Countless ice needles exploded in the water, refracting a ghastly white light.
Kisame had nowhere to dodge.
White chakra surrounded him, and every ice needle seemed to have eyes.
Thud, thud, thud.
Dense, muffled impacts echoed beneath the water.
Kisame's Samehada was surrounded by Thousand Killing Water Needles, and bloody mist burst from his shoulders and thighs.
He bared his sharp teeth and forcibly twisted his body with his monstrous strength, avoiding the vital points of his heart and throat.
The current churned violently.
A massive blade tore through the murky curtain of water and slashed at Kisame's neck without warning.
Zabuza's timing was viciously precise.
It was the exact instant when Kisame had exhausted his old strength but had yet to muster new strength.
Kisame only had time to externalize Samehada and raise it.
Clang!
Sparks flashed through the water and vanished in an instant.
The Kubikiribōchō slid down against Samehada, its edge savagely cutting into Kisame's chest and leaving a vicious half-meter-long wound.
Blood instantly dyed the surrounding waters red.
Borrowing that force, Kisame shot back more than ten meters. The flesh on his chest had peeled open, even exposing stark white bone.
"It hurts."
Kisame wiped blood from his chest and licked it off his hand.
"Zabuza, you really are strong. No wonder you managed to kill every classmate in your year."
Not only was he unafraid, his grin became even wilder, and the chakra fluctuations around him grew more violent.
A series of dull explosions suddenly came from overhead.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Massive shockwaves surged wildly through the water, as though an invisible giant hand were violently stirring the depths.
Deidara was having the time of his life outside.
Countless white Clay Spiders dropped into the water like dumplings, exploding into balls of fire before they