Suigetsu's swordsmanship was characterized by wide, powerful strikes, with incredible force behind every swing.
In the training plan that Kimimaro had crafted for Suigetsu, he had specifically emphasized building strength. After all, wielding such a massive weapon was impossible without exceptional arm strength.
After completing his rigorous training, Suigetsu's swings became powerful enough to cleave through solid boulders with ease. Yet, at this moment, his blade failed to cut through the chakra-forged cat claws of Yugito.
The claws, formed from the chakra of the Two-Tails, were astonishingly durable. Breaking them was no simple task.
"Is that all you've got? Hmph, it seems the Akatsuki's members aren't as impressive as the rumors claim," Yugito scoffed coldly. Suddenly, the chakra surrounding her claws surged, and with a swift motion, she struck.
*Crack!*
Her claws struck Suigetsu's weapon, and a breaking sound echoed through the air.
But it wasn't her claws that broke. It was **Suigetsu's sword**!
"Hey, hey, hey! Are you kidding me?!" Suigetsu's eyes widened in disbelief.
The enormous blade, once towering in its size, had been reduced to barely a third of its original length. The broken pieces of the blade clattered to the ground.
Seizing the moment, Yugito lunged forward, her claws aiming directly at Suigetsu.
*Swish!*
Her attack landed, leaving two deep claw marks on Suigetsu's body. But instead of blood, water gushed from the wounds.
Yugito frowned, startled by the sight. "What is this…?"
Suigetsu, however, was far from concerned about the attack. He was still lamenting over his broken sword. "My sword!"
Yugito's expression hardened. "This guy is strange," she muttered under her breath, deciding not to underestimate him any further.
Kimimaro, watching from a distance, couldn't help but comment. "I told you that sword was useless. Its durability is garbage."
From his perspective, Suigetsu's weapon was the least practical among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's blades. Its unique ability to repair itself by absorbing the iron from its wielder's blood seemed utterly pointless to him.
"What's the use of a sword that breaks during a fight? If you've got time to kill someone and repair a blade, why not just get a new sword? And what happens if it breaks before it's fixed? Fighting a strong opponent with a broken sword is just plain stupid."
"Boss, now's not the time for criticism!" Suigetsu retorted, his face filled with frustration.
"Are you going to fight or not? If not, I'll handle this," Kimimaro said nonchalantly.
"I'm fighting! That cat destroyed my sword—I'm not letting her get away with it!" Suigetsu declared, brimming with fury.
"Fine. Then go on." Kimimaro, though dismissive in tone, stayed ready to step in if things went south. He could tell Yugito was far stronger than she had been in the past.
Despite Suigetsu's progress, he was still no match for Yugito. Moreover, the Two-Tails' fire-based abilities posed a natural threat to Suigetsu's water techniques. While water could extinguish fire, intense flames could easily evaporate water.
"Damn cat! You broke my sword! I'll make you pay!" Suigetsu roared, forming a series of hand seals.
"Water Style: Wild Water Wave!"
A torrent of water burst from Suigetsu's mouth, rushing toward Yugito.
"So, a Water Style user?" Yugito's eyes narrowed as she raised her right hand. Fiery red chakra engulfed her arm, transforming it into a massive beast's claw.
With a single swing, she swatted the incoming water aside, scattering it into harmless droplets.
Yugito leapt forward, darting through the water and closing the distance between herself and Suigetsu in an instant. Her chakra-formed tail lashed out at him.
"So fast!" Suigetsu exclaimed in shock. He hadn't expected Yugito's speed to be this overwhelming.
Cats were naturally swift, and as the Two-Tails' jinchūriki, Yugito's agility was on another level.
But Suigetsu had endured countless beatings from Kimimaro during training, so he managed to react in time. Crossing his arms in front of him, he braced himself for the impact.
*Splash!*
Water sprayed everywhere as the tail struck Suigetsu, but his body dissolved into liquid, rendering the attack ineffective.
After two failed attempts to inflict damage, Yugito frowned. "So, he can turn his body into water at will?"
While Yugito analyzed his technique, Suigetsu launched a counterattack.
"Water Style: Water Gun Jutsu!"
At close range, Suigetsu formed his hands into a finger-gun shape and fired high-pressure water bullets at Yugito.
