Naruto's civilian cannon fodder starts with the three-body technique

Chapter 345 Ghost Naval Battle
"Shadow Clone Technique!"

Sasuke Umino's gaze was calm as he rapidly formed hand seals.

As the two plumes of smoke dissipated, two shadow clones identical to the original appeared beside him.

"Robe Technique!" Sasuke Umino shouted in his true form.

Two shadow clones swiftly covered Might Guy and Kakuzu's bodies, perfectly conforming to their contours and forming a thin yet resilient chakra cloak.

"Dive underground!" Umino Sasuke ordered.

The three, along with the shadow clones covered by their robes, instantly disappeared into the solid ground, leaving only faint ripples of chakra.

Wrapped in shadow clone robes, they were as if encased in a cocoon that isolated their senses, traversing underground and skillfully bypassing layer after layer of complex and dangerous sealing traps and sensory barriers.

These arrangements, which were enough to trap and kill elite Jonin, were clearly visible in the face of Umino Sasuke's powerful spiritual perception.

However, just as they were about to pass through the last powerful defensive barrier and enter the interior of Whirlpool Village.

hum~
An invisible and immense sensory force swept across their location like a searchlight!

Sasuke Umino's heart skipped a beat: "Kagura's Mind's Eye! It truly lives up to its name!"

He clearly sensed in reverse that inside Uzushio Village, at least three powerful sensory forces instantly locked onto the three of them, like lighthouses shining in the darkness, revealing the chakra fluctuations on their bodies.

This feeling is like standing naked under a spotlight.

There is nowhere to hide.

"We've been discovered." Kakuzu's tentacles had excellent perception and immediately detected the spying. With a hint of seriousness, Might Guy also tensed up.

Umino Sasuke remained unusually calm: "It's alright, it's alright if the Uzumaki ninja find us, as long as it's not the Kirigakure ninja, let's keep going!"

His mission was to enter Uzushio Village and make contact with the Uzumaki clan. As long as the Uzumaki ninja did not launch an attack that would attract external enemies, the discovery of internal issues would actually be an opportunity for communication.

The three of them sped through the underground, and finally, the seal in front of them loosened, allowing them to break through the last line of defense and emerge from an inconspicuous corner inside the village of Wochao.

puff!puff!puff!
As the dust swirled, three figures appeared, not even having had time to shake off the dirt.

"Four Symbols Seal - Seal!"

"Diamond Lockdown - Bind!"

Two aged yet resolute shouts rang out like thunderclaps.

Om-!
In an instant, a Four Symbols Sealing Array diagram composed of numerous black tadpole runes unfolded on the ground, its powerful suction force like a black hole, trying to drag all three of them in.

At the same time, several enormous chains, formed from pure golden chakra and radiating a divine light, arrived with terrifying pressure to suppress the tailed beasts. They precisely wrapped around Umino Sasuke and his two companions, with runes flowing on the chains, emanating a sealing power that could freeze the very space!
The ones who made the move were none other than the Uzumaki Elder and the Uzumaki Clan Chief, who had been waiting in full battle array. Their faces were solemn, and they were determined to die. They used the Uzumaki Clan's trump card, a top-level sealing technique that was powerful enough to seal the tailed beasts.

Clearly, they saw Umino Sasuke and his two companions as the Cloud Mist Alliance's hidden trump card, a deadly dagger meant to completely annihilate Uzushio Village.

"Damn it!" Kakuzu's expression changed drastically. His immortal body, the Earth Grudge Fear, was most afraid of this kind of powerful sealing technique that could seal the soul and the origin of chakra.

Even the Earth Grudge Tentacles, which had been nourished and strengthened by Life Yang No. 1, felt an instinctive tremor and burning pain under the sacred light of the Vajra Seal. It was bound by several chains, and instantly felt its chakra flow sluggish. Even the Earth Grudge Mask emitted a painful hiss!
Might Guy roared and was about to open the Eight Gates when, at this critical moment...
"break!"

With a shout, Sasuke Umino raised his right hand and unleashed the sealed Kusanagi sword.

On the sword, intricate runes lit up instantly as if they were alive, and a sharp aura that could sever rules and dissolve all laws suddenly erupted.

Tsk-!
There was no earth-shattering collision, only a soft sound like tearing cloth!

The golden chains of the Vajra Lock, which were strong enough to bind the tailed beasts and were indestructible, were easily cut through like butter by the sharp edge of the Kusanagi Sword.

The golden chakra chains snapped inch by inch, turning into specks of light and dissipating.

