Clang. A dull yet piercing collision rang out as the Land of Wind Kaguya Otsutsuki struck an unusually hard black rock that gleamed with metallic light. This was the final defense protecting Naruto Uzumaki's true body and the hardest core of the entire colossus.
Faster. Even faster. The impact and the cold aura of Ryoma transmitted clearly through the rock into Naruto Uzumaki's senses, making his heart jolt violently.
"How is this possible?" Fear surged as questions flooded his mind. He had already obtained such terrifying power, yet he still could not deal with that brat. Doubt gnawed at him like poison.
Was that woman right, that he had not used the power of Shaji correctly? Panic and self doubt wrapped tightly around his heart. His thoughts spiraled toward collapse.
"No, that is wrong!" Naruto Uzumaki roared wildly as he swung the colossus's right arm without any pattern. He kept firing Land of Earth Spear with Land of Earth Release, trying to hit an invisible enemy. Still, he could not even touch the edge of Ryoma's clothes.
The next moment, the Ring-Pommel Saber struck his "heart" again. The Iwagakure Statue howled as it attacked, only to miss once more. The blade appeared again and hit the exact same spot.
Boom, boom, boom. Explosions echoed endlessly as Ryoma traced Ryoma colored arcs through the air. Dust, pale mist, and the rampaging colossus formed a brutal and savage scene.
The Ring-Pommel Saber screeched across the Iwagakure Statue again and again, striking the final defense protecting Naruto Uzumaki's body. Large chunks of Ryoma gray stone and Gravel sprayed outward like snow. The assault was relentless.
Once, twice, three times. Ryoma focused all his Land of Wind Kaguya Otsutsuki strikes on a single point, delivering rapid alternating slashes like crescent moons. The blade fell without pause.
If each strike had been spaced by even a second, Naruto Uzumaki's defense might have held. Unfortunately, all these attacks were completed within a single second. There was no time to recover.
Crack, crack, kacha. The web of Sui Lie cracks spread rapidly across the black rock as it reached its limit. The structure groaned under the pressure.
Finally, boom. A violent Sui Lie rang out like shattering glass. Under Ryoma's obsessive and precise slashes, the rock protecting Naruto Uzumaki's body was forced open.
Deep inside the dark core space, Naruto Uzumaki's eyes widened in terror. Through the broken gap, he clearly saw those Pure Byakugan staring back at him. Ryoma stood right in front of his face.
Ryoma swung his blade and delivered Ryoma to Naruto Uzumaki. The strike came without mercy. There was no hesitation at all.
Slash. In an instant, Naruto Uzumaki's vision was filled only with a silver Ryoma crescent Moon. Instinct took over as he forced his mouth open.
Several thumb sized, pitch black, hard objects were vomited out from his stomach, coated in sticky saliva and a foul stench. They were his modified humans. The sight was grotesque.
An invisible force crushed them together, their bodies twisting, deforming, and melting as bones cracked and flesh fused with wet sounds. In moments, the black figures merged into a massive, misshapen mouth straight out of a nightmare. It was huge and horrifying.
The giant mouth was packed with jagged black fangs. As soon as it formed, it lunged at Ryoma with a nauseating rush of foul wind. The blade had no time to withdraw.
Ryoma's figure was swallowed whole in a single bite. For a brief moment, silence followed. Naruto Uzumaki felt clarity strike him at last.
It was not that he had used the power of Shaji incorrectly. It was that he had not gone far enough. Fusing his nerves and senses with dead objects was the most foolish choice.
The focus should never have been on external things, but on his own flesh. He should have used that power to reshape the human body, starting with himself. He should have seized all life, all genes and cells, until he became perfect.
Rip. In the next instant, a dull and sickening tearing sound erupted from inside the deformed mouth. The mass of fused flesh exploded from within, spraying sticky gore and shattered fangs everywhere. The blast tore it apart completely.
From the center of the explosion, Ryoma emerged unscathed, breaking through the filth and appearing right in front of Naruto Uzumaki. His blade flashed coldly. It cut through Naruto Uzumaki's waist without resistance.
Scalding blood poured out from the smooth cut. "Puh!" Naruto Uzumaki spat a mouthful of blood mixed with internal fragments. The sprayed flesh mutated into sharp spikes that shot toward Ryoma, interrupting his follow up.
"I cannot die. I cannot die." Even before he could feel the tearing pain, the instinct to survive drove Naruto Uzumaki to scream with his last strength. His voice cracked as he howled, "Obito!"
At the far end of the battlefield, Obito knelt on one knee, gasping as he Remove the heavily draining Susanoo. The crimson Mangekyō Sharingan Three-Tomoe Sharingan in his eyes was dimming, especially the left one.
In front of him, Kurotsuchi lay unconscious in a pool of blood, her face pale as her waist and abdomen were pierced through. The wound was clearly caused by Kamui space. She did not move at all.
Nearby, Ryoma was covered in blood, his Ryoma Cloak already in tatters. He forced himself to remain standing at a distance, breathing heavily. Every breath pulled at broken bones and torn organs as blood kept spilling from his mouth.
He stared at Obito with unyielding focus, and Obito felt the same heavy pressure in return. This Ryoma was fast beyond human limits, worthy of someone who once competed in speed with Obito. Even after being heavily injured by Naruto Uzumaki, he had still avoided several Kamui space attempts.
Naruto Uzumaki and Obito were all masters of the Chakra mode. Unlike the first two, known as the strongest spear and strongest shield, Ryoma had focused entirely on speed. That focus defined his fighting style.
Even against Sasuke using the dynamic vision of Mangekyō Sharingan Three-Tomoe Sharingan to release Amaterasu, he could dodge. Excluding someone like Ryoma who mastered Space-Time Ninjutsu, Ryoma might have been the fastest Ninja in the entire Shinobi World. Still, he was at his limit now.
Obito could clearly feel that every dodge made Ryoma's body tremble violently. Blood poured from reopened wounds. He would not last much longer.
A cold light flashed in the Uchiha Clan eyes as the remaining Ti Ze Nv Ming Power gathered intensely. Ryoma's head was locked on. The moment to finish him had come.
At that critical instant, Naruto Uzumaki's terrified and despairing scream rang into Obito's ears. "Obito!" The cry cut through the chaos.
Obito froze and looked up as his Mangekyō Sharingan Three-Tomoe Sharingan locked onto the distant Rock Colossus. He saw Ryoma's blade swinging toward the already severed Naruto Uzumaki. The edge was only inches from his head.
"Damn it." Obito cursed inwardly. Naruto Uzumaki could not die. There were too few usable pieces left.
Without hesitation, Obito gathered Ti Ze Nv Ming Power in his eyes and looked at Ryoma. Space twisted violently as the power crossed the distance in an instant. Kamui space activated.
"Watch out!" Kakashi shouted at the same time. His voice rang sharp and urgent.
In midair, Ryoma's eyes flickered as a trace of seriousness appeared on his face. The Ring-Pommel Saber paused as it swung toward Naruto Uzumaki's head. He twisted his body back and barely retreated, avoiding the distortion of Kamui space.