Renya and Kinkaku's gazes fell on the word-spirit at the same time.
"Heheheh, got him!" Kinkaku grinned wickedly.
He raised the Seven Stars Blade, intending to slice through the word-spirit, but Renya quickly swung his sword to intercept him.
"Don't let him cut the word-spirit!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped in front of his own word-spirit with the Adamantine Staff in hand, his expression wary, not allowing the enemy any closer.
Renya, Mitokado Homura, and Uchiha Kagami surrounded Kinkaku, blocking his path to Hiruzen's word-spirit.
Kinkaku's pupils suddenly shrank, and for the first time, a look of shock appeared on his face.
His grip on the Seven Stars Blade unconsciously tightened, and his expression darkened further.
"Impossible… This is Kumogakure's top secret!" he said in disbelief. "How could you possibly know the weaknesses of the Six Paths Ninja Tools?"
From the start, he had vaguely suspected that they might know about the tools…
Now he was certain. These people really knew the intel!
Renya didn't respond. He simply raised his katana slowly. The blade glinted blindingly under the sun, making Kinkaku squint instinctively.
"You think just knowing the intel is enough to defeat me?"
With only the three of them to face, he didn't think he would lose…
Renya gave him no time to talk—three attackers struck at once!
Renya's raised katana drew a deadly arc through the air, aiming straight for Kinkaku's throat.
Uchiha Kagami released a Fire Style jutsu ahead of time, sealing off Kinkaku's retreat.
Mitokado Homura's Earth Style jutsu shot sharp stone pillars from the ground, cutting off Kinkaku's movement.
Their roles were clear, their coordination flawless.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was just about to join the fight when he looked back at the word-spirit and sighed.
He had to wait for it to dissipate before he could assist. If he left now and Kinkaku destroyed the word-spirit, it'd be a disaster.
Even if he couldn't leave, there were still ways to help the three of them.
"Extend!" Hiruzen's Adamantine Staff suddenly stretched out, thrusting toward the distant Kinkaku.
...
Kinkaku roared and swept his Seven Stars Blade to block Renya's lethal strike.
Then he spun and sliced through the Fireball, quickly leaping to dodge the stone spikes.
Just as he launched into the air, a staff jabbed into his back, sending him flying uncontrollably.
"Damn it!" Kinkaku growled, his eyes filled with venomous hate as he stared at Hiruzen Sarutobi, wishing he could tear him apart.
This was the second time that guy had sneak attacked him—and succeeded.
If it weren't for them blocking him, he would have cut the word-spirit and sealed it long ago.
"I'll remember this!"
Kinkaku landed awkwardly, glaring fiercely at Hiruzen Sarutobi. Then he suddenly drove the Seven Stars Blade into the ground.
A violent surge of Nine-Tails chakra erupted from his body, forcing the trio to retreat temporarily.
He realized that with their knowledge of the tools, the Six Paths Ninja Tools wouldn't pose much threat anymore.
Especially without the long-range weapon, the Banana Palm Fan—he was already getting thoroughly suppressed.
If the tools were useless, then it was time to go all-in with Tailed Beast Transformation!
With an earth-shaking roar, crimson chakra burst from his body like a volcano.
His skin was cloaked in a Tailed Beast shroud, six massive chakra tails thrashing wildly behind him.
His body expanded several times in size, muscles bulging, and a pair of murderous beast eyes locked onto the group.
"You're all going to die with Ginkaku!"
Kinkaku, now in complete Tailed Beast form, had lost all trace of his human appearance. He opened his gaping jaws, and a jet-black Tailed Beast Bomb began rapidly forming in his mouth.
"A Tailed Beast Bomb?!" Renya's three-tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly. He immediately identified the jutsu. "Scatter!"
He hadn't expected Kinkaku, who only had the Nine-Tails' chakra, to actually unleash a Tailed Beast Bomb of such destructive power.
Could it be that constant use of the Nine-Tails' chakra had unlocked that ability?
The three leapt away in different directions.
The next second, the Tailed Beast Bomb fully formed and dropped where they had just stood—exploding with a thunderous boom.
As the dust cleared, a crater dozens of meters wide had been gouged into the earth.
The impact flung debris like bullets. Renya quickly raised the Banana Palm Fan to block it.
A blast of violent Wind Style chakra collided with the flying rubble, producing a deafening explosion.
Uchiha Kagami's three-tomoe Sharingan was locked onto Kinkaku's every move. He suddenly shouted:
"Front left!"
Mitokado Homura reacted instantly, forming hand seals quickly.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"
A thick earthen wall rose just in time to block a sweeping tail. Though it was shattered in an instant, it bought them precious time to evade.
"Useless!" the fully transformed Kinkaku let out an inhuman roar. His six tails lashed out like giant pythons toward the trio.
As Renya dodged, he tried to counter with his katana, but the Tailed Beast cloak's defense was too strong—his blade couldn't reach Kinkaku's actual body.
Uchiha Kagami's Sharingan was bloodshot. He was barely able to predict Kinkaku's attacks, and even then, the three-tomoe was proving inadequate against a fully transformed tailed beast.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Dragon Technique!" Kagami took a chance and launched a jutsu. A blazing dragon surged toward Kinkaku's face.
Kinkaku ran on all fours, easily dodging the fire dragon. He ignored Kagami and fixed his gaze on Renya.
That bastard who got Ginkaku killed had to die today!
"Die!"
He leapt high into the air, massive claws swinging down with devastating force toward Renya.
Renya's Sharingan spun at high speed, catching the attack's trajectory at the last possible moment.
He quickly dodged and shouted to his comrades:
"Kagami! Interfere from the left!"
"Homura! Block the ground!"
Kagami understood instantly and formed hand seals.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Dragon Technique!"
"Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld!" Homura cast his jutsu in sync.
The fire dragon forced Kinkaku to defend his face, while the swamp below hindered his mobility.
Kinkaku had completely lost his reason. Now was the best chance to kill him!
If they waited until he regained composure, they might never get another opportunity…
Renya seized the opening. His figure flashed like lightning as he used a low-tier Flying Thunder God slash. His katana thrust straight for Kinkaku's left chest.
Even with the chakra cloak, the momentum alone should break through the defense!
If it landed, the fight would be over!
Just as Kinkaku blocked the other two's attacks, he saw Renya charging toward him at lightning speed. He tried to dodge—but realized his feet were stuck in the swamp.
It's over!
He stared at the incoming blade, closing his eyes in despair.
"Got him!" Renya's face lit up with excitement.
Just then, a rough voice rang out from afar.
"Hell Stab: Piercing Four Fingered!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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