At the same time, the Four Symbols Sealing Array that covered the ground was forcibly torn apart by the trajectory of the sword tip, and the flowing black tadpole runes, like bubbles that had been punctured, quickly dimmed and collapsed.

The whole process was incredibly fast!

"what?!"

"How can this be!"

The Uzumaki Elder and the Uzumaki Clan Chief, along with the elite Uzumaki ninjas who were on high alert around them, were all utterly horrified, their eyes practically popping out of their sockets.

Their powerful sealing technique, which they were so proud of and had been passed down for thousands of years, was so easily broken by a single sword strike?!
This simply subverted their cognition!
Even the legendary "Shura of the Ninja World," Uchiha Madara, could not possibly have faced the combined attack of the Adamantine Sealing Barrier and the Four Symbols Sealing Barrier with such ease!

"Just who is this person?!" The vortex clan leader was shocked, and a chill ran down his spine.

An incredulous glint flashed in the turbid eyes of the Great Elder of the Vortex clan, but he reacted even faster, his resolute expression instantly replacing his shock: "It seems that for the sake of the Vortex clan, this is the only way for me!"

With a death wish and a tragic and resolute determination, he began to form hand seals, clearly intending to unleash his ultimate trump card and perish together with his enemy.

"Stop! Elder! They're on our side!" Umino Sasuke shouted loudly, sensing the death threat that pierced his very soul.

At the same time, he quickly revealed his clear face and the conspicuous Konoha headband on his forehead, which shone brightly in the dim light!
Might Guy immediately stopped unleashing the Eight Gates, revealing his signature green bodysuit and the equally prominent Konoha headband.

"Konoha ninja?!" the Uzumaki clan leader exclaimed in surprise, his movements momentarily halting.

The Grand Elder's hands, which were forming hand seals, suddenly stopped. The chakra that had been half-condensed was paused, and the terrifying aura paused slightly.

His cloudy old eyes were fixed on the headbands of Umino Sasuke and Might Guy, then swept over Kakuzu, who, though exuding an evil aura, no longer showed any hostility.

"Konoha's support?" The elder's voice trembled with the shock of surviving a catastrophe and immense confusion.

"Indeed!" Umino Sasuke sheathed his broken Kusanagi sword, bowed slightly, and said apologetically, "Team leader of the Konoha Jonin team, Umino Sasuke."

This is my clan's guest elder, Maitdai.

And this one is Mr. Kakuzu, the advisor and finance minister of the Wave Kingdom's merchant alliance.

We have come to support Uzushio Village because of the great kindness shown to our senior, Mito Uzumaki!

"Support?" Upon hearing this, the Uzumaki clan chief's surprise was instantly replaced by immense anger. He stepped forward, his voice trembling with agitation, "What support?! Kumogakure already said that Konoha had sacrificed our Land of Whirlpools to sign an alliance with Kumogakure! Now you've sent a few of you, are you here to laugh at us, or to collect our corpses?! Is this Konoha's 'support'?!"

The surrounding Uzumaki ninjas glared angrily at Umino Sasuke and his two companions, their eyes filled with the pain of betrayal and the fury of despair.

"This—" Umino Sasuke was speechless. The news had arrived so quickly. It seemed that not only Konoha wanted to sign the alliance agreement as soon as possible, but Kumogakure did too. Even before the agreement was signed, Kumogakure was already trying to sow discord between Konoha and Uzushiogakure.

"How dare you be so rude!" Elder Whirlpool slammed his cane on his hand and shouted sternly to stop the anger of the clan leader and the clansmen.

He took a deep breath, and a profound sorrow and extraordinary political wisdom appeared on his weathered face.

"The Umino clan is the Umino clan, and Konoha is Konoha!"

The elder's voice was deep and clear, carrying a sense of world-weariness and wisdom, "Konoha's betrayal is a disgrace to the Konoha leadership! But Clan Chief Umino was willing to risk his life to come to Konoha's aid after the village made such a decision. This kindness is heavier than a thousand pounds! How can we hold our benefactor accountable?!"

He turned to Umino Sasuke, his cloudy eyes filled with sincere gratitude and a hint of barely perceptible weariness: "Clan Chief Umino, thank you! The Uzumaki clan will forever remember this timely help!"

Sasuke Umino's face also showed a hint of helplessness and apology: "Elder, please understand, Konoha also has its difficulties! The daimyo of the three countries of Fire, Lightning, and Water have joined forces to exert pressure, believing that the Uzumaki clan 'usurped the position of daimyo' and demanding that 'the wrongs be set right'."

