Seeing Fugaku's Great Fire Dragon Technique fly toward Han, Hyūga Hizashi immediately followed suit. He leapt up, twisted midair, and thrust out his right palm, shouting:
"Eight Trigrams: Vacuum Palm!"
A sharp chakra shockwave shot forward!
The palm wind entwined with the fire release in midair.
Wind fed the flames—
Fire borrowed the might of the wind!
The inferno roared and surged, smashing straight toward Han.
Han stared at the enhanced Great Fire Dragon Technique without the slightest change in expression. He stomped his right foot heavily into the ground, steam erupting from his body as he clenched his fist!
In the next instant, steam condensed into thick white mist. Han leapt skyward like a giant god, punching straight into the blazing torrent.
At the moment of impact, steam burst from his elbow like a jet thruster!
When fist and flames collided, space itself seemed to freeze.
A violent shockwave exploded outward as steam and fire detonated together. The ground cracked open, rubble flying everywhere.
Han's punch did not slow in the slightest. He tore straight through the firestorm, his fist wrapped in scalding steam, bearing down on Hizashi's face!
Hizashi's pupils shrank. He retreated rapidly, flinging several kunai from his sleeve—but they melted instantly in the surging heat.
Han's steam-shrouded fist was already in front of him.
Hizashi gritted his teeth. Left with no choice, he decided to gamble everything!
He thrust out his right palm, aiming to strike Han's chest and seal his chakra points with Gentle Fist!
But before he could even touch Han's body, the intense steam heat scorched his palm, the flesh blistering and collapsing instantly!
The pain made Hizashi's heart jolt—but he didn't stop.
This was his only chance.
Enduring the agony, he twisted his body and shouted:
"Rotation!"
A hemispherical shell of spinning chakra enveloped him, rotating at extreme speed!
Han didn't dodge at all.
His steam-powered fist slammed directly into the rotating chakra sphere, producing a shrill grinding screech!
"Hmph—!"
Han snorted. Steam burst again from his elbow like a booster, forcibly driving his fist through the Rotation and smashing it into Hizashi's chest!
Hizashi spat out a mouthful of blood and was blasted backward!
Han leapt forward, preparing to finish him—
But suddenly, steel wire wrapped tightly around Hizashi's body!
In the next instant, the wire snapped taut, yanking Hizashi away!
It was Fugaku!
Fugaku caught Hizashi, gripping his belt with one hand, and sprinted madly toward the edge of the camp.
Han prepared to pursue, but at that moment, an Iwagakure ninja rushed over and said respectfully:
"Lord Han! The enemy is retreating! Please wipe them out in one sweep!"
Han glanced briefly at the Iwa ninja, then at the Konoha forces fleeing into the forest. He frowned slightly—then nodded.
The next second, Han leapt into the air.
An enormous amount of steam erupted from his body, engulfing him completely. The steam surged like a raging tide, forming the outline of a massive beast—then solidifying!
Five-Tails, Kokuō!
The five massive tails swayed behind him.
Kokuō spoke in a deep voice:
"Han, why did you summon me?"
Moments later, Kokuō looked toward the forest.
"I see."
Kokuō opened his mouth. Purple and crimson chakra spheres rapidly condensed, merging into a gigantic black-violet orb.
Tailed Beast Bomb!
The Tailed Beast Bomb slowly rotated as it compressed catastrophic energy. The ground trembled, the air warped violently.
Fugaku and Hizashi felt the overwhelming chakra behind them. Even the retreating Uchiha and Hyūga ninja stopped and turned to look.
Finished.
That single word echoed in everyone's mind.
There was no escaping an attack of this magnitude—no matter how far they ran.
This wasn't ninjutsu.
It was pure, colossal chakra.
[So it's come to this…] Fugaku's heart sank.
He didn't even know if Susanoo, awakened through the Mangekyō Sharingan, could block such an attack—if he could even awaken it in time.
After all, only Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha had ever truly fought tailed beasts.
And history never recorded how they subdued them.
At that moment, Kokuō fired the Tailed Beast Bomb.
It tore across the sky, space seeming to rip apart in its wake. The earth collapsed layer by layer, everything in its path reduced to dust.
Fugaku clenched his teeth, his right hand unconsciously reaching toward his left eye.
[I have no choice. My clan is behind me—I must stop it!]
Just as the three tomoe in Fugaku's eyes began to shift—
A voice thundered across the battlefield:
"Seventh Gate—Gate of Shock—OPEN!
Flame Breathing: Ultimate Art, Ninth Form — Purgatory!
Thunder Breathing: Seventh Form —God of Fire Thunder!"
Everyone instinctively looked toward the sound.
In the sky, a tiny figure shot straight toward the Tailed Beast Bomb!
It was Wen Lan!
Their support position was nearly two kilometers away from the front line, yet Kokuō's massive body and the Tailed Beast Bomb's power were visible even from that distance!
It was Akimichi Chōza, using Partial Expansion, who had enlarged his palm and hurled Wen Lan forward with all his strength!
At this moment—
Iwagakure ninja.
Uchiha and Hyūga ninja.
And the Konoha reinforcements behind them.
All stared at that small figure.
As three explosive roars rang out.
Blue steam engulfed Wen Lan's entire body!
Then—
Like a detonation straight out of a manga panel, blazing orange-red flames erupted violently, instantly engulfing a hundred-meter radius. Scorching heat waves expanded in rings, the air screaming and twisting.
Finally, arcs of blue lightning wrapped around the flames—dense electric currents crackling and snapping as sparks flew in every direction.
The small figure burst forth from the interwoven fire and thunder, like a god descending.
As he charged forward—
Flames transformed into a ferocious fire dragon.
Lightning writhed like raging serpents.
The two fused together into a devastating golden, flame-wreathed thunder dragon, hurtling straight toward the descending Tailed Beast Bomb!
"BREAK FOR ME!"
A young, furious shout shook the heavens.
The golden dragon, carrying apocalyptic flames and thunderous might, slammed head-on into the Tailed Beast Bomb!
The explosion shook the earth.
A circular shockwave blasted outward, mountains cracking, dust clouds soaring sky-high.
The two forces locked for a split second—
Then the Tailed Beast Bomb was forcibly split in half, torn open from the center!
The remaining energy surged upward and detonated in the sky.
A colossal mushroom cloud rose into the air.
The night was flooded with blinding light, as bright as day—so intense it burned the eyes.
Yet through that white radiance, everyone could still see it—
That lone figure.
Standing in midair, blade in hand, flames and golden lightning entwined around his body.
When the light faded, the earth below was carved with an unfathomably deep chasm.
Kokuō's pupils shrank in disbelief.
A being so small… had shaken the power of a tailed beast.
Wen Lan hovered briefly in the air, breathing heavily. The thunder and flames gradually faded as he landed firmly in front of Fugaku and Hizashi.
His eyes locked onto Kokuō.
Residual lightning and fire still danced along his blade, illuminating the resolute outline of the boy standing against a tailed beast.
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