Itachi was slightly surprised by the water dragon he had summoned.
He had only refined his chakra and performed the technique as usual. Why was his version of this jutsu subtly different from others? It wasn't just the fine detail in the dragon's scales; the water dragon itself seemed to possess life.
But he hadn't used Senjutsu...
As he thought of Senjutsu, Itachi suddenly understood. Senjutsu had become synonymous with Ryūchi Cave—the domain of dragons. Could it be that his chakra had unknowingly been influenced and assimilated? This subtle transformation occurred whenever he used dragon-shaped jutsu.
As for its power, that remained to be seen...
Interrupting his thoughts, Itachi raised his hand slightly.
The enormous water dragon, as if receiving a signal, began to sway gracefully, its every movement exuding a unique charm.
...
Guy, on the other hand, tensed up, feeling as though he were being stared down by an ancient, primal beast. The eyes of the water dragon, in particular, triggered an inexplicable unease deep in his heart—a faint sense of fear?
Realizing this unusual emotion, Guy's steam aura flared violently. A technique that came at the cost of one's life could not afford hesitation.
Thus, he ruthlessly erased the strange feeling from his heart and focused intensely on the dragon's head, locking eyes with the water dragon.
Like two ancient beasts confronting one another, the primal ferocity radiating from Guy was equally intense.
Itachi grew slightly irritated watching Guy remain motionless.
The real problem lay in Guy's speed—so fast that the odds of landing a hit with ninjutsu were pitifully low.
Meanwhile, Guy, momentarily unsettled by Itachi's initial display, now hesitated, preparing to counterattack. His attention was fully focused on the formidable jutsu before him, its sheer power impossible to ignore.
...
Finally, after a brief pause, the water dragon's swaying movements ceased. Its head lifted, and in an instant—like a flash of lightning—it charged at Guy, striking with incredible speed.
This velocity far exceeded the last time Itachi had used the Water Dragon Bullet Technique.
Guy, seeing the water dragon finally move, felt his taut nerves relax slightly.
In his current state, time was critical—he couldn't afford to wait indefinitely. If Itachi hadn't launched his attack, Guy would have taken the initiative himself.
As the water dragon's massive head, spanning over ten meters in diameter, hurtled toward Guy, its claws gleamed ominously. The dragon's writhing body and shimmering scales formed an intricate pattern, mesmerizing anyone who stared too long and inducing dizziness.
...
"Now!"
Fixing his gaze on the dragon's head, Guy shouted as it neared him.
His body crouched slightly before springing upward. With a powerful leap, he soared thirty to forty meters into the air, resembling a superhero in flight.
"Roar!"
The water dragon missed its target, letting out a roar of frustration, its fury palpable.
Itachi felt a peculiar sensation at this moment.
The Water Dragon Bullet Technique, once uncontrollable after being unleashed, now seemed oddly responsive to his will...
This defied conventional logic.
However, the feeling was oddly familiar—reminiscent of the ethereal serpentine shadow that coiled around him when activating Senjutsu. Was it the same principle at work here?
There seemed to be a shared origin.
...
High in the air, Guy searched for a suitable landing point to avoid the water dragon's devastating power.
As his body began to descend, his gaze darted around for sturdy trees to use as leverage. But then his eyes narrowed in shock.
The water dragon, initially poised to crash into the ground, abruptly halted, its body undulating briefly before straightening. With a sudden burst of speed, it ascended skyward, hurtling toward the dumbfounded Guy.
"Are you kidding me…"
"Roar!"
The dragon's thunderous roar drowned out Guy's muttered complaint, the deafening sound nearly rupturing his eardrums. It was absurdly loud.
"Boom!"
While Guy was momentarily dazed by the sonic onslaught, the dragon's ferocious head rammed into him with terrifying force.
Guy's body was sent flying like a leaf caught in a storm, hurtling far into the distance until he became a tiny black speck on the horizon.
Watching Guy get blasted away by his water dragon, Itachi formed a brief hand seal before his figure dissolved into a puff of white smoke.
Elsewhere, the real Itachi—having just finished exhaling a stream of water—paused as the memories from his shadow clone flowed back to him. He stood still for a moment, mildly stunned.
He didn't expect that Guy would take care of his shadow clone so easily.
However, Guy had only opened three gates, so it was natural for him to manage that.
Even though his current strength was somewhat restricted, his abilities had vastly improved compared to his peak in the past. When utilized properly, they could be even more effective than before.
If not used well, of course, it wouldn't be as strong as before.
...
"Where's Guy?"
Before long, Kakashi emerged from the dense forest, looking surprised as he noticed Itachi sitting by a fire under a tree.
"He should be back soon,"
Itachi didn't lift his head, calmly staring at the fire in front of him as he responded in a quiet tone.
He seemed to be deep in thought about something.
Hearing Itachi's words, Kakashi looked at the surroundings, which appeared to have been ravaged by a torrent, leaving the trees and branches in disarray. He said nothing.
What puzzled him even more was why there wasn't any thick smoke rising from Itachi's fire.
After all, the nearby branches had been soaked from their fight.
Burning wet branches would usually create thick smoke and be much harder to ignite.
...
Before long, Kurenai surveyed the area with a puzzled expression, confirming that this was indeed the spot they had passed through earlier.
Though she and the others were fishing not far away, they had sensed the commotion from the fight between the two. She hadn't expected the battle to be so intense.
But... where was the other person?
Kurenai fell into deep thought but wasn't sure how to broach the question.
"Can you cook fish?"
Kakashi didn't turn around as he used chakra to dry the ground, preparing to sit next to Itachi.
Noticing Kurenai standing behind him with the cleaned fish in her hands, seemingly at a loss, he asked the question directly.
...
"I can…"
Hearing Kakashi's question, Kurenai's body tensed. She stood a little straighter, as if she were responding to a superior's orders.
"Then start cooking. The sooner we eat, the sooner we can rest. We've got a long journey tomorrow,"
Kakashi's tone softened slightly as he spoke to her.
After all, there was a difference in how he treated someone useful compared to someone who wasn't.
"O-Okay…"
Kurenai quickly replied, flustered.
Kakashi's cool demeanor made her heart race. This version of Kakashi was incredibly attractive to her...
Of course, it might also be because she was used to being the center of attention. Kakashi's indifferent attitude piqued her curiosity and drew her attention to him.
Subconsciously, she wanted to build a better relationship with him, to understand Kakashi more deeply...
...
Before long, the tantalizing aroma of roasted fish filled the air around the fire.
The oil dripping from the fish sizzled as it hit the flames, causing the fire to flare up momentarily.
Each time a drop of oil fell, the flames grew stronger.
And with every flare, the roasted fish smelled even more delicious.