Ryosuke swung the first punch.
This punch, surrounded by golden ripple lightning, lit up the night and illuminated countless faces, allowing people to see each other clearly.
And clearly see... Who was the enemy.
"Kill them!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The loyalist and reformist ninja, born from the same roots, clashed like two ocean currents, colliding violently.
Blood sprayed. The hazy mist was like a sheet of rice paper, and as the blood fell, it spread out into blossoms like blooming crabapples, dazzling and disorienting.
This scene, they had seen it countless times in recent years. Not a single person wavered. Everyone who could stand here today had come prepared with their own resolve.
Mayuri's hands condensed ice.
She already possessed the Kekkei Genkai, Ice Release. After years of suppression, it erupted in one burst. Massive ice surged outward, forming wave after wave of sharp ice senbon.
"Ice Style, Thousand Killing Water Soar!"
Countless ice needles pierced the loyalist ninja, drawing screams of agony.
But the loyalist ninja weren't weaklings. They immediately formed hand seals and counterattacked with ninjutsu. Just as they struck Mayuri, her form dissolved into countless venomous snakes.
Hundreds of venomous snakes locked onto the jutsu casters, pounced from the shadows, and tore at their throats.
"Ah, it's, it's Orochimaru's jutsu!"
Before the caster could finish speaking, the venom solidified their blood, and with a thud, they collapsed to the ground.
On another side, Sasuke and Rei coordinated. The two ninja blades flashed, Sasuke occasionally cast jutsu. With ripple-enhanced amplification, his ninjutsu's power and range rose to another level, forming a powerful suppression.
Zabuza, having just taken down a loyalist, paused for a full second as he watched Mayuri, Sasuke, and Rei's combat performance.
He had thought these three were just Ryosuke's attendants, servants for bathing, sleeping, and relieving boredom. He didn't expect, they could actually fight.
"Don't get distracted."
Ao's voice came from behind, blocking an enemy for Zabuza.
Zabuza let out a cold laugh, pulled aside his shirt, revealing a row of explosive tags across his chest, "This is my water clone, baiting the enemy on purpose. And..."
He turned his head toward the center of the battlefield.
"The key to this war… isn't us. It's them."
Ryosuke, Terumi Mei, Yagura.
The strength these three displayed was already a tier above everyone else. Even if they wanted to help, they couldn't get involved.
Yagura glanced at the coral staff broken in his hand. This had been destroyed earlier when he carelessly stepped into Star Platinum's range and got blown up by a single punch.
"Heh,"
Yagura sneered and casually tossed the coral staff aside.
"Just like the rumors say, within range, absolute suppression... really is terrifying, huh? For ordinary ninja, that is."
Yagura flipped and leaped, landing on the rooftop of the Mizukage Building. The moonlight cast a glow behind his head.
He looked down at Ryosuke, "But Ryosuke… do you know… what a jinchuriki is?"
He extended one hand. Red "water currents" began to appear on his arm.
"Limitless power."
Then he extended the other hand. The flow of chakra-water quickened, its color deepening into crimson.
"Absolute defense."
Three barbed tails sprouted from his back. His skin became entirely covered in crimson Tailed Beast Chakra. He appeared mad, but his mind remained clear. His tone was icy, "Ryosuke, with me like this, how do you plan to fight?"
The oppressive force of the Tailed Beast was released without restraint, like a sky canopy pressing down on everyone in Kirigakure.
The loyalists clenched their teeth and grinned savagely, "Great! It's Tailed Beast Transformation! We're sure to win!"
Earlier, many loyalist members had worried, if Yagura, under genjutsu manipulation, wouldn't be able to properly enter Tailed Beast Transformation.
After all, it was common knowledge that a perfect jinchuriki couldn't be controlled by genjutsu.
But now seeing Yagura cloaked in crimson Tailed Beast Chakra, the loyalists were thrilled, pride swelling in their chests, their hand seals and jutsu moved even faster.
Ao's mouth was half-open, "He actually… really can use Tailed Beast Transformation? Even Isobu the Three-Tails can't resist genjutsu?"
