"I'll kill you! I'm going to kill you!"
Kinkaku had already lost all sense of reason, roaring furiously as he charged toward Renya.
The battle erupted in an instant.
"Renya, watch out!" everyone quickly shouted in warning.
Kinkaku rushed forward first, wielding the Seven Stars Blade wrapped in Lightning Release chakra, making the blade even sharper.
Renya calmly raised the Banana Palm Fan and gave it a fierce swing, sending out a violent Wind Release gust that slightly slowed Kinkaku's assault.
Sarutobi Hiruzen seized the opportunity. His Adamantine Staff, carried by a howling wind, slammed toward Kinkaku's back.
"Don't even think about it!" Kinkaku roared as he spun around, the Gold Rope whipping out like a spirit serpent and deflecting the staff.
He no longer wanted to waste time with this group—he only wanted to tear that damned Uchiha to pieces.
Just as he turned to attack Renya after blocking Hiruzen's strike, Shimura Danzō's Wind Release jutsu came roaring in. The sharp wind blades forced Kinkaku to dodge backward.
Uchiha Kagami's Sharingan caught his movements precisely, and a Great Fireball roared toward him.
Kinkaku used the Gold Rope to block the fireball, but just then, three kunai from Koharu Utatane shot toward his face.
"You damn rats!" Kinkaku was clearly enraged by their teamwork.
He just wanted to kill Renya and avenge his brother—he didn't want to deal with these pests. Yet they kept interfering, one after another, only making him angrier.
Renya didn't miss the opening. In a flash, he was in close range, thrusting his katana straight at Kinkaku's throat.
Kinkaku had anticipated this. With a precise motion, he used the Seven Stars Blade to parry the strike, producing a harsh metallic clang.
"You bastard, trying the same trick twice?!"
Kinkaku sneered and launched the Gold Rope from his right arm toward Renya.
If it hit, he would immediately sever the word-spirit with the Seven Stars Blade. Then, with the Crimson Gourd, as long as the opponent uttered their catchphrase—or even something similar—they'd be sealed away.
Of course, even if the target didn't speak after having their word-spirit severed, the Crimson Gourd would still seal them with time.
The two brothers had slain countless foes using the Six Paths tools—this combo never failed.
"Clang!"
Renya slashed the Gold Rope with a single strike, easily blocking it.
Seeing this, Kinkaku suddenly grinned. "Hahaha, kid, you're still too naïve!"
As he spoke, the Gold Rope suddenly softened and wrapped around the blade, sliding rapidly toward the hilt.
Just as it was about to touch Renya's fingers, Renya raised his foot and slammed it into Kinkaku's chest, simultaneously spitting out a fireball.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
His body was instantly engulfed in flame. Taking advantage of the blaze, Renya pulled back to gain distance.
As the smoke and dust settled, Kinkaku's front was scorched black, but he wasn't seriously harmed—the Nine-Tails chakra had protected him.
Still, his expression was grim. If he hadn't lost the Banana Palm Fan...
He wouldn't be so easily suppressed by the group.
Without long-range attacks, it was indeed tough to handle being surrounded by six people.
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter!"
"Earth Release: Earth Spikes!"
Shimura Danzō gave him no time to breathe. His Wind Release jutsu struck swiftly, followed closely by Mitokado Homura's Earth Release—sharp spikes shooting up from the ground.
Kinkaku leapt into the air to dodge, only for another Great Fireball to blast toward him.
"Argh! Will this ever end?!" he roared, raising the Seven Stars Blade to slash the fireball apart. Flames exploded into a sea of fire in front of him, casting a furious glow over his face.
Just then, from within the flames, a staff suddenly shot out and struck Kinkaku in the face, sending him flying.
"You bastards! All of you!"
The coordinated assault from the six had completely enraged Kinkaku. The Nine-Tails chakra erupted from his body, radiating a terrifying aura.
The ground sank from the sheer force, rocks flying in all directions.
A vicious glint flashed in Kinkaku's blood-red beast-like eyes.
He realized that if this dragged on, he'd be whittled down. He had to seriously injure at least one of them to break their formation.
"Get out of my way!" he roared, completely ignoring Hiruzen's incoming staff and taking the hit directly to his back.
Using the momentum from the impact, he launched himself even faster toward Uchiha Kagami.
That damn Uchiha had been bombarding him with Fire Release jutsu from a distance!
The Gold Rope shot out like lightning. Kagami quickly retreated—only to see Kinkaku suddenly raise the Seven Stars Blade and change direction, aiming straight for Koharu Utatane.
Koharu, who had been moving in to support Kagami, was caught off guard by the sudden switch in target. She froze as the blade came crashing down.
"Watch out!"
Just as the Seven Stars Blade was about to strike, Shimura Danzō stepped in, raising a kunai to block the blow.
Crack—
The Seven Stars Blade effortlessly sliced through the kunai, slamming into Danzō's chest and sending him flying, crashing hard into the ground.
Warm blood splattered onto Koharu's face, leaving her completely blank.
"Danzō!" Everyone's pupils shrank sharply.
Kinkaku had aimed for the kunoichi, but this unexpected bonus was even better.
"So foolish... Thinking a mere kunai could block a Six Paths tool."
He had never seen such an idiot before...
Looking at the terrified Koharu in front of him, he didn't hesitate to raise the Seven Stars Blade again.
"Die!"
Clang! Sarutobi Hiruzen arrived just in time, blocking the strike with his Adamantine Staff. He shouted at the stunned Koharu:
"Koharu, treat Danzō now!"
Hearing this, Koharu snapped out of it and rushed to Danzō, immediately applying medical ninjutsu.
By now, Danzō had already fallen unconscious...
Seeing that the team was now down to four, Kinkaku revealed a menacing smile.
With the pressure greatly reduced, he just needed to severely wound one more person. Then he'd have full confidence in wiping out these damned rats.
Once that was done, he could kill that damned Uchiha and finally avenge his brother...
With that thought, Kinkaku accelerated his attacks, trying to quickly overwhelm the monkey wielding the staff.
Suddenly, his left arm twisted and transformed into a Tailed Beast claw, thrusting directly at Hiruzen's chest!
Hiruzen hastily raised the Adamantine Staff to block, but Kinkaku grinned—his plan had worked. At some point, the Gold Rope had already wrapped around Hiruzen's ankle!
Hiruzen's pupils shrank sharply. By the time he realized what was happening, it was already too late. His lips twitched uncontrollably—he was about to speak the word-spirit!
Seeing this, Renya's expression turned grim. He couldn't allow the Seven Stars Blade to sever Hiruzen's word-spirit!
"Stop him!"
With those words, he used the Body Flicker Technique to appear in front of them, slashing at Kinkaku's right arm.
Clang! Kinkaku raised the Seven Stars Blade to block.
At that moment, a white word-spirit slipped from Hiruzen's lips.