The Third Mizukage's battle IQ was extremely high. Having studied the Second Hokage before, he instantly understood Gekko Chizan's intention when crossing blades with him.
This realization made Chizan's heart tighten. He had originally thought the Third Mizukage was just a background figure, but now that he had truly clashed with him, the man turned out to be terrifying.
Even more troublesome than the Third Kazekage.
Knowing he had already been marked, the Third Mizukage quickly formed hand seals, and waves rippled out from his body.
Bathed in blue light, a layer of azure armor coated his figure.
It was clearly a defensive ninjutsu, though its exact effects remained uncertain.
"Chizan, if it doesn't work out, just go into full Tailed Beast Transformation and crush him directly. Why waste your time with him?"
Chōmei couldn't take it anymore. Throughout this series of fights, Chizan hadn't gained the slightest advantage.
It made Chōmei's claws itch with frustration.
"No. This is the northern region of Takigakure. If I transform here and get discovered, we're both finished. If I really have to use Tailed Beast Transformation, it can't be here."
Chizan glanced toward the snowy mountain range in the distance. A plan had already formed in his mind.
Although he had obtained quite a few ninjutsu recently, the number that could actually threaten a powerhouse was still too few.
"I'll lure him into the Land of Frost. That's where I'll unleash the transformation and finish him!"
Decision made, Chizan spread his wings without hesitation and shot toward the Land of Frost.
At the same time, he released the summoning, sending Jinlin and the others back to Ryūchi Cave.
The Third Mizukage frowned at the sight.
"Trying to run? Not that easy! Kaiga, chase him!"
The electric eel Kaiga, freed from its last opponent, immediately surged across the sea. The Mizukage leapt up and landed steadily on its head.
The battle instantly turned into a chase—
One soaring in the sky, the other pursuing across the waves.
But Chizan wasn't about to simply flee.
Activating Flying Thunder God, ten clones that had been previously prepared suddenly appeared beside the Mizukage, each forming the Tiger Seal.
Ten Thousand Years of Pain struck at once, stabbing toward him.
The chakra-infused attacks pierced into the Mizukage's body.
Blue water-light flared instantly, trying to block the assault, but unfortunately for him, the piercing quality was immense.
The combined strike shattered his water-cloak. Unprepared for this outcome, the Mizukage twisted his body to avoid a fatal blow, bracing himself to tank the rest.
But he had clearly underestimated the attack's force. Even though the shield reduced much of the damage, the ten strikes still left him crying out in pain.
"Damned brat!"
A water blade flashed, and the clones shattered into crystal fragments, disappearing.
The Mizukage's face burned with fury as he glared up at Chizan in the sky.
"Heh, come chase me! Catch me and I'll let you hit me. Otherwise, you're the one who's going to keep getting hit."
Anyone who knew Chizan understood just how irritating his mouth could be.
The Mizukage nearly exploded from rage, but as a Kage-level powerhouse, he forced himself to remain calm. He steadied his breathing as the pain ebbed away.
Unfortunately, Chizan had no intention of giving him that chance. Even while flying, he kept tossing every trick he had.
Snakes, crystal shards, explosive tags—whatever he had, he sent it the Mizukage's way with Flying Thunder God.
"Annoying little brat Water Release: Water Hail!"
The Mizukage raised his hand, launching a barrage of water bullets into the sky, while the eel crackled them with electricity.
But this was like firing anti-aircraft guns at a mosquito.
Chizan slipped through the sky like an eel in water—untouchable.
Before long, the chase carried them into the Land of Frost.
Feeling the temperature plummet, Chizan suddenly braked to a halt. Before him stretched a vast white expanse.
Glancing back, he saw that the Mizukage had already left the sea behind, with even Kaiga disappearing.
"Think leaving the ocean weakens me? Snow and ice are still water, brat. Your idea is wrong."
Water still swirled around the Mizukage's body as he spoke with disdain.
But Chizan only laughed—wild, arrogant laughter.
"You guessed wrong. Bringing you here was for my own sake. Chōmei—Cloak Mode!"
With a roar, crimson chakra erupted from Chizan's body under the Mizukage's gaze.
Four tails instantly spread behind him.
"A Jinchūriki..."
For the first time, the Mizukage's face changed. Yet strangely, not even a trace of retreat surfaced in his heart.
No—something was forcing him forward, cutting off his escape entirely.
"Water Release: Great Exploding Water—"
He tried once again to alter the terrain.
"You won't! Thousand Years of Pain: Spiraling Ascent!"
Chizan wasn't about to let him succeed. Forming the Tiger Seal, crimson chakra spun furiously at his fingertips.
Like a missile, he rocketed downward, transforming into a human bomb as he slammed toward the Mizukage.
His speed already outpaced the Mizukage's hand seals. Forced to abandon them, the latter hastily triggered a defensive Water Release: Water Pillar.
But the barrier couldn't hold.
The searing heat of the Tailed Beast Cloak tore straight through, vaporizing much of the erupting water on contact.
"It's not over yet! Ninja Art: Scale Powder Paralysis Technique!"
Chizan crashed into the ground, scattering snow and blasting out a crater. He exhaled a cloud of scale powder toward the Mizukage.
"Powder... Can't touch it... Water Release: Water Wave Hand!"
Without even forming seals, the Mizukage raised his hand and sprayed torrents of water, blocking the cloud.
"A weak point! Take another—Thousand Years of Pain!"
The scale powder was blocked, but Chizan suddenly appeared behind him. The blazing chakra in his hand stabbed forward.
"Pu!"
The thrust pierced clean through the Mizukage's back.
Water gushed from his body.
Chizan clicked his tongue in irritation.
"Tch. A water clone."
From the start until now, this was the Mizukage's first attempt to evade, using a clone to absorb the strike.
Clearly, even he didn't dare to face a Jinchūriki in Cloak Mode head-on.
"Too bad... I already predicted your prediction!"