Two Beast's Ordeal forms tore across the ravaged battlefield, charging straight at the three thousand exhausted Might Guy clones who had just unleashed the Gate of Joy!
With so many enemies, Minato hesitated, his heart heavy. "Naruto, do we really have to finish them off? Even if they're clones, they're still—"
But Naruto's resolve was ironclad. "If their numbers were small enough for us to control, maybe we could try something besides total annihilation. But right now, if we don't wipe them out, we'll be overwhelmed ourselves!"
Minato was both moved and impressed. "Kid, your heart really is made of steel... Leave it to your old man."
Crack!
The Susanoo's faceplate slid open as Yin Kurama gathered a massive Tailed Beast Bomb in his jaws.
Though those three thousand clones were exhausted, they weren't about to just sit and wait for death! Their formation scattered, each trying to escape the blast radius.
Obito raised his palm, embedding a Kamui Shuriken into the Tailed Beast Bomb.
A spark of inspiration flashed through Minato's mind. "Obito's Kamui Shuriken fused with Kurama's Tailed Beast Bomb—that seamless, jet-black sphere is a work of art. I didn't create it, I'm just the delivery guy. So let's call this technique…"
—Obi-Nine Style: Kamui Creation Celestial Wheel—Star-Shifting, My Way!
BOOM!
Obi-Nine Style: Kamui Creation Celestial Wheel—Star-Shifting, My Way detonated at the heart of the Guy clones. It didn't wipe them all out, but seconds later, fragments of the Kamui Shuriken scattered from the explosion, spreading across an even wider range. Each fragment triggered a Kamui vortex, sucking in the clones who'd escaped the initial blast!
"Guy… I'm sorry…" Minato's guilt was written all over his face.
Trying to ease his father's burden, Naruto quickly changed the subject. "That Kamui Shuriken even has a splash effect—Obito, only you could've dreamed that up!"
Obito nodded knowingly. "Kakashi inspired me, actually. Sensei, should we remix the name?"
Minato managed a wry smile. "If it's Kakashi's idea, then yeah, we need to rework the branding. How about…"
—Obi-Nine Style: Kamui Creation Celestial Wheel—Star-Shifting, Inspiration King Card!
Obito grinned. "Let's keep playing the card game! How about we target Kabuto next? If we can take him out, maybe we won't have to kill so many Guys."
Minato agreed. "Alright, let's do it—"
"…," Naruto said nothing, his expression unreadable.
Whoosh!
Yin Kurama gathered another Tailed Beast Bomb, again embedding a Kamui Shuriken.
Obito covered his left eye, focusing. "This one's a long shot—I'll handle the targeting…"
Sizzle! His left eye's unique 'telescope' function locked onto Kabuto behind the sea of clones.
BOOM!
The Tailed Beast Bomb arced high into the sky, evading interception, then suddenly veered down at a wicked angle!
Minato gasped. "How did you pull off that curve?!"
Obito smiled. "By spinning the Kamui Shuriken inside, I can steer the bomb's trajectory!"
But suddenly, Naruto's Yang Kurama fired off his own Tailed Beast Bomb—fast and direct!
It took the shortest path, intercepting the falling Yin bomb midair!
BOOM!!
The explosion lit up half the sky, Kamui Shuriken fragments raining down, each one spawning a Kamui vortex.
The closest vortex was only five meters from Kabuto!
Kabuto's face flickered between shock and fury.
If not for Naruto's intervention, he'd be dead for sure.
Minato turned, stunned. "Naruto, you—"
Naruto answered quietly, "Kabuto Yakushi is important to Sasuke. We can't let him die."
Whoosh!
That narrow escape forced Kabuto to change tactics.
He split the clone army in two—one group held the front, while the other fell back to shield him.
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, his gaze shadowed. "Naruto, maybe you don't realize it, but your mercy for your enemies is really just a kind of arrogant condescension."
"You want me… to respect you?"
"Too bad. That trick doesn't work on me!"
The six thousand Guy clones holding the front crossed their arms over their chests in perfect sync!
With his Edo Tensei body restored, Hashirama watched the battlefield. "That stance—the seventh Gate of Wonder of the Eight Gates!"
—Eight Gates: Gate of Wonder Formation!
BOOM BOOM BOOM…!
Blue flames exploded from six thousand bodies, merging into a raging blue storm. The wind pressure alone forced Naruto and Minato's Beast's Ordeal forms to retreat!
Kabuto Yakushi explained, "These clones were pumped full of growth hormones from the moment they were created, so they could mature quickly. To make their bodies tough enough for the Eight Gates, I used enzymes extracted from Jūgo. The price? Their lifespans were slashed to almost nothing."
"And when they open the seventh Gate of Wonder, that cost becomes absolute. When the gate closes, their chakra networks will collapse, and within three days, every organ will fail—they'll die."
"So opening the Gate of Wonder is a true sacrifice!"
"Now, witness the 'Phantom Daytime Tiger'—a technique unleashed at the cost of their lives!"
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
The Wonder-Gate Guys shaped their hands into a unique sign and thrust forward!
—Phantom Daytime Tiger!
ROAR! The Daytime Tiger raced forward, trailing countless afterimages!
Those afterimages weren't illusions—they were the Tigers themselves, each released milliseconds apart, creating a blinding visual barrage!
In an instant, the air itself seemed to ignite!
Naruto reacted instantly, thrusting both hands forward.
—Super Almighty Push!
BOOM! A devastating wave of repulsive force blasted outward!
But it only held back the Phantom Daytime Tiger for three seconds…!
Even Naruto was shaken. "Before fighting these guys, I never imagined this move could ever be overpowered head-on…"
BOOM!
Super Almighty Push was smashed aside by the Phantom Daytime Tiger!
CRACK! CRACK! The enormous recoil shattered the Susanoo armor on Naruto's Kurama form, sending both boy and fox flying skyward!
"Naruto-kun!!" Hinata cried out, chasing after him without a second thought!
BANG!! Minato and his Kurama, though spared the backlash, were directly struck by the Tiger—
They barely lasted a second before being torn to shreds, man and beast both!
Obito immediately phased into intangibility, surviving the tiger's rampage unscathed!
Hashirama once again unleashed Sage Art: Wood Release—True Several Thousand Hands, planting himself in the path of the storm!
For the first time, Hashirama was deadly serious. "I never thought the day would come when True Several Thousand Hands would serve as a pure defense. Looks like the move I created finally has its moment!"
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Every arm of the giant Kannon stabbed backward into the earth, anchoring it in place!
At the same time, the Kannon's divine weapon—the 'Ranking Board'—shielded Hashirama's perch atop the statue.
Protected by the Ranking Board, Hashirama closed his eyes and began chanting.
Meanwhile, the Kannon's original hands pressed together in prayer.
HUM! A golden aura enveloped the entire statue!
BOOM BOOM BOOM…!
The Phantom Daytime Tiger crashed into True Several Thousand Hands, raising a thousand white-capped waves!
The golden light flickered, but the Kannon sat immovable, enduring the onslaught with divine, unmatched power!
Amidst the swirling woodchips, Hashirama slowly opened his eyes, his voice deep and resolute. "Immovable Wisdom King—this is the full defensive form of True Several Thousand Hands. If Naruto can master it, its power will be even greater. I'll teach him when this is over…"
There was no doubt—this moment belonged to Hashirama!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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