Chapter 118: Chapter 118: The Fall of Mizukage
"Mizukage-sama!" Terumi Mei and the other Kiri ninjas shouted desperately at the massive three-tailed beast in the distance, their eyes turning red.
"He can't hear you from this distance," Shin remarked with a hint of exasperation. "He's already under a genjutsu. Let's hurry up and take him down."
With that, an immense surge of chakra enveloped Shin's body, forming a towering black figure. The colossal Susanoo scooped up the group and soared directly toward the raging three-tailed beast.
"What…what is this?" Ringo exclaimed, wide-eyed as they ascended high above the ground. "This is way too high!"
"It's Susanoo, the legendary jutsu of the Uchiha clan!" Mangetsu shouted in awe. "Only those with the Mangekyō Sharingan can wield it! They say that seeing Susanoo means inevitable death for its witnesses!"
Shin rolled his eyes at the exaggeration. 'These legends just get more inflated every time. Anyone who sees it dies? If that were true, who would be around to tell the tale?'
Nevertheless, Susanoo's power was undeniable. Now fully materialized, Susanoo hovered high above Kirigakure with ease. Down below, the village was in chaos; nearly all the capable fighters had already been defeated. Only a handful of ninjas remained, barely holding off the rampaging Mizukage in his tailed beast form.
Meanwhile, the six-tailed jinchuriki, Utakata, was nowhere in sight, likely captured or wounded. As for Kisame Hoshigaki, well, he was in cahoots with Obito. Not much help could be expected from him.
Thus, what lay before them now was utter devastation. The manipulated Mizukage was rampaging wildly, leaving a trail of injured or dead ninjas in his wake.
"Look! Mizukage-sama's eyes, it's the Mangekyō Sharingan!" Ao shouted in shock. Beside him, Zabuza replied coldly, "I noticed. What I want to know is who's standing atop the Mizukage."
High above, masked and imposing Obito observed Susanoo from his position on the three-tailed beast. "Damn it! That traitor! He's been using me as a pawn!"
Shin scanned the battlefield, his observation haki stretching across the area. "So, you got the memo. Too bad Black Zetsu is smarter than you and didn't come here directly."
"Not that it matters," he continued, voice dripping with mockery. "But you must be foolishly dreaming if you think you can reclaim the Rinnegan from me."
"Hmph!" Obito scoffed, his voice laced with bitter resentment. His gaze flicked to Orochimaru and Sasori, who were watching from nearby. "And what brings you two here?"
Sasori merely observed him, unfazed, while Orochimaru chuckled, licking his lips. "We're here to handle a little treason, wouldn't you agree, 'Madara'?"
"Traitors? I created Akatsuki!" Obito's voice cracked, brimming with anger. He had invested so much into this organization, painstakingly recruiting, gathering intelligence through White Zetsu, and winning over allies. Now, he found himself cast out from the very group he had helped to build.
"Oh, really?" Shin replied coolly. "Then perhaps you should have developed better relations."
Obito glared at Shin, clenching his fists. "It seems you know more than I expected."
"I know plenty more than you could imagine, Uchiha Obito." Shin's gaze was unwavering.
Obito's eyes narrowed, his grip on the three-tails tightening. With a fierce roar, the colossal beast gathered chakra in its maw, forming a dense sphere—the dreaded Tailed Beast Bomb.
"Watch out, it's the Tailed Beast Bomb!" Terumi Mei began to shout a warning, but the Susanoo was faster. In one swift motion, Shin's Susanoo drew its giant chakra sword and slashed downward. The blade sliced through the Tailed Beast Bomb before it could detonate, dispersing its energy in the air. Even the three-tails let out a pained roar, a massive gash now carved into its back.
The entire village shook from the impact as though struck by an earthquake.
"That…that was the Tailed Beast Bomb…" muttered one of the Kiri ninjas, awestruck. Such sheer destructive force left an indelible impression, a silent testament to Susanoo's might.
Shin reached out with Susanoo, pulling the remaining ninjas inside it. "If you think a tailed beast alone is enough to challenge me, Obito, you're sadly mistaken."
"Universal Pull – Primal Void!"
A black vortex formed in Susanoo's hand, enhanced to monstrous proportions. The dark mist spiraled outwards, creating a dense gravitational pull that distorted the very air. Despite its desperate roars, the three-tails was unable to resist, dragged skyward by the relentless force. Within seconds, the tailed beast was drawn in, its massive shell bending and contorting as it was absorbed into the black void.
Silence fell over the battlefield as both sides stared in disbelief at the aftermath.
"It's over, isn't it?"
"No way… that was a tailed beast…the pinnacle of any shinobi village's strength…"
"Mizukage-sama…he's been captured too!"
As Shin dispelled Susanoo, they descended back to the ground. The surviving Kiri ninjas, spotting Terumi Mei and the others, finally seemed to find some semblance of hope and rushed over.
"Lady Terumi Mei…"
"Mangetsu Hozuki…"
The destruction throughout Kirigakure was severe. Much of the village lay in ruins, and while the casualties were less than one might expect, many buildings were obliterated. Thankfully, Kirigakure housed no civilians, with only shinobi and their families residing within the village. However, even for Kirigakure, the damage was akin to the results of a full-scale war. If Shin and his allies hadn't intervened in time, the entire village might have been wiped out.
"Lady Terumi Mei, who are these people…what happened to the Mizukage?"
A group of Anbu ninjas approached, their voices tinged with hesitation. Mei and the others looked away, momentarily unsure of how to respond.
With a wave of his hand, Shin opened a small black void, and, with a flicker of dark energy, the fourth Mizukage was expelled from within. However, his chakra reserves were greatly diminished; much of the three-tails' chakra had been siphoned by Shin. Restoring his strength to its previous level would likely take years.
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Merry Christmas Everyone!
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Mass Release: [2/5]
For each power stones milestone—25, 50, 100, and beyond—I will release a bonus chapter.