The Three-Tails was a one-eyed sea turtle.
The moment it appeared, it saw the Wood Dragons, its single eye filled with terror.
Its other eye had been gouged out by Senju Hashirama's Wood Release back in the day. Seeing Wood Release again, it hurriedly looked for Hashirama.
The Three-Tails' gaze relaxed. The person standing atop the Wood Dragon wasn't Senju Hashirama, but a ninja wearing a fox mask.
That Wood Human was also different from Hashirama's. It had three heads and six arms, looking flashy and ornate, unlike Hashirama's Wood Human, which was deceptively simple.
The Three-Tails was greatly relieved. It had thought Hashirama had lived this long.
If not Hashirama, then he must be Hashirama's descendant.
Kill him! Take revenge on Hashirama! Avenge its lost eye!
The Three-Tails immediately used a Water Release technique, intending to test the strength of Hashirama's descendant.
Yōkō might have to hop between battlefields soon, engaging in other major fights, so he didn't use the Thousand-Handed Vidyārāja.
Facing the surging Water Release, Yōkō formed hand seals.
"Water Release: Water Body Flicker!"
His strength was immense. Some trump cards no longer needed hiding.
Having carried out so many missions in the Land of Rain, seeing Hanzo use his techniques a few times... it wasn't too much to say he had secretly replicated Hanzo's signature moves, right?
The Three Worlds Wood Human and Yōkō vanished together. In the next instant, they reappeared right in front of the Three-Tails.
The Three-Tails suddenly felt things were wrong. Hashirama's descendant seemed stronger than imagined.
It quickly lashed out with its three tails, whipping them forward.
However, the three-headed, six-armed Wood Human extended three of its arms, grabbing the Three-Tails' tails.
The Three-Tails remembered more and more from the past. Hashirama's Wood Human back then was incredibly durable; its tails couldn't shatter the wooden body.
"Can't move now, can you, little turtle?" Yōkō formed another seal. "Forbidden Jutsu: Gold Sand Cutting Wave!"
A fierce jet of water shot forth, mixed with golden sand, slicing toward the base of the Three-Tails' tails.
The Three-Tails' agonized shriek echoed across the sea and Ryousei Port.
A tail covered in hard plating flew into the air.
The Three-Tails had become the Two-Tails!
The Three-Tails realized in horror that Konoha's Fox possessed top-tier Water Release ninjutsu and had even incorporated... something akin to the One-Tail Shukaku's sand into it!
Damn that Shukaku! Had it betrayed the tailed beasts?
Two Wood Dragons surged forward, biting the Three-Tails' head, yanking it from its shell and exposing its vulnerable neck.
"Three-Tails, have you seen fishermen kill turtles? They always pull the head out first..."
Another Gold Sand Cutting Wave shot forth, aimed at the Three-Tails' neck.
The Three-Tails tried to struggle, but the Three Worlds Wood Human was already pressing down on it, more Wood Dragons coiling around its body.
A dozen seconds later, the Gold Sand Cutting Wave severed the Three-Tails' neck.
"Truly a turtle's head—thick and hard."
The Three-Tails' body began to disintegrate, turning into chakra that dissipated into the seawater.
In the distance, Saiken was fighting Kushina. Seeing the Three-Tails killed, Saiken pushed Kushina back and looked gravely at Fox.
"Even someone as strong as Senju Hashirama primarily captured us tailed beasts. Aren't you afraid we tailed beasts will take revenge on Konoha ninja in the future? You will die, but we tailed beasts are immortal."
Saiken's voice was very strange. Its mouthparts were several parallel holes, making its speech sound like it had a built-in echo.
"Capture you?" Yōkō said.
"I am not Lord Hashirama. I have no interest in capturing you.
If you're lucky in the future, you might encounter people who want to capture you, who want to seal you into the Ten-Tails' husk.
As for me, I have no interest in such things."
Saiken was stunned. This Konoha ninja knew about the Ten-Tails and its husk?
Yōkō continued, "As for you tailed beasts taking revenge on Konoha in the future, that does remind me.
You tailed beasts have lived since the Sage of Six Paths' era. You shouldn't exist in the first place.
Six-Tails, wait patiently. Wait and see whether you'll be captured by certain individuals or be utterly killed by me."
Hearing the Konoha ninja's murderous words, Saiken reacted defensively, gathering a massive Tailed Beast Ball.
The Tailed Beast Ball shot toward the Wood Human.
However, the Wood Human caught the Tailed Beast Ball with a single hand.
The Three Worlds Wood Human's durability already surpassed that of a tailed beast; this was power at the Super Kage level.
The Wood Human's arm suddenly elongated, pressing the Tailed Beast Ball toward the sea surface where Saiken had vanished.
After a terrifying explosion, a tsunami appeared on the sea.
Yōkō waved his hand, creating a row of Wood Release flood barriers to prevent the tsunami from destroying Ryousei Port.
Uzumaki Kushina was about to engage Saiken but found the Six-Tails had fled, merging into the seawater.
"Kushina! Don't chase the Six-Tails! Come with me!"
Hearing Lord Fox's call, Kushina hurried to the knee of Lord Fox's Wood Human.
Yōkō released the Wood Release, letting the Wood Human sink back beneath the waves.
He led Kushina toward the temple.
A corpse washed ashore by the waves. Yōkō glanced at it, recognizing it as Yagura Karatachi's body, revealed after the Two-Tails' chakra dispersed.
Yōkō thought to himself, With Yagura dying early, perhaps Kirigakure won't have to endure the terrible era of the Bloody Mist.
The Three-Tails was dead, the Six-Tails had fled. Seeing the Kage-level battle on the sea end in their devastating defeat, the Kiri-nin could think of nothing else. They avoided the front sea area, fleeing to both sides.
Yōkō, however, had no mind to stop the Kiri-nin and continued toward the temple.
About a hundred meters from the temple, someone suddenly leapt out from within—it was Yamanaka Kari.
Yamanaka Kari shouted, "Lord Fox! Ōnoki and the Third Raikage have appeared outside Konoha! The Hokage is fighting them both!"
Just hearing those two names was enough to know the Third Hokage was at a disadvantage.
Yōkō said, "Don't panic. We finished just in time, perfectly positioned to reinforce the village."
On the rooftop of a tall building in Ryousei Port, Nara Rokaku watched as Fox, Princess Kushina, and Yamanaka Kari vanished within the temple courtyard.
He said to Nara Shikaku beside him, "Shikaku, execute the strategy set by Commander Fox. Shift from defense to offense. Capture the Land of Waves and at least a third of the cities in the Land of Water—even attack the capital of the Land of Water itself!"
Nara Shikaku hesitated, "Even though we defeated the Three-Tails and Six-Tails, relying solely on our two thousand ninja seems a bit difficult, doesn't it?"
"No difficulty," Nara Rokaku said.
"As we capture cities and territories, Deputy Commander Yuka will simultaneously build altars or temples.
As the fighting progresses, we will receive reinforcements from many Konoha ninja.
The nature of warfare has changed. It's no longer about two sides sending thousands of troops to fight to the death on a frontline.
We have superior deployment capabilities. The Kiri-nin are no match for us.
Shikaku, I have a task for you."
"What task?"
"Form pursuit squads. Don't let the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist escape." Nara Rokaku thought for a moment and said,
"During the pre-war briefing, Commander Fox mentioned that Might Dai is a key asset against the Seven Swordsmen.
Treat Might Dai as a contingency factor. Conscript him for the task."
(End of Chapter)