The pale monster did not even look at them and instead turned its gaze toward the fog hiding the remaining Ninja. Unable to see their exact positions, its huge bone hammers shifted again.
Crack. Crack crack.
The arms extended wildly, turning into massive barbed bone whips that swept outward with shrill screams through the air. Several hidden Kirigakure Ninja were torn apart before they could react, their bodies shredded like paper.
Cries and shouts echoed in the fog, then merged into coordinated roars as techniques were unleashed. Water pillars, dragons, and crashing spheres surged together from all directions.
The pale monster roared and slammed its arms down, thick layers of bone growing and stacking into a massive wall in front of it. The flood of Water Release struck with thunderous force, but when the water receded the bone wall remained intact, and the monster had not moved an inch.
In that instant of lost vision, two figures used Shunshin to appear beside it and slapped its body before trying to pull away. Massive hands closed over their faces, and their heads burst apart in a spray of blood.
A faint hiss followed as bright flashes ignited at the monster's waist. Explosions detonated at point blank range, forcing its planted feet back several steps as shattered bone fell away.
More figures rushed out, but the Bone Spear that pierced them passed through water, revealing them as clones. From the blind spot behind, an elite ANBU Jonin of Kirigakure struck, forming a sharp water blade in his hand.
The blade cut into a cracked section of bone, carving through inch by inch with showers of sparks. A hand suddenly clamped down on the blade, raw strength stopping it cold.
Heavy breath hit the Jonin's face as he looked up into blood red eyes filled with killing intent. He hurled an Explosive Tag Kunai toward the monster's eye, the only possible weak point.
The monster caught the Kunai and crushed it before the explosion went off. When the smoke cleared, its hand had turned into a bone blade that pierced straight through the Jonin's chest, ending him instantly.
There was no doubt the monster was strong, but as Black Zetsu had said, it had not mastered its power and fought only on instinct. A short figure appeared silently before it, holding a hooked staff, a tail extending behind him.
Sensing Isobu within Yagura, the monster roared and smashed down again. Yagura raised his right hand calmly.
"Water Release·Water Mirror Technique!"
A mirror like sheet of water formed and reflected the falling hammer, rebounding the force back along the arm. The monster staggered back, and Yagura followed closely and struck.
The bone armor softened and dissolved where he hit, coral-like growth spreading rapidly and locking the monster's movements. In pain, it gathered compressed dark red energy in its mouth.
Yagura stopped, and an overwhelming surge of Chakra erupted from his body. Red energy engulfed him and reshaped in an instant.
The Three Tails, Isobu, appeared in full tailed beast form, roaring louder than the pale monster. Its single eye fixed on the enemy as beams of energy collided, tearing through Kirigakure and shattering the ground.
The pale monster was blasted into distant ruins, but Isobu slammed it down and pinned it as coral spread further. The newly born 'Great Hollow' stood no chance against a fully transformed Jinchuriki.
From the mist, Yagura ordered the Sealing Technique team to seal the monster, easing the fear of the survivors. At the same time, Obito Uchiha and Zetsu watched coldly from a distant building.
Just as Obito Uchiha felt relief, Zetsu sensed something and looked skyward in alarm. A figure fell like a meteor, the air screaming as it descended.
The impact shattered the ground, forming a massive crater and killing nearby Kirigakure Ninja instantly. Isobu itself was driven into the earth, its armored back cracking under the weight.
A slender figure stood atop the broken shell, red hair whipping violently. 'Uzumaki' glanced toward the ruined 'Great Hollow' and judged it barely sufficient.
Black rune-covered chains wrapped around her arms as she gathered power, then she drove her fist down. The blow landed squarely on Isobu's back.
Time seemed to stop, then ripples burst outward and the shell cracked across its entire surface. Isobu screamed as tailed beast chakra erupted and scattered, the beast dissolving into chaos.
Yagura fell from the dispersing energy, unconscious and barely breathing. To the survivors, it looked as if their mighty Fourth Mizukage had been destroyed by a single punch.
One punch. Only one punch.
'Uzumaki' placed her foot on Yagura's head, then released him with a sigh when no one intervened. She seized both Yagura and the bound 'Great Hollow' with chains and stripped the Sharingan Dojutsu Power from his mind.
With a gesture, she tore open a black passage to the Void Realm and dragged the 'Great Hollow' inside. Darkness swallowed them, leaving only stunned survivors and the awakening Yagura behind.
Silence fell over the ruins. The heavy air pressed down on the surviving Kirigakure Ninja, making it hard to breathe. Their dull eyes stared at the wreckage, the collapsed Mizukage Building, the huge crater, the cracked ground, drifting smoke, and bodies soaked in blood. And there was also the Fourth Mizukage, whose fate was still unknown.
Everything that had just happened felt unreal, like a broken nightmare. That red haired monster was still burned into their minds, along with the destruction it left behind. No one spoke, and no one dared to move.
"Cough, cough…"
A weak and painful coughing sound broke the silence. The sound came from Yagura Karatachi.
"Lord Mizukage!"
The closest one, Ao, finally snapped out of it. His pale face regained a bit of color as he rushed over and helped Yagura Karatachi sit up.
The eyes of Yagura Karatachi, once empty, were now filled with deep fear and pain. His breathing was uneven, and his hands shook.
"No… no… what have I done?!"
A hoarse and broken sound came from his throat as he grabbed his own hair with both hands. His body trembled violently from pain and collapse.
He remembered everything. He remembered it all.
He remembered every act committed while he was controlled by that person's Genjutsu. He had personally signed bloody orders, personally created the horror of the "Bloody Mist Village", and turned Kirigakure into a place of mutual slaughter where countless young lives were lost.
He had ordered the large scale purge of the Kekkei Genkai Clans. He had even ignored casualties after full tailed beast transformation.
"Ahhh! Obito Uchiha!!"
A scream that no longer sounded human burst from Yagura Karatachi's mouth. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at the Kirigakure Ninja around him and spoke through clenched teeth.
"A bounty. Put a bounty on Obito Uchiha. I want him dead!"
"What?"
As a Kirigakure Jonin, Ao froze for a moment. He quickly connected it to the earlier abnormalities, and his pupils shrank.
"Release Genji from prison," Yagura Karatachi said in a hoarse voice. "I was controlled by that damned Obito Uchiha with Genjutsu."
"I am a sinner. I have failed Kirigakure. I will step down as Mizukage, and until a suitable successor is found, Elder Genji will manage the village."
The surrounding Kirigakure Ninja were left speechless. None of them had imagined that their Fourth Mizukage had been controlled by Genjutsu all these years.
At that moment, space twisted at the outskirts of Kirigakure. A grim faced Obito Uchiha appeared.
"Xu! Again!" he growled through clenched teeth. "Again!"