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Kisame's grin remained unwavering, his confidence unshaken. With a surge of effort, he channeled his chakra into Samehada. The weapon responded immediately, the white bandages binding it tearing apart with a sharp rip, revealing its true form. The blade's surface was jagged and spiked, resembling the spiny back of a hedgehog. It pulsed with raw power, alive in Kisame's hands.
The strain on Inoiki's psychokinetic barrier became evident as faint, sky-blue cracks began to spiderweb across its surface. The invisible shield trembled under the relentless assault of Kisame's brute strength and the draining effect of Samehada's chakra-feeding nature.
Inoiki's sharp mind assessed the situation in an instant. The barrier won't hold much longer.
Thinking quickly, he redirected his focus to the river water beneath Kisame's feet. With a subtle motion of his fingers, the water began to rise, twisting and coiling like a serpent. It snaked up Kisame's legs, climbing rapidly to envelop his torso and then his right arm—the one gripping Samehada. The water thickened, constricting Kisame like a python, each layer tightening its hold.
Just as the barrier shattered with a resounding crack, Kisame found himself bound. The water's grip was firm, encasing him in a liquid prison. Droplets shimmered as they clung to the spiked surface of Samehada, and for a brief moment, it seemed Inoiki had the upper hand.
Kisame, however, merely scoffed, unimpressed by the tactic. "Is that all you've got?" he growled.
With a powerful flex of his muscles and a sudden jerk of his body, the watery bonds exploded outward, scattering droplets in every direction like rain. The force of the release sent ripples across the river's surface, and Kisame stood free, his grin now tinged with amusement.
But the distraction had served its purpose. In the fleeting seconds it took Kisame to break free, Inoiki had already retreated, putting a safe distance between himself and the towering shinobi.
Kisame's eyes narrowed as he looked forward, the grin on his face turning predatory. "Running away already, kid?" he called out, his voice echoing across the water. "This is just getting interesting."
Just as Kisame broke free from the watery binds, a kunai streaked through the air seemingly out of nowhere, aimed directly at his face. His sharp instincts kicked in, and with a quick tilt of his head to the left, he narrowly avoided a direct hit. Yet, despite his reflexes, the kunai's incredible speed left its mark—a shallow cut appeared on his right cheek, a thin line of crimson forming almost instantly.
Kisame's grin faltered for a moment, more out of surprise than pain. Fast... I didn't even see it coming until it was too late.
But before he could fully recover, the attack wasn't over. From beneath the surface of the river, four more kunai shot upward, moving with deadly precision. They came from all directions, cutting through the water like silent predators. Kisame, still focused on dodging the first kunai, had no time to react to these stealthy projectiles.
This well-coordinated assault was all part of Inoiki's plan. As he retreated earlier, he had anticipated that the water-binding technique would only slow Kisame momentarily. Knowing that brute strength alone wouldn't be enough to hold him, Inoiki had shifted tactics.
Using his psychokinesis, he had manipulated the kunai from his ninja pouch. While one kunai launched directly at Kisame to serve as a decoy, the other four were sent stealthily beneath the water's surface, their movements silent and concealed. This level of precision—controlling kunai in entirely opposite directions simultaneously—was a testament to Inoiki's increased strength and mastery, honed further after his encounter with Orochimaru.
A single kunai flew straight toward Kisame, its trajectory aimed at his face. Kisame saw it coming and dodged swiftly, tilting his head just in time. The kunai sliced through the air, missing its target but serving its purpose—it was a deliberate distraction.
While Kisame focused on the decoy, four more kunai, hidden beneath the surface of the river, emerged suddenly. They shot upward with deadly precision, converging on Kisame from all directions. Their stealth and speed left him no time to react.
Just as the kunai were about to strike, a shadow streaked past Kisame in a fluid, circular motion. A faint metallic clang echoed as the kunai were deflected mid-flight, scattering harmlessly into the river below.
Itachi stood in front of Kisame, his Sharingan glowing ominously, locking eyes with Inoiki. His expression was calm, but there was a subtle intensity in his gaze—a warning, perhaps.
Kisame blinked, momentarily stunned, as realization set in. His grin vanished, replaced by a grim seriousness. He now understood what had just transpired. Only moments ago, he had mocked Inoiki as nothing more than a "brat" and questioned his strength. And yet, he had nearly been seriously injured by that same "brat."
The humiliation stung.
Itachi broke the silence, his voice steady but edged with reproach. "I told you not to underestimate him," he said, not looking at Kisame. "He's not someone we can take lightly."
Kisame clenched his jaw but said nothing, his eyes narrowing as he studied Inoiki with a newfound respect. Meanwhile, Inoiki remained calm, his stance unwavering, though his mind was already calculating his next move.
The tension between the three was palpable, the river's surface rippling softly beneath them as the confrontation escalated.
Itachi's gaze shifted, locking onto Inoiki with unrelenting focus. The swirling crimson of his Sharingan glowed ominously as he activated his genjutsu, the powerful illusion weaving its way into Inoiki's mind. Looking directly into Itachi's eyes had made it all too easy—an advantage the Uchiha rarely let slip.
The effect was immediate. Inoiki's body froze as the genjutsu took hold, his senses clouded by the illusion. It was a subtle but effective manoeuvre, enough to momentarily incapacitate most opponents.
Itachi's voice cut through the silence, calm and instructive, almost as though he were a teacher addressing a student. "Did your teacher or father never tell you? You should never look an Uchiha in the eye."
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