In the end, Kisame, who had been hiding within Samehada, could no longer withstand the crushing pressure Naruto directed at him.
The blade tore itself free from Killer B's grip.
"Wha—!" B flinched, his palm sliced open as Samehada writhed loose, blood running down his fingers. The living weapon slithered across the ground like some grotesque creature, slipping from his grasp and darting away.
Only then did Killer B truly understand what Naruto had said—that Kisame was not dead at all, but hiding within his sword.
"Yo, so he wasn't bluffin'… idiot, bastard," B muttered, trying to chase. But Samehada moved too quickly, escaping in the blink of an eye.
Naruto had already anticipated this. He appeared on the path ahead in a flash, his aura heavy with the power of the Dragon Vein-enhanced Sage Mode, a force even more refined than the toad sages of Mount Myōboku. His body radiated strength that had pushed him into the ranks of super-shadow shinobi.
Hidden within Samehada's flesh, Kisame's eyes widened in shock. How is he this fast?
Naruto's heel slammed down, piercing straight through the blade and into Kisame's body. Kisame coughed blood, his body trembling from the impact.
Realizing he could no longer run, he pushed himself out halfway from Samehada's maw, his upper body surfacing. "Damn you… Water Release: Water Shark Bullet Technique!"
A shark of condensed water launched from his palm, rushing toward Naruto.
Naruto didn't even move. A dragon's head manifested across his body, jaws snapping shut to devour the shark whole.
Kisame froze, disbelieving. Without even relying on the Nine-Tails… he's still this strong? What the hell is he?
Desperation forced his hand. He snapped through another set of seals. "Water Release: Water Prison Jutsu!"
Water surged, encasing him in a massive sphere. This time, he wasn't using it as a trap for an opponent—he was enclosing himself, creating a fortress of water. And then, within, he roared:
"Water Release: Thousand Hungry Sharks!"
From the sphere burst countless water-sharks, swarming with ravenous hunger. They would devour everything—foe, friend, even their caster if need be.
Killer B watched with his jaw slack. "The hell? That fool's gone suicidal… idiot, bastard!"
Inside, the sharks turned on each other, biting and tearing apart anything within reach. Blood clouded the water. Kisame himself was ripped and shredded by his own jutsu, his flesh scattering among the frenzy.
Naruto's sharp gaze followed the chaos. He understood exactly what Kisame was trying to do—transmit information back to Akatsuki, even in death.
Not this time.
As one of the sharks dissolved into smoke, Naruto appeared before it and caught it with his hand. His palm pierced straight through, seizing a concealed scroll within. He smirked. "Heh. Trying to sneak intel out? You really underestimate me."
He slipped the scroll into his cloak, then scooped fragments of Kisame's torn flesh into a vial.
B's eyes went wide. "Yo… kid, that was straight crazy! You ain't just strong, you're sharp too. I'm seriously impressed!"
Naruto gave him only a glance. Without a word, he turned and began to walk away.
B blinked, confused. "H-hey, where you goin'? Don't just ghost me, idiot, bastard!"
Within moments, Naruto had vanished into the trees, leaving no trace.
Inside B, Gyūki rumbled with unease. "B… you should head back to Kumogakure. It's too dangerous to linger after what just happened."
B sobered and nodded. "Yeah… guess the fun's over."
Meanwhile, Naruto moved silently through the forest. Along the way, he pressed a Flying Thunder God seal into the bark of a tree, then blurred away in a flash.
When he reappeared, he stood within Orochimaru's subterranean laboratory.
The snake sannin barely stirred from his desk. His golden eyes remained locked on the rows of preserved specimens, scrolls, and intricate arrays of seals covering the walls.
"Naruto-kun," Orochimaru hissed with a delighted rasp, "those samples you brought me before… truly marvelous. Such bloodline potential, unlike anything I've ever studied." His tongue flicked across his lips.
Naruto smirked faintly. "Of course. Nothing compares to what I've given you. And now—" he placed a vial on the table, "—Kisame's remains. Make use of them."
"Kisame?" Orochimaru's eyes gleamed. "The so-called tailless tailed beast. A fine addition." He snatched up the vial with glee.
Naruto asked calmly, "And the clones?"
Orochimaru's grin stretched. "Progressing beautifully. With your cells, and the Uchiha boy's…You have nothing to worry about. Hmph, when it comes to such arts, I am second to none."
Naruto nodded, satisfied. His gaze sharpened. "Good. Then we move to the next step."
Just as he prepared to depart, a pulse stirred within him. His clone—the one searching for the entrance to the moon—had found it.
Naruto's lips curved. "Heh. Took long enough. Time to visit the moon."
"The moon?" Orochimaru leaned forward, excitement glinting in his snake-like eyes. "Naruto-kun, take me with you. I want to see it for myself."
Naruto studied him for a beat, then shrugged. "Fine. There's a specimen there worth examining anyway."
Orochimaru immediately summoned a small snake, sending it slithering off with orders for Kabuto. Then Naruto placed a hand on his shoulder.
In the next instant, both vanished.
They emerged in a vast cavern, its ceiling glittering with pale luminescence. A subterranean lake stretched before them, feeding a passage that pierced upward, toward the heavens.
There, waiting in the shadows, was one of Naruto's other selves, its features identical but marked by a different hue of chakra. Orochimaru glanced once at the double, wisely holding his tongue.
Naruto drew a breath. "Let's go."
From his stomach, the seal unlatched, releasing the full mass of the Nine-Tails' chakra. The titanic fox surged forth in a cloud of smoke, its tails swaying, its chakra saturating the cavern with overwhelming power.
Orochimaru's lips parted, his breath trembling. "So this… this is the Nine-Tails. Such… staggering chakra."
The fox's energy funneled into Naruto, merging with the Dragon Vein's power. Within his seal, the two forces coiled together, harmonizing. Naruto flexed his hands, his voice steady. "Now… we're ready."
The two leapt into the lake, plunging into the tunnel that wound upward toward the moon.
Far above, in the hollow chambers of the lunar temple, a lone man stirred. Ōtsutsuki Toneri rose from his throne, his pale eyes empty sockets that glimmered with eerie power. The great Tenseigan pulsed behind him, radiating light.
"So…" his voice echoed coldly, "ants from the surface dare to set foot in my clan's domain? I will see who dares disturb the Ōtsutsuki."
Dozens of puppets stirred at his command, their blades glinting as they flew toward the intruders.
Toneri remained still, watching. "If they are the thieves who stole the Demonic Statue… I'll show them what hell feels like."