Chapter 465: Kinshiki and Momoshiki
The black cape fluttered in the wind.
Pitch-black chakra swirled all around his body.
Shikadai looked up at Araya flying high in the sky inside his flight suit, a subtle smirk touching the corner of his lips.
While he preferred relying on his wits, it was time to test out the fruits of his training as well.
The skills he had spent all these years learning deserved a proper demonstration today.
At the same time, his opponent's mechanical suit was not something to be taken lightly.
It represented Sunagakure's cutting-edge core technology from recent years.
Because of that, Shikadai remained cautious.
"What is that?"
Up in the sky, Araya peered out from inside his mech at Shikadai below, then glanced at the diagnostic data flickering across his cockpit display.
[WARNING! WARNING! Target's chakra mode has undergone a structural shift. Suspected burst-type ninjutsu. Avoid direct high-impact engagements.]
The warning system hummed inside the mech.
Though naturally timid, Araya controlled his nerves and pressed one of the primary triggers on his console.
"Take this—Fire Style: Cannon!"
A heavy artillery barrel deployed from the mech's chest. Concentrated streams of high-density chakra were drawn straight from its core generator, gathering at the tip of the muzzle.
BOOM!
In a fraction of a second, the blast materialized right in front of Shikadai.
Standing in the distance, Moegi braced herself to deploy a defensive barrier.
However, catching sight of Shikadai's composed stance, she realized he didn't look like someone on the verge of losing at all.
Did he develop this chakra mode entirely on his own?
"Dark Howl!"
The jet-black shadow cloak draped across Shikadai's shoulders unleashed a deafening sonic roar.
The shadows whipped up like a raging tornado, slamming directly into the incoming Fire Style Cannon.
Without missing a beat, Shikadai wove another set of hand seals.
"Shadow Domain!"
As the two fierce, high-powered attacks clashed and neutralized each other in midair, the shadow beneath Shikadai's feet suddenly expanded at a terrifying speed.
As if stretched wide by an invisible giant hand, the shadow surged rapidly across the entire arena floor.
In the blink of an eye, the jet-black shadow turned into a colossal, ink-dark disc firmly stamped across the earth.
Then, an astonishing scene unfolded—the black shadow began rising slowly off the ground as if endowed with a life of its own, condensing into an impenetrable black barrier.
The barrier reared up like a massive fortress wall, completely isolating Shikadai and Araya inside a fully enclosed, pitch-black domain where one couldn't even see their own hand.
"Haha! As expected of my son! To think he developed such a powerful ninjutsu—go get 'em, son!"
Up in the stands, Temari cheered at the top of her lungs.
Shikamaru slapped a hand over his face.
Yet a proud, satisfied smile rested on his lips.
Shikadai possessed far more than just brilliant tactical intellect—his innate talent for ninjutsu was exceptional as well.
To pull off a move like this so early on was truly impressive.
This technique was something father and son had developed together specifically to compensate for their physical shortcomings.
In battle, intellect alone wasn't always enough if one lacked absolute power.
Especially after Konoha's technological breakthroughs, the overall combat strength of shinobi across the board had grown by leaps and bounds.
High-level, powerful jutsu that were once exceedingly rare had now become widely accessible and refined to a whole new level.
Down inside the dark domain—BANG! BANG!
No one could see what was transpiring within the darkness, but the moment the black domain dissolved, Shikadai's opponent, Araya, lay collapsed flat on the ground.
Shikadai himself looked completely exhausted, leaning over to catch his breath.
Clearly, maintaining that technique had placed a massive drain on his reserves.
"Winner: Shikadai Nara!"
APPLAUSE!
Thunderous applause erupted from every corner of the stands.
A ninjutsu like that was a rare spectacle even in cinematic movies.
It was truly an extraordinary performance.
"Next match: Boruto Uzumaki vs. Shinki!"
Two more figures stepped onto the stage.
Up in the VIP viewing section, Naruto and the other Kage began chatting as they watched.
Chojuro looked down at Boruto and smiled. "So that's your son? He certainly looks formidable!"
Gaara added, "Indeed. Purely from a sensory standpoint, his energy is exceptionally sharp. He must have put in immense effort."
He wasn't surprised in the slightest that Sunagakure's candidate was facing a tough match against Konoha.
He knew better than anyone how rapidly Konoha had been evolving in recent years.