Konoha was mired in a three-front ninja war. Fearing the combined forces of the three nations and the threat of being besieged by the four great ninja villages, and tempted by the promise of a ceasefire, the Konoha leadership ultimately decided to abandon their allies.

This is Konoha's fault, and I, Umino Sasuke, am ashamed.

But please believe me, my trip is solely to repay Mito-senpai's kindness, and has nothing to do with Konoha's decisions!

The elder nodded heavily and said bitterly, "The will of a great nation, the ninja village is nothing but a pawn, and the Land of Whirlpools is just a small country. In the end, it is a sacrificed piece in this game of national destruction. I understand."

Then, he looked at Kakuzu, who had a powerful aura, and said, "Kakuzu's name is well-known in the Land of Whirlpools. The Land of Waves owes much to his achievements. The Uzumaki clan is deeply grateful for the Land of Waves' assistance this time!"

Kakuzu grunted in response, his gaze sweeping over the still wary Uzumaki ninja around him, and he said hoarsely, "Enough with the nonsense, there are still thousands of enemies outside. What do you plan to do?"

He is more concerned with practical benefits and risks.

The Uzumaki clan chief suppressed his anger and asked urgently, "Clan chief Umino, Mr. Kakuzu, I wonder how many reinforcements Konoha, no, the Umino clan, and the Land of Waves have sent this time?"

A faint glimmer of hope flickered in his eyes, but when he thought of the fact that the Umino clan had only recently been established and that the Land of Waves was ultimately a small country, that flame of hope quickly died out.

Without wasting words, Umino Sasuke said directly, "My Umino clan has dispatched more than 80 elite clan soldiers, along with 24 vassal ninjas from the Mitomon clan, all of whom possess the strength of elite Chunin or above."

From the Land of Waves, led by Mr. Kakuzu, six of the latest chakra-equipped underwater warships have been deployed. Each ship can carry over a hundred personnel and possesses underwater stealth, powerful shields, and attack capabilities. These underwater warships have secretly arrived at the estuary and are awaiting orders.

"More than a hundred ninjas?! Six underwater chakra warships?!"

Even the well-informed Elder Uzumaki was taken aback by the sheer number and configuration of these ninjas!
This is not a force that a newly emerging ninja clan can easily muster; it seems that the Umino clan has already done its utmost!
This troop strength is enough to wage a local war!

The surrounding Uzumaki ninjas were instantly in an uproar. Hope rekindled in their despairing eyes. They had thought it was just a few strong people coming to support them, but they never expected it to be a new force capable of changing the course of the local battle!

The vortex clan chief's voice trembled with excitement: "Excellent! With such power, perhaps we can—"

“No, clan leader.” The elder interrupted him with unusual calmness. His aged and profound gaze seemed to pierce through the crisis before him and see an even more cruel future.

He shook his head, his voice carrying a sense of melancholy as if he had seen through the impending fate.

"Clan Chief Umino, Mr. Kakuzu, and Mr. Dai, your strength is indeed formidable, enough to temporarily repel or even severely damage the Cloud Mist Alliance outside, but it's useless."

He looked at Umino Sasuke and said slowly, "The major towns and villages of the Land of Whirlpools have already fallen. The daimyo of the Land of Fire, Lightning, and Water are determined to wipe out the Uzumaki clan's kingdom with the full force of their three kingdoms!"
If we repel one wave today, even more and stronger enemies will come tomorrow.

Moreover, it's not impossible that the Third Raikage would personally intervene in order to obtain our clan's sealing technique!
Since Konoha has broken its alliance, it will no longer provide us with any protection. On the contrary, we may suffer even harsher sanctions from the three kingdoms because of our 'resistance'. Can we defend? We can't defend.

"The village of Uzushio and the land of whirlpools are now dead."

Then, he paused, his tone resolute: "The survival of the Uzumaki clan is paramount! The only chance of survival now is not to hold out, but to break through! With the powerful forces brought by Chief Umino as external aid, we must immediately use the secret passage to transfer as many clansmen as possible! Preserving our bloodline and the flame of our heritage is the best course of action! As for the Land of Whirlpools, let it go with the wind."

Umino Sasuke remained silent for a moment. The elder's analysis was incisive, cold yet incredibly true.

He was originally confident in protecting the Land of Whirlpools, based on defeating the current enemy forces, but he overlooked the power struggle between the great nations and daimyo behind it and the determination of the Hidden Cloud Village to mobilize all its forces.

