Chapter 165: Chapter 165
In the sea, the fog gradually thickened, but this thick fog could not block the Byakugan the Hyuga clan.
"Ao, it's you again. I will definitely kill you this time," Hyuga Masashi sneered, glaring at Ao. As he stood in formation with his team.
"Heh, you think you can?" Ao mocked in response with a smirk.
Both sides knew each other very well, and they had fought each other more many times before. The patrol leader of this team as well as member of Main house of Hyuga clan, Hyuga Masashi, knew he was the target.
Masashi immediately activated his Byakugan to observe the surroundings. As an experienced Jonin, he has years of practice with his Byakugan, giving him wider range.
He soon saw all the Kiri ninjas trying to corner him. Two teams of Elite Kiri ninjas, one of which was hiding in the water.
Masashi didn't think much and launched a flare in the sky. This was part of the pre-arranged protocols they had agreed upon with the Uchiha's.
As long as they saw it, they would come to support. With the speed of Uchiha, they could arrive quickly.
They had cooperated before and killed couple teams of Kiri ninjas. However, as soon as the flare was launched, several Water Bullets flew in and shot down the flare directly.
Making Masashi realize how well they planned this ambush.
"Formation 2!" Masashi made a quick decision. Although the numbers on both sides were same, the opponents were not only the Elite troops of Kirigakure, but also the Hozuki clan.
Fighting Hozuki's while on water is no different from suicide.
However, Kiri ninjas quickly launched a synchronized jutsu, *Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave Jutsu!*
Huge waves launched at them, one after another.
If it were just the waves, it would've been easier to manage, but the waves also included Hozuki clan members hiding within, using momentum of waves to launch strong attack.
"Retreat," Masashi and his subordinates of branch family quickly retreated. He grit his teeth as he gave the order, because the only path for retreating led them further into the sea.
Soon the retreating Hyuga clan members were intercepted, by Ao and his team. As they emerged from water gradually forming human shapes from water.
Three of them launched Water Release Water Bullet Jutsu to attack the other seven Hyuga clan members, and while Ao himself launched *Water Release: Water Prison Jutsu* to trap Masashi.
"I will survive!"
**Foosh!**
Masashi rotated his body, and chakra released from his chakra points, as he used *Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation* to form a shield.
However, the Hozuki ninjas continued their onslaught regardless, despite consequently turning into water, they relentlessly kept attacking.
"Masashi-sama." The eyes of the Hyuga branch clan members were full of anxiety. As they tried to intervene and support Masashi they were intercepted by the second team.
They also cursed Masashi as he was the one who ordered them to chase after Kiri ninjas over water, brushing away their cautions.
Hozuki ninjas, used **Hydrification Jutsu** making them immune to the Gentle Fist and chakra point attacks. Just as they were about to be struck, they would turn into water, preventing their chakra points from being sealed., and kept launching waves at Masashi while merging with it.
"I won't LOSE!" Masashi kept poring chakra in his *Palm Rotation* despite how quickly it was exhausting his chakra reserves, as he knew if he let his slowed down for even a second he would be killed within immediately. 'It's those damn Uchiha's fault! If they did their patrol duty properly, they would've sensed this fight!'
Alas Masashi couldn't last for more than couple minutes, as the relentless attacks kept consuming more of his chakra.
*Gurgle*
Soon Masashi was trapped in Water Prison Jutsu, making Ao giddy as he ordered "Perfect! Retreat!"
Their mission was to capture Masashi Hyuga, member of the main house, whether alive or dead, its even better that they captured him alive, 'Hehe, maybe we could also extract some Hyuga clan secret techniques!'
Masashi took couple seconds to prepare himself as he held his breath then used his remaining chakra to use *Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation* to escape his water prison, 'I cannot let my eyes fall into enemy hands!'
Chakra immediately released from his chakra points propelling him in circular motion, as he broke out of his water prison, as he rushed out to regroup with his team.
Seeing the Kiri ninjas focused on Masashi, Branch family members launched their Emergency Flare one after another. As they rushed ahead to rescue Masashi.
