By then, Uchiha Itachi had fought his way out of the Hidden Mist Technique's range. His crimson skeletal Susanoo, over ten meters tall, swung its long chakra sword and plunged straight into Kirigakure's main force.
"Is Kumogakure's support still not here?" The elite jonin commanding Kirigakure's forces pressed the communications officer.
By now, he was well beyond a prickling scalp and a back drenched in sweat. Looking at that crimson Susanoo, he was almost scared out of his wits.
This Uchiha Itachi hardly seemed like a normal shinobi. Whether it was taijutsu or genjutsu, he excelled at everything—even Water Release.
He simply had no weaknesses. At times, Kirigakure's Water Release even worked to his advantage.
Uchiha Itachi's shuriken were absurdly accurate, impossible to guard against. Even shinobi who hid well were struck by shuriken that curved around corners.
Worst of all was his Susanoo. Ordinary ninjutsu had no effect on it, and he did not even bother dodging.
Launch a Water Release attack at him, and he would turn its water against you, using it to create another Water Release attack and fire it back.
"They'll be here any moment." The communications officer watched Uchiha Itachi slaughtering their forces, his heart pounding with fear.
He had already coughed up blood several times and looked ready to collapse, yet he simply would not fall.
Sure enough, large numbers of Kumogakure shinobi soon emerged from the forest and joined the battle.
With Kumogakure's forces entering the fray, the Kirigakure shinobi breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Although Kumogakure's ninjutsu repertoire was not as comprehensive as Konoha's, it was considerably more varied than Kirigakure's.
For a time, Earth Release reshaped the terrain to their advantage while Lightning Release and Water Release attacks worked in tandem, battering Uchiha Itachi's Susanoo until its glow dimmed