The blazing flames illuminated the snowy plains in a fiery red, with rising steam mingling with the blizzard, creating a surreal scene of ice and fire intertwined.
At the center of this scene stood Shinji's shadow clone, the caster of the technique, instantly becoming the focal point of everyone's attention.
Shinji's shadow clone hadn't acted impulsively to steal the kill.
His sudden move was directed by Shinji's true self through 'Jikibi,' instructing the clone, who was closer to Kokushibo, to act immediately and destroy the evidence before Tsunade's team could seize the demon dosed with the Type-4 Aging Potion.
No one was a fool.
If Tsunade discovered that the poison injected into Upper Moon Two by the Akatsuki was strikingly similar to the Type-3 Aging Potion she had overseen, she would inevitably suspect someone in her team was colluding with the Akatsuki.
To avoid such unnecessary trouble, Shinji's shadow clone, under his true self's orders, had leaped into action before Tsunade could issue any commands!
Worn down by prolonged pursuit and ravaged by the Type-4 Aging Potion, even Upper Moon Two, Kokushibo, was at the end of his strength. In the scorching heat of the Fire Release, with only half his body remaining, he howled like a beast, collapsing to the ground and turning to ash in the flames!
As Upper Moon Two fell in the roaring blaze, both Tsunade's team and Sasuke looked on in shock.
Yakumo's face was full of disbelief. "Upper Moon Two was taken out by Shinji!?"
Sasuke was both stunned and unwilling. "Damn it, that was my prey!"
Clearly, given Upper Moon Two's terrifying regenerative abilities, they hadn't expected him to be defeated so easily!
Shinji, however, remained calm.
Through the 'Lamp' ability's connection, he confirmed Kokushibo was truly dead.
He wasn't sure why Kokushibo hadn't used the secret technique that allowed him to fake his death last time. Perhaps his chakra was too depleted to perform it, or maybe his loss of sanity prevented him from acting in time.
In any case, this demon, who had made a name for himself in the shinobi world, perished under a single 'Majestic Flame Destroyer' from Shinji's shadow clone.
Of course, that 'Majestic Flame Destroyer' was merely the final straw that broke the camel's back!
As the flames died down, only a pile of ash remained where Kokushibo had fallen, with no trace of Upper Moon Two left in the lingering smoke.
With Upper Moon Two reduced to ashes, Shinji's true self and his shadow clone, by chance, became the closest members of the opposing forces. Since Shinji's true self was already in pursuit of Kokushibo, the two soon clashed.
"Shinji, be careful!"
Seeing Shinji engage the leader, Yakumo's heart leaped to her throat.
On one side was her friend and fellow student from the academy; on the other was the mentor who had changed her fate and guided her life. Their sudden clash left her heart in turmoil, unsure of what to do.
"What!?"
Sasuke, on the other side, felt the same.
He knew all too well how powerful the leader was, so seeing Shinji face him filled him with dread that Shinji might die at the leader's hands.
Yet the situation left no room for him to intervene, so he could only stand by, anxiously watching.
On Tsunade's team's side, Jiraiya sighed helplessly. "This Uchiha kid is too reckless!"
Tsunade, frowning with irritation, said, "Get ready to save him!"
They couldn't just watch Shinji die at the hands of Akatsuki's 'A,' so the team braced themselves, ready to act the moment things went wrong to rescue Shinji.
But the battle didn't unfold as they expected, with 'A' instantly overpowering Shinji. Instead, Shinji fought with flair, unleashing a dazzling array of Fire Release ninjutsu as if they cost nothing, forcing 'A' to dodge and temporarily avoid his onslaught.
Feeling the massive waves of heat radiating from the battlefield, both sides, poised to intervene, had to shield their faces.
Jiraiya's expression grew serious. "This kid!"
"Such powerful ninjutsu!" Tsunade murmured.
Shizune, Gai, and Shino Aburame, all jonin, looked on in astonishment.
This level of Fire Release ninjutsu was rare even among jonin like themselves, let alone a student from the Shinobi Academy!
They realized Shinji's defeat of Upper Moon Two wasn't just luck—it was backed by this outrageously powerful Fire Release ninjutsu.
"So Shinji's that strong!" Yakumo, watching the leader forced to evade, found it hard to believe and set aside her intent to rescue him.
Sasuke, who had also been ready to save Shinji, abandoned the idea as well.
Watching the battlefield, his expression was complex.
He was frustrated that Shinji had claimed Upper Moon Two's kill, worried that Shinji might die at the leader's hands, and now, seeing Shinji hold his own against the formidable leader, he felt a twinge of jealousy at Shinji's dazzling performance!
Boom.
At that moment, a golden 'Susanoo Tomoshibi' rose from the ground, facing the searing flames and swinging a fist!
The Fire Release from Shinji's shadow clone was instantly shattered, and the clone seized the chance to leap back, withdrawing from the battlefield.
Then, with a flick of his finger, he pulled up a steel wire buried in the snow, which extended outward, triggering a network of wires hidden beneath.
As the wires were pulled taut, a series of sizzling sounds erupted as explosive tags ignited across the battlefield.
Only then did everyone realize that the wires crisscrossing the battlefield were laden with explosive tags!
Boom, boom, boom.
In an instant, the battlefield was engulfed in relentless explosions, swallowing even the gleaming golden 'Susanoo Tomoshibi' of 'A.'
Watching Shinji not only retreat safely to the sidelines but also trigger the explosive tag trap, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and the others grew solemn.
Such meticulousness and sharpness didn't seem like the traits of an eleven-year-old still attending the Shinobi Academy.
"So strong!" Even Shizune, a jonin, couldn't help but exclaim.
Perhaps due to the continuous Fire Release and the recent barrage of explosive tags, the joint task force of Hidden Stone, Hidden Cloud, and Land of Iron samurai was quickly drawn to the scene, rushing toward them in large numbers.
On the battlefield, as the smoke from the explosive tags cleared, 'A' stood unscathed beneath his 'Susanoo Tomoshibi.' He seemed to give Shinji a deep look, then signaled to 'E' at the sidelines. With a flash, the two vanished from the battlefield before the joint task force could arrive.