Escape from Konoha.

The Water Release technique that normally requires a certain amount of chakra can now be performed here with only half the amount of chakra.

If the same amount of chakra is used, the power of the Water Release technique will double.

For water-style ninjas, there is no better place to use water-style techniques.

It would be extremely disadvantageous to fight a Water Release ninja who has a wide range of ninjutsu here.

"hateful!"

Although those dozen or so people were quite skilled, none of them intended to engage in close combat. Instead, they used long-range and wide-area water-based techniques, taking advantage of the ocean as their home ground, to continuously wear down the enemy's stamina.

If you are accidentally hit by a water-style jutsu, you will be seriously injured.

If this continues, the three of them will eventually be exhausted and captured by the enemy.

"Lord Huozhen, please leave here first! These guys are not simple! We'll cover your retreat!"

Two branch family ninjas of the Special Jonin rank wanted to tear a bloody path through the fire formation so that he could leave first.

The importance of the Byakugan to Hyuga cannot be overstated. If this pure bloodline limit were to fall into the hands of someone else, it would not be a good thing for Hyuga or Konoha.

Huo Zhen glanced at the two men, as if he saw the determination to die in their eyes, nodded, and fled without hesitation in the direction where there were no enemies blocking his way.

Whether he likes it or not, the significance of the branch family ninjas' existence can only be demonstrated at this moment.

We must fight to the death to secure a way out for the main family ninjas, rather than having them sacrifice themselves here so that the branch family ninjas can escape.

Fire Array was no stranger to this situation and considered it a matter of course.

Because he wanted to protect his precious and proud Byakugan from being taken by the enemy, the sacrifice of those two branch family ninjas was not without value.

—A few kilometers away from the battlefield, a mud-covered figure made entirely of yellowish-brown clay emerged from the sea.

Then the entire twisted humanoid body stood softly and stickily on the sea surface, and began to writhe irregularly.

Immediately afterwards, it formed hand seals and finally pressed its hands onto the sea surface. Accompanied by a large amount of white smoke, Shiroishi, wearing a white hooded coat, was summoned from the distant Konoha.

"This reverse spirit communication technique is really convenient. Thank you for your hard work."

Shiraishi looked at his 'idiot son' standing next to him. In many ways, he still had a lot of usefulness to him.

However, in Shiraishi's initial concept, he hoped to create a powerful rock doll for use in combat.

However, due to limitations in technology and the fact that magic was not yet fully developed, it could only remain by his side as a lurking entity.

The mud figure babbled a bunch of incomprehensible words before disappearing into the sea.

After witnessing his disappearance, Shiraishi crouched down and pointed a finger at the sea surface, spreading a vast range of sensory power in all directions.

His target was Hyuga Kajin, a Jonin from the Hyuga main clan.

"That direction? But what's with this battle? Is there someone else watching?"

Shiraishi looked puzzled.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. The Byakugan of the Hyuga clan's main branch is extremely strategic, especially in the ninja wars. It can be said that as long as you have one of these eyes, the enemy's plots will be exposed inexplicably many times.

In his perception, the two sides in the battle were divided into two camps, one with three people and the other with thirteen people.

The three on one side are likely ninjas from the Hyuga clan, and the one currently planning to retreat from the battlefield is probably Hyuga Kajin.

It seems they intend to use the branch family ninjas to buy time and increase their chances of escape.

"The ambushing enemies are not simple, but with them helping me hold them off, I don't need to worry about those two branch family guards."

Shiraishi smiled slightly, then his figure disappeared from the spot, heading in the direction where Hyuga Kagami had fled.

The perception range of the Spirit Transformation Technique is extremely wide, and this is an ocean without any obstacles, which means that as long as Shiraishi's speed surpasses that of his opponent, Hyuga Kajin will not be able to escape his pursuit.

And that is indeed the case; Shiraishi is very confident in his speed.

Even if the opponent is a famous genius Jonin of the Hyuga clan, it's only a matter of time before he catches up with him.

About five minutes later, Shiraishi saw a young ninja dressed in the style of the Hyuga clan speeding across the sea.

He also noticed the rapidly approaching white stone and seemed somewhat surprised.

He knew someone was approaching him quickly, but he didn't expect it to be a Konoha ninja.

He had seen this face once before by chance; he remembered it was the medical ninja from Sakumo's Jonin squad.

Why is it here?

This speed is abnormal, even more exaggerated than that of a Jonin?

The enemy transformed?

However, under Byakugan's observation, there was no trace of transformation.

Even if one were to transform, there would be no need to create such a completely unrelated person.

Huo Zhen's eyes became alert.

"Wait, you—"

He wanted to say something, but Shiraishi didn't give him a chance. He immediately took out a few bullets from his ninja tool bag and threw them into the air where they exploded.

