"What was once lost, the Uchiha will reclaim with their own hands."
As soon as Inabi finished speaking, he gave Jiraiya no chance to respond. With a loud shout, he commanded, "Attackit!"
The five Uchiha simultaneously formed hand seals, and a massive amount of Chakra began to gather in their mouths.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
A sea of flames erupted from their mouths, surging toward Jiraiya and the others in a single, overwhelming wave.
The roaring, violent flames released an unimaginable heat, as if they could evaporate the entire ocean.
They held nothing back, as this was the most basic respect they could show the Sannin.
However, it wasn't Jiraiya who stepped forward to block the attack.
"Water Release: Water Formation Pillar!"
Mei, who was also within the range of the inferno, quickly formed hand seals. A massive water sphere erupted from her mouth, exploding in mid-air and unleashing a torrential flood, like a river flowing backward.
Despite being the only Water Release, the sheer scale and power of Mei's Water Release overwhelmed the combined Fire Release of the five Uchiha.
Boom!
The terrifying sea of fire collided with the reverse-flowing river in mid-air. The towering flames and the rushing waterfall clashed violently, producing vast amounts of steam.
The Uchiha on the ship, who are still spewing flames, were visibly shaken. They hadn't expected their combined Fire Release to be blocked by a single person.
'The strength of this Kirigakure Ninja should not be underestimated either.'
Boom! Boom!
The five Uchiha increased their Chakra output, making the already raging flames even more terrifying.
The towering waves of fire surged forward like a tsunami, relentlessly pushing against Mei's flood. Yet, despite the intense heat, the flames couldn't advance any further.
While the five Uchiha were visibly straining, Mei still appeared somewhat at ease.
The fire and water, locked in a stalemate in the air, seemed to divide the sky into two worlds… one red and one blue.
The two forces remained locked in a deadlock for a long time.
In the end, Mei's flood overpowered the Uchiha's sea of fire. The violent water, carrying immense force, crashed onto the bow of the patrol ship. Water sprayed everywhere, and with a deafening roar, the entire bow was shattered.
Fortunately, the Uchiha dodged in time. If they had been hit, their bodies might have been crushed.
Inabi stared at Mei with a grim expression, while Jiraiya and Kakashi looked on in shock. None of them had expected this relatively unknown Kirigakure Ninja to possess such overwhelming strength.
These were five Uchiha with three-tomoe Sharingan, not ordinary Jonin. While the elemental advantage of water over fire played a role, the fact that she had suppressed all five of them single-handedly spoke volumes about her power.
However, Mei, who had just completed this feat, showed no signs of joy. Instead, she wore a charming smile.
"Handsome boys..."
Mei was about to explain herself, but the Uchiha attacked again.
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
The five Uchiha formed hand seals once more, but this time, instead of a sea of fire, five fire dragons erupted from their mouths, charging straight toward Mei and her team.
Compared to the wide-range attack of the Great Fire Annihilation, the fire dragons from the Great Fire Dragon Technique were more concentrated and destructive.
Seeing that the Uchiha weren't even giving her a chance to explain, Mei's lips couldn't help but twitch. It wasn't that she was afraid, but the Uchiha had already launched a signal flare, meaning reinforcements were likely on the way. Without knowing the full extent of the enemy's strength, she didn't want to complicate things further.
However, the Uchiha's arrogance was starting to irritate her.
"Let's take them down first."
Mei gave the order to Ao and Chojuro, then glanced at Jiraiya and Kakashi before quickly forming hand seals.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
Five streams of water transformed into dragons mid-air, each charging toward the incoming fire dragons.
Mei went all out this time, dispersing four of the fire dragons instantly. Only Inabi's fire dragon remained, locked in a stalemate with Mei's water dragon.
At this time, Ao and Chojuro joined the fight.
Ao hurled several shuriken at Inabi, who was still maintaining the Great Fire Dragon Technique, but they were deflected by another Uchiha. Ao continued to throw various Ninja Tools, each aimed at vital points thanks to his Byakugan's insight. However, each attack was blocked by kunai.
The Sharingan's insight was no less formidable.
Meanwhile, Chojuro charged forward with his Hiramekarei, engaging the remaining Uchiha in close combat.
"Jiraiya-sama, should we take action too?"
Kakashi asked for Jiraiya's opinion. Mei's earlier glance had clearly been a warning not to stand idly by.
Jiraiya shook his head without speaking, his brow furrowed tightly. He had sensed a strange feeling of being watched.
"Barrier: Canopy Method Formation!"
Jiraiya quickly formed hand seals, and a transparent spherical barrier expanded around him, scanning the area.
Upon detecting two figures, his pupils contracted slightly. He clasped his hands together, and his long white hair began to grow rapidly.
"Wild Lion's Mane Technique!"
His white hair shot upward, covering the sky like a massive net, surging toward a specific point in the air. It resembled a fierce lion pouncing on its prey.
However, as the hair approached a certain spot, it was instantly torn apart.
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. He realized that someone was indeed hiding there.
Jiraiya's long hair surged forward again, like agile tentacles, reaching out from different angles toward the hidden target. However, just as the hair was about to make contact, it was torn apart once more.
In that area, it was as if countless invisible wind blades were blocking Jiraiya's attacks. The moment his hair approached, it was severed by an unseen force, scattering and falling like snow.
Realizing that his attack had failed, Jiraiya retracted his Jutsu, his eyes narrowing as he stared intently at the seemingly empty space. He formed hand seals, preparing to unleash another Jutsu, but his eyes slowly widened, and his hands froze mid-seal.
And Kakashi next to him also showed an expression of 'as expected.'
Naruto's figure gradually materialized in the air, accompanied by Izumi.
"Is it the reinforcements from the other side?"
Mei also noticed the commotion on Jiraiya's side. After suppressing Inabi's Fire Release once more, she quickly retreated to Jiraiya's side and called out to Chojuro, who was still on the enemy ship.
"Chojuro, come back!"
But there was no response. Facing three opponents alone, Chojuro had been subdued within a few moves.
Mei's expression darkened, but she refrained from taking further action, her gaze wary as she turned to the suddenly appearing Naruto.
"What a spectacle."
Naruto, accompanied by Izumi, slowly descended onto the damaged bow of the ship. The Uchiha immediately bowed to him, and Naruto looked down at them with a hint of approval, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"So sharp, Terumi Mei-san."