"Roar—!"
The Three-Tails, Isobu, let out a furious bellow and swung its three massive, spiked tails down in a brutal arc, trying to smash the Wooden Dragon to pieces.
But Wood Release was never that simple.
The Wooden Dragon twisted its long body fluidly, swaying aside just enough to slip past the crushing tails, then lunged forward—
"Damn it!!"
Isobu roared as the dragon clamped down on him. Its fangs couldn't pierce his hardened shell, but the countless wooden thorns dug deep, sending sharp pain through his body.
With no other choice, the Three-Tails arched its back. Chakra surged violently, its body swelling for an instant before it tore free from the Wooden Dragon's restraint.
Then—
The massive tortoise shell on its back folded inward, completely wrapping its body.
In the next moment, Isobu had transformed into a gigantic, spiked sphere.
The ground exploded beneath it.
With terrifying momentum, the Three-Tails rolled straight toward Namikaze Kirito.
The earth roared.
This was a technique Isobu and its Jinchūriki had perfected together—a devastating rolling assault. Similar in concept to the Akimichi Clan's Human Boulder, but on an entirely different scale.
The Akimichi relied on sheer mass and flesh.
Isobu relied on something far worse.
A body as hard as iron, covered in razor-sharp spikes—capable of pulverizing hills and shattering mountains.
The shattered terrain left in its wake was proof enough of its destructive power.
"Go to hell!"
Yagura and Isobu shouted in unison.
They were done being toyed with. This attack would end the battle.
But the outcome had already been decided.
Boom—!
A colossal figure erupted from the ground.
A Wooden Golem, towering toward the heavens.
At its crown stood Namikaze Kirito, hands clasped calmly together.
"Wood Release: Wooden Golem Jutsu."
The Wooden Golem spread its arms wide and caught the charging Three-Tails head-on, pulling the massive spiked sphere into a crushing embrace.
The spikes scraped uselessly against the golem's body, unable to inflict even the slightest damage.
At the same time, the Wooden Dragon swept back in, coiling tightly around the golem's torso, sinking its fangs into Isobu's shell again.
"GRAAA—!"
Forced out of its rolling form, the Three-Tails slammed back into its original shape. Chakra gathered rapidly in its mouth.
A Tailed Beast Bomb.
Trapped as it was, this was its only option.
But Namikaze Kirito had no intention of allowing it.
The Wooden Golem released one arm—and drew it back.
A deep black sheen spread across the wooden fist, dense and heavy, as if forged from hardened chakra itself.
Then—
Bang!
The punch landed squarely on Isobu's head.
The impact sent dust and debris exploding outward. The once-unyielding shell cracked violently, fragments scattering across the battlefield.
The Three-Tails' eyes rolled back.
Its massive body went limp.
For a moment, it lost consciousness.
But just as it began to fall—
A faint red light flickered in its pupils.
Isobu stirred, struggling to rise again.
Then it saw it.
A gigantic wooden hand descending from above.
Carved clearly into its palm was a single sealing mark.
From atop the Wooden Golem, Namikaze Kirito mirrored the motion calmly.
"Enough."
The wooden palm slammed down.
"Three-Tails," Kirito said lightly, almost mockingly,
"you're strong. So strong that you should sleep for a while."
The red light in Isobu's eyes faded.
Slowly, unwillingly, they closed.
Right before losing consciousness, resentment filled its gaze.
Bastard… you say I'm strong—then knock me out with one hand…
This was the same suppressive Wood Release technique once used by Senju Hashirama to force the Nine-Tails into slumber.
Now, it was being used again.
As Isobu fell asleep, its mountain-like body rapidly shrank, chakra dispersing until only a small, battered boy remained.
Yagura collapsed onto the ground.
Covered in scars from battle.
Namikaze Kirito landed before him—and made no move to finish him off.
Killing Yagura had never been the goal.
Leaving him alive was far more useful.
This was a favor—one meant for Kirigakure.
And for Kirito, Yagura's life or death meant nothing.
This battle had only been to prove a point.
He hadn't even used everything he had.
With Isobu fully controlled, the fight could have ended much sooner.
Now that Uchiha Obito's genjutsu had been broken, Yagura was no longer a puppet.
What happened next would be Kirigakure's responsibility.
As expected—
Not long after, Terumi Mei arrived with a group of Mist ninja.
"…Damn…"
Watching through the Water Mirror had already been shocking.
But standing here in person left them speechless.
The entire back mountain had been reshaped.
Trees within several kilometers had been obliterated.
The ground was riddled with bottomless craters.
It looked like the aftermath of the apocalypse.
Terumi Mei hurried to Kirito's side, her gaze lingering on the unconscious Yagura.
"…Is he alive?"
Kirito reached out and patted her bare shoulder twice, casual and unbothered.
"Relax. I said I'd give him back to you."
"The genjutsu is gone. No one can control him anymore."
"He's just sleeping."
Someone finally voiced the question everyone had been holding back.
"…You're an Uzumaki," a Mist ninja said carefully.
"How can you use the First Hokage's Wood Release?"
All ears perked up.
Wood Release—how could anyone not be curious?
Kirito shrugged.
"Who knows."
"Maybe I slept one night and woke up with it."
The answer was so perfunctory it left everyone stunned.
Terumi Mei rolled her eyes at him.
Even that motion carried an oddly teasing charm.
"So," she asked, changing the subject,
"what do you want us to do with him?"
"I don't really care," Kirito replied lazily.
Then he smiled.
"If you want, I can help you kill him."
"After all, he's no longer fit to be Mizukage."
"Especially since you're the one who made the deal with me."
The meaning was clear.
If Kirigakure supported Yagura again, the deal would be void.
And everyone present understood the unspoken threat.
If he can defeat your Mizukage this easily…
He can erase the next one just as casually.
Terumi Mei exhaled slowly, then shook her head.
"No."
"Even without the genjutsu, someone who was controlled like that can no longer lead a village."
"We'll discuss it internally."
"And we'll honor the deal."
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