A shadow loomed over every reformist heart.
Yagura slowly lowered his outstretched arms and dropped to all fours. On his back, the Tailed Beast Chakra formed Isobu's shell.
He wasn't bluffing, Isobu's defense and impact force were considered the best among the Tailed Beasts.
What evil spirit?
What unbeatable close-range power?
Yagura was about to show Ryosuke, "In this world, there's no such thing as invincibility!"
He darted between buildings like a beast.
After a few leaps, his speed climbed rapidly. He turned into a streak of crimson light, carrying the bone-chilling pressure of Tailed Beast Chakra, charging toward Ryosuke.
"Watch out!" Terumi Mei shouted.
Even before Yagura transformed, she had started forming hand seals, intending to cast a jutsu.
But the speed of a perfect jinchuriki's Tailed Beast Form was too fast. Before her jutsu completed, Yagura had already reached Ryosuke.
At that moment, whether loyalist, reformist, the daimyo's samurai, or hidden scouts from other villages, all instinctively held their breath.
Their eyes flickered.
They first saw Yagura's claws striking out, then noticed one of Yagura's tails curving around to strike Ryosuke from behind, and finally saw a pitch-black sphere rapidly forming in Yagura's mouth.
That was... a Tailed Beast Bomb.
Everyone understood Yagura's intent.
The claws and tail were to pierce the opponent. If Ryosuke attempted to defend, the Tailed Beast Bomb would explode directly, point-blank, in his face.
'But... will it win?'
For some reason, this thought popped into everyone's minds.
Even though Yagura had entered Tailed Beast Transformation...
Even though Yagura's offense looked flawless...
Why did they feel doubt?
Why did they feel like... this was a challenge from the weak to the strong?
And in the moment that thought surfaced, everyone's flickering gaze froze, staring at Ryosuke, who had been standing silently in place the entire time.
They saw... his raised hand, pointing toward Yagura.
"Star Platinum!"
Ryosuke entered a state of ultra-high concentration. The world faded in color. Star Platinum floated behind him, fists clenched, taking a deep breath, "Ora!"
The first punch struck Yagura's claw.
Yagura's arms were knocked aside. Though the Tailed Beast Cloak protected his flesh, under the immense impact, his bones bent in reverse joints. The sound of bones shattering followed.
The frozen feeling of the world disappeared.
But, the barrage of punches wasn't over.
"Ora ora ora ora ora ora ora!"
People couldn't see Star Platinum's movements. They only felt that under the night sky, it was like a raging vajra, fists flashing like fleeting meteors circling around Ryosuke.
Dazzling brilliance.
People stared in shock at the scene.
Yes, Ryosuke's close combat was strong.
But no one believed he could defeat a Tailed Beast-transformed jinchuriki, that was another realm of power.
And yet now...
Terumi Mei murmured in a daze, "This is... the strongest."
"AAAHHH, DIE FOR ME!"
In unbearable pain, Yagura roared. The Tailed Beast Bomb in his mouth reached its limit, and fired at Ryosuke from point-blank range.
Too close.
Impossible to dodge.
Just then, Star Platinum suddenly sank, like a true evil spirit, merging into Ryosuke's body.
Ryosuke's right hand faintly manifested Star Platinum's arm armor. His palm surged with Ripple and natural energy.
He caught the oncoming Tailed Beast Bomb with one hand. The raging energy tore at his palm, but was neutralized by Ripple, natural energy, and Star Platinum.
Zabuza froze, "He… he caught it?!"
Ryosuke stepped forward.
Took aim.
Yagura's twisted grin froze.
"Y-you… what are you doing?!"
Ryosuke didn't reply, he gripped the Tailed Beast Bomb in his hand.
One punch swung out, shattering Yagura's mouth and teeth, then shoved the Tailed Beast Bomb back into his mouth.
'Victory!'
The reformists felt a wave of joy rise in their hearts.
Suddenly, space distorted.
Two men in black cloaks with red clouds appeared behind Ryosuke, simultaneously attacking him.
One was the masked man.
The other, was Pain.
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