After the signal appeared, they saw four "Uchiha" appear soon. Seeing Ao smiling, Masashi understood it was another trap, as he shouted "They are from Kiri!" Masashi shouted and then tried to regroup with his clan members.
The branch house members divided into 2 parts as 1 segment rushed over to resist the 'Uchiha' clan members, while another rushed towards Masashi, as they risked their lives to protect the member of main house.
Kicking branch member into a attack to evade, Masashi escaped the encirclement of Hozuki ninjas.
"Formation 6!" After escaping, Masashi immediately ordered the people of the branch family to protect him.
His chakra was exhausted, and he could barely maintain his Byakugan active.
Ao and his team prepared to launch another attack, but at this moment...
**Boom!**
Takeshi leaped over and used Multi-Size jutsu midair and he landed on water.
"What th-!?" Ao looked up and saw a huge black figure darkening the sunlight, mist hiding his visage. 'Biju!? They brought a Jinchuriki here!?'
"What!?" Masashi looked up in surprise. 'Cat? Is this Uchiha's ? No, they would've used it before in battle if it was theirs. Is this the cat the Hizashi talked about? But how could that Ninja Cat be so powerful? The chakra amount is more than Jonins'
The Hyuga members were stunned, but soon they recovered, and pulled their leader, "Masashi-sama, let's go quickly."
As they tried to escape, suddenly Masashi was pulled into water from below.
"Target acquired!" The voice of Hozuki ninja echoed, trapping Hyuga Masashi into the water prison again. But this time with his chakra depleted, he couldn't use Palm Rotation again.
"Retreat!", Hozuki ninja's voice echoed as he rushed deeper into the water. But before he could escape-
**Boom!**
A massive black paw smacked him aside. As Hozuki ninja couldn't use Hydrification Technique while using water prison.
**Splash!**
Hozuki ninja crashed all the way to the ground and laid there motionless.
Masashi was dragged along with the attack crashing into water at fast pace at he remained motionless floating on water.
Branch members ran towards him to check if he was still alive.
Soon Takeshi was besieged by *Water Release Water Dragon Bullet Justu*, *Water Release Exploding Water Colliding Wave Jutsu*, along with various Shurikens and Kunais along with Hozuki ninjas attacking from below.
Seeing so many attacks launched towards him, Takeshi decided he didn't want to be a big target dummy for them, as he cancelled his *Mult-size Jutsu*, shrinking back to normal size—except for **his tail**.
After dodging the attacks, he swept his tail across using Needle Jizo at full speed. Hitting 3 Kiri ninjas immediately, Ao was almost caught in the attack but he used one of his subordinates as a spring board to escape.
The Hyuga branch members team kept their formation to surround Masashi but were still stunned as they observed the scene.
Masashi didn't escape unscathed, as multiple of his bones were broken, despite the attack not hitting him directly, he looked on verge of dying.
The Branch house members looked at each other, looking dumbfounded on what to do, but after thinking about it carefully, they accepted this as a good thing as atleast the Byakugan wasn't lost to the enemies.
Two of them dragged Masashi away, while the rest came to support Takeshi in his fight.
Takeshi seeing the stupid Hyuga taken away and stopped holding back.
He opened his Gate of Opening, as he tried to sense his enemies carefully, Takeshi's goal for catching Ao, who stole Byakugan in canon. His paws became itchy at potential points Takeshi could get from him.
Ao was about to launch another jutsu, but quickly used Hiding in the Mist Jutsu, as he saw Takeshi running directly towards him.
But sadly for him, Takeshi didn't need eyes to sense his enemies, scent takes longer to dissipate, so Takeshi easily located him via scent.
Ao quickly made hand seals. *Water Release Water Wall Jutsu.* But- in the blink of an eye, Takeshi quickly tore through the Water Wall Jutsu, with *Rasengan* in his Paw.
Rasengan didn't just penetrate through Water Wall but also hit Ao on the chest.
But before he could fall into water, Takeshi caught him using his tail and ordered Hyuga Branch members, "Meow! Retreat~"
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