Naruto: The Clanless Prince

On the battlefield, Sora was locked in fierce combat with his own mirror image, while remaining wary of the Third Mizukage who might attack at any moment.

"Water Style: Hidden Mist Technique!"

Sora exhaled thick fog from his mouth, blanketing the surrounding area in a dense mist. Because he had infused chakra into the fog, most sensor-type ninja couldn't detect Sora's exact position. Even the Third Mizukage could only vaguely perceive his approximate location.

However, Sora's mirror image wasn't affected by the mist, as it possessed the same Sharingan visual prowess as Sora himself.

Sora couldn't help but marvel at the power of this Water Mirror technique. It reminded him of a similar jutsu used by Pain called the Mirror Fracture Technique. When that technique was activated, it created a clone that perfectly copied the opponent's appearance and abilities. However, the clone's power level remained fixed—it could only be defeated if the original grew stronger than they were when first copied.

But this Water Mirror Technique...

Sora had only recently acquired this jutsu from the exchange shop. With his current skill level, he could learn ordinary techniques like this at a glance. Yet somehow, as soon as he used a new technique, the mirror image could immediately use it too.

Furthermore, since the mirror image itself was a manifestation of ninjutsu, Sora's genjutsu had no effect on it.

This mirror image was truly remarkable.

The battle between Sora and his copy flowed smoothly—or it would have, if not for the Third Mizukage's interference.

"Ice Release: Icicle Thrust!"

A cluster of ice spikes suddenly erupted from the ground beneath Sora's feet. He managed to avoid them but lost his opportunity to counterattack.

The mirror image instantly closed the distance using lightning-fast movement and unleashed Thunder Breath: Land Type - Electric Blast, releasing countless lightning slashes in all directions.

Sora leaped backward to avoid the lightning attack.

After evading, he felt a slight sting on his cheek. Touching it, he found a thin streak of blood on his fingertips.

Sora had been wounded by his own technique.

The mirror image gave Sora no time to recover. It arched its body and used the First Form: Thunderbolt Flash again—the high-speed version.

Sora also used "Thunder Breath: First Form - Thunderbolt Flash: Super Speed." Their ninja swords collided with tremendous force.

In the next second, both Sora's ninja sword and the mirror image's blade shattered under the extreme pressure.

However, the mirror image's sword instantly reformed, and it swung the newly materialized blade toward Sora.

Sora smiled. "Enough games. I'm done playing."

Sora activated his left eye, the Mangekyō Sharingan spinning as he released his ocular technique without reservation.

The mirror image instantly dissolved into a puddle of water.

As formidable as the copy was, it had one critical weakness: it couldn't replicate bloodline limit techniques. Moreover, since the mirror image itself was fundamentally a ninjutsu, it was subject to Sora's ocular technique "Complete Negation," which rejected all forms of ninjutsu.

Sora dispelled the Hidden Mist Technique.

Seeing that Sora had so easily dealt with his mirror image, the Third Mizukage's expression darkened. "So you solved it that quickly? But that's not the limit of the Water Mirror Technique! You may have been lucky enough to defeat one, but what about two?!"

"Water Style: Water Mirror Technique!"

Another mirror of water formed before the Third Mizukage, but this time two perfect copies of Sora emerged from it.

From his position away from the battlefield, Kakashi stood up in shock at the appearance of two mirror images.

Sora had been using the Hidden Mist Technique earlier, so Kakashi couldn't see the situation clearly. But if one mirror image could fight Sora to a standstill, wouldn't two images prove dangerous?

Sora's Shadow Clone guarding Kakashi smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. Have you forgotten about my eye technique?"

Kakashi immediately understood. "Right—your eye technique negates all ninjutsu. No matter how powerful the mirror images are, they're still just techniques. So you've been confident of victory all along."

Sora's Shadow Clone nodded. "Yes. I always tell you to leave room for yourself when doing anything. I generally don't undertake things unless I'm certain of success."

Puzzled, Kakashi asked, "Generally speaking? What about special situations?"

Sora's Shadow Clone smiled. "Of course, there are always things you must do even when uncertain. Now, watch the battle carefully. My original body will demonstrate the true power of the Mangekyō Sharingan."

Kakashi asked with curiosity, "The true power of the Mangekyō Sharingan? Isn't the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan the ocular techniques manifested in the eyes?"

Sora shook his head. "No. Two Mangekyō Sharingan together can manifest a third power, known as the power of the gods!"

Kakashi murmured in wonder, "The power of the gods..."

On the battlefield, Sora shouted, "Susanoo!"

A massive blue skeletal figure materialized around him.

But that was just the beginning. The enormous blue skeleton was soon covered with sinew and flesh, then wrapped in a coat-like layer of chakra. At the same time, Sora's Susanoo manifested its exclusive weapons: the Three Sacred Swords.

The Three Sacred Swords weren't a single weapon but rather three distinct blades: Datonglian, Xiaotonglian, and Xianminglian. They floated behind Sora's Susanoo in a menacing array.

Now Sora had progressed beyond merely manifesting parts of Susanoo—he had reached the second form.

This form represented the optimal balance of Susanoo's abilities. Besides unlocking exclusive weapons, it could also use the universal long-range attack: Yasaka Magatama.

The Mist Shinobi stared at Sora's Susanoo in astonishment and growing dread. Many began to doubt whether they could defeat such a formidable technique.

Kakashi, too, gazed at Sora's Susanoo with amazement.

"Is this the divine power that Sora-sensei mentioned? It's truly awe-inspiring..."

The Third Mizukage's face contorted with displeasure as he beheld Sora's Susanoo.

As an experienced and well-informed leader, the Third Mizukage had witnessed many extraordinary techniques throughout his long career.

After the initial establishment of the Five Great Nations, when the First Hokage Hashirama invited the leaders of the other villages to participate in the unprecedented "First Five Kage Summit" to discuss the distribution of the tailed beasts, he had served as the First Mizukage Hakuren's bodyguard.

During that time, the Third Mizukage had seen Uchiha Madara's Susanoo on the battlefield—a truly devastating sight.

To this day, Uchiha Madara's god-like figure remained vivid in the Third Mizukage's memory. Facing Madara's Susanoo, he had felt utterly powerless.

Although Sora's Susanoo was far less oppressive than Uchiha Madara's had been, it still filled him with apprehension.

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