The next moments were both a blur and a clear. The seal came off before the Raikage could reach him and his chakra returned like fire in his veins. His healing sped up, and as if he willed it his Thunderclap impulse roared back to life.
Through his struggle and sheer will, he had reached a point that his Thunderclap impulse didn't even need a handsign just like the Raikage's Lightning Chakra Mode. That boost to his reaction time, let him act even when the Raikage's finger was mere inches away from his throat.
And act he did. Internally he was seething at them, the situation but mostly at himself. They were right- he had gotten too arrogant, he was taking it too easily. But no more.
Katsuro moved his right sword arm as the Wind Chakra formed back around him, welcoming him like a parent. Even through the grievous injury and pain. His shattered ribs and burnt chest protested with each movement, but he sliced upwards. And like a knife through butter, the Raikage's arm fell onto the ground.
Time stilled and silence echoed loud, but Katsuro's movement didn't stop as continued with unnatural speed delivering a clean horizontal slice. The blade didn't even look like it touched the Raikage, but after another moment of shock and silence. Blood began bubbling out from his neck, drawing a thin red line. It was like his body hadn't even realised it had been cut. It fell forward, his head rolling on the ground as his blood was drunk by the plants.
It was surreal, and the weight of a looming shadow pressed down on the Iwa trio. Their strongest piece had been taken out. Yes he was injured and exhausted, and nowhere near his top form. Yes, his Lightning Chakra mode seemed a bit weaker than before. But nonetheless, he was killed, no… removed, in just 2 strokes.
The cold and serene look on Katsuro's face added to their fear, as he held his lips pursed. It was like what he had done was worth no mention at all.
If they could see past their surprise and devastation, they would see that Katsuro too had paid a price. His right sword arm had been injured further, with more blood leaking out from where he hadn't even been injured. Katsuro had mutilated his own muscle fibres and even bones from the sheer force of what he had done.
Using his wind chakra and lightning chakra, he elevated the speed of his blade beyond even what his body could handle. The actual cut however, can only be described as the absolute peak of Swordmanship. With chakra, wind and lightning nature manipulation and sheer speed, Katsuro's cut had removed… well everything. The path his blade followed, not even air itself was spared. He didn't even know fully how it worked himself. He theorised that the speed and heat generated led to this, but he could sense that with this, there was nothing that he couldn't cut. It was like cutting through the very dimensional fabric itself.
And thus he named it, "Dimensional Rend."
Of course it didn't actually tear through the dimensions, instead it was simply a cut that couldn't be stopped, at least not by anyone on the Earth. Even then, it was an overpowered technique but it wasn't without its cost. Katsuro's arm frankly felt like jelly, like it was just skin holding everything in. He couldn't move it at all, and even with his healing which had sped up as his chakra returned, he could sense no improvement. He knew his body best, and it was telling him he should forget it for the foreseeable future. Frankly, he was lucky that over the years his naturally astounding physique had been strengthened as lightning was constantly flowing through his body and tempering it. Without it, his arm might have never recovered again, and he might not have even survived their combined attack.
And so, he used his left arm to grab the combined Kiba, and looked up into the eyes of those across from him. As they saw his gaze, they felt like a predator had set its eyes upon them, and their destiny was death.
Onoki with his experience and wisdom at least held on to his will, but the Jinchuriki fared far worse. Their mentality was gone, and they both started leaking their Tailed Beast chakra, gaining orange bubbly coats.
Onoki sensed it, and had a look but let it go, deciding that their only hope was unleashing the Tailed Beasts. It did not matter anymore, the destruction could cause friendly fire, and Katsuro was more than able to dodge any lethal attacks. But this stopped becoming about winning when he survived their plan and butchered their key piece like a chicken. It was now about survival.
The Jinchuriki released the beasts within them and soon a massive red ape with 4 flowing tails and an odd huge white horse looking creature with 5 tails were formed. They released their roars which vibrated across the battlefield. To most Iwa shinobi and even Kumo shinobi the sound was a good thing, a sign of their weapon. But to those in the know, it was clear that the plan had gone wrong.
The 4 Tails immediately formed a Tailed Beast Bomb aiming at Katsuro. Clearly it still remembered its beating and was taking him seriously. And soon, the 5 tails too started collecting and forming a dense black orb off, which the Rasengan was based off, in its mouth.
Using just his one hand to form the hand sign, Katsuro willed his chakra. "Wood Style: Wood Expulsion Jutsu." A big defensive dome of wood rose from the ground and surrounded Katsuro, from both sides they joined together, creating the look of a dragon or qilin from the outside with the split down the middle.
Soon, both Tailed Beast bombs landed on the structure creating a vast explosion and light which blinded all those who saw it. The shockwave alone swept trees, and in the vicinity a large wasteland of a crater was created. It exposed the earth underneath, but as the dust cleared Onoki could clearly see the wood structure slightly elevated compared to everything around it. It was clearly damaged, but intact. After a moment, both sides opened up and receded back.
Katsuro had the thought to use the Wood Golem jutsu, but wanted to have enough chakra to help his forces after he dealt with everyone here. So instead he went for a cheaper alternative that could more than hold up against the 4 and 5 tails. If this was the 9 tails perhaps he couldn't afford to do so, but right now he was sure he could more than get away with it.
After forming one-handed hand signs, which made the jutsu more difficult to perform, he placed his hand on the ground, and from underneath him the earth shook and rose. Out of the earth, Kiri's nightmare reformed, a large rock golem.
Onoki was surprised, clearly recognising his own jutsu, and almost sneered since he knew it wouldn't be able to match up. But to his dismay, it grew even larger towering over even the Bijuu, and soon from Katsuro's feet, lightning spread across its body acting like power. Its eyes lit up in flickering blue giving an eerie but cool look. It was the Gaia's Attendant that was forming and those that had seen it before would also expect the wind to start forming around its fists and even legs.
But instead, wood rose from the ground, crawling up the golem and encasing it like an armour. The wood over its face was flat and blank, leaving just eye holes that kept them exposed. It had grown so big, that all those fighting could easily see it, as well as the figure on its head. It made for an intimidating sight as it faced against the 2 Bijuus.
A titan made of earth and wood, powered by the elements.
"Combination Jutsu: The Guardian!"
And so, the second of Katsuro's combination jutsus was created.
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