The water currents surged violently, colliding with the surrounding towering buildings.
A silhouette stood steadily atop the surging waters, hands forming seals as slender streams of water spewed from his mouth, sweeping across the entire area like an aurora. One building after another collapsed, emitting a rumbling noise.
Yagura's arm began to bleed, grazed inadvertently by the extremely slender water stream.
However, Yagura wasn't too concerned. Under the influence of the Three-tailed chakra, the wound on his arm quickly healed, and the blood was evaporated clean.
The Third Mizukage pursued him relentlessly from behind. Even the body of a Tailed Beast found it hard to withstand the Blade of Water, which could cut through gold and jade. Being struck by such a Blade of Water would spell certain death.
After all, he was one of the Five Kage, the Mizukage.
Even though age had weakened him somewhat, his understanding and application of jutsu had not dulled with age; rather, it had become even more refined.
"Still, he is one of the Five Kage."
Yagura sighed softly.
Many ninjas couldn't surpass his peak existence in the past.
One shouldn't underestimate him just because he was old and frail.
He had already elevated the strength of the Third Mizukage as much as he could, but in the end, underestimated him too much.
Fortunately, he had secretly mastered the power of the Three-tailed beforehand, or he would most likely end up defeated in this battle.
But how to fight the Third Mizukage next was also a tricky problem.
The Third Mizukage's Water Style Ninjutsu was extremely lethal, and his attainment in Water Style far surpassed his own. His own Water Style might even be used against him by the opponent.
If the Three-tailed were fully unleashed, due to its massive size, it would lack flexibility and could easily be targeted by the Third Mizukage's Sealing Technique.
Yagura wouldn't believe that the Third Mizukage couldn't seal the Three-tailed.
For villages, Tailed Beasts were important weapons, and every village's 'Kage' would learn, more or less, some Sealing Technique to use against Tailed Beasts.
For normal ninjas, the massive body of a Tailed Beast could form powerful suppression, but against ninjas of the 'Five Kage' level, sheer size alone was completely ineffective.
It might even become a living target in their hands.
Should he use the Tailed Beast Ball? Yagura pondered this possibility.
As a perfect jinchuriki, he didn't need to transform into a Tailed Beast to use the Tailed Beast's ultimate attack—the Tailed Beast Ball.
However, the scale of the jutsu wasn't as powerful as in Tailed Beast mode.
With that thought, a sharp gleam flashed in Yagura's eyes and he began adjusting the Tailed Beast Chakra within him.
The Tailed Beast cloak on him grew even more crimson, as if it would solidify into reality.
Seeing Yagura's further Tailed Beast Transformation, the Third Mizukage in pursuit also had a moment of solemnity, realizing that Yagura was planning a major move.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bomb Jutsu!"
A water dragon surged from the ground, leaping out from beside Yagura and charging towards the Third Mizukage.
This was a decoy; the Third Mizukage knew it and therefore didn't dodge. He spewed a torrent, slicing the water dragon in half from head to tail.
Stepping on the moist water traces, dissipating in the air.
The Water Instant Body was released in an instant, and in a blink, the Third Mizukage dashed in front of Yagura. Chakra surged in his arm, water rippling on its surface.
"Water Style: Great Dragon Arm!"
The dragon's head formed of gathering water appeared on his fist, mercilessly aiming at Yagura's chest and striking directly.
A terrifying explosion resounded, followed by invisible ripples spreading through the atmosphere, visible cracks appearing on the pavement and buildings on either side.
Yagura's body shot out like a cannonball. At the moment of flying out, Yagura also completed the cohesion of the Tailed Beast Ball.
With a black core, surrounded by a purple halo, the sphere tore through the air.
The Third Mizukage's eyes widened, Tailed Beast Ball!?
Though smaller than a Tailed Beast's Tailed Beast Ball, its color and that heart-gripping sense of oppression, without a doubt, this was a genuine Tailed Beast Ball.
No time to think, facing the sudden danger, the Third Mizukage retreated without hesitation, forming hand seals simultaneously.
Torrents spread across the street, surging overwhelmingly forward, engulfing the Tailed Beast Ball.
Stimulated by the immense power, the Tailed Beast Ball in the water began to glow, on the verge of explosion.
Of course, the Third Mizukage wouldn't allow the Tailed Beast Ball to explode, pressing his hands on the water surface, chakra poured into the currents.
The glow of the Tailed Beast Ball grew stronger, reaching a critical point, blazing white light burst from the water surface, but the explosive force didn't break out; it just caused a mild tremor.
The explosive force was restrained by the Third Mizukage with a jutsu, confined within the waters.
The Third Mizukage coughed, his face turned pale, and he smiled bitterly.
Unexpectedly, even sealing an attack of this level felt tremendously strenuous; he had indeed aged significantly.
In his prime, such an attack could be casually sealed with Water Style, without a second thought.
A gust of wind assaulted from behind, Yagura, clad in the Tailed Beast Cloak, wielded a long stick weapon with a hook, swinging towards the Third Mizukage's back.
The Third Mizukage gathered water on his arm, turning to counterattack.
Their chakras clashed, their bodies trembled against each other, and they leaped backward.
"Water Style: Isobu's Great Rushing Wave!"
Yagura opened his mouth, water surged out, gathering in mid-air into a gigantic turtle covered in spikes and three tails.