Swish!
A blue laser slammed head-on into Araki's Slash Wave. Whirlwinds raged, thunder roared, and an enormous plume of water exploded from the sea.
However, under Darui's control, the other two lasers curved around the blast and continued shooting toward Araki.
"Storm Style... controllable laser-like streams of water?"
Araki tried slashing out a [Wind Wall], intending to intercept them halfway, but they easily evaded it.
Compared to Darui's Storm Style lasers, which he could remotely control, Araki's slashes could no longer be controlled once they were unleashed. In terms of flexibility, they were far inferior.
Since ranged attacks could not stop them, Araki had no interest in getting close and cutting through those lasers either.
After all, Storm Style was a fusion of Water Release and Lightning Release, combining the advantages of both attributes—Lightning Release's speed, Water Release's controllability, and even Lightning Release's paralyzing effect.
With seawater beneath his feet, fighting this thing at close range meant that one careless instant of paralysis would immediately end the battle.
So Araki chose—
To head uphill!
As mentioned before, besides the sea, Cloud-Thunder Gorge had many small protruding hills scattered throughout.
Moving with the wind, Araki flashed away from the water and landed atop a small hill.
[Slash Wave: Cross]!
Two crescent-shaped wind blades shot out, one horizontal and one vertical, forming a cross as they cleaved toward Darui.
Swish!
Boom!
Darui recalled another Storm Style laser, which once again perished together with Araki's slash.
The final laser hastened after Araki, lashing at the small hill beneath his feet like a whip.
Bang!
Araki stomped, and the little earthen hill was instantly engulfed in dust.
Whoosh!
Araki became a gust of wind, bursting through the dust and charging straight at Darui.
"Hah!"
Darui gave a low shout. Two more lasers emerged from