I Acknowledge You

"Although your Hand Seals are frighteningly fast, the Water Wall Technique can't block the Lightning Blade!" Kakashi thought grimly.

The Lightning Blade was an S-rank ninjutsu, capable of piercing anything!

If the Water Wall Technique could block it, he would stand on his head to wash his hair.

But in the next instant, Kakashi's eyes widened involuntarily.

"Squelch!"

Although his arm pierced through the Water Wall Technique, it could not advance any farther.

It stopped right in front of Ye Liangnai's chest, having pierced only a little flesh.

It felt as though he had not pierced a stream of water, but a reinforced alloy wall.

The water was condensed to such an extent that it was no different from steel. Its resistance was so great that even breaking through it took tremendous effort.

But Ye Liangnai did not dare hesitate for even a moment. Taking advantage of Kakashi's brief daze, he hurriedly retreated.

The Konoha Anbu were stunned by this sight!

Kakashi had stepped in and still failed to deal with a mere kid? Was this some kind of joke?

"Good! Well done!"

Tian Jia praised loudly once more at the sight.

Then he smiled. "Konoha ninjas, I truly have to thank you for creating such an excellent environment for my technique."

"Water Release: Great Wave!"

With a furious roar, Tian Jia spewed out enough water to instantly form a great river, flooding the entire area within the Earth Flow Wall to a depth of two or three meters.

Though it was far inferior to Kisame Hoshigaki's, it was already terrifying enough.

But that was not Tian Jia's objective!

His true purpose was—

"Water Release: Water Clone Technique!"

Tian Jia rapidly created several Water Clones. While everyone was still overwhelmed by the surging torrent and unable to react, they all slapped the water's surface together.

"Water Release: Water Prison Technique!"

At once, every Konoha ninja was restrained.

"Everyone, take this chance and retreat!"

Tian Jia gritted his teeth as he spoke with difficulty. Controlling so many people at once was truly more than he could bear.

Seeing this, Ye Liangnai and the others immediately burst from the water and rapidly climbed the wall.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

But suddenly, Kakashi emerged from within the Earth Flow Wall ahead of them using Earth Release: Submergence Technique, then spat out a massive fireball seven or eight meters across.

He had appeared far too suddenly!

Several Mist Ninja were swallowed before they could react. Screaming miserably, they fell into the water.

The remaining Mist Ninja scattered to evade it. Quite a few landed on the water's surface and returned to square one.

But just as Ye Liangnai dodged and instantly became alert, his pupils shrank. Kakashi had disappeared again!

Where is he?

As Ye Liangnai rapidly retreated atop the Earth Flow Wall, he watched in every direction and listened carefully for any movement, guarding against a sneak attack.

If he were caught off guard, there was a seventy percent chance he would be finished.

"Earth Release: Headhunter Technique!"

Suddenly, a voice came from beneath his feet.

Then he immediately felt someone grab his ankle, trying to drag him into the Earth Flow Wall.

"Water Release: Water Clone Technique!"

Ye Liangnai hurriedly escaped. If he got dragged in, he would be done for.

However, when he appeared again, a pair of three-tomoe Sharingan rapidly filled his vision.

Itachi Uchiha had actually broken free from the Water Prison Technique.

A chill immediately ran through Ye Liangnai's heart, but he ruthlessly said, "Even if I get caught, I won't let you off easy!"

"Demonic Illusion: Binding Stakes Technique!"

"Illusion Technique: Binding!"

The two actually cast genjutsu on each other at the same time.

Neither of them could move, and both fell downward.

At the instant Itachi Uchiha was caught in the genjutsu, he almost wanted to laugh.

Using genjutsu in front of his Sharingan? It seemed Ye Liangnai had truly been driven into a corner and was grasping at straws.

All genjutsu was useless before the Sharingan, especially since he himself was particularly skilled in genjutsu.

But just as he prepared to reflect the genjutsu back, he froze.

He could not reflect it!

He did not dare delay. He immediately erupted with Chakra, breaking free from the genjutsu's restraints and landing on the water.

Across from him, Ye Liangnai crawled out of the water with blood all over his mouth, panting without pause.

Forcing his way out of the genjutsu with an eruption of Chakra had left his already limited Chakra reserves even more strained.

"As expected of Itachi Uchiha. Even the Water Prison Technique couldn't trap you!"

Seeing that the other Konoha Anbu were still trapped underwater, while only Kakashi and Itachi Uchiha had escaped, Tian Jia praised them.

"You're not bad either. You escaped Captain Kakashi's killing blows twice, and even my genjutsu couldn't trap you!"

Itachi Uchiha replied calmly, breathing slightly heavily as well.

Not far away, Kakashi was fiercely battling a group of Mist Ninja.

He truly was Kakashi. Facing one Jonin, three Special Jonin-level opponents, and six Chunin-level Mist Ninja, he was still handling them with ease.

He had even pinned down White Wolf, Eagle, and the others, leaving them unable to retreat.

Meanwhile, Itachi Uchiha charged straight at Tian Jia.

If they wanted to turn the situation around and leave Ye Liangnai and the other Mist Ninja with no escape route—

Tian Jia had to release the Water Prison Technique!

"I won't let you succeed!"

Ye Liangnai was even faster. Drawing his blade, he charged at Itachi Uchiha and directly forced him back.

"Water Release: Water Bullet!"

Without giving Itachi Uchiha even a moment to catch his breath, two condensed water bullets pierced through his body.

But his Hand Seals were no slower than Ye Liangnai's, and he transformed into crows and vanished.

It was a Crow Clone!

"Captain Tian Jia, it's time to retreat!"

"Otherwise, Eagle and the others will die at Kakashi Hatake's hands!" Ye Liangnai retreated to Tian Jia's side and said.

"Indeed, it's about time. These Konoha ninjas probably won't pose a threat anytime soon!"

Ibiki Morino and the others were already on the verge of suffocation. Recovering would not be easy.

"But he is Kakashi, after all. It really isn't easy to keep him trapped!"

After saying this, Tian Jia released the Water Prison Technique and led a group of Water Clones toward Kakashi.

Meanwhile, Ye Liangnai suddenly stepped back.

Then he swung his sword forward with all his strength. In the next instant, Itachi Uchiha appeared holding a kunai and blocked the strike.

"Don't even think about interfering with Captain Tian Jia, Itachi Uchiha!" Ye Liangnai said with a grin.

The two immediately clashed again in an exceptionally violent battle.

"Cold Light, retreat!!!"

At that moment, Tian Jia's booming voice rang out.

Ye Liangnai immediately knocked Itachi Uchiha back and withdrew.

But three Shuriken shot from Itachi Uchiha's sleeve once again and struck Ye Liangnai.

However, the struck Ye Liangnai immediately turned into water.

Itachi Uchiha could not help but cry out in regret. Ye Liangnai's Hand Seals were simply too fast; he could not hit his real body at all.

But at that moment, Kakashi's voice also came. "Don't chase him. Saving them comes first!"

Hearing this, Itachi Uchiha immediately looked toward the water.

Only then did he notice a group of brightly colored water snakes rushing toward Ibiki Morino and the others.

One look was enough to tell that they were poisonous!

"Cold Light... I'll remember that name!"

Muttering this, Itachi Uchiha dove into the water to save them.