Onoki's clone vanished as Mu faded from view. The Tailed Beast Bombs firing from below had suddenly stopped.
"The Nine-Tails' attack has ceased. Is it recovering from chakra exhaustion?"
A grin spread across the Tsuchikage's weathered face. Dust Release spheres materialized between his palms, and he plunged into the billowing smoke below.
He froze mid-air the moment he entered, shock and rage twisting his features. Down in the smoke, the Nine-Tails—waiting patiently—mockingly fired a condensed Tailed Beast Ball straight at him.
Watching the black and red sphere grow larger, the Tsuchikage's fury spiked. "You damned beast! Trying to play tricks on me?"
Onoki, a man who had spent his life resorting to underhanded tactics, was stunned to be outmaneuvered by a wild animal.
With death looming, he unleashed his Dust Release, his palms swirling around the incoming Tailed Beast Ball.
BOOM!
The explosion engulfed him entirely. He barely had time to activate his Stone Armor Technique to shield himself. The violent energy tore at the rock armor, scorching his body within. His white hair and eyebrows were instantly singed to black powder, dissolving in the heat. He felt his body tearing apart as the second Tailed Beast Bomb approached.
Memories flashed before his eyes. He saw his younger self—tough as stone, resilient, unyielding. The boy who always got back up, no matter how many times he was knocked down.
"I will not fear a mere Tailed Beast Bomb... I won't give up!"
Through the raging flames, the Tsuchikage moved his hands with agonizing effort. Transparent Dust Release cones reappeared. "So what if I'm eighty? So what if I'm imprisoned? Those are just excuses! I am Onoki of the Two Scales, possessing an unyielding will of stone!"
As he spoke, the Nine-Tails condensed nine Tailed Beast Bombs on its tails, tearing through the air toward him. The Dust Release cones in his hands transformed into massive cubes.
"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"
Onoki's hoarse, aged voice echoed as the transparent cubes expanded instantly to hundreds of meters in size, enveloping all nine incoming Tailed Beast Bombs.
No explosion. No towering flames. No rampant energy. The nine spheres vanished into the cube-shaped barrier like pebbles dropped into a deep pool, swallowed and disintegrated without a ripple.
This was his ultimate ninjutsu—the same technique that had obliterated twenty-five Susanoo clones in a single strike against Obito.
"It actually blocked all nine of my Tailed Beast Bombs?"
Slightly panting, Kurama stared in disbelief. It hadn't expected anyone besides the usual suspects—Hashirama, Madara, Nagato, Minato—to pose a genuine threat.
Gazing at the battered Tsuchikage hovering in the sky, Kurama felt humiliated. It leaped out, claws reaching for the injured Tsuchikage, roaring, "You wretched old man! You've already chosen your death!"
But before Kurama could close the distance, Mu reappeared beside it, unseen until the last second.
One hand touched the beast's body. "Earth Release: Ultra-Added-Weight Rock Technique!"
BOOM!
The ground beneath Kurama collapsed and cracked, crushed by invisible force. The beast's body suddenly felt like lead. Even moving slightly was nearly impossible.
"What did you do to me, you bandaged bastard!"
Kurama struggled to raise one claw, but the weight pinned it down. Forced to turn its head stiffly, it opened its mouth toward Mu, a black and red Tailed Beast Bomb rapidly condensing.
But the next second, its mouth snapped shut. Its body, completely out of control, slammed into the ground, carving a massive crater into the earth.
"Earth Release: Ultra-Added-Weight Rock Technique!"
Onoki, his clothes tattered and barely able to keep one eye open, had somehow landed nearby. He panted heavily, hands resting on Kurama's thigh.
The beast, crushed under the combined weight of the two Tsuchikages, couldn't even move its mouth. It looked like a cat sedated in a veterinary clinic.
Seeing Kurama completely subdued, Mu breathed a sigh of relief and moved alongside Onoki.
"Looks like I have to take back what I said about you being old, Onoki."
He glanced at Kurama, his joy barely concealed by the bandages wrapping his face. "The Nine-Tails is truly powerful. Even my full-force Ultra-Added-Weight Rock Technique couldn't completely restrain it alone. If we could bring it back to Iwagakure, it would be a devastating weapon."
Onoki, still panting, replied, "That's exactly what I'm thinking. Konoha is no longer worthy of such a powerful weapon. Once we deal with the Fourth Hokage's shadow clones, we'll storm Konoha to wipe out the remnants and seize their secrets and techniques."
"Finally, we'll wait until Kumogakure and Shisei Village are both severely weakened at the gates..."
Before the Tsuchikage could finish his grand plan, Mu interrupted him with a frown.
"Onoki, don't forget my current identity."
Onoki suddenly shut his mouth. Mu was a resurrected corpse using the Impure World Reincarnation technique. Although the mastermind behind the scenes wasn't controlling him directly, their words might still be overheard.
"I'll go take care of things over there," Mu said, his body merging back into the environment. "You're badly injured—keep an eye on Kurama here."
Across the battlefield— Onoki's Earth Release clone numbered only one. In front of him, Haku and Karin had exhausted their Nine-Tails chakra and were surrounded by Iwagakure ninja. Yamato was being forced into hiding by Onoki's son, Kouta, and his nephew, Akatsuchi, using their Rock Giants. Minato and Kushina were also held back by Mu's split form, their Nine-Tails chakra flickering erratically.
Only Hidan, his face contorted in madness, remained energetic. "God of Heaven, Saikou ni hiki iron duck da!" he shrieked, relentlessly hacking and slashing despite his injuries.
Clearly, the situation was now in Iwagakure's favor.
---
If this chapter was worth your time, a Powerstone helps others find it.
Want to read ahead, check Patreon
[email protected]/Rogue_Soul