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Mei Terumī stepped out from the line of Kage, her crimson lips parting.
"Obito Uchiha," she began, her voice laced with cold fury. "The man who puppeteered the Mizukage, who birthed the Bloody Mist… You dare stand before us? Then you should dare show your face. Take off that mask. Let's see if an Uchiha has the spine to match his infamy."
Under her intense gaze, Sasuke slowly raised a hand. Not to remove the mask. He formed the Horse seal at his chest.
—Fire Style: Great Flame Technique!
BOOM!
Fire erupted. It spread left and right, a hundred-meter-wide curtain of flames, a rolling tsunami of heat that swallowed the space between them.
This level of Fire Style…!
Every Kage, every guard, every samurai present felt a jolt of disbelief.
—Water Style: Water Pillar!
Whoosh! Unfazed, Mei's hands moved. Chakra surged in her throat. A monumental torrent of water exploded from her mouth, crashing down like a meteor.
CRASH! The tidal wave of fire was extinguished in an instant.
The flow from Mei's mouth didn't stop. The new water merged with the flood already present, building into a rising deluge. Then, her seals changed.
—Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!
ROOOOOAR!
The raging water twisted, coiled, and shot skyward as a furious, roaring dragon!
"!"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed behind the mask. His skeletal Susanoo braced, feet grinding into the floor. It didn't matter. The ascending dragon smashed into him, hurling the purple construct—and him with it—crashing against the ceiling.
Chōjūrō's eyes went wide. "As expected of the Mizukage-sama! Uchiha Obito is completely outmatched!"
Ao's Byakugan pierced the dispersing spray. Through the water, he saw it—the Susanoo's ribcage, the tendons of muscle wrapping around its frame, and a massive bone-bow, drawn taut.
He yelled, "Danger! Mizukage-sama, he's preparing a sneak attack—!"
THWOOOOOM!
The colossal arrow tore through the water!
Mei was already moving as Ao's warning left his lips.
—Water Style: Water Wall!
Sploosh! A thick, defensive wall of water surged up before her. The arrow punched through, slowed but not stopped. Using that split-second buffer, Mei flashed to the side. The projectile screamed past, missing her by inches.
Her gaze turned fierce.
—Lava Style: Melting Apparition Jutsu!
Her auburn hair whipped back. A shocking wave of corrosive, bubbling acid cascaded down.
Sssssssss—!
The Susanoo's new muscle layer hissed and dissolved under the assault, revealing the skeletal frame beneath. It was effective, damaging the construct… but it couldn't touch the figure inside.
Mei's expression grew heavy. "I see… One-on-one, I am not his match."
"Hmph! This is pathetic to watch!"
CRACKLE! The Raikage shot forward, a living bolt of Lightning Style chakra. His speed was monstrous. He appeared before the Susanoo and drove his fist forward.
CRACK!
A fissure splintered across the Susanoo's rib bone.
Just a fissure.
"RAAAAAGH! Nothing is absolute before my fist! BREAK!"
The Raikage stomped, cracking the floor. Lightning flared around his knuckles. The crack in the bone widened.
His destructive power is manageable, Sasuke thought. It's his speed that's the real problem. Perfect chance to test this.
Gloop… gloop gloop…
The cracked section of the Susanoo's rib softened, turning gelatinous. The Raikage's fist sank deeper into it.
"Did I smash it…!?"
Before his triumph could solidify, purple, tendril-like appendages sprouted from the bone and wrapped around the Raikage's arm!
—Susanoo: Earth Grudge Binding!
"Damn it!"
The Raikage realized the trap. He tried to wrench his arm free with all his might. Too late. Two skeletal hands of the Susanoo shot out and clamped around him.
ZAP!
Lightning chakra traveled from Sasuke's right hand, up the Susanoo's arms. Crackling with stolen power, the purple giant hoisted the Raikage overhead.
