"Oh? The kitty's dancing now?"
Kai flashed onto the statue's shoulder and looked down with clear amusement.
If anyone could see the Flying Thunder God marker map inside his mind, they'd discover something terrifying—
Not just the Valley of the End.
But the entire region around Konoha for nearly a hundred kilometers…
Over the years, Kai had planted Flying Thunder God formulas everywhere.
With millions of chakra units backing him up—
He could go anywhere at will.
That was the accumulation of years.
"Haah… haah… brat… now I'm really pissed!"
Three minutes later, the Nine-Tails finally stopped hopping around clutching his nose.
He glared at Kai, face dark as ink.
Only now did he fully realize—
He'd been played.
And not just once.
Played over and over by this Uchiha kid.
His pride couldn't take it.
Without another word, he prepared his ultimate attack again.
WHUM—WHUM—WHUM!
Space trembled.
Even the lake below rippled violently.
Kurama opened his jaws—
A slightly smaller but far denser, faster Tailed Beast Bomb formed.
But—
Not just one.
Behind him—
All nine tails lifted high, each tip condensing chakra simultaneously.
WHUM WHUM WHUM!
One Tailed Beast Bomb after another formed around him—
Floating like black Truth-Seeking Orbs.
Then—
They blasted outward toward every location Kai might teleport to.
Ten Tailed Beast Bombs.
A full third of the Valley of the End was covered.
This time—
Kurama would reclaim every shred of his lost dignity.
Let the world see—
He, the Nine-Tails, Kurama,
Would defeat this Uchiha brat head-on!
BOOM!
BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!
Soon, the bombs reached critical charge—
And detonated across the valley.
Violent energy floods swallowed the entire region around Hashirama's statue.
Smoke roared skyward.
Rocks blasted apart.
For the Valley of the End—
It was apocalypse.
A world-ending collapse.
And yet—
Amid this destruction—
Kai wasn't tense at all.
He was… strolling.
Like a phantom.
Each time, one-thousandth of a second before impact—
He stepped aside.
Jumped.
Leaned.
Shifted.
Sometimes appearing on a statue's shoulder.
Sometimes at its waist.
Occasionally beneath the waterfall—
Only to flicker back to Hashirama's statue with the spray.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!
Explosions chained endlessly.
Chunks of stone rained down.
Even Hashirama's statue began to sway—
On the verge of collapse.
Yet…
It still stood.
Far away — Forest of Death, Konoha
The Konoha shinobi watched the distant explosions in silence.
After a long pause, Yamanaka Torifu swallowed and murmured,
"…So this is the battle between the Nine-Tails and Lord Kai… truly… hot-blooded."
He hesitated before landing on the word hot-blooded.
Hot-blooded?
Nara Shikaku glanced at him and exhaled slowly.
If that counted as hot-blooded—
Every shinobi in Konoha combined wouldn't even qualify as warm.
They could feel tremors dozens of kilometers away.
The battlefield itself…
Must be hell.
"Gulp…"
"…The aftermath alone is this terrifying?"
"Those shockwaves could wipe out a village…"
Nearby, Ōnoki stood silent like a lost old man.
Originally, he planned to flee with his forces once Kai got crushed by the Nine-Tails.
But now?
Taking anyone with him didn't seem realistic anymore.
Anyone who could push Kurama this far—
Couldn't be much weaker himself.
Even the arrogant Fourth Raikage A fell silent.
After personally experiencing Kai's strength, he still clung to a faint hope.
Now—
That hope shattered with each distant explosion.
Leaving only harsh reality.
"…Wait. Where's Yugito?"
Suddenly, his eyes flickered.
He turned—
The Two-Tails jinchūriki who had been here moments ago…
Was gone.
His heart dropped as he looked toward the battlefield.
"…Don't tell me she followed them…"
Valley of the End — corner of the battlefield
A small limping cat with blue-black markings quietly appeared.
Two mismatched eyes—one red, one white—watched the fight above in surprise.
"Looks like Kurama's been holding onto a lot of resentment these years…"
"…Though it doesn't seem to be helping."
Matatabi chuckled.
Her gaze landed on Kai.
She raised a paw and cheered:
"Beat him! Beat him up good!"
At this moment—
The Two-Tails had completely forgotten her own grudges.
All she wanted…
Was to watch Kurama get smacked.
Moments later, the dust settled.
Kai stood unharmed atop Kurama's head, muttering,
"Man… Kurama… too slow. Way too slow."
He glanced down at the fur beneath him.
Poked it with a finger.
Then shook his head.
"And your fur's splitting at the ends."
"We should get you some conditioner later. Way too dry."
His voice drilled straight into Kurama's nerves—
Every single one.
The angry ones.
"AAAAAAARGH! I'M FURIOUS!!!"
"You evil Uchiha brat! My fur is perfectly smooth!!!"
Kurama completely snapped.
His golden pupils shrank to needle-thin slits.
HOOOOF! HOOOOF!
Steam blasted from his swollen nose.
Then—
He straightened upright.
Towering on his hind legs.
Both forepaws slammed against his chest repeatedly.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!
Like war drums shaking the heavens.
"Oh? The Nine-Tails turned into a terrifying upright gorilla?"
Kai clicked his tongue, surprised—
But suddenly felt something off.
The crimson chakra around Kurama erupted outward—
Like a nuclear explosion.
Darker.
More violent.
"…No way…?"
"…Don't tell me this is Baryon Mode?!"
Kai's eyes widened.
Was Kurama really that easy to provoke?
Of course—
He was wrong.
This wasn't Baryon Mode.
Just Kurama venting pure rage.
"YOU DAMN BRAT—GET OUT HERE!!!"
Kurama's roar detonated across the valley like thunder.
Mountains shook.
Rocks collapsed in massive sheets.
The waterfall evaporated and reversed.
A hundred-meter water column exploded from the lake.
Dust, mist, and crimson chakra storms swallowed the entire valley.
"Haah… haah…"
In the center—
Kurama's golden eyes scanned everything.
Not even a mosquito escaped his gaze.
That attack had drained even him heavily.
But—
The effect should've been massive.
"…Huh?!"
Suddenly—
His pupils shrank to pinpoints.
Right ahead—
Kai stood calmly.
Spotless.
He brushed aside wind-tossed hair, a playful smile still on his lips.
"Flashy move."
"Just… your brain's still not working."
His tone was lazy—
Like he'd just woken from a nap.
"Told you that kind of attack doesn't work on me, Kurama."
"And I'm getting tired."
"So—"
"You should probably surrender early."
The moment his words fell—
CLANG—
Six cold, black chains suddenly rang out beside Kurama's ears.
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