From above, the wave of tree roots surged across the platform, sweeping from one end to the other at an alarming speed. Killer Bee, positioned at the edge of this green tsunami, was frantically fleeing for his life.
At this moment, fully transforming into the Eight-Tails would only make him a bigger target, leaving escape as his only option.
Accompanied by an unrelenting rumble, every inch of the platform fractured and crumbled beneath the invasion of rampaging roots. Within mere moments, the entire battlefield had been overtaken, turning the once-solid ground into a chaotic jungle of writhing wood.
Forced to the very edge of the platform, Killer Bee found himself cornered.
The serpentine roots swarmed toward him, twisting and lunging like a nest of hungry vipers.
With no other choice, he leaped wildly, dodging the lethal roots like a monkey, narrowly avoiding their grasp with each desperate movement.
Despite the relentless assault, Killer Bee managed to evade capture.
"Tentacle Jutsu saves the day, oh yeah!"
His survival was no coincidence.
Killer Bee was unmatched among all Jinchūriki in terms of synchronization with his Tailed Beast. He had pushed the power of the Jinchūriki to its absolute peak.
Not only could he manifest skeletal structures in his second-stage Tailed Beast Transformation for added defense and offense, but even outside of full transformation, he could freely extend the Eight-Tails' tentacles from his body.
By sprouting an extra tentacle, Killer Bee effectively gained an additional limb, allowing him to maneuver through the chaotic battlefield with unnatural agility.
It was moments like these that made Killer Bee one of the most difficult Jinchūriki to capture.
Finally, the onslaught of roots slowed.
The entire platform and the surrounding waters had been consumed by Deep Forest Emergence.
Standing far beyond the reach of the roots, Killer Bee steadied himself atop the water's surface, patting his chest in relief.
His eyes scanned the warped landscape before him, a dense eerie forest of twisted roots with no leaves, stretching far and wide.
"So this is Wood Release… Unreal! That guy's got chakra reserves like a damn Jinchūriki."
Killer Bee marveled at the power of Deep Forest Emergence, fully recognizing the absurdity of Ye Zi's abilities.
And, unintentionally, he hit upon the truth.
Ye Zi was, in fact, a Jinchūriki.
The entity sealed within him wasn't a Tailed Beast, but it was something just as dangerous.
"It failed." Standing atop one of the largest curved roots, Ye Zi lowered his hands, his expression unreadable.
Even Deep Forest Emergence had failed to trap Killer Bee.
And now, the Third Raikage and A had arrived.
Ye Zi neither felt frustration nor fear of the upcoming battle.
Instead, his cold gaze remained steady as he assessed the battlefield.
Although his technique hadn't worked, the new terrain played to his advantage.
With this twisted jungle of roots, he could fully utilize Mayfly Jutsu and Inorganic Reincarnation, turning the battlefield into his own personal weapon.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Two powerful chakra signatures streaked through the air like arrows, descending rapidly.
With a thunderous crash, they landed beside Killer Bee in the shallow waters, sending huge waves splashing outward.
Killer Bee barely reacted, he already knew who they were.
As the water spray settled, raindrops splattered across the surface, creating countless ripples.
"Are you alright, Bee?"
Standing upon the water's surface, A fixed his gaze on his younger brother.
Killer Bee grinned.
"I'm fine! After all, I'm the great Killer Bee!"
"If you're fine, then get out of here. Leave this to us."
A's eyes shifted away from Killer Bee, locking onto Ye Zi, who stood atop the eerie forest in the distance.
He knew exactly what Ye Zi's goal was, Killer Bee.
Now that they had arrived, the smartest move was to get Killer Bee out of the battle and let him and his father handle Ye Zi.
With the rest of the Cloud Village's forces closing in, Ye Zi would soon be trapped in an inescapable net.
"That ain't happening!" Killer Bee immediately refused.
Fighting alongside A was a rare chance, he wasn't about to miss out on the opportunity.
A didn't immediately realize Killer Bee's true reasoning.
Instead, he assumed Bee was just frustrated from being held back and wanted to cut loose for fun.
He didn't yet understand how dire the situation really was.
"They're here for you, Bee. They already took Yugito, if you stay, you're giving them another chance."
A's voice was firm, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Standing silently nearby, the Third Raikage didn't interrupt, because A was right.
But at the same time, the Third Raikage believed in individual choice.
"Yugito got captured?" Killer Bee's eyes widened slightly.
The proud and fiery Yugito had already fallen into Ye Zi's hands.
And it had just happened.
A sudden seriousness crept into Killer Bee's usually carefree expression. "That just means I have even less reason to run away."
A glanced sideways at Killer Bee, his eyes narrowing. "Bee, this isn't the time for recklessness."
His stance remained firm.
In his mind, keeping Killer Bee in the battle served no purpose.
Ye Zi was alone.
If he and his father worked together, they might not defeat him immediately, but as soon as reinforcements arrived, they could surround Ye Zi with overwhelming numbers.
If they let this drag on any longer, The Valley of Clouds and Lightning would become Ye Zi's grave.
"Big bro, I'm serious." Killer Bee's usual playful demeanor faded as he spoke with uncharacteristic solemnity.
Yet, A still didn't fully understand his younger brother's determination.
Frowning, A was about to insist on his position when the Third Raikage spoke first. "Let him stay. The two of you together are at your strongest, aren't you?"
"But—" A hesitated. If Killer Bee was his responsibility, then the Third Raikage was above them both. His father's word was final.
"Enough. The priority is taking down Ye Zi. I'll engage first, fill Killer Bee in on what we know about his abilities." With that, the Third Raikage made the final decision.
While allowing Killer Bee to stay did present a slight risk, the Raikage was confident in his and A's absolute strength.
There was no way Ye Zi could capture Killer Bee under these circumstances.
Besides, as a perfect Jinchūriki, Killer Bee was one of the five strongest fighters in the Cloud Village.
Swoosh!
The Third Raikage, his body wrapped in crackling lightning, suddenly blasted off from the water's surface, propelling himself straight toward Ye Zi.
However, the uneven terrain of the twisting, root-covered battlefield significantly hindered his speed.
This forest was annoying, but not worth wasting chakra to clear.
As the Raikage charged forward, A sighed before finally conceding. "Fine. You can fight."
"Alright!" Killer Bee flexed his arms in a "Look how strong I am" pose.
"But listen carefully, I'll only explain Ye Zi's abilities once, so remember them."
"OK!"
Meanwhile…
From atop the highest twisting tree root, Ye Zi watched impassively as the Third Raikage advanced.
Even with the difficult terrain, his speed was formidable.
His mind remained calm, calculating.
With two powerful enemies closing in, he needed to figure out how to capture Killer Bee,
and escape alive.
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Currently on Chapter 558 - The Dreaded Truth