The Third Raikage is indeed a force to be reckoned with in a direct confrontation. Might Guy's Eight Gates is his last trump card, but the cost is too high, and it should not be used lightly unless absolutely necessary.

It seems that the Land of Whirlpools is indeed beyond defense. Forcing a defense will only drag the Umino clan and the Land of Waves into a disadvantageous situation.

"Elder, your foresight is admirable," said Umino Sasuke in a deep voice, quickly making a decision. "In that case, let's abandon our defense and execute the evacuation plan! But we won't break out in a scattered manner, as that would result in too many casualties and make us vulnerable to being defeated one by one."

A glint flashed in his eyes as he pointed towards the lower reaches of the river: "The six underwater warships of the Land of Waves possess powerful stealth capabilities and spatial expansion technology, enough to accommodate hundreds of people!"
They can lurk in the deep waters of the downstream river bend. Please immediately organize all the tribesmen and prepare to secretly travel to the river bend through the village's secret passage. The underwater warship will surface to receive the personnel!

Mr. Kakuzu will accompany us, providing guidance and protection. Might Guy, Might Guy, and I, along with the Vortex Warriors who are willing to cover the rear, will be responsible for creating chaos at the village entrance to draw the attention of the Cloud Mist Alliance and buy time for our retreat!

"Underwater stealth?" The elder of the vortex's eyes flashed with an unprecedented light; this was simply a divine weapon sent from the heavens in a desperate situation.

"Good! Excellent! This is a sign that Heaven has spared our Whirlpool Clan! Clan Chief, immediately proceed with Lord Umino's plan! Summon all clan members, women and children first! Bring all the easily portable gold, silver, and valuables from the clan! As for the rest, discard what you can! Be quick!"

"Yes, Elder!" Without further hesitation, the vortex clan chief turned around immediately, his voice filled with excitement and urgency at regaining his life, and gave orders to his clansmen.

"Everyone, listen up! Move out immediately! Prepare to evacuate through the secret passage, and be quick!"

Although the oppressive village of Uzushio was still shrouded in the shadow of war, a torrent called "hope" began to surge through the abyss of despair.

"Flying Thunder God Technique!"

Without further hesitation, Sasuke Umino quickly formed hand seals and vanished from his spot in an instant.

Inside the command center of the flagship submarine of the Land of Waves.

Space distorted slightly, and Sasuke Umino's figure appeared out of thin air.

Sasuke Umino immediately ordered: "Order the four boats 'Sea Serpent,' 'Sea Shark,' 'Sea Wolf,' and 'Seal' to immediately enter the estuary, submerge along the main river channel to the target river bend, remain completely silent throughout, activate the anti-sensitivity coating, and upon arrival, surface as planned to receive the evacuated personnel!"

"Yes, sir!" Upon hearing this, the sailor from the Land of Waves immediately relayed the order through the chakra communicator.

Four enormous steel behemoths, like lurking sea monsters, quietly adjusted their course and silently sailed along the murky river channel towards the deep-water bend downstream of Wochao Village.

The specially designed anti-sensory coating blends almost seamlessly into the dark underwater environment, perfectly avoiding the Kirigakure fleet's conventional sonar and chakra sensing methods.

Near the exit of the secret passage in Wochao Village.

The exit of this secret passage is hidden in the dense bushes at the foot of the steep cliff on the riverbank, with a steep slope of tens of meters and a small patch of sparse woodland still above the rushing river.

Hundreds of women, children, the elderly, and some non-combat ninjas of the Uzumaki clan, led by the clan leader, gathered intently near the exit.

Tension and anxiety filled the air; every distant explosion made their hearts clench.

"Chief, we're too far from the river. Charging straight out would make us too conspicuous, and there are still Mist Patrol Teams on the bank!"

"A Uzumaki ninja on guard duty said in a low voice, his tone anxious."

The vortex clan chief frowned, looking at the rushing river below and the faint lights of the Mist Shadow Fleet in the distance, his palms sweating profusely.

The submarine was waiting underwater, but the risk of exposure in those last few dozen meters was enough to ruin the entire evacuation operation!
However, under Umino Sasuke's arrangement, these Uzumaki clan members chose to wait silently for the right opportunity. The continuous explosions at the Kirigakure camp gave them a lot of confidence.

East of the Wochao Village defense line, in the Wuyin Camp.

Sasuke Umino's dozens of shadow clones were moving with astonishing efficiency. These shadow clones used the Spore Technique to silently infiltrate the Hidden Mist Camp and even penetrate between patrol teams.

