Chapter 345: Lightning Release Armor: Thunder God Mode
The ferocious, jagged armor pulsing with blue electricity made the giant look like a thunder god descended to earth.
Even Killer B, fully transformed into the Eight-Tails, felt a lethal threat emanating from him.
"You bastard! Amazing strength, yo!" Although Gyuki shouted as if admiring the giant, his actions were anything but friendly.
His massive tails, dozens of meters long, swept across the battlefield with unparalleled force. The dust kicked up by their movement alone covered the entire rocky platform.
"A petty trick."
The giant's disdainful snort had just reached B's ears when a tremendous force slammed into Gyuki's jaw from below, knocking his colossal body several meters into the air.
In an impossibly short amount of time, the giant had not only punched through the sweeping tails but also rushed in front of the Eight-Tails, launching an uppercut into its chin before it could even react.
Although the damage wasn't significant, Killer B's heart sank.
The enemy had displayed the purest form of speed and power. That straightforward punch and tackle gave B the illusion of facing the Third Raikage... perhaps even slightly stronger.
Of course, after seeing the astonishing transformation of the Lightning Release Armor, B was somewhat mentally prepared. He wanted to know the enemy's origins, but it seemed the giant wouldn't talk unless thoroughly beaten.
"Stand back!" B shouted, ordering the arriving Cloud ninja to retreat. Once his subordinates were at a safe distance, he launched another attack.
Despite his size, the Eight-Tails possessed surprising agility. Having sparred frequently with his brother and the Third Raikage, B knew exactly how to deal with this type of opponent.
Closing the distance, B threw a punch while simultaneously using his eight tails to seal off all possible escape routes, forcing the giant into a head-on collision.
Even if B's raw strength was inferior, in his Tailed Beast form, he feared no enemy who dared to confront him directly.
"Good!" With a savage grin, the electricity surrounding the Thunder God Armor surged. Finally unleashing his full power, the giant's eyes were completely engulfed in blue light.
"Strong Body: Thunder God Dance!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The unadorned clash of blows created a series of explosive sounds. True to his appearance as a thunder god, the giant beat back the massive Eight-Tails step by step, punch by punch.
Enraged by the pain, Gyuki ignored B's warnings. He gathered Tailed Beast chakra in his mouth, compressing it until it formed a pitch-black sphere of infinite destruction.
The Tailed Beast Bomb—the ultimate weapon of every Tailed Beast, capable of rending heaven and earth.
Swallowing the bomb, Gyuki stared darkly at the giant. Unfortunately, he saw no fear on the man's face.
"In that case... die!!!"
As Gyuki opened his mouth again, the world fell silent for a moment before a terrifying shockwave blasted toward the enemy.
Bam!
Stomping both feet to anchor himself, the giant extended his hands toward the incoming blast. Incredibly, he intended to catch the Tailed Beast Bomb head-on.
"He's crazy... he must be crazy..." Samui, who was in charge of guarding Killer B, whispered in awe.
Even the Third Raikage wouldn't choose to tank a Tailed Beast Bomb directly. This act showcased the enemy's audacity and overwhelming confidence.
"Captain Samui, stop staring! We need to take cover!" A Cloud ninja nudged her.
"Oh, right." Snapping back to reality, Samui quickly led her squad off the platform to find shelter from the impending shockwave.
Just as they left, a deafening explosion erupted. The massive rocky platform was instantly pulverized by the Tailed Beast Bomb.
A long while later, the smoke cleared. When Samui and the others returned to the battlefield, they found Killer B lying on the ground and the giant standing tall, charred black but still imposing.
"Damn it." Samui stared in disbelief. After a moment's hesitation, she decided to lead her team to rescue B, prepared for a fight to the death.
Surprisingly, the enemy made no move to stop them, allowing them to reach B easily.
"He's fine. I held back," the giant said to the glaring ninja.
True to his word, Killer B slowly stood up a moment later. Waving off Samui's concern, he saw the enemy had no intention of continuing the fight. After a moment of thought, he asked, "Can you tell us who you are now? Where did you learn the Lightning Release Armor?"
"Learn?" The giant sneered disdainfully, then said proudly, "This is a secret technique A and I created together. Why would I need to learn it from anyone?"
"Created together?" The group was stunned. Samui recovered first and asked hesitantly, "Then you are...?"
"My name is Watanabe," the giant replied.
Watanabe then explained his origins and the Ninshu's purpose to Killer B.
He was the close friend of the First Raikage, "A," and co-creator of the Lightning Release Armor. However, he had not stayed in the Land of Lightning.
Watanabe had originally planned to find A's descendants and carry out the Ninshu's orders. But the news of Cloud's elites being defeated one by one by Uchiha Kyosuke had infuriated him. Before revealing his identity, he decided to test the current Raikage's mettle.
The result was acceptable. Although Killer B didn't practice the Lightning Release Armor, his mastery over the Tailed Beast's power earned Watanabe's approval.
Of course, no one dared ask what the temperamental giant would have done if B's performance had been disappointing.
As for the Ninshu Decree, B accepted it after a brief hesitation. Desperate to save his brother, he couldn't refuse such an offer.
Moreover, with such a powerhouse joining them, along with the aid of other villages, the Cloud ninja believed Konoha stood no chance of victory.
"Brother... I'm coming to save you," Killer B muttered to himself.