Sumire Kakei was escorting the injured Mizukage away when the sound of rapid footsteps reached her ears.
Cracks suddenly spread beneath her feet.
Shizuma Hoshigaki slammed Samehada into the ground. A violent surge of water burst forward, slicing across the surface and rushing straight toward her.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
Sumire spun around and raised a wall of water behind her just in time, the torrent crashing against it and dispersing into spray.
"A shinobi who can summon a monster like that," Shizuma muttered as he advanced, "yet you yourself are this weak?"
Sumire set the Mizukage down carefully, drew a kunai, and stepped forward to intercept him.
Shizuma's lips curled in amusement. His comrades were still alive somewhere on the battlefield, and he already knew the truth—killing the summoner wouldn't make that monster disappear.
Which meant he could enjoy this.
"I'm in a great mood right now," he laughed. "Go on. Use every trick you have to entertain me."
He swung Samehada down.
Clang!
Sumire's kunai shattered on contact.
She used the broken half to brace against Samehada's weight while her free hand formed a gun-like seal, aiming for Shizuma's eyes.
"Water Release: Water Spirit Wave!"
The compressed droplets shot forward—but Shizuma casually swept them aside midair. Against him, it was nothing more than an overgrown splash.
Samehada pressed down harder.
Sumire grimaced and was forced to release her grip and retreat. Samehada crashed into the ground, spiderweb cracks spreading outward from the impact point.
She straightened, eyes sharp.
Shizuma smiled faintly. To him, this still felt like a spar.
But Sumire saw it clearly—the killing intent behind his gaze.
"Water Release: Droplets!"
Moisture condensed instantly in the air. Countless water bullets were fired forward at once.
At the same time, Sumire charged in with another kunai. She didn't need to defeat him—only hold him off until the Mizukage recovered enough to move.
Her mission had already been accomplished the moment Nue was summoned.
Shizuma waved his hand again, dispersing the droplets with ease.
"Pathetic. Let me show you real Water Release."
He formed seals smoothly.
"Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique!"
A massive water shark erupted forward, jaws wide enough to swallow her whole.
Sumire clenched her teeth.
"Water Release: Water Ring!"
Twin streams of water formed at her sides, merging into a rotating ring around her body. It spun like a blade, grinding violently as the shark slammed into it.
The shark bit down, teeth screeching against the rotating water.
But the balance was cruel.
Sumire had to continuously pour chakra into the ring. The shark did not.
Shizuma stepped in and swung Samehada.
BOOM—!
The ring shattered.
The shark slammed into Sumire, hurling her across the ground. The impact felt like being crushed by deep-sea pressure, her breath torn from her lungs.
When the water finally dispersed, Shizuma watched with interest as she struggled back to her feet.
"Why keep standing?" he asked. "You could stay down."
Sumire picked up another kunai and faced him again, legs trembling but steady.
"Stubborn," Shizuma said coldly. "The persistence of the incompetent."
Samehada rose once more.
Steel met steel again. Sumire was clearly at her limit now—each exchange pushing her back, each block weaker than the last.
"How long do you think you can last?" Shizuma laughed, increasing his force.
Crack.
The kunai snapped.
Sumire barely twisted aside, a few strands of wet hair drifting down where the blade had passed.
She glanced sideways.
The Mizukage was still recovering—the earlier explosions had done too much damage.
Her breathing grew ragged.
Nue was holding its own. That gave her time—but not much.
Her pouch was almost empty.
Shizuma waited patiently as she reached into her bag, the confidence of someone who already believed the fight was over.
She rushed in again.
Their weapons clashed—and only then did something small roll free and hit the ground.
A glassy bead.
Light exploded outward.
In the blinding instant, Sumire slapped an explosive tag onto Samehada and leapt back.
The flash faded—
BOOM!
Samehada detonated.
The shockwave threw Sumire backward, wind tearing past her as she stared at the explosion's center.
Smoke cleared.
Shizuma emerged, bloodied and scorched, but still standing.
He smiled.
"Well done," he said quietly. "You've made me angry."
He charged.
Sumire's eyes widened. She barely raised her last kunai before Samehada's bandages tore open, jagged spikes snapping outward.
The moment they touched her, her chakra was ripped away.
In an instant, Shizuma's wounds began to heal.
Sumire collapsed to one knee, gasping.
Shizuma turned, eyes locking onto the Mizukage.
"How convenient."
He sprinted forward. Samehada writhed eagerly, biting down and draining the Mizukage's hard-won chakra in seconds, restoring Shizuma completely.
Then Samehada turned back toward Sumire.
"The reason I don't want to lose," Sumire said hoarsely, "is simple."
She forced herself upright.
"I want to win."
Shizuma laughed. "Innocent little brat."
He raised Samehada—
Clang!
Another blade blocked the strike.
"Kagura?" Shizuma snarled. "Why are you interfering?"
"Look behind you," Kagura said, voice heavy. "Your comrades are dead."
Shizuma scoffed. "So what? That's war. The survivors decide the rules."
"But isn't it because the Mizukage lived through the Fourth Shinobi World War," Kagura asked quietly, "that this village has peace now?"
Shizuma's smile twisted.
"Oh, spare me. War, reform—none of it matters."
To him, it had always been a game.
Samehada strained against Hiramekarei, sensing weakness. Kagura faltered for just a moment.
"Watch out!" Sumire shouted, forcing herself between them.
The spikes pierced her.
Her remaining chakra vanished instantly.
She collapsed, unable to move.
Kagura's wavering resolve finally shattered—not into despair, but into clarity.
This time, he would not hesitate.
Not for ideals.
Not for bloodlines.
He would fight—
to protect what was right in front of him.
---
A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
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