.
After Mitsuki barely blocked the strike, Yagura pulled the staff back, hooking the iron claw at its tip around Mitsuki's blade and yanking hard, attempting to rip the weapon from his hands.
At that moment, Kisame had already arrived from behind, swinging his sword downward.
From afar, the Third Mizukage had already memorized the positions of every Flying Thunder God kunai on the field, ready to strike with Hazy Blade Slash at any moment.
To Yagura, there was only one logical response for Mitsuki in this deadlock: Let go of his grip on the Mistcutter, pivot, and deal with Kisame's incoming slash. And the moment he let go—Yagura's plan would succeed.
He had noticed that every time Mitsuki used his reflection ability, there was always a slight pre-motion: he would swing his weapon beforehand. If he could disarm Mitsuki, he could use ninjutsu and test whether his theory was correct.
But Yagura was mistaken.
The Mistcutter held special meaning to Mitsuki — he would never allow anyone to take it from him. And besides… this situation hardly counted as dangerous.
"Sand Buckshot!"
Shukaku, perched on Mitsuki's shoulder all this time, formed hand seals. A mass of sand materialized around Mitsuki and blasted outward.
Neither Kisame nor Yagura had expected that the creature—which looked like a mere pet—could also use ninjutsu. They scrambled backward to evade.
But at nearly point-blank range, avoiding all the sand bullets was impossible.
Yagura fared better, blocking most of the sand with his massive staff, though he still suffered several minor grazes.
Kisame was less fortunate. He managed to protect only vital areas; his arms and thigh were now riddled with bloody holes.
Sensing a sudden shift in the air currents, Mitsuki instantly leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding yet another Hazy Blade Slash from the Third Mizukage.
From a distance, the Mizukage cursed under his breath.
"This damn Mitsuki… his sensory perception is this sharp? Or have I grown rusty after so many years off the battlefield?"
In truth, his blade wasn't slow — Mitsuki simply had the Six Eyes, making him hypersensitive to the slightest environmental change. Anyone else would've been sliced in half already.
Having observed enough, Mitsuki understood the Mizukage's trick. Instead of chasing the wounded Kisame, he swung his blade twice, sending two Flame Release sword waves toward the Third Mizukage.
The twin arcs merged into a glowing cross-shaped slash.
Among all the enemies on the field, the Third Mizukage posed the greatest threat.And killing him would grant Konoha the greatest benefit.
The Mizukage quickly unleashed several slashes, shattering the incoming cross of flames.
Seizing the opening, Mitsuki channeled a massive surge of Shukaku's chakra into the Mistcutter, transmuting it into concentrated Flame Release.Then, raising the blade high, he brought it down in a devastating arc.
Dark-violet flames surged into the sky, forming a colossal blade dozens of meters tall. Everything in its path melted—from stone to soil.
The Third Mizukage knew Hazy Blade Slash alone wouldn't stop this. He attempted to use the Body Flicker Technique to escape—
—but sand erupted beneath his feet, coiling around his right leg and preventing the jutsu from activating.
From afar, Kisame tried to form seals, intending to intercept the massive flame blade.
But Mitsuki had already predicted this. With a casual flick, he hurled a Flying Thunder God kunai and formed a single seal.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone!"
The kunai multiplied into hundreds, swarming toward Kisame like a cloud of homing drones.
The violent bombardment not only prevented Kisame from rescuing the Mizukage — it put him in critical danger himself.
With no other choice, he released the Great Shark Bullet meant for the Mizukage and used it to devour the incoming shuriken clones.
Yagura also wanted to intercept, but his Water Mirror Technique could only reflect attacks directed at him.
He could only sigh internally—"I tried. I did what I could."
BOOOOM—!
Finally, the slash descended, engulfing the Third Mizukage in a pillar of searing fire.
The resulting heat melted the stone pavement into glistening crystalline slag.
"Mizukage-sama!"
"Lord Third!"