Watching the water dragon coil around and block all the poisonous needles, Itachi silently breathed a sigh of relief.
"Phew, I'm safe… That was terrifying. I almost didn't make it…"
Kisame violently pulled off the small snake biting into him and crushed it in one hand.
"Sage Art: Water Fang Bullet…"
Without hesitation, Itachi lowered his sleeve, and the swarm of snake shadows dissipated.
Standing on the vast water surface Kisame had spat out, Itachi decided not to use fire-style techniques, avoiding any unnecessary struggles.
The Water Fang Bullet technique utilizes blocks of water formed from the surrounding area to deal physical damage to enemies.
Itachi compressed the water further and added a rotational force, summoning eight towering water tornadoes behind him. They rose into the sky like pillars of water.
"Damn, here we go again. What the hell is this…"
Seeing Itachi's jutsu, Kisame felt a wave of frustration.
Encountering someone like Itachi for the first time left him speechless.
As Kisame gripped Samehada, preparing to attack the red serpent phantom Itachi had conjured, Itachi didn't hesitate.
He reinforced his red serpent phantom with external support.
Three of the water tornadoes surged toward Kisame, swaying like massive blue water snakes.
Unlike the Water Dragon Bullet technique, these lacked the detailed dragon form and appeared less intimidating at first glance.
But Itachi knew that, in some ways, this jutsu was even more formidable.
Especially since the water blocks he formed earlier were of a unique nature, vastly different from ordinary water.
Moreover, with the added power and properties of Sage Art, the technique became significantly more potent.
Just as Sasori hesitated over whether to join the fight, the other five water tornadoes veered toward Hiruko.
…
Sasori, watching this unfold, felt a surge of irritation. This guy was being far too arrogant.
As the water tornadoes drew closer, Sasori pulled out a scroll, prepared to teach Itachi a lesson.
The red serpent recklessly tangled with Samehada, while the water tornadoes acted as support, assisting the giant snake.
Just as Itachi was about to unleash a beating on the two of them, he felt a subtle unease.
The natural energy he had been absorbing from the environment was becoming harder to sustain. His Sage Mode was nearing its limit.
Sensing this, Itachi decided to end things decisively.
Since Kisame hadn't shown any restraint, Itachi felt no pressure to hold back.
…
"Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation…"
Itachi's murmuring voice echoed…
For a moment, it seemed as if the wind had stopped.
The water tornadoes lost Itachi's control and became stiff, their movements slowing.
The water surface beneath their feet, disturbed by the waves of battle, suddenly froze in place.
In the next instant, a fierce gale surged!
The water beneath their feet erupted into giant, spear-like spikes, shooting toward Kisame and Sasori.
Meanwhile, the poisonous needles scattered across the battlefield seemed to come alive, swarming toward Kisame.
Knowing Sasori, as a puppet master, wouldn't be affected by these needles, Itachi reserved this deadly attack exclusively for Kisame. After all, the strong should carry more burden, right?
This was one of the techniques of the White Snake Sage, which Itachi had mastered.
This jutsu allowed him to grant life to inanimate objects and control them—a reincarnation ninjutsu that went beyond simply manipulating matter with chakra. Under its effect, inanimate objects moved with astonishing speed and precision.
…
"What the hell?"
Kisame stared in disbelief. The water surface he had created had been turned against him, transformed into a lethal weapon.
Now, the water was forming massive spikes aimed at him. This was too much to handle.
Especially the dense swarm of poison needles in the air, moving at terrifying speed—it made his scalp tingle.
Anyone with trypophobia might pass out on the spot.
Standing at the center of the battlefield, Itachi watched as the inanimate objects under his control ceaselessly attacked his two opponents.
This technique placed a heavy mental strain on him, as all the attacks were directly controlled by his will.
…
As the battle drew to a close, Itachi's figure vanished from the battlefield.
"Sasori, hurry up and give me the antidote!"
---
Noticing that the shadow of the Blood Moon had already disappeared, Kisame immediately walked over to Sasori and shouted loudly.
Kisame's once-stylish robe now resembled a beggar's outfit.
Several thin, poisonous needles were lodged all over his body.
The exposed areas of his skin were bruised and swollen, showing purple and blue marks.
He looked as if he had been thoroughly beaten...
The main reason for this was Itachi's relentless, rapid attacks.
He didn't even give Kisame a chance to weave hand signs...
All Kisame could do was endure the beating...
Even Samehada (his sword) looked dispirited and drained. It wasn't in great shape either.
The giant red serpent had been far too ferocious and reckless. Using its physical advantage, it had pounded Samehada into submission.
...
Sasori, as if he hadn't heard Kisame shouting, just stared in the direction Itachi had left.
Standing beside him was a puppet.
Weapons were scattered all over the ground.
It was hard to believe that even with a two-versus-one fight, things had ended up like this. Even the Third Kazekage Puppet had been brought out, but they didn't even manage to graze Itachi's cloak.
At this moment, Sasori felt a little defeated.
Although neither of them had fought seriously yet, the battle had been incredibly stifling.
"Sasori, give me the antidote..."
Kisame walked up to Sasori and shouted again.
"What are you yelling for, you stupid fish!" Sasori snapped, clearly annoyed at being interrupted.
Looking at Sasori standing before him, Kisame felt a twinge of annoyance but said nothing...
After all, the areas hit by the poisoned needles were starting to lose feeling.
"Damn it, what a useless teammate. Not helpful at all, but great at sabotaging allies," Kisame grumbled internally.
It wasn't wrong—those poisoned needles hadn't even come close to hitting Itachi but had ended up targeting Kisame instead.
If not for that, he wouldn't have been in such a sorry state.
He shuddered at the memory of the projectiles Itachi had unleashed. It was as if they had a life of their own, moving with deadly precision.
Kisame's body trembled slightly; he definitely didn't want to go through that again.
...
In his mind, Kisame resolved to have a serious talk with either Madara or Nagato when they got back.
A fighter of Itachi's caliber would be far better as an ally than an opponent.
That unshakable composure from start to finish, combined with his frightening calmness during battle and the endless barrage of jutsu...
Especially his jutsu—once they were in his hands, it was as if they became something entirely different: unfathomable, terrifying, and overwhelming.
Kisame felt that even if he were given the chance to fuse with Samehada, he wouldn't stand a chance.
This stifling battle had left Kisame with some lingering fear...
Seeing Kisame wisely choose to remain silent, Sasori pulled out a porcelain bottle and tossed it to him.
It wasn't exactly an antidote—Sasori never made antidotes—but it would neutralize the poison in Kisame's body, reducing it to a harmless trace.
...
After exchanging two million for cash, Itachi found an inn and had a solid night's sleep.
The sacred robe hanging on the wall remained spotless, a stark contrast to the battered appearances of Kisame and Sasori.
When he woke up, it was already afternoon.
Itachi stepped out of his room and grabbed a bite to eat.
Then, he found himself a bit aimless.
After some thought, he decided to explore the unfamiliar city to kill time.
Besides, the hefty sum of money in his pocket seemed to be calling out to be spent.
If he didn't spend it, this lazy side of him couldn't find the motivation to keep earning more...
---
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