Linto swung his first blade.
This strike, with golden ripples of lightning around it, lit up the night. It lit up the faces of countless people, letting them see each other clearly.
Clearly see...
Who the enemy was.
"Kill them!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The loyalists and reformers, who were originally from the same root, crashed together like two ocean currents.
Blood spurted. The hazy mist was like a piece of paper. Blood red fell, spreading out like watercolor blooms, like blossoming crabapple flowers, dazzling the eyes.
They had seen this scene countless times in recent years. Not a single person would waver. Everyone who could stand here today had prepared themselves.
Mayuri gathered ice in her hands.
She naturally possessed the Bloodline Limit: Ice Release. Suppressed for many years, it erupted in one go. Vast ice spread outwards, forming sharp ice needles.
"Ice Release: Thousand Killing Water Flying!"
Countless ice needles pierced through the loyalist ninja, causing cries of agony.
The loyalist ninja were not to be trifled with. They immediately formed hand seals to release Ninjutsu in retaliation. But just as they hit Mayuri, she turned into snakes and scattered.
Hundreds of snakes locked onto the caster, pouncing from the shadows, biting their throats.
"Ah—it's, it's Orochimaru's Ninjutsu!"
The caster didn't finish speaking before the venom solidified his blood, and he fell to the ground with a thud.
On the other side, Sasuke and Momo-chan cooperated smoothly. Two ninja blades flashed. Occasionally Sasuke released Ninjutsu, which, amplified by the ripples, gained a level in power and range, creating suppressive fire.
Zabuza, who had just cut down a loyalist, was stunned for a full second by the battle power displayed by Mayuri, Sasuke, and Momo-chan.
He originally thought these three were just servants following behind Linto, used for bathing, changing clothes, waiting on him, and relieving boredom. He didn't expect them to be surprisingly good fighters.
"Don't get distracted."
Ao's voice came from behind, blocking an enemy for Zabuza.
Zabuza sneered, opening his clothes to reveal a row of explosive tags on his chest: "This is my deliberate feint using a water clone, and also—"
He turned his head to look at the core battlefield.
"The key to influencing the war isn't us, it's them."
Linto, Terumi Mei, and Yagura.
The power these three displayed already far surpassed everyone else by a level. Even if they wanted to help, they couldn't get involved.
Yagura glanced at the broken coral staff in his hand. He had been incautious earlier, stepping into Star Platinum's range, and Star Platinum had shattered it with one punch.
"Heh—"
Yagura chuckled and casually threw away the coral staff.
"Just like the rumors, absolute suppressive power within range, really is terrifying... for ordinary ninja."
Yagura flipped and jumped, landing on the roof of the Mizukage Building. Moonlight shone from behind his head.
He looked down at Linto:
"But Linto, do you know what a Jinchuriki is?"
He stretched out a hand. A hint of scarlet "water flow" gradually appeared on his arm.
"Endless power."
Yagura stretched out his other hand. The chakra water flow accelerated, the color becoming a deeper red.
"Absolute defense."
Three barbed tails grew from his back. His skin was completely covered in scarlet Tailed Beast Chakra, looking like a madman, but his consciousness remained clear, his tone cold:
"Linto, how are you going to fight me like this?"
The pressure of a Tailed Beast was released without reservation, like a sky, weighing down on the heads of everyone in Kirigakure.
The loyalists gritted their teeth and grinned: "Great! It's a Tailed Beast Transformation! We're sure to win!"
Before, many loyalist members were worried: What if Yagura, in the state of being controlled by a Genjutsu, couldn't properly enter the Tailed Beast Transformation?
After all, it's common knowledge that a perfect Jinchuriki can't be controlled by Genjutsu.
Seeing Yagura put on the scarlet Tailed Beast cloak, the loyalists felt incredibly excited and honored. Their movements of swinging their blades and releasing Ninjutsu became faster.
Ao opened his mouth slightly: "He actually... can really do the Tailed Beast Transformation. The Three-Tailed Isobu can't resist the Genjutsu?"
A gloomy feeling enveloped all the reform members.
