Retreat and Rear Guard

"Argh!" The wound at his waist and abdomen made Suikazan Fuguki cry out in pain. Enduring the agony coursing through his body, he kicked off the ground and leaped more than a dozen meters away, not daring to get close to Shisui again. Panting, he stared at Shisui with wary yet vicious eyes. "You damned bastard!"

Even after unleashing his full strength, he had still been suppressed by Shisui. What kind of technique was that?

Not only was its offensive power immense, but its defense was equally astonishing. If not for Samehada's special properties, he probably would not even have been able to break through Shisui's defenses!

"Pant... pant..." On the other side, Shisui was gasping heavily. He had finally been unable to withstand the drain any longer. The four-bladed windmill pattern in his eyes vanished, reverting to ordinary Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

After using Susanoo repeatedly, the burden had become too great. Boundless stinging pain surged through his eyes. Covering his right eye, he let out a muffled groan and dropped to one knee atop the tree canopy. Even in the vision of his slightly narrowed left eye, faint afterimages had appeared!

That had been utterly impossible in the past!

This also made Shisui realize that he had reached his limit!

At that moment, a pitch-black crow landed on his shoulder and conveyed some information.

Shisui looked toward his companions. Enduring the stabbing pain in his eyes, he cast one final glance at Suikazan Fuguki before flashing toward Kakashi.

He had received Kakashi's order. It was time to leave!

Biwa Juzo was already dead; there was no need to continue fighting the Mist shinobi!

But how could Suikazan Fuguki possibly allow Konoha's people to leave so easily?

Samehada's Chakra was accelerating Suikazan Fuguki's cellular regeneration, and the savage wound on his lower abdomen was slowly healing.

Seeing Shisui trying to flee, he sneered and ordered Kisame, who was not far away, "Kisame, kill them!"

"Yes, Captain!" Kisame nodded, rapidly forming hand seals. "Water Release: Water Shark Bullet Technique!"

From the puddles scattered across the muddy ground, a shark composed entirely of water suddenly sprang forth and lunged toward Shisui, jaws snapping!

However, Yei had remained vigilant toward everyone the entire time and reacted at once. He hurled a Kunai wrapped in Exploding Tags, sending it crashing into Kisame's ninjutsu.

With a BOOM, the Exploding Tags detonated, blasting the water shark to pieces!

Kakashi swallowed Soldier Pills and recovered some Chakra. Without hesitation, he gave the order, "Go! Leave this place!"

Asuma nodded and supported the exhausted Shisui as they darted backward.

Yei exchanged a look with Kakashi and also rushed back.

"Kisame, don't let them get away!" With Samehada's Chakra repairing him, Suikazan Fuguki's injuries had recovered somewhat. Seeing the Konoha Anbu who had caused him such devastating losses attempting to escape, he snorted coldly and formed hand seals. "Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"

"Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"

"Water Release..."

Suikazan Fuguki unleashed Water Release techniques without restraint, utterly unconcerned with the consumption!

With Samehada, he had the capital to do so!

Kisame also formed hand seals and shouted, "Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"

Kisame did not possess as much Chakra as Suikazan Fuguki, so he stopped after performing two Water Release ninjutsu.

Even so, the several layered Water Release techniques were incomparably terrifying. The roaring torrents crashed forward like a tsunami battering the shore, washing away and destroying everything in their path. Dozens of meters high, the floodwaters pressed in on Yei and the others from all directions.

"Damn it. Yei, Asuma, take Shisui and leave first. I'll hold them off here!" Kakashi's heart sank as he spoke gravely to his teammates. He stopped in place, facing the incoming flood with a resolute gaze!

Yei looked at Kakashi and frowned. "How much Chakra do you have left now?"

Asuma also stopped. "If we leave, we leave together!"

Shisui said as well, "Asuma-senpai, put me down. I can still fight."

Kakashi looked at them, moved in his heart, but his tone turned stern as he shouted, "I'm the captain of this team. You must obey my orders!"

"Cut that out. Who can't see what you're thinking?" Yei curled his lip, looking at the surging water bearing down on them. Narrowing his eyes, he said, "I have a secret technique that can briefly unleash power beyond my own. Let me hold them off!"

Kakashi stared fixedly at Yei. "You..."

Shisui and Asuma looked at Yei.

"Stop wasting time and acting like a bunch of old women!" Yei cut them off directly. Looking seriously at his teammates, he said, "Don't worry. I value my life too much to die here!"

Hearing the determination in Yei's voice, and with no more time to waste, Kakashi took a deep breath. "All right. I believe in you, Yei. Make sure you catch up to us!"

Asuma heavily slammed a fist against his thigh, silently hating his own lack of strength. He looked at Yei and gritted his teeth. "Be careful."

Shisui looked at Yei, his voice full of worry. "Senpai..."

"Go!" Kakashi gave Yei one last look. Then, together with Asuma supporting Shisui, he flashed away.

They chose to trust Yei. From what they knew of him, he was not someone who made empty boasts!

He was a member of Konoha's prestigious Hyuga Clan, a Hyuga genius who had learned Kakashi's Chidori and developed it even further!

"Don't worry. I'll catch up to you soon!" Yei laughed. The next moment, facing the towering flood rushing toward him, his expression turned serious!

"Let's try that newly developed move... But how much Chakra will I need to inject to break through Water Release of this scale? Forget it. I'll give it everything I have. And while I'm at it, I'll see just how far I can go when I unleash my full power!!" Yei muttered softly. Lightning crackled around him as surging lightning energy stimulated his body's cells, accelerating their regeneration!

The pain flaring throughout his body reminded Yei of the time when his meridians had yet to heal...

Without hesitation, he used Super Regeneration, accelerating the repair of his injuries!

As this went on, the thing known as vitality began to drain away at a terrifying rate...

This was several times greater than the Chakra he had forcibly extracted earlier. For one brief instant, the Chakra within Yei even broke through to the Kage level!

By consuming his life force, Yei suddenly unleashed a powerful surge of Chakra. Buzzing lightning power spread from his body, and his white eyes became tinged with the blue radiance of thunder!

He raised his right hand, and the metal Kunai seemed to be drawn by some unseen force, hovering above his palm!

Rings of electric current wrapped around Yei's right arm, constantly leaping about. The crackling roar of thunder echoed all around, and under the pull of some force, the shattered stones on the ground began trembling uncontrollably before rising into the air...