The fleet plunged into chaos in an instant. The blast waves rocked the ships violently, and many ninjas were thrown into the sea before they could even react.
Firelight painted the night sky red, and thick smoke spread over the sea, obscuring their vision.
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
Rei realized the situation had turned bad. He was just about to jump overboard and use Water Walking when he discovered that Anbu ninjas had surrounded them on all sides.
Anbu members darted across the sea like ghosts, swiftly boarding the remaining ships and engaging in close combat.
Though the Red Sand Clan ninjas had superior numbers, they were already at a disadvantage fighting on the water. With the sudden attack on top of that, they could not mount an effective counterattack.
"Don't panic! Hold your formation!"
Rei shouted, trying to steady the situation, but amid the chaos, his voice was drowned out by explosions and battle cries.
He gritted his teeth and quickly formed Hand Seals, controlling several puppets in an attempt to block the Anbu's advance.
But the Anbu's assault gave them no chance to catch their breath.
Teams Three and Six, led by Qingya and Shaji, swept in from both sides and quickly routed the ships on the perimeter.
Teams One and Eleven, led by Tieyan, pressed forward from the front and engaged the two ships under Rei's command in fierce combat.
Akasuna Arashi's expression changed drastically when he saw this. He knew that if they did not pay a price today, they probably would not get away.
He immediately decided that the remaining ships would speed away, while the ninjas aboard would jump off and use Water Walking to form up and kill the Anbu ninjas first.
But the moment those ninjas jumped overboard, iron sand particles poured down like a torrential rain. The ships were instantly covered in iron sand, and their hulls creaked under the crushing weight.
"Magnet Release? Is Rasa here?"
Akasuna Arashi turned pale with fright, but when he saw the figure in the sky, he dismissed the thought.
Rasa was nowhere near that short!
"Wind Release: Wind Wall!"
A wall of wind rose before him.
Yet the impact of the iron sand particles far exceeded his expectations. The wind wall was torn apart in an instant, and the particles struck the hull directly.
Bang-
The iron sand particles pierced the hull. Seawater rushed in, and the ship began to sink.
Out on the vast sea, without a ship, never mind reaching the Land of Tea-it was doubtful they could even make it back to the Land of Rivers.
After all, Magnet Release could carry people through the air, so the Anbu ninjas did not have to worry about Chakra consumption. They had no such luxury!
Though Chakra was molded as needed, there was a limit to it. Once it was gone, it was gone.
Akasuna Arashi said through gritted teeth, "Are you Anbu really going to hunt us all down?"
Hoshino looked at him coldly and said, "Akasuna Arashi, the price of betraying the village is death."
Akasuna Arashi roared and swiftly formed Hand Seals. Several puppets flew out of a sealing scroll and headed straight for Hoshino.
But Hoshino merely waved a hand, and the iron sand particles instantly condensed into several spears that pierced the puppets.
"Akasuna Arashi, your Puppet Technique is meaningless before me."
Akasuna Arashi's expression turned extremely ugly. Knowing he had no way out, he gritted his teeth, pulled a scroll from inside his robes, and ripped it open.
"Secret Technique: Dance of the Red Sand!"
A great quantity of gold dust poured out of the scroll and swiftly condensed into a gigantic gold dust puppet.
Hoshino frowned slightly at the sight.
Gold dust-wasn't that exclusive to Rasa's Magnet Release? How had Akasuna Arashi gained that ability with nothing but a sealing scroll?
Could there be some unknown connection between them and Rasa?
It seemed the Red Sand Clan had no shortage of secrets. There were already two kinds of Kekkei experiments he knew about.
One was Hizuki's Kekkei Genkai experiment, and the other was the Kekkei Tōta experiment they had worked on with Root. Now a third had appeared.
And it seemed they really had produced some results. Even if it was only a one-use ability, it was still Magnet Release!
By now, the gold dust puppet had taken shape, its enormous body standing out against the sea.
Akasuna Arashi sneered and quickly formed Hand Seals. The gold dust puppet abruptly swung its massive arm, smashing it down hard at Hoshino.
Hoshino retreated swiftly. The Spirit Control Beads shone brilliantly, and iron sand particles gathered around him to form a sturdy barrier.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand World Method!"
Iron sand particles quickly condensed in the air into several enormous spears, which shot straight at the gold dust puppet.
Bang, bang, bang-
The iron sand spears struck the gold dust puppet with a piercing screech of grinding metal, but failed to penetrate it.
"Hahaha! This is the fruit of our clan's research. Despair!" Akasuna Arashi laughed wildly.
Hoshino snorted coldly, but he was not panicked.
He had long expected that Akasuna Arashi would not surrender easily. Though the gold dust puppet's appearance was unexpected, it was not beyond his ability to deal with.
At worst, he could fight a battle of attrition.
In any case, as long as he did not use Tailed Beast Transformation, the Tailed Beast Chakra in the Spirit Control Beads alone was enough for him to use Magnet Release for a long time.
After all, no matter how little Chakra Shukaku had, he was still a Tailed Beast, beyond the comparison of ordinary ninjas.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Storm!"
At Hoshino's low shout, the surrounding iron sand particles began to spin rapidly, forming a gigantic iron sand storm that swept up the gold dust puppet.
The iron sand particles sliced into the puppet's body like blades, producing a piercing screech of grinding metal.
Akasuna Arashi's expression grew grave. He clenched his hands, controlling the gold dust puppet as it tried to break free of the storm.
Hoshino smiled coldly. The iron sand storm suddenly expanded, and its particles swept toward the surrounding ninja forces like a torrential rain.
The Red Sand Clan ninjas were caught off guard. Many were struck by the iron sand particles, and screams rose one after another.
"Don't panic! Hold your formation!"
Akasuna Arashi roared, trying to reorganize his forces.
Just then, a violent rumble suddenly sounded over the sea, like a thunderclap exploding.
Everyone's attention was drawn toward it.
Hizuki stood at the bow of a battered ship, rapidly forming Hand Seals, blazing flames and flickering lightning circling her.
"Blaze Release: Thunder and Fire Descend from the Heavens!"
The sky abruptly turned crimson. Countless flames and bolts of lightning intertwined, forming a massive pillar of fire and lightning that shot into the heavens.
Immediately afterward, the pillar split apart, transforming into countless arrows of flame and lightning that poured down.
Boom, boom, boom-
The arrows of flame and lightning struck the sea, instantly setting off violent explosions. Seawater evaporated, and thick smoke and steam spread through the air.
The Red Sand Clan ninjas had no time to react. Many were swallowed by flames and fell screaming into the sea.
Even the ninjas who barely managed to dodge the attack were left paralyzed and unable to move by the lingering force of the lightning.
Seeing this, the remaining Anbu members immediately advanced, each using their own methods to cut them down.
"Th-this... what kind of Ninjutsu is this? Could it be..."
Akasuna Arashi stared at the scene before him in disbelief. The combination of flames and lightning was like a natural disaster.
Then, as if something had suddenly occurred to him, his eyes widened.
"Do you see, Akasuna Arashi? This is the fruit of your work. Too bad it's mine now!"