Countless chakra particles in the air rapidly gathered together. In the mouth of the fully transformed Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, a high-density chakra sphere was rapidly forming.
Under its terrifying pressure, the sweeping winds bent the trees in their path.
Crack!
Uchiha Moeka cut down the flying debris from the storm with one swift slash. His gaze remained locked onto the growing Tailed Beast Bomb.
"This one is different from the last. This is what a true tailed beast's power should look like. With this kind of terrifying pressure… if it lands, no one here will survive."
Behind him, Kakashi weakly clutched his left eye. "The drain on this eye is just too much… If I were at full strength, I could use my Mangekyō's ability to transfer the Tailed Beast Bomb into the Kamui space, where it would be completely neutralized…"
As he said this, Kakashi couldn't help but recall that masked man from the past.
'If a full-power Tailed Beast Bomb like this could just so happen to wipe out that masked man... it would be a windfall.'
"Kakashi!"
Standing in front, Uchiha Moeka turned his head and formed hand seals.
"Before this, you owed the Uchiha Clan one Sharingan. From today on, you'll owe us two. Remember that."
Kakashi froze for a moment. "What do you mean?"
Behind him, Uchiha Tekkahi wasn't worried about the incoming attack. Instead, he glanced at Moeka and murmured, "Izanagi, huh? That's the only way. If there's another attack ten minutes from now, I'll take over."
At that moment, the Tailed Beast Bomb in the bull-headed mouth finished forming. The huge eyes locked onto their target.
Boom!!!
The Tailed Beast Bomb launched in an instant, tearing a massive trench into the earth.
At the moment of impact, the explosion's light outshone even the sun.
"BOOM...!"
The shockwave first compressed, then expanded outward. Within the giant circular area, everything was obliterated into dust.
The surrounding trees were uprooted and crushed, and violent winds flattened everything on the ground.
In the distance, back in his human form, Killer B looked at the devastation from the Tailed Beast Bomb. "According to the Eight-Tails' perception, it hit dead on. No space-time jutsu appeared this time. There's no way they survived."
Samui nodded coldly. "Lord B, stay here. I'll go confirm with the others."
At the center of the half-crater caused by the Tailed Beast Bomb…
Four figures reappeared.
Uchiha Moeka's left eye no longer held the three tomoe; it had gone completely white. He had lost his vision in that eye.
Kakashi, just recovering from the shock, stared in disbelief. "We actually survived that?! The Sharingan can do this?"
Uchiha Tekkahi replied, "That's the forbidden technique of the Sharingan, Izanagi. It turns all unfavorable outcomes into illusion, while preserving favorable ones as reality."
"Within the Uchiha Clan, only those who truly understand when such power should be used, and who have awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan, are entrusted by the clan leader with this forbidden technique."
Kakashi was stunned. 'Such a power... was practically invincible.'
'But if the Uchiha Clan had this kind of ability, then why...'
"This so-called 'forbidden' technique is not without cost."
Moeka's voice cut in. He turned his head toward Kakashi. His now-blind left eye left Kakashi speechless.
No wonder he'd said Kakashi owed the Uchiha two Sharingan now. Even so, this power was truly terrifying.
Rustle!
A noise came from the forest. The sudden appearance of Cloud Shinobi nearby startled the four.
And seeing them alive, completely unscathed, shocked the Cloud Shinobi in turn.
Samui hesitated. "How are you still alive? That Tailed Beast Bomb wasn't deflected by space-time jutsu. You shouldn't have Bn able to survive."
Uchiha Tekkahi stepped forward and formed hand seals. "You think I'd explain that to you? Since you didn't retreat immediately, don't expect a repeat of what just happened."
"Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique!"
A massive dragon of fire roared forth, surging toward the Cloud Shinobi.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
"Lightning Release: Grateful Wave!"
Another combined lightning-water technique. The water on the ground conducted the electricity across the battlefield.
Behind them, Kakashi forced himself to stand and began forming seals despite his weakened body.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Rampart!"
A wall with four vividly sculpted dog heads rose up, splitting the electrified water into two streams.
Thud.
Kakashi collapsed again, utterly spent. Looking toward the three Uchiha, he said, "It's all on you now. My chakra's completely gone."
Uchiha Moeka muttered, "Those four dog heads… are they just for show?"
"Clang!"
Up ahead, Tekkahi intercepted the charging Cloud Shinobi. In the clash of blades, they had already exchanged over a dozen blows.
"Dammit! Come help me!"
Moeka signaled to the other Uchiha. Together, they rushed forward and surrounded Kakashi in a fan-shaped defense.
Samui's voice rang out, "I don't know how you survived, but we will take this Konoha outpost!"
With that, the Cloud Shinobi began their coordinated assault.
The Uchiha's dynamic three-tomoe visual prowess let them read their opponents' movements, while their genjutsu kept the enemy constantly on guard.
But the Cloud had numbers, and with Lightning Release augmenting their speed and reflexes, each one moved with inhuman agility.
After a prolonged battle, the three Uchiha had to pull back, all of them panting heavily.
"Kakashi, how long until reinforcements from Kumo arrive?"
Tekkahi's brows furrowed. If the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki came back, they wouldn't stand a chance.
Behind him, Kakashi checked the time. "If they're moving fast, they should be here soon. Hang in there."
He pushed himself to his feet again. Though the Mangekyō Sharingan was powerful, using it twice had completely drained him.
If reinforcements didn't arrive soon, they'd be in real trouble. He'd already owed one Sharingan, now two, any more favors, and the debt to the Uchiha would be enormous.
"They're here."
Tekkah's voice cut through. A familiar chakra signature was rapidly approaching.
Across the battlefield, Samui also turned toward the forest.
That speed, it's incredible.
Seconds later,
Spurt!
A spray of blood burst from the neck of a Cloud ninja.
Thud!
The chunin dropped dead instantly. But there was no visible attacker nearby.