"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
*Poof! Poof!*
Two Shadow Clones appeared, one on his left and one on his right. The three Izunas then formed hand seals in unison.
"Wind Release: Gale Wave!"
"Fire Release: Great Fire Extinction!"
"Lightning Release: Emotion Wave!"
The three ninjutsu of different elements merged, forming a sea of fire more violent than ordinary Fire Release, laced with flashing lightning. It collided with the charging coral spikes.
The moment of impact triggered a massive explosion on the Three-Tails' back. Feeling the intense pain, the beast roared again, shaking its body violently and throwing Izuna off.
The instant the Three-Tails saw Izuna flip in mid-air and appear in its field of vision, it struck with lightning speed.
"Water Release: Heavenly Water Prison Technique!"
Waves rose rapidly from the swamp at its feet. Under the Three-Tails' control, they converged around Izuna's body, connecting and fusing, finally forming a giant water sphere the size of a hot-air balloon, attempting to lock Izuna firmly inside.
*Suffocate and die!*
Unlike Zabuza's Water Prison Technique that had trapped Kakashi, the Three-Tails' version could suck out all the air in an instant. It also didn't need to use a hand to maintain the prison; it could perfectly control it with its will and chakra alone.
"A move like that is only good for trapping someone like Kakashi!" Izuna scoffed. Even an enhanced water prison was nothing in his eyes.
Just as he was about to raise his hand to act, Izuna found his body inexplicably heavy. The speed of his hand seals naturally slowed.
Looking down, he was surprised to see a layer of coral rock attached to his ribs under his right arm.
*Coral? When...*
A flash of disdain crossed the Three-Tails' eye, not bothering to explain.
When it had used the Coral Sea Technique earlier, it had held something back, expending a large amount of chakra on the frontal attack while secretly aiming from behind with the Coral Palm Technique.
That was how it had deceived the Sharingan.
Izuna's hand seals were a beat too slow, and the water prison had already completely sealed him inside.
The air was completely gone, and the weight of the water, combined with the coral rock already slowing him down, made it even harder for Izuna to form seals.
The Three-Tails' eye narrowed slightly, the triumph within it unmistakable.
*Gurgle!*
Trapped in the water prison, Izuna opened his mouth, releasing bubbles. His pale face showed he was already beginning to drown from lack of oxygen.
The battle was decided.
Just as the Three-Tails was about to leave and return to the sea, Izuna's body inside the water prison suddenly began to blur. Five seconds later, with a piercing sizzle, Izuna's body completely broke apart, turning into lightning that dissolved into the water.
A Lightning Release Shadow Clone!
*Swish!*
A kunai suddenly struck the spikes on the Three-Tails' head, this time getting stuck.
Infused with wind-attribute chakra, its sharpness had been enhanced by several levels.
The real Izuna appeared right in front of the Three-Tails. The large, reddish eye, bigger than Izuna's entire body, met the Mangekyo in Izuna's eyes.
"Submit to me, Three-Tails!"
To tame a Tailed Beast at full strength, one had to be at the level of Madara from the Konoha era, who possessed the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. Otherwise, the beast could disrupt its own chakra to break the genjutsu.
This principle applied even to the Mangekyo Sharingan's genjutsu.
That's why Izuna always wore down the Tailed Beasts' power before capturing them, weakening their minds to increase his chances of success.
Sure enough, after the Three-Tails was caught, it didn't resist as fiercely as the Eight-Tails had.
A three-tomoe Sharingan gradually appeared in its pupil.
*It's about to succeed!*
A look of ecstasy appeared on Izuna's face. There were few things left that could make him this happy.
Earth Release: Earth-Shaking Core!
Water Release: Fanged Bite Explosion!
At this final, critical moment, the ground began to tremble, forcing Izuna to jump down from the Three-Tails' eyelid.
Immediately after, two spiraling spears of water shot toward Izuna from the left and right.
Without a second thought, Izuna clapped his hands together. "Fire Release: Searing Ash Burn!"
*Whoosh!*
A cloud of ash spewed from Izuna's mouth, but not in a straight line like the Great Fireball. Instead, it formed a protective wall of fire around his body, blocking the two water spears.
*Hsssss—*
Izuna leaped out from the steam generated by the clash of fire and water.
His attention had been completely focused on the Three-Tails, so his reaction to the sneak attack had been a beat slow, resulting in a minor shoulder injury.
But the bigger problem was the Three-Tails!
The Mangekyo Sharingan's genjutsu had just taken effect when it was interrupted, weakening his control and giving the Three-Tails an opportunity.
"Grrr...!"
A low growl, as if trying to break free from some restraint, escaped the Three-Tails' mouth. Through his Sharingan, Izuna could see the chakra inside its body surging wildly, trying to break the genjutsu.
*Dammit, if that's how it is, I'll just do it again...*
The moment this thought crossed Izuna's mind, a dragon-headed projectile of mud once again shot at him from the left.
"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!"
At this moment, even with Izuna's calm demeanor, he couldn't help but roar in fury.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
The fire dragon and earth dragon collided in mid-air. After a thunderous explosion, mud and sparks rained down everywhere.
But above him, the three-tomoe that had just appeared in the Three-Tails' eye was gradually fading.
When it looked at Izuna again, its eyes were filled with dread.
Those eyes held absolute power over the Tailed Beasts!
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