They cleverly placed a large number of imprinted temporary detonators under the tents of the Fog Shadow Camp, at the supply piles, and on the only road leading to Whirlpool Village.

These explosive tags were cleverly hidden in rock crevices, tree trunk shadows, and even shallow soil, ingeniously combined with the original defensive barriers and sealing traps of Whirlpool Village.

Meanwhile, some shadow clones, like ghosts, use the perfect stealth of the Spore Technique and the precise targeting of the Spiritual Perception to silently assassinate lone or small groups of Hidden Mist Patrol Ninja.

Cold kunai or chakra threads sliced ​​across the throat, and the corpse was quickly dragged into the shadows or sank to the bottom of the river. The heavy smell of blood began to permeate the area around the Hidden Mist Camp.

"Reporting to Lord Mizukage! The seventh and ninth patrol squads have lost contact! Bloodstains have been found in multiple locations outside the camp, and a large number of people are missing!" A Kirigakure ANBU ninja reported with a grave expression.

The Third Mizukage frowned, his sinister gaze sweeping across the camp. The faint smell of blood and the unusual silence set off alarm bells in his mind.

"Raise alert! Search for the enemy—"

The words have not yet been spoken!

boom! boom! boom--

Deafening explosions suddenly erupted from all parts of the Mist Shadow Camp.

Flames shot into the sky, instantly engulfing a large number of tents and piles of supplies.

Screams, cries of alarm, and bursts of light from ninjutsu mingled together, plunging the entire camp into chaos.

"Explosive tags! A large number of explosive tag traps!"

"Enemy attack!!!"

"With an explosion of this scale, could it be Konoha reinforcements, or the White Blood Demon?! That bastard who blew up the village!"

Especially those Hidden Mist ninjas who had experienced the nightmare of the Land of Rivers, screamed in terror, the title of White Blood Demon and the shadow of the Mutual Explosion Tags instantly looming over their hearts.

The Third Mizukage's face was ashen as he watched the horrific scene of hundreds of people dying instantly. It was only thanks to the Hidden Mist Village's dispersed encirclement that the casualties were mitigated; otherwise, if the explosive tags had been used to inflict casualties, the losses would have been even more terrifying.

The Third Mizukage's eyes flashed with a cold light as he immediately ordered, "Intelligence team! Immediately scout the waters and surrounding areas of the Land of Whirlpools to confirm the size of the Konoha support force!" Soon, an intelligence ninja reported, "Lord Mizukage! No Konoha ships have been detected at sea, and there is no large-scale chakra reaction within a hundred miles!"

"Hmph!" The Third Mizukage snorted coldly, his heart finally at ease, replaced by a furious rage at being mocked and a mix of old and new grudges. "White Blood Demon! He's all alone? How dare he! Issue the order! Abandon the probing and launch a full-scale attack on Uzushio Village. Before his explosive tag traps are fully deployed in the core area, crush him! We can't give him any more time!"

"But Lord Mizukage, the power of the trap ahead—" A Kirigakure Jonin looked at the scorched earth plowed by the explosion and the still flickering seal light ahead, still feeling lingering fear.

"Precisely because it is so powerful, we must act swiftly! Are we going to wait until he sets up an even stronger trap before attacking?!"

The Third Mizukage roared, his body radiating a chilling aura, "I'll personally lead the way! Attack with all our might, no matter the cost!"

The Third Mizukage finally took action himself this time, and his first move was a powerful Water Release ninjutsu. A towering wave appeared out of nowhere and crashed down on the Uzushio Village defense line!
The raging torrent of water crashed against the sealing barrier and the remaining explosive tag traps. Many of the explosive tags were washed away by the water or directly soaked and rendered ineffective. The Third Mizukage's personal intervention greatly reduced the threat of the traps. Under his leadership, the Hidden Mist Ninja Army, braving the sparse explosions, began to advance laboriously towards the mountainside.

"Tsk, Water Release is effective against explosive tags. Looks like I need to develop waterproof explosive tags."

A shadow clone hidden in the shadows watched this scene, grimacing helplessly, but its hands continued to move, controlling the triggering of other traps to slow down the advance of the Mist Shadows.

On the other side, the Cloud Concealment position to the west.

Seeing flames soaring into the sky and deafening battle cries coming from the direction of the Misty Shadows, and hearing the words "White Blood Demon," Ai immediately realized what had happened.

Ai roared furiously, "Umino Sasuke is here! Those Kirigakure bastards are launching a full-scale attack! We can't let Kirigakure get into Uzushio Village first! Warriors of Kumogakure! Tear apart these damned seals and traps! Attack!"

