"Naruto, are you alright?"
After catching Naruto midair, Killer Bee's expression twisted in horror.
Sure enough… Thorne Ashveil was far more dangerous than they had anticipated.
Naruto looked sheepish, scratching the back of his head.
"Sorry, Uncle Killer Bee, I really didn't expect him… to still be this terrifying!"
Killer Bee opened his mouth, ready to scold him, but before he could, an even more frightening scene unfolded.
High above the battlefield, Ashveil raised his hand, and a blazing sphere appeared in the sky. It burned with a radiance that rivaled the sun.
The giant fireball drifted forward, scorching the air as it moved. The temperature around it rose by dozens of degrees, the air drying and shimmering with heat. Even the ground below began to warp under the intensity.
Naruto stared upward, frozen.
"This… this is like… like the sun itself!"
Killer Bee's sunglasses reflected the blinding light, his mouth tight.
"This heat… it's not just fire. Rocks would melt in this temperature. This is insane!"
Naruto's eyes widened, panic mixed with awe.
"Uncle Killer Bee, we need a plan… now!"
Killer Bee's mind raced as he tried to calculate their chances. The power emanating from Ashveil was beyond anything they had faced. Even his Eight Tails' regeneration could falter under such heat.
"This is stronger than Itachi's Amaterasu back then…" Killer Bee muttered, grimacing.
Naruto scratched his head, helpless. Both knew that facing this attack head-on would be disastrous.
Then, the other Tailed Beasts reacted. One by one, they unleashed streams of Tailed Beast Bombs, the sky and ground trembling under their combined might.
Boom… Boom…
A flurry of explosive energy hurtled toward Thorne Ashveil.
Naruto's eyes widened.
"Uncle Killer Bee, what's happening? Why are they attacking him?"
Killer Bee blinked, equally surprised. The other Jinchuriki had never shown hostility toward Thorne Ashveil before.
"They could be testing him… or… there's something we don't understand," Killer Bee muttered, tension etched across his face.
Despite the confusion, he warned Naruto firmly.
"But Naruto, don't let your guard down. Even if they're on the same side, Thorne Ashveil might strike us without warning."
The air vibrated with power as Thorne Ashveil condensed his energy. The sun-like sphere shot forward at a speed that made the human eye struggle to follow. Its path was straight toward the clustered Tailed Beasts.
Rumble…
The blast hit, and a massive explosion of light and heat consumed the area. Naruto shielded his eyes, only catching glimpses of what remained. Killer Bee, using his octopus tentacles, protected his vision and froze midair in shock.
Before him, the Tailed Beast Jinchuriki had been incinerated almost instantly. One by one, they were reduced to ash, their forms completely erased. Shockwaves from the blast tore through the forest, uprooting ancient trees as if they had never existed.
"Be careful, Naruto!" Killer Bee shouted, extending his Eight Tails to protect them both.
Naruto barely recovered his sight, but the devastation stunned him. Thorne Ashveil had just annihilated a number of powerful Jinchuriki with a single strike.
"This… this is insane," Naruto whispered. "Just the aftermath… and it's this strong?"
Killer Bee nodded grimly.
"Activate your Tailed Beast cloak. We need to combine defenses now!"
Both of them summoned their Tailed Beast arms, holding them in front as an arc-shaped shockwave slammed into them. The force sent them staggering back, barely regaining balance on the forest floor.
Looking at Ashveil, both were filled with disbelief.
"Ashveil, what is the meaning of this?" Naruto demanded. "Aren't you from Akatsuki? Why are you attacking them?"
Ashveil said nothing, his lips curling into a faint smile. He owed no one an explanation.
Then, he unleashed his freezing ability on the scorched remains of the Tailed Beasts. In an instant, the blistering heat turned to an icy chill. Blocks of ice replaced what had just been ash. The air dropped by dozens of degrees, leaving the surviving Tailed Beasts in stunned fear.
"They… they're taken out?" Naruto gasped, eyes wide.
"Yes…" Killer Bee swallowed hard. "Even with all their combined power, none could stand against him. This is Ashveil's true terror."
Realizing the severity, Killer Bee's face hardened.
"Originally, he wasn't even targeting us… he's using the situation to gain experience from the other Jinchuriki."
Ashveil's gaze flicked forward, already considering his next target: Madara. The infamous Uchiha had been a thorn in the Shinobi Alliance's side for far too long. The thought of overshadowing him entertained Ashveil silently as he stepped forward.
Without a word, he walked calmly between Naruto and Killer Bee. The chill emanating from him made both shinobi shiver. Their muscles tensed, ready to react at a single misstep.
But Ashveil ignored them, transforming into a streak of golden light and vanishing toward the battlefield in an instant.
Killer Bee exhaled slowly.
"Naruto… he reminds me of someone."
"Someone?" Naruto asked, curious.
"Your father, the Fourth Hokage," Killer Bee replied quietly.
Naruto blinked, then his mouth twitched, realizing the humor in the comparison.
But their fleeting amusement vanished as reality sank in.
"Where is he going?" Naruto asked seriously.
Killer Bee narrowed his eyes, comprehension dawning.
"He's heading to the main battlefield…"
Both ninjas activated their Tailed Beast powers, rushing toward the chaos.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Madara stood atop a cliff, his Sharingan blazing as he surveyed the Shinobi Alliance forces.
"Do you wish to dance too?" he said coldly, unleashing his Haki.
The Ninja Alliance warriors charged forward with cries of defiance.
"Don't underestimate us, Uchiha Madara!"
Even in the face of his overwhelming power, their spirits burned.
Madara's eyes glinted with disdain.
"Relying on numbers to win… the funniest joke," he muttered, his presence radiating menace.