*Swish! Swish!*
The shots hit their mark, striking Yugito directly in the head.
"Yes! Got her!" Suigetsu cheered as Yugito was sent flying several meters back.
However, when the dust cleared, she was unscathed. Her head and body were now entirely cloaked in the protective red chakra of the Two-Tails.
"Are you kidding me? That chakra cloak is tougher than a turtle shell!" Suigetsu groaned, his brief excitement giving way to frustration.
"You little brat, you've really pissed me off now!" Yugito snarled, her patience running out. Though unharmed, she still felt the sting of Suigetsu's attack.
The time for toying around was over. Yugito unleashed her full power, transforming into her complete Tailed Beast form.
The air grew heavy as a colossal blue cat materialized, surrounded by an aura of blazing fire.
The Two-Tails, Matatabi, had emerged!
"So this is full Tailed Beast transformation? Damn, that's impressive," Suigetsu muttered, both awestruck and apprehensive.
"Prepare to die!" Yugito growled. Flames gathered in her mouth, and in the next instant, she unleashed a massive fireball toward Suigetsu.
"Holy crap! That heat is insane!" Suigetsu yelped, scrambling to retreat. He knew that attempting to use his Water Body Technique now would likely result in him being evaporated.
But the fireball was too fast—it closed in on him within moments.
"This is bad! Boss, help me out here!" Suigetsu shouted in desperation.
Before his plea had even finished, Kimimaro appeared at his side.
"You still have a long way to go," Kimimaro remarked calmly.
Extending his right hand, he faced the incoming fireball and chanted, "Way of Destruction #63: Thunder Roar Cannon!"
Golden arcs of lightning surged from his palm, starting as a faint spark before exploding into a torrent of electric fury.
*Boom!*
The lightning beam tore through the fireball, splitting it apart in a deafening explosion.
---
**A Massive Fireball Splits Apart and Vanishes into Thin Air**
All that remained was a golden lightning bolt striking the blue-furred demon cat squarely on its head.
The Two-Tails Matatabi let out a pained howl, its body staggering under the force of the blow.
Though the attack was heavy, it wasn't enough to truly injure Matatabi.
"Boss is boss—what a perfect strike!"
Suigetsu cheered as he saw Kimimaro take action, quick to offer his praise.
"Now do you see the gap between yourself and a true powerhouse?"
"Boss, I think it's just a type advantage this time. If his Fire Release weren't so strong, I probably wouldn't have lost so quickly," Suigetsu argued.
"A true powerhouse doesn't rely on 'type advantages.' If you do, it just means your abilities aren't versatile enough," Kimimaro retorted with a sigh.
Suigetsu scratched his head awkwardly in response to the critique.
In the ninja world, those like Deidara, Suigetsu, and Kisame—who were disadvantaged by specific techniques—were often considered too specialized.
Deidara overly relied on explosive clay; Suigetsu lacked training to counter Lightning Release; Kisame's strength depended on Samehada's chakra absorption.
Though these abilities were strong enough to rival Kage-level opponents, their limitations were glaring.
Early success was possible, but encountering an opponent with a counter-strategy could lead to disastrous results.
For example, Deidara's weakness was so well-documented that Mifune could defeat him with nothing more than a car battery.
A frustrating reality.
Fortunately, with Kimimaro's help, Deidara and Suigetsu had overcome their respective vulnerabilities to Lightning Release.
However, Suigetsu's dependence on Water Release still left his arsenal too one-dimensional.
"Damn it!"
Meanwhile, Matatabi steadied itself, fury rising in its heart.
With a deafening roar, it charged straight at Kimimaro and Suigetsu, aiming to overpower them with its sheer size.
"Boss! It's coming at us again!" Suigetsu shouted in alarm.
Kimimaro remained calm, scanning the surroundings instead of reacting immediately.
"It seems Zetsu isn't observing from nearby. Since that's the case, let's test a newly developed technique."
With this thought, a symbol emerged on the back of Kimimaro's left hand—**The Crest of Courage!**
The emblem shone with a black radiance, like a miniature sun.
In the next moment, countless white bones erupted from Kimimaro's body.
Black light flashed!
As Matatabi charged forward, it was suddenly halted—its path blocked by claw-like bone structures.
"What is this?"
Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails' jinchūriki, exclaimed in shock.
Before her eyes stood an enormous skeletal creature, entirely made of white bones. It resembled a mutated bone dragon.
"Shikotsumyaku: Zombie Dragon Beast!"
From atop the dragon's forehead, Kimimaro emerged, his tone indifferent as he spoke.
Suigetsu was dumbfounded.
"Boss! When did you come up with a move like this?"
The Zombie Dragon Beast was equal in size to Matatabi and exuded an ominous, terrifying aura.
An aura brimming with malice.
"There are plenty of things you don't know," Kimimaro replied coolly.
Suigetsu swallowed nervously. The sheer number of trump cards Kimimaro had was beyond his imagination.
The Zombie Dragon Beast's massive hands clamped down on Matatabi's head before hurling it over its shoulder.
**Boom!**
Matatabi crashed into the ground, flattening a wide swath of forest.
"Damn it! Such strength!"
Yugito was stunned, feeling completely suppressed.
"If this continues, I'll lose for sure. No! I can't afford to lose!"
Sensing the overwhelming power of her opponent, Yugito decided to stake everything on a single move.
Matatabi opened its mouth, gathering immense chakra for a Tailed Beast Bomb.
"Same old tactic. Desperate jinchūriki always resort to this," Kimimaro remarked, unfazed by the sight of the forming Tailed Beast Bomb.
In mere moments, the attack was ready.
"Boss! It's the Tailed Beast Bomb! Watch out!" Suigetsu shouted a warning.
Kimimaro, fully aware of its power, directed the Zombie Dragon Beast to aim its spinal-mounted missiles at the Tailed Beast Bomb.
This creation—born from Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku and the Crest of Courage—was a fusion of techniques.
The missile's power was still untested, but Kimimaro felt confident it could rival Matatabi's ultimate attack.
**Boom!**
The missile and the Tailed Beast Bomb collided almost instantly.
The explosion shook the forest, unleashing shockwaves that uprooted trees.
Suigetsu was blown away by the force, slamming into a barrier and dissolving into a puddle of water before reforming.
"Boss! That move is insane! It feels even stronger than the Tailed Beast Bomb—and that crazy design! How many bones did it take to make that thing?"
Suigetsu marveled as the smoke cleared.
Matatabi was gone, replaced by an exhausted and battered Yugito Nii, lying in a deep crater with barely any strength left.
"Looks like the power exceeded my expectations," Kimimaro mused, leaping down from the Zombie Dragon Beast's head.
With a faint shimmer, the bone beast vanished.
"Not bad," Kimimaro said, satisfied.
The Zombie Dragon Beast marked a new level of power for him—like piloting a mecha.
Still, it wasn't perfect. Against a fully realized Susanoo, it might not hold up.
For now, though, it was an effective stepping stone.
Kimimaro approached Yugito and extended his hand, summoning white bone chains that coiled around her, etched with sealing runes to suppress her chakra.
"This should ensure no complications," he said.
Turning toward the direction Suigetsu had been blown, Kimimaro saw him hurrying back.
"Boss! That move was amazing! You took out the Two-Tails' jinchūriki in one shot!"
"Enough. We need to leave. We've caused enough commotion. The Hidden Cloud will respond soon, and we don't want to face reinforcements."
"Got it!"
"She's your responsibility," Kimimaro said, gesturing to Yugito.
"Boss, why am I always the pack mule?" Suigetsu complained.
"If you'd won earlier, I'd have carried her. But you lost, so you can't expect me to both fight and do the grunt work, can you?"
"That... makes sense," Suigetsu admitted reluctantly.
With that, Kimimaro led the way, while Suigetsu carried the injured Yugito.
Soon after their departure, the Hidden Cloud's team arrived, led by Darui, the future Fifth Raikage.
"What the hell happened here? The scale of this battle is unbelievable," Darui muttered, surveying the destruction.
"Captain! We found two bodies! They seem to be Yugito-sama's teammates!"
Darui's expression darkened as he hurried over.
Indeed, the bodies were those of Yugito's companions.
"Damn it! Something's happened to Yugito. Could this be the work of the Akatsuki? We need to report this to the Raikage immediately!"
He wasted no time giving the order, urgency gripping the Hidden Cloud forces.