"Thunder Escape·Pseudo Darkness!"

"Lightning Release: Lightning Tiger - All-Out Attack!"

Dozens of thick bolts of lightning struck the barrier and trap zone on the east side of Vortex Village!
The raging lightning not only impacted the sealing barrier, but more importantly, the violent lightning rendered most of the explosive tags along the way ineffective. However, the flames from the chain of explosive tags still instantly engulfed many of the Cloud Village ninjas who were at the forefront.

"what--!"

"Trap! Watch out!"

Screams came and went.

Ai's eyes widened in fury: "Damn it! Lightning Release counters explosive tags, use Lightning Release to clear the way, ninja and taijutsu troops follow, charge!"

Although they paid a heavy price, the Lightning Release technique was very effective in clearing the way, with many traps being detonated or disabled in advance, allowing the Cloud Village to advance faster than the Mist Village.

As night fell, the Hidden Mist concentrated its forces, and the offensive had advanced to the mountainside, with the outer defenses of Whirlpool Village teetering on the brink of collapse.

Meanwhile, at the exit area of ​​the secret passage in Vortex Village, the shadow clones that were supposed to meet the Vortex Clan began to move.

"Kirigakure no Jutsu!"

A large amount of fog quickly spread, covering the entire river bend area, and visibility dropped sharply.

The spiritual perception, like an invisible sonic radar, swept across the area, revealing the locations of several Mist Hidden Squads patrolling the area and disturbed by the thick fog.

"Silent killing technique!"

The shadow clones flickered like ghosts, each appearance accompanied by a cold glint of light and the passing of life.

Soon, all the Hidden Mist ninjas, both visible and hidden, in this area were killed with a single blow, and their bodies were quickly dragged into the depths of the thick fog.

"Submarine, surface!"

In the deep-water bay, four massive submarines, like giant whales emerging from the sea, silently broke through the surface. Their dark steel bodies appeared and disappeared in the moonlight and mist, exuding a cold and oppressive aura.

At the exit of the secret passage, the Vortex Clan members, who had been prepared, began to carefully move down the steep slope at the urging of the Vortex Clan Chief and elders.

Ice Release: Floating Ice Bridge!

Several shadow clones of Umino Sasuke appeared on the shore, their hands pressed against the water.

A biting chill spread instantly, and on the turbulent river, a wide floating bridge made of thick, solid ice quickly solidified, extending from the bank all the way to the open hatches of the four submarines.

"Quick! Cross the bridge, board the ship, and keep quiet!" The Whirlpool Clan Chief suppressed his excitement as he directed his clansmen to quickly and orderly step onto the ice bridge and surge into the spacious interior of the submarine.

Women held children, the elderly supported each other, and young ninjas covered the rear, all under the cover of thick fog and night, proceeding tensely and efficiently.

Less than half an hour later.

All non-combatants of the Vortex Clan, as well as most of the supply scrolls, have been safely transferred to the submarine.

One of the shadow clones dissipated, and Umino Sasuke's main body inside Uzushio Village instantly learned of the situation. He said to Elder Uzumaki and the rearguard, "The personnel have been safely transferred. Elder, you must evacuate through the secret passage immediately!"

The First Elder, watching the approaching shouts of battle and flashes of ninjutsu outside, a resolute glint in his eyes, said: "Clan Chief Umino, the secret passage's exit is still far from the sea, and the Hidden Mist Fleet is blocking the way. We need time! I will stay behind to activate the final sealing array and buy you some time—"

"No need!" Sasuke Umino interrupted him, his tone filled with powerful confidence. "Leave the rearguard duties to me alone!"

"One person?" the vortex clan leader exclaimed in astonishment.

Sasuke Umino quickly formed hand seals: "Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"

boom!boom!boom……

A large amount of smoke exploded instantly, and hundreds of figures that looked exactly like Umino Sasuke appeared on the open ground!

Then, all the shadow clones formed hand seals again: "Transformation Jutsu!"

Amidst the swirling smoke, hundreds of "Umino Sasuke" instantly transformed into men, women, and children dressed in various Uzumaki clan costumes. Some were panicked, some were helping each other, and some were holding kunai in a defensive posture. Their expressions and movements were incredibly lifelike, and their chakra fluctuations were also simulated to be extremely similar. Mixed with the remaining Uzumaki chakra aura, it was almost impossible to distinguish the real from the fake!
"This—" The Grand Elder and the remaining Uzumaki ninjas were all dumbfounded, completely shocked by this exquisite transformation technique!
"Chief Haiye is truly a divine being!" the Grand Elder exclaimed sincerely, his eyes filled with hope.

