Chapter 99: The Capital Flooded, Wailing Echoes Across the Land!
The streets and alleys were suddenly filled with Kirigakure hunter-nin.
It was as if this group had emerged from the very heart of Kirigakure itself, surrounding the six-story building in the center of the street.
"Not good!"
Seeing the hand seals being formed, Tsukasa immediately recognized it as a coordinated Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave, performed by multiple hunter-nin.
This technique had an extremely wide area of effect, powerful enough to create a small ocean! The terrifying water pressure generated upon its initial release could even shatter steel plates!
Once the technique was fully unleashed, half of Yugakure would be submerged!
And the three of them were within range of the first, most devastating wave!
Tsukasa's eyes darkened as he expertly drew four kunai from the ninja pouch at Mei's waist.
With a flick of his index finger, Earth Grudge threads emanated from his wrist, wrapping around the kunai's rings. He then swung his hand and hurled them, embedding them into the roof of a nearby building.
Then, grabbing Mei, he turned and leaped high into the air, pulling the taut threads and swinging upward.
He even turned back to warn his younger brother:
"Hidan, play dead right there and don't make a sound!"
Hidan was about to curse when he saw Tsukasa, in one smooth motion, fly away with the girl in his arms.
He was stunned, thinking, I was just going to call you out—you're not that scared, are you?
The next moment, dozens of water jets weighing tens of thousands of tons crashed down behind Hidan, instantly destroying the six-story building in the center of the street.
Then the torrent coalesced into a tsunami over ten meters high, surging forward!
Instantly, an overwhelming shadow obscured Hidan's entire vision.
He turned back, stunned, his expression shifting from confusion to shock to absolute terror!
CRASH!
The waves struck, silencing the entire city of Yugakure!
The wind carried spray that chilled him to the bone.
The silence was shattered by dark figures rising from the building's ruins—ninja consumed by their mission.
Carrying their orders, they walked in darkness, drowning in hatred, driven by what they believed was righteous cause, clashing in pursuit of their own ninja way.
A moment later, the screams of wounded civilians echoed throughout the city.
Along with those agonized cries, the clashing of kunai heralded the true beginning of the Third Shinobi World War.
Tsukasa tugged at the threads, twisting his body, brushing past the oncoming tsunami. He launched a continuous stream of kunai and shuriken, anchoring himself to various points along his path, leaping and swinging on the threads.
Mei didn't even bother accusing Tsukasa of stealing her ninja tools right in front of her.
She immediately realized something was wrong. Turning back, she gazed over the towering waves at the crumbling buildings in the distance and cried out in shock:
"How could the Sandaime know Lord Yagura's location?! Only Mangetsu and I knew this!"
"But I was watching Mangetsu the entire time and made sure he was sealed. There shouldn't have been any leaks."
Eliminating all impossibilities, the remaining answer, however unlikely, must be the truth.
Mei's face paled as she muttered to herself:
"Could it be... could it be that I've been exposed?"
In a sense, Mei was right.
Hearing this, Tsukasa paused momentarily, remembering the inexplicable system message that had appeared in the castle:
[The Sandaime Mizukage expresses disdain for you.]
Now it seemed it wasn't a system glitch after all.
The Sandaime Mizukage must have been there that day, following behind Mangetsu.
Perhaps he'd already sensed Mangetsu's rebellious intentions and was trying to flush him out?
Tsukasa had no way of knowing for certain, but by then, he'd emptied Mei's entire ninja pouch.
He could only swing with Mei a few more times, avoiding the waves and catching threads as he leaped high, landing on the roof of a four-story building.
He hoped this building—not directly in the flood's path—wouldn't collapse under the massive deluge.
After landing on the roof, Tsukasa looked out and saw that the capital of the Land of Hot Water, which should have been bustling and prosperous, was now filled with wailing.
This sudden attack had instantly shattered the peaceful hot spring paradise of the Land of Hot Water's people.
Buildings collapsed. The city was submerged in flooding.
Every visible rooftop was filled with panicked civilians.
Women clutching their children collapsed on rooftops, weeping bitterly. Merchants who had lost all their assets in an instant. Middle-aged men, numbed by the loss of loved ones, tumbled into despair.
Countless bodies rolled upon the surging waves.
A body that looked vaguely familiar floated past Tsukasa.
It was the confectioner who had profited from Mei's generosity just moments before.
Half a minute ago, he might have been happily counting money, smiling at the blossoming relationship between the young man and woman before him, his old back straightening as he reflected on the beauty of youth.
Now, half his body was crushed by a collapsing wall, his face frozen in utter terror.
He died with his eyes open.
He didn't even know the cause of his death.
Tsukasa's face hardened.
"Tch."
He took a deep breath, suppressing the rage rising within him—rage at the injustice and tragedy unfolding before his eyes, at his inability to do anything about it.
He suppressed the hatred that wanted to find the culprit and demand to know why.
He suppressed the urge to change everything.
He kept reminding himself that he, Uchiha Tsukasa, had anticipated all this. This was the cruel side of this world.
In this world where power reigned supreme, he was merely a passing visitor.
"Hah!"
Tsukasa shook his head, exhaled, and with an expressionless face, reached down to pluck tiles from the roof beneath his feet. He tied them together with Earth Grudge threads and threw them to surviving civilians who drifted past, pulling them to safety.
Mei, standing nearby, helped rescue people before immediately frowning:
"Tsukasa, get out of here!"
"This group of ninja are after Lord Yagura. A more terrifying battle might break out here soon."
Her brow furrowed with worry.
"Even the Sandaime might show up."
Tsukasa frowned slightly but didn't respond. He narrowed his eyes, continuing to save people while gazing into the distance with his Sharingan.
There, two figures treading the turbulent waters as if on solid ground were speeding toward them.
One had green hair and purple eyes, with a scar resembling stitches under his left eye. He appeared shorter than Tsukasa, had a youthful face, and wielded a long hooked staff with a green flower-like decoration on its tip.
This was none other than the future Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi!
The other had white hair and purple eyes, an expressionless face, and carried a large bandaged blade on his back.
It was none other than Kirigakure's "genius," Mangetsu Hōzuki, whom Tsukasa had fiercely battled not long ago!
"Is it them?" At this point, Mei also spotted the figures, her eyes flashing with surprise before she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness they're alright."
However, despite Mei's relieved voice, Tsukasa stood up silently.
Then he opened his shirt and placed his hand on his abdomen.
His palm touched the Ouroboros pattern of the Zero Tail.
His gaze suddenly turned cold!
End of Chapter 99
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