The Good Man Aizen
As if anticipating Aizen's attack, a massive earth wall suddenly rose beneath Uchiha Kai's feet, lifting him to a higher vantage point. But he wasn't done yet.
Aware of Aizen's tactics from the intelligence he had gathered, Kai knew he would be at a disadvantage in a large-scale Water Style environment.
"Earth Style: Moving Earth Core!"
Kai crouched down, his hands rapidly forming seals, and then slammed them onto the ground with a sinister smile.
The entire training ground trembled as enormous cracks ripped through the earth, forming deep ravines. Aizen's vast water torrent, after a brief impact, vanished into these fissures, disappearing without a trace.
"This is an Earth Style ninjutsu specifically designed to counter large-scale Water Style ninjutsu! Earth Style: Moving Earth Core!" Minato's eyes narrowed as he observed the changing battlefield.
The reason Earth Style ninjas could counter Water Style ninjas wasn't just due to Earth Style's defensive properties against water. More importantly, Earth Style ninjas could alter the terrain, preventing Water Style users from creating their advantageous large-scale water environments.
Compared to other elemental ninjutsu, Water Style was arguably the weakest in terms of offensive and defensive power. Its advantage lay in its maneuverability and adaptability, far surpassing other elements.
The true strength of Water Style was its ability to manipulate water-based chakra with far less energy consumption than other elemental ninjutsu. Therefore, for many Water Style ninjas, creating a large-scale water environment was their primary advantage over other ninja.
This was true for both Kisame Hoshigaki in the original story and the deceased Ryuken. Ryuken's defeat was largely due to Aizen's underwater combat tactics, which neutralized his Water Style advantage.
Now the tables had turned, and it was Aizen's turn to face such a disadvantage. Even with his full strength, he could easily defeat Kai with a single sword strike. However, he needed to conceal his true power.
"My information was indeed leaked. Otherwise, Uchiha Kai wouldn't have been so methodical and countered me as if he knew my every move," Aizen thought, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Kai on the elevated platform.
The battlefield was ever-changing, and without knowledge of the opponent's abilities, it was impossible to react instantly to counter-measures, even if one possessed them. After all, not everyone had the same battle reflexes as Aizen and Minato, capable of making the most effective decisions in a split second.
"However, even if I need to hide my strength, do you think my apparent abilities can't handle you?" A sneer formed on Aizen's face beneath the mask.
"Earth Style: Multiple Earth Binding Stalagmites!"
Uchiha Kai's next attack was swift and relentless. Countless sharp, several-meter-long earth spikes erupted from the ground, covering the entire training ground.
"Lightning Style!"
Seeing Aizen leap into the air to evade the attack, Kai smirked, his hands crackling with lightning.
"Thanks for the large-scale Water Style earlier. Though it didn't harm me, it saturated the entire arena with conductive water!" Kai stood atop the earth wall, channeling lightning downwards.
Crackling sounds filled the air as countless lightning bolts surged across the ground, illuminating the area with a blinding light.
"Aizen!"
"Captain!"
Minato, Hiashi, and the others cried out in alarm, witnessing Aizen in danger.
"Hahaha, that's it, Kai!"
"Finish him off!"
"The Uchiha are invincible!"
The Uchiha radicals cheered for Kai. In this situation, it seemed Aizen had no way out unless he could fly.
And while Aizen could indeed fly, he couldn't reveal that ability. He had no choice but to descend back to the ground.
Kai's focus remained solely on Aizen, not daring to be careless at this crucial moment.
Multiple lightning bolts struck Aizen, causing him to cry out in pain.
"Success!"
Seeing Aizen seemingly defeated, Kai's eyes gleamed with excitement. He had defeated Aizen, one of the strongest prodigies of the Hokage lineage, using a carefully prepared battle plan! He imagined the humiliation the Hokage lineage would suffer when he brought the captured Anbu back to the compound.
Bang!
However, his excitement was short-lived. The lightning-covered Aizen suddenly vanished in a puff of smoke.
"A shadow clone? How is this possible? When did he use it?" Kai's mind went blank. He couldn't recall when Aizen had created the shadow clone.
As his emotions fluctuated wildly, a chilling sense of danger washed over him, his heart pounding.
Multiple high-pressure water jets erupted from the ground, striking Kai from his blind spots. Despite the Sharingan's enhanced vision, the attack was too sudden and unpredictable for him to react.
"Damn it!"
Kai desperately channeled his chakra, narrowly dodging most of the water jets, but two still struck him, one piercing his left shoulder and the other grazing his waist.
Severely wounded, Kai lost his footing and fell from the earth wall.
"Kai!"
"Captain!"
The Uchiha youths cried out in alarm as they witnessed Kai's sudden defeat. Just moments ago, he was on the verge of victory, and now he was in mortal danger.
Even the Jonin-level Uchiha were too late to react. They could only watch helplessly as the injured Kai plummeted towards the ground.
At that moment, an unexpected figure emerged from the ground beneath Kai, rushing towards him.