He stopped insisting and formed hand seals: "Shadow Clone Technique!"

One of his clones was left behind, and the other Uzumaki ninjas followed suit, leaving their own shadow clones to cover the retreat.

"Go!" The Grand Elder and the remaining dozens of elite Uzumaki ninjas immediately turned and rushed into the secret passage, retreating towards the river bend.

Finally, all the Vortex Clan members had been safely transferred to the submarines. The four submarines slowly sank, the hatches closed, and they once again disappeared into the deep water, leaving only ripples on the surface.

Shortly after these submarines began their descent towards the estuary, Kirigakure finally discovered that the patrolling ninjas in the river bend area had lost their love.

When Suigetsu Hobuki arrived with a large number of Kirigakure's elite ANBU, all he saw was a scene of devastation and thick fog.

"Search! Search thoroughly!" roared the Watermelon Pufferfish Demon.

Soon, the exit of the secret passage was discovered; the messy footprints on the ground and the lingering scent clearly pointed to the riverbank.

"They escaped from here! Quickly notify the fleet to intercept them! They must have used small boats to escape downstream!"

Suigetsu Hobutsu immediately realized that he had no idea the enemy possessed a massive steel warship capable of underwater navigation.

He sent men to carefully search for possible ships and traces along both banks of the river and towards the estuary, while also dispatching a large number of spies to search for the Uzumaki ninja who had "broken out".

However, nothing was found.

Those who "broke through" seemed to have vanished into thin air.

Meanwhile, the four submarines, like fish swimming in water, moved silently, about to leave the relatively narrow river channel, reach the estuary, and enter the open sea.

Once we cross the outer perimeter of the Fog Shadow Fleet, we'll be free to roam.

However, at this moment.

Boom——!
A dull scraping sound and violent shaking came from the hull of the "Sea Shark"!
"Report! The hull has made a minor collision with a deep-draft transport ship above us! The other side seems to have noticed us!" the sonar operator reported nervously.

Inside the command center, Kakuzu's eyes sharpened: "Ninjas are truly unpredictable; what was bound to happen has finally arrived!"

Sure enough, on the cargo ship above that was returning with the spoils of war, a sensory-type Kirigakure ninja suddenly opened his eyes: "Underwater! There's a huge unidentified object, its chakra reaction is abnormal, it's not a reef!"

"Enemy attack! Something underwater!" The fog-covered alarm sounded instantly!
The news quickly reached the fog-covered patrol ships at the estuary and the outer fleet.

"Our location has been exposed! Silence broken, full speed ahead, break out of the encirclement!"

Kakuzu's voice was icy as he immediately gave the order, "All submarines, attack freely! Prioritize sinking large ships; target—the open sea! Also, order the two submarines in the open sea to provide support!"

"Yes!"

Like startled deep-sea behemoths, the four submarines unleashed dazzling blue light from their chakra engines at the stern, propelling their massive steel bodies toward the estuary at astonishing speed.

At the estuary, the sirens wailed mournfully in the night sky.

The mist-covered ships, which were originally scattered on the sea, immediately adjusted their course like a school of startled fish, attempting to form a defensive formation.

The experienced commander of the Mist Village roared out the order: "All ships block the estuary! Maintain maneuverability!"

"The sensing team is scanning the underwater area at full speed and has locked onto the target!"

"Water Release ninjas, prepare to respond to any attack!"

However, they were facing a completely unfamiliar enemy.

The Hidden Mist Village's prized Water Release ninjutsu has a sensory and attack range that is mainly concentrated on the surface and shallow layers of water. Its effectiveness is greatly reduced against steel submarines lurking in waters tens of meters or even deeper.

Faced with the Fog Shadow Fleet's blockade, the "Seawolf" submarine launched the first attack.

"Target locked! Large warship, 1200 meters away, 14 degrees to port ahead!" the sonar operator calmly reported.

"Torpedo compartment ready! Fire both engines simultaneously!" the Seawolf captain decisively ordered.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz~
Three muffled thuds came from the bow of the boat.

Three slender chakra torpedoes, gleaming with a cold metallic luster, shot silently toward their target like arrows released from a bow, leaving faint chakra trails behind them.

