He recognized this technique immediately—it was an acid-based ninjutsu from the Boiling Style, known for its highly corrosive properties. If the acid remained a light green color, it might not pose an immediate threat. However, if it darkened to a deep green hue, and that fool Mangetsu incorporated the water transformation technique into it, this woman could genuinely be reduced to a pool of liquid if she chose to show no mercy.
"It's just acid."
"Don't worry. With that guy's vitality, he won't die~," Mei replied nonchalantly to the Hozuki clan member, all the while continuing to weave seals with her hands, as if preparing another ninjutsu.
The middle-aged man from the Hozuki clan, hearing the casual assurance that "he can't die," was seething with anger but dared not voice his frustration.
He had no choice. The woman before him had an undeniably powerful background. As a prominent figure of two prestigious bloodline clans, even if Mangetsu were killed under the guise of justification, his clan would be deeply displeased. However, they would be powerless to retaliate against her.
"It hurts! It hurts!"
Just as the members of the Hozuki clan were preparing to swallow their pride once again and plead with Mei to go easier on their prodigy—lest he be completely destroyed beyond recognition—a series of agonized cries rang out, accompanied by the loud splash of water.
It was Mangetsu. His body, corroded and bleeding, managed to break free by using the Hiramakerai weapon in his hand to pierce through the emerald-green water sphere, escaping its grasp.
"You won't get away that easily!"
Despite Mangetsu's escape, Mei's expression remained calm and composed. Without moving from her spot, she swiftly altered the sequence of hand seals. The water sphere, still brimming with corrosive acid, transformed into a massive, serpent-like water construct. The water snake coiled and twisted, rising to form a towering water wall over 20 meters high, trapping Mangetsu within its relentless grasp.
After completing her technique, Mei didn't immediately launch an attack. Instead, she called out to Mangetsu, who was trapped at the center of the massive water wall formation.
"Mangetsu, you idiot! Haven't you snapped out of it yet?"
His body, corroded by acid and bleeding heavily, should have been in excruciating pain—enough to jolt him out of the illusion.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Unfortunately, the response was not Mangetsu's voice but the deafening sound of giant blades relentlessly striking the high-speed water barrier.
"Is that damn illusion really this hard to break?" Mei muttered in frustration.
Unable to ignore her growing annoyance, she turned to glance at the battle unfolding on Shisui's side. What she saw nearly made her lose her composure entirely.
The group, numbering over twenty, had surrounded Shisui, yet their numerical advantage brought them no sense of security.
Instead, unease crept over them. Their gazes shifted nervously to their comrades behind them, uncertainty flickering in their eyes.
Looking downward, they could see several bodies sprawled lifelessly on the ground. Each lay face down, and the jagged wounds across their backs made it clear they had been struck from behind.
"We can't afford to waste any more time!" Mei declared sharply before calling out, "Ao, be ready!"
The moment she finished speaking, she remained rooted in place, focusing her efforts on controlling the water wall. Adjusting her hand seals once more, she transformed the high-speed rotating barrier that had been trapping Mangetsu.
A massive snake's head suddenly burst forth from the turbulent water wall, its form menacing and poised to strike.
Without a word, it charged straight toward the Mangetsu.
At that moment, Mangetsu's face was drenched in blood, and combined with the savage expression he wore as he swung his blade, he resembled a vengeful ghost clawing its way out of hell.
Bang!
His blade struck the snake's head with a resounding impact, sending a massive spray of water into the air.
However, how could the ninjutsu Mei had meticulously prepared for him be so easily undone by a single strike?
Though the snake's head dispersed into flying droplets, its body remained intact and surged toward the Mangetsu with unrelenting force.
Had it been a standard water-based attack, Mangetsu would have already dissolved into his liquid form, rendering the opponent's ninjutsu ineffective. But this was no ordinary attack.
Although Shisui's illusion controlled him, Mangetsu's instincts prevented him from continuing to use the water transformation technique.
"Ah!"
With a cry tinged with frustration, Mangetsu let out a piercing howl. He was overwhelmed by the surging water, losing his balance as the corrosive acid mixed in the current inflicted further agony.
"Now!"
Seeing that Mangetsu had finally succumbed to the force of the water she controlled, Mei seized the moment and shouted.
Ao, who had been standing ready despite his injuries, sprang into action with lightning speed. In an instant, he reached Mangetsu's side.
"Illusion Release!"
Placing one hand firmly on Mangetsu's shoulder, Ao focused on breaking the illusion's hold over him. Without pausing, he moved on to his next technique.
"Sealing Technique: Chakra Seal."
Ao had no way of fully identifying Shisui's illusion, nor was he confident that merely disrupting the chakra flow would bring Mangetsu back to consciousness.
To ensure nothing went wrong, he sealed Mangetsu's chakra before the latter could react.
Bang!
As Mangetsu still appeared dazed, Mei wasted no time and landed a solid punch to his face.
"Are you awake yet?"
In his current state, Mangetsu was unable to use chakra or enter his water transformation. Having just escaped the illusion, he was too disoriented to grasp the situation before Mei's delicate but forceful fist collided with his head.
"It seems he's still not fully awake!"
Mei, unwilling to waste any more time, noted his lingering confusion and raised her hand, ready to deliver another punch.
"Nee-san… why did you hit me!?"
Mangetsu, now sporting a bleeding nose from Mei's punch, barely had time to complain as she raised her fist for another strike. Desperate, he shouted for her to stop, the childhood nickname slipping out in his panic.
"It seems he's fully awake now," Mei remarked, glancing at Mangetsu. She then turned to Ao and instructed, "Check him thoroughly again. Once you're sure, release the seal and send him to deal with Uchiha Shisui."
If not for the pressing need to rely on Mangetsu's combat skills, Mei wouldn't have wasted another moment confirming his recovery. She would have already joined the nearby battlefield, which was just within reach.
"Has the illusion been dispelled?"
Shisui, locked in combat with the surrounding Mist Ninjas, immediately sensed that the illusion controlling Mangetsu had been broken.
Still, he wasn't particularly surprised.
After all, his opponents were elites of the Hidden Mist Village. It was remarkable that the illusion had held for as long as it did.
"I need to stall for a bit longer!"
Despite the strength of the Mist Ninjas, Shisui's speed meant they couldn't stop him if he chose to escape.
The only reason he remained engaged in battle was to delay their advance, buying precious time for his companions to make their escape.
The signal had been sent. With Ishii, Komatsu, and the others moving at their speed, they should reach safety if Shisui could hold off the enemy for another ten minutes or so.
"You all fall back for now!"
Just as Shisui prepared to keep the Mist Ninjas occupied a while longer before retreating himself, a clear and magnetic female voice cut through the chaos.
In moments, Mei appeared on the battlefield, her blue dress swaying as her waist-length hair followed her movements.
Behind her stood Mangetsu, looking as though he were questioning the very meaning of life, and Ao, his expression stern and focused.
"I'm starting to hate Uchiha men more and more," Mei remarked, her tone tinged with annoyance.
Whether it was this Uchiha Shisui or the Uchiha Toshiro she had encountered before, both had proven equally infuriating and difficult to handle.
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