At some point, Ōnoki had already appeared behind Momoshiki.
His hands spread apart as white energy rapidly condensed between them.
"Dust Release: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu!"
Momoshiki merely smiled faintly and raised his right hand toward the attack.
The instant the Dust Release touched his palm—
it was completely absorbed.
"How is this possible?!"
Ōnoki's pupils shrank violently.
His Dust Release had been effortlessly devoured.
In his understanding, anything touched by Dust Release should have been erased from existence!
Momoshiki spoke indifferently:
"Your ninjutsu are merely manifestations of energy."
"And I control energy itself."
Before his words had even finished—
his left hand suddenly opened.
The absorbed Dust Release transformed into a beam of white light that shot straight toward Ōnoki's chest.
"Water Release: Water Whip!"
A whip formed from flowing water instantly wrapped around Ōnoki's waist and yanked him backward.
He narrowly avoided the fatal beam.
Only then did Ōnoki recover from his shock as he looked toward Mei with gratitude.
"My thanks, Mizukage."
"Now's not the time for thanks."
Mei stared at Momoshiki with a grave expression.
"Ninja rely far too heavily on ninjutsu…"
"But against someone like him…"
"…taijutsu may be the only thing that works."
"The other one can't absorb ninjutsu!"
Ay roared as he charged toward Kinshiki once more.
His fist, wrapped in violent lightning chakra, smashed down with absolutely no unnecessary flourish.
Kinshiki raised his axe to block—
but the overwhelming force still blasted him backward several steps, carving deep trenches into the ground.
Ay's eyes burned red as his punches accelerated again.
Every strike exploded like thunder.
Kinshiki barely managed to defend, both arms trembling violently from the impact.
Blood dripped from the corner of Kinshiki's mouth—
yet a savage grin spread across his face.
A crimson ring suddenly appeared behind him as he drew forth a massive red spear.
Amenonuhoko!
The instant the crimson spear emerged—
Ay's fist slammed into its side, smashing both Kinshiki and the spear down toward the earth.
BOOM!!!
The ground exploded apart as dust erupted skyward.
Kinshiki vanished deep within the debris.
Just as Ay prepared to inspect the situation—
purple lightning suddenly flashed inside the smoke.
The next moment, a violet figure burst from the dust at terrifying speed!
Shinra!
Seeing this, Ay flew into a rage.
"Bastard!"
"You dare use Lightning Release right in front of me?!"
Ay was genuinely furious now.
First Wen Lan.
Now Kinshiki.
Did these people really think Kumogakure's Lightning Release was a joke?!
Ay roared as lightning exploded around his body.
His chakra surged wildly as his form transformed into a streak of thunder charging toward Kinshiki.
Lightning Release: Lariat!
Purple lightning and Kinshiki's Shinra collided violently in midair, producing ear-piercing electrical explosions.
Ay's speed reached its absolute limit.
The Lariat pierced through Kinshiki's shoulder and slammed him violently into the ground.
At the same moment, Kinshiki's fist smashed into Ay's chest, forcing the Raikage to spit out blood.
The two instantly tangled together again.
Fists, kicks, and lightning intertwined into a deadly storm.
Though wounded, Kinshiki's battle intent only grew stronger.
Ōnoki was about to intervene—
but Ay roared furiously:
"This fight is between him and me!"
"Don't interfere!"
Ōnoki's hands froze mid-seal as he stared speechlessly.
He understood Ay's stubbornness.
And he also understood what this battle meant to Kumogakure's pride.
Kinshiki suddenly yanked his spear free and swept it sideways.
Ay twisted to dodge as lightning exploded across the blade.
Using the momentum, Kinshiki flipped backward, his spear scraping across the earth and throwing sparks.
This time, neither charged immediately.
Both stood there breathing heavily while staring at one another.
Kinshiki wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and chuckled.
"Interesting."
"To think you could actually reach this level."
"Heh…"
"You're not bad yourself."
Ay sneered coldly.
Kinshiki suddenly stabbed the spear into the ground before reaching into his robes and pulling out several crimson energy pills.
"You know…"
"These are fruits condensed from lifeforms like you."
"As long as we consume them, they increase our power…"
"…and restore our injuries."
He swallowed the pills.
His wounds visibly healed at astonishing speed while energy surged back into his body like a tidal wave.
His physical strength even continued increasing afterward.
After swallowing them all, he closed his eyes and exhaled comfortably.
"This…"
"…is the true purpose of your existence."
"To become nourishment for the Ōtsutsuki Clan."
Ay's eyes turned blood-red as lightning erupted violently around him.
Rather than anger, he laughed.
"Ōtsutsuki?"
"You're nothing more than parasites feeding off life itself!"
He clenched his fists tightly.
Chakra surged like a raging dragon.
The earth cracked apart as shattered stones floated upward.
"And parasites think they can talk about dignity?!"
Ay roared.
Lightning transformed into hundreds of chains soaring into the sky as the ground exploded apart beneath him.
He stomped violently forward, charging like a thunder god descending upon the battlefield.
The shockwave from his punch tore through the air, triggering sonic booms.
Kinshiki had only just opened his eyes—
when a fist wrapped in berserk lightning was already smashing toward his face.
There was no retreat.
Only a direct clash!
He raised his arm to block.
But strangely—
this blow dealt no damage.
The two figures instantly resumed their deadly exchange amidst exploding dust clouds.
Lightning and Shinra collided repeatedly, shockwaves erupting outward in rings that pulverized every surrounding rock.
A mocking grin appeared on Kinshiki's face.
"This…"
"…ends now!"
Suddenly, he reached toward the halo behind his back and drew another spear.
With blinding speed—
he pierced straight through Ay's chest!
"UGH—!"
Ay's pupils contracted violently as blood burst from his mouth.
"Raikage!"
Mei's expression changed drastically as she immediately formed hand seals.
"Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique!"
Corrosive acid surged toward Kinshiki.
Kinshiki rapidly retreated.
Even while retreating, he kicked violently against the spear still lodged through Ay's chest.
At that exact moment—
a yellow figure suddenly appeared beside Ay.
One hand landed on the Raikage's shoulder.
Then both vanished instantly.
Minato Namikaze — Flying Thunder God Technique!
The moment Kinshiki retreated, Ōnoki immediately formed hand seals.
"Dust Release: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu!"
White energy blasted directly toward Kinshiki.
Kinshiki sneered as he drew a massive axe from the halo behind him and spun it rapidly, forming a defensive barrier.
But the instant the Dust Release touched the axe—
Kinshiki sensed something was wrong.
He instantly abandoned the weapon and leapt backward.
Only then did he clearly see—
his axe had been completely vaporized.
His pupils shrank violently.
Then rage exploded across his face.
"That weapon was an heirloom passed down from my ancestors!"
"You dare destroy it?!"
"YOU SEEK DEATH!"
He spread both arms wide as crimson blades appeared over his fists.
The two blades crossed together while massive energy rapidly condensed.
Scarlet energy boiled like flames, distorting the surrounding space.
The oppressive pressure froze the very air itself.
"Stop him!"
Minato instantly realized something was wrong.
That energy had already reached the level of a Tailed Beast Bomb!
"Dust Release: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu!"
"Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique!"
"Hey."
"Did you forget about me?"
A voice suddenly rang out.
The ground beneath Kinshiki exploded apart as a figure burst upward.
"Coral Palm!"
A palm strike slammed directly into Kinshiki's body.
Coral instantly erupted across his flesh, forcibly interrupting his charging attack.
Yagura Karatachi had entered the battle!
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