Entering the lake, the battlefield instantly became the Three-Tails Isobu's absolute domain.
The water seemed to become an extension of the Three-Tails' body. Its seemingly cumbersome form moved with unbelievable agility beneath the surface.
With a mere flick of its massive tail, it whipped up monstrous waves that crashed toward the Mist ninjas on the shore like a violent Water Release jutsu.
Opening its mouth, it spat out a continuous stream of high-pressure water bullets. While their destructive power wasn't on par with a Tailed Beast Ball, these "Water Guns" were still terrifying, blanketing the Third Mizukage and his surrounding elites with pinpoint accuracy.
"Scatter! Evasive maneuvers!"
The Third Mizukage's face was grim. He directed his subordinates to dodge while he charged against the current, constantly unleashing ninjutsu to counterattack and defend.
However, in this aquatic home turf, the Three-Tails' chakra seemed inexhaustible. Its attacks grew increasingly violent, while the Mist ninjas were hampered, unable to launch an effective counteroffensive.
Just as the Third Mizukage took a deep breath, preparing to suppress the Three-Tails at any cost, a figure appeared on the edge of the battlefield without warning.
The newcomer was covered head-to-toe in hideous bone armor, a style distinctively different from the Kaguya clan's typical bone manipulation.
The armor encased his entire body, even his face, leaving only a pair of emotionless eyes visible through the dense bone plating.
The chakra fluctuations around him were slightly odd, as if he weren't in peak condition. Yet, the aura he radiated—a mix of chilling menace and boundless vitality—instantly drew the gaze of everyone present.
The moment he appeared, Night wasted no words. He transformed into a streak of cold white light, charging straight at the Third Mizukage with astonishing speed.
"Who is that?"
The Third Mizukage was both shocked and furious. He never expected someone to interfere at a time like this.
The stranger's unfamiliar bone armor and eerie aura set off alarm bells in his head.
He didn't hesitate, flicking several poison-coated senbon to test the waters. They shot straight for the joints of the bone armor, attempting to find a weakness.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The senbon hit their marks but only produced a series of crisp metallic sounds before bouncing off harmlessly. They didn't even leave a scratch.
Night's momentum didn't slow. His already formidable taijutsu, boosted by the bone armor, carried even more oppressive weight. He swung a fist, smashing it ruthlessly toward the Third Mizukage.
Having witnessed the impenetrable defense of that armor, the Third Mizukage dared not take the hit head-on. He dodged backward, hastily throwing out a Water Release: Wild Water Wave.
Even though it was a basic C-rank jutsu, fueled by Kage-level chakra, its power was on a different level. Compared to this, Nawaki's version of the jutsu looked like a child's squirt gun.
But the scene didn't play out as the Mizukage expected. The opponent ignored the ninjutsu completely. The bone armor on his arm seemed to come alive, rapidly extending a stark white bone blade that slashed violently into the rushing water.
SHRRR—RIP!
The aggressive wave was sliced clean in half.
At the same time, a bizarre bone chain shot out from behind the stranger, whipping viciously toward the Mizukage.
Sensing the danger, the Mizukage barely dodged to the side, the chain grazing the hem of his robe.
Having lost the initiative, the Third Mizukage was forced to retreat. Bit by bit, he was driven back toward the shore, moving further and further away from the Three-Tails in the lake.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
For a moment, water dragons roared across the battlefield. It was like a masterclass in Water Release, with the Third Mizukage casting various jutsu effortlessly.
But Night's fighting style was utterly brutish. He often tanked the Water Release hits head-on just to close the distance.
However, relying on his rich combat experience and exquisite ninjutsu combinations, the Third Mizukage managed to stabilize the situation and drag the fight into his own rhythm.
While engaging in intense combat with the strange armored ninja, the Mizukage's mind raced:
This incredibly tough bone armor... no Kaguya remnant could possess this! And those eerie chains—just getting close to them makes my heart palpitate, as if being entangled means an irreversible fate.
Plus, intervening right at this moment... his goal must be the Three-Tails!
The realization hit him like a lightning bolt. The enemy intended to snatch the Three-Tails amidst the chaos.
And the mastermind who orchestrated the tragedy between the Kaguya and Yuki clans was likely this person too.
He could not let him succeed! Compared to a temporarily escaped Three-Tails, a mysterious enemy with an unknown, powerful bloodline limit who coveted a Tailed Beast was a far greater threat.
"Your target is the Three-Tails, isn't it? Dream on!"
"Seven Swordsmen, help me take down this maniac! I want to see exactly who dares to stir up trouble in my Mist Village!"
The Third Mizukage shouted coldly, his attacks becoming even sharper. His ninjutsu wove a dense net of firepower.
Hearing the order, several Ninja Swordsmen immediately joined the fray. Dealing with a thick-hided Tailed Beast might be tough for them, but fighting humans was their specialty.
Only Fuguki Suikazan, wielding Samehada, stayed on the periphery. If he got too close to the lake—and the massive chakra source therein—Samehada would start to go out of control, practically trying to fly out of his hands.
Facing the siege, Night remained silent. Relying on the bone armor's defense and the bone chains' flexible attacks, he wove through the crowd.
He occasionally showed openings, seemingly trying to force a breakthrough out of impatience, only to be beaten back repeatedly.
At this point, the Third Mizukage wasn't too anxious. Taking this guy down was just a matter of time. As long as the Three-Tails' chakra signature was still there...
Wait... why is the Three-Tails' chakra fading rapidly?
While the battle on the shore was stuck in a stalemate, and everyone's attention was drawn to the spectacular duel...
In a spot no one noticed, a figure identical to the one on the shore was silently approaching the Three-Tails, which was preparing to dive deep after venting its anger.
This was Night's true body. The "he" fighting back and forth with the Mizukage on the shore was nothing more than a hyper-realistic Bone Clone created with his newly awakened bloodline!
The Three-Tails, having just escaped its long imprisonment and smashed up the Mist Village, was feeling pretty good.
Seeing the intense battle on the shore distracting everyone, it decided to dive into the deep water and leave this troublesome place behind.
Now was the chance.
Night's eyes glinted. He had no advantage underwater, but he also didn't have to worry about being seen.
"Eight Gates Released Formation: Fifth Gate, Gate of Limit — OPEN!"
Unlike his usual berserker combat style, opening the Fifth Gate now was purely for a burst of extreme speed.
He shot out like a torpedo, closing the distance to the Three-Tails in an instant.
Only then did the Three-Tails sense the massive chakra rapidly approaching from behind. Before it could even turn to look, Night was already on top of it.
"Yomotsu Hone."
Several unique bone chains shot from his back like golden dragons. In a flash, they wrapped around and latched onto the Three-Tails' massive body. The beast's rapid momentum came to a jarring halt.
"ROAR!"
The Three-Tails roared in shock and fury, struggling violently. But the bone chains, imbued with powerful sealing energy and extreme durability, clung like maggots to bone. They tightened their grip, trapping the beast as if it were stuck in a swamp, making escape impossible.