The smoke spread faster than the Fog Concealment Technique, and its diameter was over thirty meters. The smoke was a deep purple color, and the fire array immediately changed color.

He dared not smell the strangely colored mist and dived directly into the seawater.

Just wait for these strangely colored fogs to dissipate before returning to the surface of the sea.

To everyone's surprise, it took about two or three minutes of holding their breath underwater for the poisonous fog to begin to dissipate.

Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Shiraishi took out a few more bullets from his ninja tool bag and continued to spread them across the sea.

Under the Byakugan's observation, the fire array locked onto Shiraishi's ninja tool pouch, which contained many such bullets.

"..."

If this continues, he will surely drown in the sea first, ending the battle.

If he moves in the sea, the other party will definitely move with him.

Left with no other choice, he swam towards the surface of the sea, intending to use the "Return to Heaven" technique to create a powerful airflow that would disperse the poisonous fog and allow him to breathe.

Shiraishi knew what Kajin was thinking. He took out a kunai from his ninja tool bag, with a string of five explosive tags hanging from it, and gave Kajin a friendly smile.

Don't try to stick your neck out like that, just be a coward... That's exactly what Shiraishi meant.

"..."

Honestly, Huo Zhen was getting a little annoyed and had an urge to curse.

This person doesn't have the fighting style a ninja should have. Judging from his speed, he should be a taijutsu ninja. Shouldn't we be relying on his strong taijutsu to fight him in close combat?

Just then, another foreign object entered their field of vision.

It was a yellowish-brown humanoid creature, seemingly made of mud, that swam up from the dark depths of the sea. Its dark eyes emitted a pale golden light, which was particularly striking in the unfathomable darkness and gave off a terrifying atmosphere.

He twisted his incredibly strange body and charged toward this place at a speed that the Fire Array sensed was abnormal, much faster than the Fire Array could run on land.

Huo Zhen's expression changed drastically.

He discovered that waterproof talismans were tied to the humanoid figure's body, and each talisman had the character "爆" (explode) on it.

Waterproof detonator.

These explosive tags are less powerful than ordinary explosive tags, but if a number of them were to explode, even a small explosion would be enough to kill someone.

The Earth General glided through the seawater at an extremely fast speed, giving the Fire Formation no extra time to consider.

A miraculous recovery!

Once he reaches the surface, the eerie mudman will definitely catch up with him first and detonate the explosive tags on his body.

Therefore, Huo Zhen did not hesitate to use the "Return to Heaven" technique in the seawater, stirring up the water flow and repelling the mud figures away from him.

Boom!

A muffled explosion rang out in the sea, instantly creating a huge crater in the surface. Huo Zhen coughed up blood and flew into the air, his eyes struggling to open.

Although the massive explosion dispersed the toxic fumes from the sea, he also suffered serious injuries as a result.

That bastard!

They don't look like ninjas at all!

Such a despicable and disrespectful fellow deserves divine punishment!

"Return to Heaven!"

Seeing Bai Shi charging towards him, Huo Zhen gritted his teeth and glared at Bai Shi with angry and ferocious eyes.

He released most of the remaining chakra in his body and used the Rotation Technique at its maximum power to let him know that even so, he was no match for the Hyuga main clan ninja.

Die!

Snapped!

A look of astonishment appeared on his face; the attempt to turn things around had failed.

His arm was grabbed by Shiraishi first, and then his body was thrown towards the sea in the opposite direction.

His body came into heavy contact with the seawater, and he couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood, staring at Shiraishi with shock in his eyes.

"How could this be... you actually broke the Reversal of Fortune!?"

"Why are you looking so surprised? I've seen many times more powerful Kaiten than you. In my eyes, your Kaiten is basically full of flaws. Checkmate, Hyuga main family."

The person Shiraishi was referring to was, of course, Ayane.

He had seen Ayane's Heavenly Reversal, and its power, speed, and recoil were far superior to the Heavenly Reversal performed by the Fire Formation.

In Bai Shi's eyes, the Fire Formation's Reversal Technique could be easily broken simply by using someone faster than him.

This is nothing to brag about.

"You... are you really that medical ninja from Sakumo's Jonin team? You're also a Konoha ninja, why are you..."

When faced with Huo Zhen's question, Bai Shi did not offer any further explanation.

Seeing that Shiraishi had no interest in explaining, Huo Zhen's eyes flashed with resentment, but his body did not allow him to continue. Just as he was about to do something, Shiraishi took a step ahead and instantly appeared behind him, delivering a precise chop to the back of his neck. Huo Zhen immediately lost consciousness and fell into a coma.

Bai Shi hoisted Huo Zhen's body onto his shoulder, glanced at the shattered, yellowish-brown mud beside him, and saw the mud figure slowly piecing itself back together.

The only relatively intact part of the head was its head, from which it weakly uttered words that were difficult to understand.