Lava Release—Chakra Mode!
When he was instantly countered by Kitsuchi and the others, Qianyu was stunned for a split second. He quickly recovered, playing along and waiting for the Iwa-nin to close in.
"Not good! Evade!"
An Iwa-nin sensed something was wrong. His eyes bulged with fury as he roared the warning. It was too late.
Whoosh!
A layer of scorching magma armor erupted from Qianyu's body. The incoming clay instantly melted like spring snow. Qianyu himself plummeted like a burning meteor straight into the midst of the Iwa-nin.
Magma Fist: Great Eruption!
After a brief pause, torrents of searing lava erupted from Qianyu, the epicenter, spraying violently in all directions. The terrifying heat warped the very air.
"Gyaaaaaaah!"
Two Iwa-nin failed to dodge. They were cremated on the spot by the blistering magma, their very bones vaporized. The agonized screams came from several others who were splashed—their wails more soul-wrenching than a banshee's cry.
"Bastard! I'll kill you!"
His comrades fell one after another. Kitsuchi's eyes burned crimson. He never imagined his own earlier threat would boomerang back on him.
Qianyu was too strong. A tiger among sheep. The Iwa-nin who had tried to surround and kill him had become the prey. Kitsuchi had to restrain him!
Shadow Possession Jutsu!
But just as an enraged Kitsuchi charged at Qianyu, his entire body froze as if someone had hit pause. He was stuck mid-sprint, completely immobilized.
"Nani?!"
Kitsuchi strained to look down. A slender, dark line extended from the ground nearby, latching onto his… shadow?
"Qianyu! We've got your back! Human Boulder Jutsu!"
A booming voice rang out. A giant, fleshy ball rolled forward like a wheel, plowing through several Iwa-nin before slamming headlong into the immobilized Kitsuchi. BAM! Kitsuchi was sent flying.
Mind Body Disturbance Jutsu!
Two Iwa-nin were about to form hand seals for ninjutsu. Suddenly, their hands stopped of their own accord. They drew kunai instead and, under each other's horrified gazes, stabbed at one another.
"Whoa! So this is the power of the Ino-Shika-Chō combo? Way more impressive than the anime!"
Qianyu's eyes lit up, impressed by the slick team play of the arriving trio.
"When we get back, maybe Nawaki, Minato, and I should come up with a combo move… Hmm. Minato and I can handle the slaughter. Nawaki can just be the cheerleader."
Qianyu thought hard but couldn't pinpoint what Nawaki would actually contribute. If he had to say, it was just to make it a team of three.
Lava Release: Crimson Dog Fang!
His mind might have been wandering, but Qianyu's hands were anything but slow. He seized the moment Kitsuchi was sent flying and ruthlessly cleared the battlefield of Rock ninja.
Don't be fooled by their earlier combined ninjutsu that had blocked a super wind slash even Kakuzu and Hiruko couldn't stop. Once Qianyu got in close, they were just a bunch of burly men with the strength of a wet noodle.
Combination jutsu? Multiple Explosion Releases? By the time they finished their hand seals, Qianyu could have killed them three times over.
In the blink of an eye, half the Iwa-nin present were gone.
Earth Release: Fist Rock!
Just as Qianyu turned toward the remaining half, Kitsuchi erupted from the ground. His arm was sheathed in a thick layer of rock as he drove a ferocious fist straight for Qianyu's heart.
BOOM!
Qianyu didn't dare be careless against this punch. He swiftly crossed his arms to block. A dull thud echoed. He was forced back three or four meters, a look of surprise flashing across his face.
This guy's brute strength is on par with Han's. No wonder he could send a Tailed Beast-transformed Kinkaku flying with one punch.
Qianyu's gaze toward Kitsuchi grew serious. That last punch had nearly broken through his defense. Frightening.
Swoosh!
Kitsuchi roared and charged again. Qianyu lightly tapped the ground with his toes, using a shadow step to sidestep the attack while quickly assessing the battlefield.
The Iwa's numbers were halved. Shikaku and the others were holding their own. No need to worry for now.
"Perfect. I'll use this Kitsuchi to test my latest enhancement. Let's see if my body can handle the strain of the Seventh Gate."
A look of eager anticipation spread across Qianyu's face. The chakra within him churned wildly, crashing against one gate after another.
"Eight Gates… Open!"
With a low shout, Qianyu shattered seven gates in one go. Blue steam began billowing from his entire body, making him look like Super Saiyan Blue.
Thud.
Kitsuchi pivoted and launched another rock-crusted punch. Qianyu didn't dodge. He raised a hand to meet it. To Kitsuchi's disbelief, he caught the massive fist with casual ease.
No matter how much force Kitsuchi poured into it, the fist couldn't advance another millimeter.
"Seriously? You're weak."
Qianyu gauged the power in Kitsuchi's fist and delivered his disappointed verdict.
"You bastard! You're dead!"
Kitsuchi was both shocked and furious. Known as the Iron Wrist that Shakes the Earth, a single punch from him could shatter mountains. Even the missing Han couldn't have caught his fist so effortlessly.
Yet this Qianyu, who clearly wasn't his match moments ago, had used some secret technique to instantly gain enough power to suppress him.
"You're just burning your life force! I refuse to believe you can keep this up for long! Earth Release: Added-Weight Rock Technique!"
Kitsuchi saw through the nature of the Eight Gates. Slightly reassured, he pulled back, using the jutsu to drastically increase the weight of his fists before throwing another devastating punch at Qianyu.
CLANG!
Qianyu met fist with fist. Their collision produced a clang, like iron striking stone.
They both took a step back. Then, roaring, they charged at each other again. No fancy techniques. Just raw, brutal force. Punch for punch, kick for kick. Two brawling barbarians. The Raikage would have nodded in approval.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Once Kitsuchi used the Added-Weight Technique, Qianyu could no longer overpower him. On the surface, they seemed evenly matched, trading blow for blow.
Damn it! Even the Added-Weight Technique can't hurt him?
From the intense collisions, Kitsuchi's arms were already going numb. He was used to crushing enemies with overwhelming strength. This was his first time on the back foot, and he didn't know how to handle it.
Just hold on a little longer! A secret technique with such a terrifying boost can't possibly last!
Kitsuchi gritted his teeth. The Added-Weight Technique was draining him significantly, too. If he released it, he'd never withstand the force of Qianyu's impacts. His body would probably fall apart.
Kitsuchi could only gamble. Gamble that Qianyu would be the first to break.
Heh. Looks like the enhancement paid off!
Compared to Kitsuchi's struggle, Qianyu was downright relaxed. He even flashed a mysterious smile now and then.
My chakra pathways feel a bit swollen, but I've maintained the Seventh Gate for this long without feeling anywhere near my limit. I could probably keep this up for another half hour, easy.
Using Kitsuchi as a benchmark, Qianyu finally grasped the sheer power of the Eight Gates.
Kitsuchi, using the Added-Weight Technique, was definitely top three in the ninja world for pure strength. And Qianyu, with the Gate of Shock open… actually surpassed him.
If his body could ever handle the strain of the Eighth Gate… he'd soar straight to the heavens! One punch per Akatsuki buddy!
"Speaking of which, if my body can handle the aftermath too, maybe in the future I could combine Multi-Size Technique with the Eight Gates for a charge…"
Even in the heat of battle, Qianyu's train of thought derailed as he seriously pondered new "battle strategies."
"Hmph. Pakura, next time we meet, I'll show you what a real Dragon Rush feels like!" Qianyu thought with malicious glee.
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