"You left a Hiraishin kunai on the boat from the start? Such clever planning," Mei murmured, realizing Kakashi's foresight.
After teleporting back to the vessel, Minato Namikaze joined them. The four—Minato, Kakashi, Obito, and Mei—swiftly eliminated all the Kirigakure ninja aboard, sparing only the terrified sailors. The mission in the Land of Water was nearing its end, and Kakashi had no desire for further complications.
The sooner they left this cursed place, the better.
War with the Land of Water now seemed inevitable. So be it, Minato thought grimly. Let them come. The Yellow Flash was never one to shy away from conflict. If the Third Hokage and the Konoha Council questioned why Kakashi wasn't brought back directly, potentially triggering this war, Minato resolved he would personally lead the charge on the front lines. Besides, given Kirigakure's blatant hostility the moment they located their targets, no Konoha ninja could reasonably blame the Yellow Flash for the situation.
From nearby islands, more Kiri ninja continuously converged on their position. However, ordinary shinobi were no match for the four of them. Obito leaped onto the ocean surface, taking charge of intercepting any potential long-range Suiton attacks, countering them with powerful Gōkakyū no Jutsu (Great Fireball Technique).
Kakashi and Mei positioned themselves on either side of the small ship, dealing with any pursuers who got too close. The main force of elite Jōnin had previously been lured towards the capital city – precisely why Minato had taken his team there for a conspicuous meal before attempting their escape.
But now, the Land of Fire's coastline was hundreds of kilometers away, too far for a direct Hiraishin jump. They had no choice but to return to the boat and sail back.
"These guys are so annoying!" Obito grumbled, unleashing several more Great Fireballs followed by Hōsenka no Jutsu (Phoenix Sage Fire Technique). His chakra was already dwindling, nearly halved. The turbulent sea surface made combat increasingly difficult; he hadn't been practicing water-walking for very long. The drawback of rapid skill progression was often shaky fundamentals.
"Sensei! Is there any kind of barrier ninjutsu that can protect this ship!?" Obito yelled.
"No, there isn't," Minato admitted, slightly embarrassed to lack such a basic protective jutsu in front of his students. Most of his techniques revolved around the Hiraishin, supplemented by Fūinjutsu learned from Kushina.
The mist hung over the sea like a pure white veil. The red navigation light on their fleeing vessel flickered intermittently, resembling the strained, barely open eyes of an insomniac. This light acted like a juicy piece of meat, attracting predators from all directions.
«Leave none alive.»
Upon realizing that Minato Namikaze and his students had effortlessly evaded the initial pursuit, the Fourth Mizukage swiftly issued new orders. He commanded the Third and Fourth Kiri Anbu squads to give chase. Furthermore, the remaining Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were mobilized, each leading five teams captained by Jōnin-level shinobi. Kisame Hoshigaki and Jinpachi Munashi, being further away, were ordered to quickly regroup and reinforce Kirigakure's defenses against potential invasions from other powers during this chaotic time.
The Land of Water officially declared war on Konoha for the second time.
"There are many... at least several dozen strong chakra signatures heading this way," Mei reported grimly.
"The Mizukage has already received the news," Minato confirmed, opening his eyes. He had remained seated on the boat until now, conserving his strength. A sharp glint shone in his eyes. Laid out before him were dozens of his signature three-pronged kunai, each tied to a small buoy.
The sailors on board trembled uncontrollably. The captain's hands, gripping the ship's wheel, were numb with fear.
Another water projectile shot towards them, managing to curve around Obito's fiery defense. However, Mei, on the opposite side, erected a Suiton: Suijinheki (Water Release: Water Formation Wall) to block it. The attack burst, showering the deck with water like heavy rain.
"Nicely done, little missy from Kiri," Minato praised casually.
Mei ignored the compliment from the renowned Yellow Flash. Her attention was entirely captivated by the silver-haired boy on the other side.
Throughout the relentless assault, only Kakashi's side remained completely secure, with no attacks getting through. Despite being unable to use Suiton, the silver-haired youth stood tall upon the churning sea, his presence as imposing and unbeatable as a god of thunder. Flashes of lightning erupted from the mist time and again, intercepting ninjutsu aimed sneakily at Mei. Though supposedly guarding only one flank, he was, in reality, bearing the brunt of the pressure.
Who else could stand before me like this? Mei wondered, momentarily lost in thought.
