"But... even if I release Hiramekarei, I don't think... I can beat Senior Kisame."
Facing Kisame, Chōjūrō truly had no confidence.
He knew full well that his strength did not measure up to even a fraction of Kisame's.
Perhaps he was simply underestimating himself too much.
"Idiot!" Ao could no longer stand it. "Chōjūrō, what nonsense are you spouting?! Do you want to put Lady Mizukage in danger? Don't forget she's pregnant! You're the one who said you'd protect her!"
At those words, Chōjūrō's gaze suddenly grew much firmer. He took a deep breath and rallied himself. "That's right. I'll protect Lady Mizukage. I won't let anyone near her!"
"Hiramekarei: Release!"
The bandages around Hiramekarei's blades rapidly burst outward. The entire twin sword glowed, its powerful chakra dazzling, as though it held limitless power.
This was the twin sword Hiramekarei's strongest released form.
"Heh, you're finally starting to look the part, Kirigakure's child prodigy."
Kisame's fading fighting spirit gradually returned. Samehada also sensed its master's will to fight and actually broke free of its bandages on its own, baring its enormous, bloody maw and sticking out its long tongue to wildly threaten Chōjūrō.
"As your senior, I'll give my adorable junior a proper lesson today! Before you die, I'll make sure you understand why they call me the [Tailless Tailed Beast]!"
As he spoke, Kisame radiated an utterly savage aura. In sheer presence alone, he overpowered Chōjūrō a hundredfold.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Water Shockwave!"
Kisame puffed out his cheeks, intending to display his strongest Water Release. Huge waves of water poured from his mouth, but before he had spat out even half of it, a figure wreathed in lightning suddenly appeared behind him.
"Urgh!"
"A... sneak attack?"
Kisame was shocked. Despite all his calculations, he had never expected the