The Battle on the East Coast, Part Four

On the sea, hundreds of ships were moored about five or six kilometers from the coastline, without anchoring or securing themselves to the shore.

The ninjas could cross the sea and use Ninjutsu; the ships were merely a means for the Hidden Mist Village to conserve Chakra for crossing.

Despite the great distance, Yagura Karatachi noticed that more and more ninjas were gathering on the east coast.

The sound of drums from the ships signaled the attack from Hidden Mist. The numerous Kirigakure Ninja on board also noticed the crowd on the shore.

"They actually fought us on the beach!"

"I feel like I'm being looked down upon."

"They're really courting death!"

Upon hearing the drumbeats, the Kirigakure Ninja jumped off the boats, their feet imbued with Chakra, and traversed the waves.

Many Kirigakure Ninja used Water Release Ninjutsu, condensing seawater into waves, Water Dragon, water snakes, and other water-like forms, which they then used to attack the Konoha Ninja on the shore.

The clash of tens of thousands of ninjas stretched for kilometers. Countless Kirigakure Ninja rode the waves to the shore, while countless Konoha Ninja rushed out from the shore, riding the waves towards the Hidden Mist fleet.

Orochimaru submerged in the water, Chakra attached to Manda. Manda swam on the surface of the water, heading towards the Hidden Mist fleet. Many Hidden Mist ninjas had seen Manda's enormous body submerge into the water, but they had ignored it.

From within the Hidden Mist fleet, a giant purple serpent emerged from the sea, coiled around a warship, and shredded it to pieces.

A black-haired woman, her hands Hand Seals, quickly completed her Ninjutsu, ending with a strange hand gesture, and softly uttered:

Ice Release: Despair Freezing Technique!

Orochimaru stood atop Manda. Manda had just shredded several ships and swallowed the fleeing Hidden Mist. The sea surface, nearly a kilometer wide, rapidly froze over the area, spreading upwards along with Manda.

"This is?"

Orochimaru was a man of great knowledge, but this was the first time he had ever seen such a powerful Ice Release Ninjutsu. Orochimaru had a unique understanding of Ninjutsu, and there was almost no Ninjutsu that could stump him.

However, Orochimaru was somewhat helpless against the Ice Release Ninjutsu spreading across the frozen sea and the rapidly freezing Manda. Using Fire Style seemed inappropriate.

Orochimaru spotted a woman in the distance emanating a chilling aura of Chakra, and made his decision. Since he couldn't break through Ninjutsu, he would have to break through the human form; Orochimaru no longer hesitated.

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"

Orochimaru looked at the ninja who had frozen the sea and was standing on the ice using Ice Release. From above the Manda, he launched himself forward at lightning speed, four pythons from his right sleeve lashing out at the ninja.

Orochimaru, save me now!

Manda, seeing that Orochimaru wasn't trying to help him but instead was fighting, couldn't help but shout loudly.

The Manda, before they could even Kamui, fell into a trap. The sea was frozen solid, and the ice spread along the Manda, already covering two-thirds of their bodies. If they hesitated any longer, they would likely be completely frozen.

Orochimaru didn't want to help it; Orochimaru simply couldn't.

Manda gritted his teeth, unable to move. Manda stared with his enormous eyes at the tiny ninjas below, especially Orochimaru and the woman who had used Ninjutsu.

"If we don't leave now, it's all over."

The Manda are already four-fifths frozen; if they don't leave soon, they'll turn into dried-up frozen snakes.

"Dark Release: Absorption Hole"

At the critical moment, Naraku arrived, his palm aimed at Manda, absorbing the Chakra from the Ice Release Ninjutsu.

"Um?"

The Manda felt the ice freeze stop and recede from its body, then looked at the tiny ant in the distance with its palm facing it.

Naraku the forefront of the Konoha forces, facing an overwhelming force with almost no resistance. He led his troops through the enemy lines and arrived directly at the Hidden Mist fleet.

Naraku broke the Ninjutsu that had trapped Manda, the sea began to tremble, like water in a glass shaking, and he almost lost his balance.

"In this situation, if we were to use a powerful Lightning Release Ninjutsu, water would conduct electricity, and it would likely result in a Pyrrhic victory, killing a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of our own."

On the battlefield, Ninjutsu roared, and all sorts of Water Style and Wind Release Ninjutsu appeared one after another.

No one used Earth Style or Fire Style ninjutsu. Water can conduct electricity, and Lightning Release was occasionally seen being used by a few people.

Naraku was still hesitating when he heard a soft shout from ahead:

"Ninja Art: Water Mirror Technique!"

"Um?"

Naraku looked at the green-haired, purple-eyed ninja in front of him, who was holding a strange long weapon and resembled a young boy, and realized the identity of the person in front of him. Moreover, there was another Naraku beside the boy, who was a clone of the Water Mirror Technique.

"You must be a famous Jonin Konoha. State your name!"

Karatachi Yagura watched the ninjas fighting on the sea. Uchiha Nara's team charged straight at the fleet and, without hesitation, jumped off the ship to fight Naraku.

On the surging sea, Naraku swayed with the waves and announced his name.

"Uchiha... Naraku"

"The Uchiha clan, you certainly have some strength, but I'm sorry, today you'll pay with your life!"

Karatachi Yagura spoke politely, but with a flick of his strange weapon, several whirlpools of seawater shot towards Naraku.

"Ninjutsu is ineffective against me."

Naraku extended his left hand towards Yagura, and a suction force emanated from his palm. The Naraku and the swirling seawater formed by the Water Mirror Technique in front of him turned into water and disappeared.

"Ninjutsu that absorbs Chakra, somewhat like Dark Release. How could you, as Uchiha, possibly master Dark Release?"

Seeing that the Ninjutsu had no effect on Naraku, Karatachi Yagura asked with some surprise.

"Hehe, I'll tell you slowly once I catch you."

After Naraku absorbed all the Chakra in his left hand, a burst of light emanated from his palm. Upon seeing Yagura became alert and on guard.

A flash of light Flash Cut on Naraku's left hand, unleashing a powerful burst of blue Chakra flame that shot towards Yagura. Simultaneously, Naraku followed the flame, launching a swift attack.

With a serious expression, Karatachi Yagura hooked his weapon, causing the seawater to surge and form a wall of water. Yagura twirled the weapon in his hand, and the water wall followed suit, rotating around Yagura and forming a powerful Uzumaki that protected Yagura within it.

"Chidori Sharp Spear!"

Advanced Lightning Release Ninjutsu: Naraku's right palm generated a ball of lightning with a crackling sound. As soon as the lightning ball formed, it extended forward and transformed into a long blade.

The lightning bolt extended at an extremely fast speed, quickly transforming into a blade nearly thirty meters long, which pierced towards Yagura within the Uzumaki.

As the swirling seawater shielded Yagura, he became alert and dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding a lightning-fast blade that pierced through.

Naraku sensed that the Chidori Sharp Spear had missed its mark, so he manipulated the lightning blade from a distance, sliding it left and right. The Lightning Blade was not only incredibly sharp, but also possessed powerful electrical energy; a hit from it would either kill or severely injure the target.

After narrowly dodging the Lightning Blade, Karatachi Yagura felt a slight electric current emanating from the seawater around him. He Yagura to avoid the sliding Chidori Sharp Spear, then took the opportunity to lie flat and dive into the water.