"Hey! Stop daydreaming!" Kakashi snapped, flicking her forehead lightly to bring her back to reality. He instantly launched himself forward again, a massive blade of pure Chidori slicing through the waves to intercept another ferocious water attack – likely a Suiton: Suishōha (Water Release: Water Collision Wave).
"Suiton: Suibaku Hōryū! (Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!)"
A colossal wave surged, tilting the ship precariously. As it reached nearly a forty-five-degree angle, the immense pressure from another wave crashing against the opposite side threatened to snap the vessel's keel. The sheer force of the ocean was brutally unforgiving.
"We have ten minutes at most before the main Kiri force catches up! Several troublesome individuals among them suddenly changed direction towards us," Minato warned urgently. "No, wait— Get clear!!"
An enormous blast of concentrated water and chakra, vastly more powerful than anything before it, tore the sea in two and ripped their small boat to shreds. Minato instantly leaped into the water, scattering his buoy-rigged Hiraishin kunai in all directions.
"Is that the Fourth Mizukage himself?" Obito gasped, staring at the source of the attack.
"No," Kakashi corrected grimly, his eyes wide. "It's the Three-Tails! Not the Fourth Mizukage!"
Seeing the distinct, swirling pattern of the Rinnegan in the Three-Tails' eye sent a chill down Kakashi's spine. Fighting the Three-Tails in the middle of the ocean... This is suicide.
"Sensei, can you win against the Three-Tails at sea?" Obito asked desperately.
"No, I can't," Minato stated flatly, shattering his student's hope. He too saw the strange pattern in the Tailed Beast's eye, but having never encountered the Rinnegan or the Three-Tails before, he assumed it was Isobu's natural appearance. Why is the Fourth Mizukage's Tailed Beast separated from him? Was the intel claiming he was a near-perfect Jinchūriki false?
Suddenly, hundreds of razor-sharp steel wires shot up from beneath the waves, ensnaring them. From the mist emerged Kuriarare Kushimaru, wielding the long needle Nuibari, and Akebino Jinin, hefting the blunt axe-hammer Kabutowari. Their bloodthirsty grins, however, failed to faze Kakashi. There was someone stronger than them, wasn't there? And I still killed him. Dealing with these two together, however, would be extremely difficult.
"Jōnin Minato Namikaze," Kushimaru hissed, his voice thin and reedy. "We had an agreement earlier. You were supposed to capture this silver-haired brat and give us an explanation. Don't tell me you intend to take him back to Konoha?"
"Hatake Kakashi is a missing-nin of Konoha," Minato countered firmly. "His fate is Konoha's decision, not something Kirigakure has any right to interfere with."
"Oh?" Jinin Akebino sneered, feeling overly confident with the Three-Tails backing them up. He unfurled a string of exploding tags attached to his Kabutowari. "I hear the Yellow Flash killed quite a few Kiri ninja during the war. How convenient! You can stay here too and join that silver-haired brat in death, serving as funeral companions for our fallen!"
With a golden flash, Minato used Hiraishin to instantly free himself and the others from Kushimaru's wires. He took a deep breath.
"Kakashi, Obito, young lady," Minato addressed them calmly. "Can you handle the remaining Anbu over there?"
"No problem," Kakashi and Obito replied simultaneously. Mei nodded curtly.
"I'll deal with the rest," Kakashi added, his gaze fixed on the two Swordsmen. "The one with the needle and the one with the big axe... I'll take them. I have a personal score to settle."
"Alright," Minato agreed.
The four stood amidst the floating wreckage of their boat. Across from them, most of the Kiri Anbu retreated, leaving only a few squad leaders near the towering Three-Tails.
"It seems they still don't realize," Kakashi observed quietly, "that the Three-Tails currently before them isn't their beloved Lord Fourth Mizukage anymore, but a true Tailed Beast."
"Kirigakure's internal structure is even more chaotic than I imagined," Minato mused. Then, in another flash of gold, he vanished. The next moment, the Yellow Flash stood atop the massive shell of the Three-Tails, a swirling blue sphere of chakra—the Rasengan—forming rapidly in his hand.
"To my students," Minato's voice echoed across the water, "thank you for taking care of them!"
In the very next instant, both the Yellow Flash and the colossal Three-Tails, along with the bewildered Anbu still standing on its back, vanished without a trace.
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