Darui gasped. "Hey, hey… that move! Is that the Boss's 'Liger Bomb'?!"
Sasuke muttered, "Raikage. Your turn to lie on the ground."
—Uchiha Powerbomb!
BOOOOOOM!!!
The moment the Raikage hit the floor, the entire chamber shook. A storm of wild lightning erupted from the impact point, scorching the surroundings.
"Guh—AAAAH!"
Even protected by his Lightning Armor, the concussive force rattled his organs. Blood sprayed from his mouth.
Fwoosh. The Susanoo vanished. Sasuke looked down at the Raikage struggling to rise from the crater. White Chidori sparked to life in his palm, poised for a finishing strike.
"Save the Boss!"
Darui erupted into motion. As he charged, he thrust his palms forward, unleashing a roaring panther of black lightning.
—Lightning Style: Black Panther!
Sasuke spared it a glance. A flick of his wrist sent the white Chidori slashing out, bisecting the black energy beast.
Swish!
At that moment, a wave of sand wrapped around the Raikage's body, yanking him back to safety.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched the edge of Sasuke's lips beneath the mask. He didn't try to stop it.
Darui: "Kazekage! Thanks!"
Raikage (coughing): "Damn it all…"
Gaara: "Hokage. Please treat the Raikage's injuries."
Behind him, Kankurō stared at the masked figure's familiar build.
"Doesn't his frame look… familiar?"
Temari nodded. "So it's not just me."
Gaara stepped forward, his calm eyes locking onto his opponent. "Friend," he said, his voice layered with meaning. "I've wanted to thank you. It's just… this occasion is rather awkward for it."
A low, youthful voice, slightly distorted by the mask, answered. "If you truly want to thank me… attack me with everything you have."
Kankurō jolted. "That voice…!"
Temari's eyes widened. "Gaara! He's… he's…!"
Gaara cut them off. "Enough!"
Whoooosh! A sand waterfall erupted from the gourd on his back.
"He wears a mask. That means he hides his true heart. All we can do… is play our part!"
—Sand Shower: Rapid Fire!
The sand scattered into the air, condensing into countless bullet-like pellets that shot forward in a relentless barrage.
Sasuke's smile returned. The skeletal Susanoo rose once more.
RUMBLE—!!
The impact kicked up a dense cloud of dust and debris, obscuring the fight.
From the sidelines, the Raikage growled, "Hokage! Hurry up and heal me! I need to get back out there and deal with Uchiha Obito!"
"..." Tsunade worked her medical ninjutsu in silence, her focus on the healing.
It was then that Ōnoki, the Tsuchikage, spoke, his ancient eyes sharp. "If Uchiha Obito were still alive… he'd be a grown man by now."
Tsunade didn't look away from her work. "What's your point?"
Ōnoki's voice dropped. "Given that age… only one Uchiha survivor comes to mind. Yet, from the very start, you've said nothing. Protecting your own village's missing-nin has its limits."
Tsunade remained silent.
Ōnoki sighed. "Fine. It's not a glorious story. I can understand wanting to hide the shame. But since he's openly attacked the Five Kage Summit, I trust you have no objections if this old man cleans up Konoha's mess? Don't worry. My jutsu will reduce him to molecules in one shot. Whether he's Obito or not… he'll be dead, and the evidence gone with him."
Tsunade's voice was heavy. "Glory. Shame. The older you get, the more you spout hollow words."
"Heh. Think what you will. The larger reality remains unchanged. A few idealists like you and the Kazekage brat won't shift a thing."
Fwoop. With that, Ōnoki's small body floated into the air. He drifted to a vantage point.
Zzzzt. A transparent cube of light began to form between his hands.
"Uchiha Sasuke. The way you flaunt that Susanoo… it's just like Madara back then. Whatever your purpose is for appearing here today… you will die here."
He aimed the glowing cube at the Susanoo's form, now visible through the settling dust.
—Particle Style: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu!
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