Chapter 270: Menma
That berserk beast figure in the distance filled Naruto's heart with confusion—who exactly was manipulating all this behind the scenes? But now, there were clearly more urgent matters requiring decision!
He had to immediately stop Shukaku's destruction of Konoha. A Tailed Beast's destructive power could cause tens of thousands of casualties in mere minutes—a scene Naruto absolutely couldn't bear to witness.
However, reality firmly pinned him in place. Before him, two crimson monsters transformed from desecrated souls continued their tireless frenzied assault.
Massive red chakra claws tore through the air, constantly blocking his escape routes. Scattered Tailed Beast chakra blasts exploded around him, forcing him to continuously evade.
This densely woven offensive left him completely unable to extract himself... Moreover, deep in Naruto's heart, he instinctively resisted simply abandoning his mother's controlled soul here like this.
BOOM—!!
Another small Tailed Beast Bomb exploded at his just-vacated position, scorching air waves mixed with soil and grass blades violently hurling skyward, leaving behind a charred crater.
Just then, a cool sensation quietly fell on his cheek.
"...Rain?"
He raised his head. From the overcast gray sky, fine rain threads silently drifted down, rapidly becoming dense, transforming in an instant into torrential downpour. Rainwater slid down his golden hair, blurring his vision, yet those two crazily dancing crimson figures in his view remained piercingly clear.
"..."
Multiple thoughts echoed through his mind—he still needed at least ten minutes to let his mother and Mito rest in peace without harming their souls. But ten minutes... The Third Hokage was currently locked in bitter struggle with Orochimaru. Ten minutes was enough for Shukaku to level most of Konoha!
"Naruto! What the hell is going on today?!" Kurama's roar mixed with hatred and shocked rage came from within his mind. "That Shukaku guy's state is absolutely abnormal! I sensed it just now! Though only for an instant... someone used Sharingan power to control that stupid tanuki!"
The Nine-Tails' perception was like a final bucket of cold water, extinguishing what little hope remained in Naruto's heart.
Obito? Why would that guy appear here? Was he also the one who ambushed the shadow clone earlier?
...I see.
Naruto instantly pieced together the threads behind this chaotic situation—Orochimaru probably still hadn't truly betrayed the Akatsuki. This was a conspiracy coordinated from inside and outside, targeting both him and Konoha.
If Obito made a move to intercept Shisui, then at this moment, the only one who could stop this disaster... was himself.
Though the Nine-Tails only mentioned someone using Sharingan to control the One-Tail, deep in its heart it sensed with absolute clarity—that cold, evil ocular power currently controlling Shukaku was identical to that guy who'd controlled it to attack Konoha years ago, leading to Minato and Kushina's sacrifice! That bone-deep hatred and humiliation instantly boiled within the seal space.
However, at this moment, an image of a trump card forgotten long ago surfaced in Naruto's heart. A treasure that had given him hope during his weak period but had gradually been shelved as his strength grew.
Power wasn't for showing off or monopolizing. Cards weren't talismans—they had no meaning if not used to protect others.
A card only he could see, depicting a fox-masked man, slowly manifested in his palm. On the card face, that silent man seemed to gaze at him.
Naruto didn't hesitate for even a moment. His five fingers closed, the card shattered with a sound, transforming into crystalline light dust that merged into his body.
A brief yet incomparably vast power instantly filled his limbs and bones, as if another powerful soul briefly resonated with him.
But Naruto didn't use this power on himself. Instead, he directed it entirely into a certain golden shadow clone fighting within Konoha Village.
The next moment, dazzling light blazed at the battlefield's edge!
The rainwater froze in this instant. A tall figure wearing a fox mask and clad in pitch-black robes, like a phantom tearing through the rain curtain, suddenly appeared beside Naruto.
This was a physical clone carrying all of "Menma's" power! Upon manifesting, he immediately raised one hand. A condensed Wind Style barrier instantly deployed, steadily blocking the Tailed Beast chakra blast bombarding toward Naruto, explosion flames scattering against the wind wall.
Seizing this breathing room, Naruto took a deep look at those two crimson figures still crazily attacking, especially that figure named Mother. He hesitated no longer. The Flying Thunder God formula lit up on the kunai in his hand.
The golden figure immediately vanished from its position, rushing to that battlefield in Konoha.
Cold rainwater continuously dripped on "Menma's" expressionless fox mask, winding downward like silent tear tracks.
Not far away, Orochimaru's clone hidden in the shadows witnessed this scene, his serpent pupils suddenly contracting. This guy... has finally appeared? But he immediately grew puzzled—why not go to Konoha's center to deal with Shukaku, but come here instead?
However, the next second, something occurred that made this Orochimaru clone feel bone-chillingly terrified—
"Menma" slowly turned his head. Those empty fox mask eye sockets seemed to penetrate rain curtain and distance, locking onto the direction of his hiding place! The Mind's Eye of the Kagura that Naruto hadn't yet mastered now manifested perfectly on "Menma."
He clearly sensed that cold, slippery chakra belonging to Orochimaru.
The rain-soaked mask now emanated bone-chillingly cold rage through the desolate rain curtain!
BOOM—!!!
Without the slightest warning, an extremely violent Wind Style airflow instantly tore through the rain curtain, thunderously assaulting where Orochimaru's clone was hiding!
The clone didn't even have a chance to react before being completely shredded in terror, its final memory carrying intense warning as it returned to the main body far away on the rooftop locked in fierce battle with the Third.
Menma slowly lowered his hand, turning toward those two crimson monsters still roaring, his gaze finally settling on that red-haired mother. Powerful chakra began gathering around him.
Mom... I'm going to save you from that shell right now!
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