On the main battlefield—
Shinobi from both Kumogakure and Konoha instinctively cleared out a wide space.
Uchiha Akihito and the Two-Tails' Yugito stood facing one another, killing intent saturating the air.
Before the fight even resumed, the sheer chakra radiating from them made the atmosphere grow heavy.
In the next instant, Yugito transformed fully.
A massive feline demon cloaked in blue flames fixed its burning gaze on Akihito, poised to strike.
In complete Tailed Beast form, her speed and strength underwent another qualitative leap.
Even in Fire Release Chakra Mode, there were aspects where Akihito simply could not compare to a true tailed beast.
Her eyes blazed with murderous intent.
"'Flame Demon' Akihito—prepare to die!"
Whoosh!
Wrapped in azure fire, the Two-Tails slashed down.
Akihito failed to evade in time.
His body was torn clean in half.
Upper and lower halves separated—
Yet no blood flowed.
Only roaring flames burned at the severed edges.
Yugito leapt back, clicking her tongue.
"You're still not dead?"
"Tch. What a nuisance."
Akihito's fire-elementalization was even more troublesome than the Hōzuki Clan's Hydrification.
The Hōzuki could be countered by Lightning Release.
But extinguishing Akihito's flame-form was far from simple—even Water Release struggled.
Ninjutsu and taijutsu were ineffective.
Genjutsu might work—
But genjutsu was not Yugito's forte.
And Akihito, as an Uchiha, was naturally gifted in that domain.
Since her techniques couldn't harm him, Yugito resolved to outlast him.
She leaned forward, a confident smile curling her lips.
My flames can't hurt you.
But your attacks can't hurt me either.
As a perfect jinchūriki with enormous chakra reserves, she could outlast him.
Could Akihito really win a war of attrition?
Akihito, meanwhile, wasn't even thinking about the process of battle.
He was contemplating something else entirely.
Should he just knock Yugito out and capture her?
A tailed beast—
Isn't that something you're supposed to capture?
Look at the future Akatsuki.
They grabbed them one after another.
His strength was no weaker than theirs.
Why not catch one for himself?
From beginning to end, his expression remained relaxed.
To others, a tailed beast was a calamity.
To him—
It was an opportunity.
Yugito lunged again, massive claws slicing down.
Akihito drew his sword and stepped forward to meet her head-on.
Her eyes narrowed.
"A human body… against a tailed beast?"
"Overestimating yourself!"
Her claws tore through the air like lightning.
Akihito looked like a leaf in the wind, ready to be crushed.
Clang!
Claw and blade collided.
A sharp metallic ring echoed across the battlefield.
Akihito stood unmoving.
The crushing force of the tailed beast's strike—blocked.
A collective gasp rose from distant observers.
A human… matching strength with a tailed beast?
Were their eyes deceiving them?
They had only ever heard that the Third Raikage could wrestle a tailed beast barehanded.
Now Akihito proved that a blade in human hands could do the same.
Nara Shikaku, ever opportunistic, seized the moment.
Through Yamanaka Inoichi's telepathic link, his voice rang across the allied ranks:
"Comrades! Commander Akihito has successfully suppressed Kumogakure's Two-Tails!"
"The balance of victory has tilted to our side!"
"Press forward! Your families await your triumphant return!"
The effect was immediate.
Konoha's morale soared.
Kumogakure's wavered.
"Lady Yugito is being suppressed?"
"Is that true?"
"If even she can't break through, what hope do we have?"
With morale shifting and Konoha already holding positional advantage, the tide turned rapidly.
On the central field—
Yugito unleashed relentless assaults.
Yet Akihito, with nothing but his sword, matched her blow for blow.
"Damn it…"
"'Flame Demon' Akihito… you're infuriating."
The longer the stalemate continued, the more powerless she felt.
He was just a kid.
Yet he felt as formidable as the Raikage himself.
Her flames and physical attacks were useless against his elemental body.
Meanwhile, Akihito's flying slashes bit painfully into her.
Full transformation amplified power—
But increased size meant increased vulnerability.
As Uchiha Itachi once said—
Every technique has its weakness.
Kumogakure's forces were already collapsing.
Continuing this stalemate risked annihilation.
Yugito's patience finally snapped.
She glared at Akihito.
"This back-and-forth is boring."
"One move. We decide it in one move."
"Now I'll show you my true technique."
Akihito smiled faintly.
"So you're finally using your trump card?"
"Perfect."
The Two-Tails threw back its head and roared.
The shockwave blasted away smoke and mist from the battlefield.
Low rumbling vibrations echoed.
Red and blue chakra swirled violently, condensing before the beast's mouth.
A black sphere began forming—
Dense.
Compressed.
Radiating destruction.
Tailed Beast Ball.
At the same time—
Akihito sheathed his sword.
He assumed a poised stance.
Hand resting lightly on the hilt.
No overwhelming chakra fluctuations.
Yet the invisible sword intent pressing outward was just as suffocating.
Yugito and Akihito had both revealed their ultimate cards.
The decisive moment—
Had finally arrived.
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