With the sudden pull of the Tenseigan's suction force, Neji executed a flawless Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, leaving Ranmaru no chance to catch his breath.
Bang bang bang.
Amid a series of muffled impacts, Ranmaru flew backward like a ragdoll struck by heavy fists.
Huff huff.
After completing the Gentle Fist sequence, Neji panted lightly.
The burden of the Tenseigan was heavier than he'd anticipated. While it granted unprecedented perception and abilities like suction and repulsion, the chakra drain was nearly unbearable.
Kimimaro asked, "Is it over?"
"My Gentle Fist sealed all his chakra points. He should—"
Neji stopped mid-sentence.
In his vision, Ranmaru, just sent flying by the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, was staggering to his feet.
"How is that possible!?"
Neji's expression changed.
He hadn't held back with the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. By all accounts, the chakra points around Ranmaru's heart should have been shattered by his Byakugan chakra.
Under normal circumstances, no one could stand after that.
Kimimaro, who also bore a Tenseigan on his forehead, said slowly, "It's likely Dark Release. The chakra you sent into his body was probably absorbed by his Dark Release."
The Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist worked by attacking and sealing an opponent's chakra points to quickly disable their resistance.
Normally, a successful hit from a Hyuga would decide the battle.
However, Ranmaru, having undergone the Bloodline Fusion Ritual, possessed not only Steel Release and Swift Release but also Dark Release, which absorbed chakra—perfectly countering the Hyuga's Gentle Fist.
H urged, "Hurry up! The Tenseigan is becoming unstable! And I sense the giant Tenseigan on the moon has noticed us!"
Neji and Kimimaro's expressions tightened.
If the Tenseigan malfunctioned or the giant Tenseigan on the moon detected them, alerting the Otsutsuki branch family prematurely, it would be disastrous.
"I'll handle it!"
Kimimaro took control of their body with a single declaration.
In an instant, he used Body Flicker to close in on Ranmaru, thrusting a bone blade forward!
Ranmaru, now devoid of confidence, activated Steel Release to withstand the attack while seeking a chance to escape.
Clang clang clang.
The sharp bone blade struck the hardened Steel Release, producing a series of metallic clashes that echoed through the forest.
Steel Release couldn't be maintained indefinitely, and its reinforcement varied slightly by body part.
This subtle difference was negligible against ordinary foes but became a fatal flaw against Kimimaro, who wielded the Tenseigan.
Kimimaro quickly noticed that vital areas like the armpits, throat, and eyes, even with Steel Release, couldn't fully withstand his bone blade. Ranmaru's taijutsu skills were insufficient to protect these vulnerabilities in high-intensity combat, and the tide turned instantly.
Swish swish swish.
Blood sprayed as Kimimaro's blade slashed Ranmaru's throat, pierced the inner joint of his left arm, and carved a deep gash across his temple.
Ranmaru was terrified.
The injuries weren't fatal, but they shattered his confidence. Having his Steel Release breached was unprecedented.
With that thought, he abandoned all else, pushing Swift Release to its limit and sprinting into the distance.
Seeing this, Kimimaro raised his hand, intending to use the Tenseigan's dojutsu to pull Ranmaru back, as before.
But before he could act, H warned, "Stop! The giant Tenseigan has noticed us!"
No warning was needed—Neji and Kimimaro, both wielding the Tenseigan, felt a gaze from above in that instant.
Without a word, in perfect sync, they closed their Tenseigan and dissolved their fused state.
A moment later, they felt a gaze sweep over them from above.
"That was close…"
As the gaze moved on, Neji sighed in relief.
Even Kimimaro's usually stoic face showed a trace of alarm. "I didn't expect it to draw the giant Tenseigan's attention so quickly!"
H said gratefully, "Good thing we weren't locked onto!"
Neji looked toward Ranmaru's escape route, frowning. "He got away. What about the Leader's orders?"
"Chase!"
Without hesitation, Kimimaro flashed forward, pursuing Ranmaru.
They hadn't held back earlier. Neji's full-force Gentle Fist and Kimimaro's Bone Pulse were lethal strikes.
But Ranmaru, with five Bloodline Limits, was too difficult to capture alive. Even with their fused Tenseigan, they couldn't subdue him in mere minutes.
Swish.
Ranmaru, speeding through the Forest of Death, had lost his earlier composure. He even forgot to maintain Transparent Release, crashing head-on into a squad of Hidden Leaf Anbu.
"It's the Akatsuki!"
"He's injured!"
"Someone's chasing him from behind!"
The Anbu squad blocking Ranmaru's path fanned out into a combat formation.
"Get out of my way!"
Ranmaru roared, trying to force his way through, but an Anbu's precise swordsmanship forced him back.
At that moment, Neji and Kimimaro, no longer fused, caught up.
Seeing Neji and Kimimaro in Akatsuki cloaks, the Anbu tensed, treating them as threats.
Fortunately, Kakashi had already spread word of the Akatsuki's internal conflict. Combined with Ranmaru's injuries and frantic escape, the Anbu vaguely realized that the two Akatsuki members might not be allied with him.
"Damn it!"
Seeing Neji and Kimimaro catch up, Ranmaru panicked, attempting to break through the Anbu's blockade.
Realizing Neji and Kimimaro might not be with Ranmaru, and noting his injuries, the Anbu naturally wouldn't let him escape easily and moved to intercept.
Rumble.
Just as the Anbu prepared to act, a Fire Release and Wind Release jutsu erupted behind them.
The combined wind and fire surged, engulfing them all in a massive blaze.