The core of a torpedo is highly compressed chakra energy, which will violently erupt upon impact or entry into a designated range, generating a directional underwater shockwave far exceeding that of a normal detonating tag.

boom! boom! boom--

Just seconds later, three muffled yet extremely penetrating roars came from the sea.

The center of the hull of the mist-shrouded behemoth suddenly arched upwards, and then broke in two with a tooth-grinding metallic tearing sound.

Flames and thick smoke, accompanied by a huge column of water, shot into the sky, and the terrified screams from the ship were instantly swallowed by the sea.

"Target sunk!" the sonar operator confirmed the result.

"Well done! Moving on to the next target!" A cold smile appeared on the Sea Wolf captain's face.

On the sea, the only ironclad warship of the Hidden Mist Village, the "Blood Mist," which was the largest in tonnage, had the thickest armor, and was equipped with more than a dozen chakra crossbows, was also on high alert.

Captain Blood Mist stared at the wreckage of the wooden behemoth in the distance, his face deathly pale, but he forced himself to remain calm: "Damn it! It's an underwater attack! All water-style ninjas, listen up! Aim your maximum water-style attacks below the area where the behemoth sank! Force them out!"

"Water Release: Water Dragon Barrage Technique!"

"Water Release·Water Fang Blade!"

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"

Dozens of elite Mist Shadows gathered on one side of the ship's side, forming hand seals and roaring.

In an instant, dozens of ferocious water dragons, several high-pressure water jets, and a surging waterfall, with the force to tear the sea surface, slammed into the sea area where the wreckage was still churning!
Boom! Rumble! Rumble—

The sea was churned up by the violent ninjutsu, with towering waves.

However, aside from tearing the wreckage of the Fog Shadow Giant Ship to shreds and creating even greater chaos, they accomplished nothing.

The submarines had already nimbly moved to new positions, and those that couldn't move in time easily withstood the attack under the protection of the chakra shield.

"Report! The Mist Shadow flagship has launched a large-scale water-based attack on our forces! Strength assessment: Grade A!"

"Hmph, just a tickle." The SEAL captain sneered. "Chakra Shield, 25% power! Evasion maneuver! Chakra Cannon, aim at that Iron Turtle! Fire both torpedoes at once, aim for its engine room!"

"Yes!"

The chakra engine rapidly charged, soon unleashing two beams of energy aimed at the Mist-covered ironclad warship "Blood Mist".

The chakra cannon blasted into the stern of the "Blood Mist".

"Major energy attack detected! Starboard rear! Take evasive action immediately!"

The sensory ninja on the "Blood Mist" finally detected a deadly threat and screamed in agony.

"It's too late!!" Captain Blood Mist watched in despair as two beams of energy struck the area below the stern.

boom! boom! ! !
This explosion was even more terrifying!
The violent chakra shockwave instantly tore through the relatively fragile bottom armor and drive shaft, and seawater rushed into the engine room like a high-pressure water gun!

The entire warship trembled violently, emitting a dying groan, and its stern began to sink at a visible speed!
"The ship is sinking! Abandon ship! Abandon ship now!"

"Help!"

Chaos reigned on the Blood Mist, with desperate cries echoing across the sea.

The armored flagship, a symbol of the Mist Shadow's naval power, was crippled after just two rounds of attacks from submarines!

Meanwhile, inside the submarine of the Land of Waves.

Through the chakra communicators connecting each submarine and the 3D light screen projection suspended above the command center, the battle situation of each submarine is shared in real time.

The rescued Whirlpool Clan and Sea Wild Clan soldiers huddled in the relatively spacious cabin, watching the light screen projection and seeing the flames burning on the sea outside, the sinking ships, and the struggling Mist Ninja through the limited enhanced observation windows. They were all speechless with shock.

"My God! Is this the underwater warship of the Land of Waves?"

"This is terrifying! The Kirigakure warships are like paper in front of them!"

"The Land of Waves actually possesses such terrifying power!"

"We're really saved!"

The Whirlpool Clan was utterly shocked, and many of them, holding children, had tears of excitement glistening in their eyes.

The sinking of the flagship "Blood Mist" was like the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Having witnessed firsthand how this seemingly indestructible ironclad warship was reduced to burning scrap metal in just a few minutes, the ninjas on the other Hidden Mist ships were utterly devastated.

"Monster! There's a monster underwater!"

"Run! Get out of this area!"

"Disperse! Disperse and break through!"

Panic spread like a plague.

The remaining dozen or so ships, large and small, no longer cared about formations or orders, and fled desperately in all directions like headless flies, wanting nothing more than to get away from this sea ruled by death.

(End of this chapter)