Ssh!
Like a bolt of snow-white light, the blade flashed from top to bottom, right to left, carving a massive semicircle through the air before vanishing without a sound.
In that instant, Heavenly Cry Water Fang, Water Pillar Dragon Splendor, the Water Walking boy, and even the identical boy about to leap out from the water all suddenly froze.
Shing!
At that moment, within the scarlet eyes reflecting that frozen scene, the Three Tomoe that had yet to fully merge slowly spun open. As the Masked Man descended, amid the scrape of metal, his Ninja Sword slid back into its sheath.
It was over...
Whether you were a clone or not, that sword had ended it! To make such an unwise move at the end, such an ugly struggle at death's door—you weren't all that special after all. I overestimated you for nothing.
I had thought you could push me harder.
Hmph! Looking at it now, all my concerns that you might force me to lose this battle were nothing more than a slap in my own face.
Didn't that make me look jumpy and utterly foolish? Seriously...
How embarrassing!
As he sheathed his sword, a faint cold gleam flickered in the Masked Man's opened Three Tomoe Sharingan. Beneath his mask, the corner of his ugly expression curled into a cold smile laced with anger and contempt.
Tap!
Just as that thought passed through his mind, the Masked Man landed lightly, his face chillingly cold.
Click!
At the same time, as he landed in a half-crouch atop the water, his Ninja Sword clicked softly into its sheath.
Sshh, sshh, sshh!
That faint click seemed to flip the switch on time itself. Everything that had been frozen suddenly began moving again.
The enormous water pillar, already on the verge of collapsing,