Beast Naruto wasn't about to let go of the one taunting him.
He growled, his voice guttural and wild, then charged across the desert in relentless pursuit of Yoruya.
Yoruya hovered just above him, staying close enough to keep Naruto's attention but careful not to fly too far or too high.
If he lost Naruto's focus, the beast might turn back toward the stadium.
It was a dangerous gamble.
Using Mastema wasn't without its price.
The Teigu consumed his stamina and drained him mentally with every passing second.
Yoruya had trained to withstand it, but even he had limits.
Ten minutes—that was all he had before the Teigu started eating away his conciousness.
And he had already burned two minutes in battle.
Naruto's speed wavered for a split second.
Yoruya seized the moment and hurled two speakers down at him.
"Over here!"
"Come get me, monster!"
Naruto's eyes, glowing red with rage, darkened further.
His chakra-cloaked body, coated in a writhing mass of red energy, tensed.
Four tails lashed violently behind him.
This wasn't a monster.
It was raw hatred given form.
The speakers struck the ground, shattering on impact.
Naruto swatted them aside without a second glance.
Yoruya's taunts had pushed him over the edge.
A sharp whine filled the air.
Another Tailed Beast Bomb began forming at Naruto's maw—this time, crackling with an intensity far greater than before.
Yoruya's stomach dropped.
It was too fast. Too focused. He couldn't dodge in time.
He clenched his fists.
Secret Technique: God's Feather.
The white wings on his back pulsed with divine light.
All four flared open, forming a radiant shield in front of him.
The Tailed Beast Bomb slammed into the glowing barrier.
CRACK.
CRACK.
The energy surged, straining against the divine feathers. Shards of white scattered through the air like falling snow.
Even God's Feather couldn't withstand the full force of a Tailed Beast Bomb.
Pain exploded through Yoruya's body. It felt like he'd been hit by a freight train. Every muscle screamed in protest, but he grit his teeth.
He couldn't stop now.
His eyes burned with unwavering resolve.
"Mastema…"
"Take my life if you must!"
He poured everything he had into the Teigu, pushing beyond his limits.
The holy light around his wings intensified.
A blinding burst of radiance shot through the night sky, illuminating the dark desert.
Far in the distance, Mufasa saw the explosion of light.
"There!"
In a flash of lightning, he disappeared.
Meanwhile, Yoruya spread his arms wide.
The four wings extended, sending a powerful gust of wind rushing through the battlefield.
The surging holy light reversed the momentum of the Tailed Beast Bomb, sending it hurtling back toward Naruto.
Naruto's eyes widened. He barely managed to dodge before the blast slammed into the desert.
BOOM.
The ground trembled.
A cloud of sand shot into the air, and when it cleared, a massive crater remained—a pit of destruction carved deep into the earth.
Yoruya gasped for breath.
His body had reached its limit.
The wings on his back flickered—then vanished.
"So… this is it…?"
He glanced toward the stadium one last time, a faint smile on his lips.
Then, like a broken kite, he plummeted.
Naruto clawed his way out of the crater.
He spotted Yoruya falling.
And he grinned.
The moment Yoruya hit the ground, he would tear him apart.
Then—
A streak of lightning cut through the night.
A hand caught Yoruya mid-air.
It was Mufasa.
Word of the attack had spread quickly.
Chasing civilians wasn't worth his time—this was.
Mufasa steadied Yoruya's unconscious body, then casually reached into his pocket and tossed something to Kurotsuchi.
A… bamboo dragonfly?
"It might look childish, but it's actually perfect for adults. Put it on your head—you'll fly."
Before she could even question him, he disappeared in a flash.
Mufasa shot toward the stadium.
On the way, he issued orders to Gaara, Sasori, Orochimaru, and Kabuto.
When he arrived, he saw the fading remnants of God's Feather.
Just in time.
He cradled Yoruya in his arms.
"You did good."
"Leave the rest to me."
With a light push, he sent Yoruya drifting toward the village, carried by an unseen force.
Naruto let out a guttural roar, his rage doubling.
Mufasa's eyes narrowed as he met the beast's gaze.
"Still struggling with controlling the Nine-Tails, huh?"
"Naruto, that won't do."
"Looks like it's time for a lesson."
Naruto's lips curled back in a furious snarl. "ROAR!"
Mufasa pressed his hands together.
"Electromagnetic Release—Four Pillar Lightning Prison!"
BOOM.
Four massive pillars, each twenty meters tall, crashed into the ground around them.
Electricity crackled through the air.
A force field sealed Mufasa and Naruto inside.
Naruto hesitated. He sensed the danger.
His chakra-clawed hand lashed out at Mufasa—
But it phased right through him.
A mirage.
Mufasa had already moved.
"Try again."
Naruto roared and struck once more.
Again, nothing.
Mufasa's image flickered from place to place, dancing just beyond Naruto's grasp.
Teasing him.
Taunting him.
Naruto's patience shattered. His entire body tensed as he let out an earth-shaking roar.
Mufasa smirked.
"Getting frustrated?"
"Good."
"Because now, the real fight begins."
He raised a hand.
Three hundred Judgement Eyes manifested, swirling around him.
Then—
He crafted something.
An enormous spiked mace.