Even though the other villages shared access to the Taijutsu Training System, the gap remained substantial.
Naruto chuckled softly. "He's alright. At least he isn't making me look bad."
Lately, Boruto had taken Sasuke as his master, training diligently under his personal guidance.
His progress was remarkably swift.
Combined with his solid foundation from the Academy, Boruto had grown into what could truly be called a flawless shinobi.
BOOM!
In the blink of an eye, the fight below kicked off!
Boruto made his move first.
Using Body Flicker, he materialized in front of Shinki like a ghost, twirling a kunai with flashy flair as he thrust it straight toward his opponent.
BANG!
However, Shinki was equally quick to react, raising a dense shield of Iron Sand to block the strike.
"A trick like this won't work on—" Shinki began to speak.
Before he could finish, a smirk curled up Boruto's lips. "Shh... Don't boast just yet. Chidori Current!"
CRACKLE! CRACKLE!
Surging directly through the Iron Sand defense, the electrical current struck Shinki squarely on the chest.
Lightning energy raged across his body.
Shinki's expression turned to shock, and he quickly swapped his body out using a Substitution Jutsu, leaving behind a clump of Iron Sand.
"Fast speed... but still not fast enough!"
Before Shinki could catch his breath, Boruto materialized behind him once again, a massive orb of swirling chakra condensing in his palm. "Giant Rasengan!"
BOOM!
Blown backward through the air, Shinki was defeated in an instant.
Yes—it was just that effortless.
Boruto shook his hand lightheartedly, looking up toward his father in the stands with a confident grin. "Hmph! With my current strength, only Mitsuki can barely keep up with me. Everyone else isn't even close!"
The crowd in the stands fell deathly silent.
To think he defeated such a high-profile competitor with effortless ease...
Shinki was one of Sunagakure's star contenders, after all.
"Winner: Boruto Uzumaki!"
Moegi called out the verdict once again, staring at Boruto with sheer disbelief.
No wonder Konohamaru kept saying that being a teacher was tough nowadays—it really was no joke!
To master the Giant Rasengan to such a degree, on top of seamlessly deploying Sasuke's Chidori Current...
He truly deserved the title of Konoha's ultimate prodigy.
Just as Boruto proudly turned to leave the stage, a dazzling meteor shot across the sky, hurtling directly toward the fighting arena.
Every sensor-type shinobi present turned pale, their gazes snapping instantly toward the trajectory of the incoming object.
"Everyone stay sharp! Enemy attack!"
A massive barrier flared into existence just as two terrifying figures materialized in the air above the arena.
One of them wielded a giant battleaxe. Seeing the barrier, he swung his axe downward with brutal force.
CRACK!
The sound of shattering glass echoed through the air.
The audience in the stands was swiftly evacuated by nearby shinobi on standby.
The remaining elite shinobi kept their eyes locked on the intruders.
Momoshiki Otsutsuki, accompanied by Kinshiki, descended onto the center of the arena, looking down at the people below.
Finally, Momoshiki locked his gaze onto Naruto, who had stepped in front of Boruto to shield him.
Naruto demanded, "Who are you?"
"The divine tree's offshoot resides within you."
Momoshiki ignored the question entirely, his eyes fixed on Naruto.
BOOM!
Before he could even initiate an attack, a massive boot came crashing down onto Kinshiki from out of nowhere. Even though Kinshiki reacted instantly, deploying his ability to form a glowing red shield that absorbed part of the impact, he was still sent flying into the distance by the raw force of the kick.
Before Kinshiki could even regain his footing, Chojuro materialized directly behind him, swinging his twin blades in a seamless, fluid arc.
BANG!
Knocked flying a second time, Kinshiki spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Decent power... but merely decent."
Chojuro flashed a calm smile.
Had he not undergone rigorous training within the Taijutsu Training System, any one of them might have looked outmatched on paper. But now, relying on raw taijutsu alone, he felt more than capable of going toe-to-toe with these beings.
And he wasn't fighting alone.
"Curse it... What kind of power is this?!" Kinshiki's face twisted in shock.
They had only just gathered preliminary intelligence on Konoha before launching their assault. They never imagined the opposition would be this formidable.
That sheer physical force just now was barely inferior to an Otsutsuki's native strength.
"Where are you looking, big guy? You're from the Otsutsuki Clan, aren't you?"
Kakashi materialized directly behind him, Purple Electricity crackling around his hand.
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