Yagura slowly lowered his outstretched arms, crouching on all fours. Tailed Beast Chakra generated the shell of the Three-Tailed Isobu on his back.
He wasn't bluffing. The defensive power and impact force of the Three-Tailed Isobu was the best among the Tailed Beasts.
What bullshit evil spirit.
What absolute invincible close combat.
Yagura was going to tell Linto.
"There's no such thing as invincibility in this world!"
He flickered and ran like a beast among the buildings.
After a few jumps, his speed continued to skyrocket, turning into a scarlet ray, wrapped in the terrifying pressure of the Tailed Beast Chakra, charging towards Linto!
"Be careful!"
Terumi Mei shouted.
As soon as Yagura entered the Tailed Beast Transformation, she formed hand seals, wanting to release Ninjutsu.
But the speed of a perfect Jinchuriki's Tailed Beast Transformation was too fast. Before the Ninjutsu was completed, Yagura had reached Linto's face.
At this moment, whether it was the loyalists or the reformers, or the warriors under the Daimyo, or the spies of various hidden villages hiding in the corners, all unconsciously held their breath.
Their eyes moved.
First they looked at the claws Yagura thrust out. Then they noticed the tail that circled behind Yagura, slashing at the back of Linto's head from behind. Finally, they saw the black sphere that was rapidly gathering in Yagura's mouth.
That was...
A Tailed Beast Ball!
Everyone understood Yagura's plan.
The claws and tail would pierce the opponent. If Linto used defensive means, the Tailed Beast Ball in his mouth would bomb Linto's face head-on, at zero distance.
"But... will he win?"
For some reason, this thought appeared in everyone's mind.
Even though Yagura had entered the Tailed Beast Transformation.
Even though Yagura's attack looked flawless.
Why did they have doubts?
Why did they feel...
That this was a challenge of the weak against the strong?
The moment this thought appeared, the pair of shaky eyes stopped and looked at Linto who had been quietly standing where he was from the beginning and saw…
He raised his hand, pointing at Yagura.
"Star Platinum!"
Linto's mind was extremely focused. The world faded. Star Platinum gripped his fists tightly, floating behind him, taking a deep breath—
"Ora!"
The first punch slammed into the incoming claw.
Yagura's arms were knocked open. The Tailed Beast cloak protected his flesh, but under the tremendous impact, his bones twisted in a contorted position, accompanied by the sound of bones breaking.
The feeling of the world freezing disappeared.
But the flurry of punching was not over.
"Ora Ora Ora Ora Ora Ora!"
People couldn't see Star Platinum's movements clearly. They only felt that under the night sky, like a diamond roaring furiously, the brilliance of each punch, like fleeting meteors, surrounded Linto.
Bright and dazzling.
People stared blankly at this scene.
That's right, Linto was very strong in close combat.
But no one thought he could beat a Tailed Beast Transformation Jinchuriki—this was another level of power.
But now...
Terumi Mei mumbled in a daze:
"This is... the strongest."
"Ahhh—die for me!"
In violent pain, Yagura roared, the Tailed Beast Ball in his mouth condensed to the breaking point, shooting it at Linto at close range!
Too close.
There was no way to dodge it.
Just then, Star Platinum suddenly sank, like a real evil spirit, attaching itself to Linto's body.
Star Platinum's arm armor faintly appeared on Linto's right hand, and ripples and natural energy surged in his palm.
He caught the incoming Tailed Beast Ball with one hand. The raging, violent energy tore at his palm, but was offset by natural energy, ripples, and Star Platinum.
Zabuza was stunned: "He, he caught it?!"
Linto took a step.
Aimed.
Yagura's grin froze.
"What, what do you want to do?"
Linto didn't speak, clutching the Tailed Beast Ball in his hand.
He threw a punch, shattering Yagura's mouth, teeth, and then shoved the Tailed Beast Ball back into his mouth.
Won!
The reformers were overjoyed.
Suddenly, space twisted, and two men wearing black cloaks with red clouds appeared behind Linto, both attacking Linto at the same time.
One was the masked man.
The other,
was Pain.
---
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