The Fourth Raikage moved at incredible speed. In an instant, he was in front of Satori—but Satori had already read his intent and dodged even faster.
"Nani?"
The Raikage's eyes widened. How could such a massive body move so fast? What the hell was going on?
Kiyosuke spoke calmly.
"He can read minds. Your attacks are predicted before you even move. Hitting him is basically impossible."
That was Satori's most troublesome ability—once someone attacked, a thought was formed, and that thought was enough for Satori to evade before the move even began. Even Kiyosuke and the Raikage found it nearly impossible to land a clean hit.
"Storm Release!!"
Beams of light shot toward Satori from afar. He dodged, but the lasers curved midair, chasing him as if alive.
"Guh—ah!"
One beam struck him, leaving burns across his body, though it didn't slow his movements.
"Well done, Darui!" the Raikage barked approvingly.
Not far away, a dark-skinned man with white hair and a massive sword slung across his back walked forward. Tattoos of "Lightning" and "Water" covered his arms.
Storm Release—born from combining Lightning and Water chakra—was like a flexible lightning current, or electrified water. It could change direction freely, allowing it to track and hit moving targets.
"Naruto!"
Tsunade and the others arrived. Kiyosuke stepped back to join them.
"You're finally here. This guy isn't easy to deal with. Kakashi—get Kamui ready."
"Got it."
Kakashi lifted his forehead protector, revealing his Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Guy, Asuma, Yamato—prepare to engage."
"Yosh! My youth burns brighter than ever against such a monster!"
"Ready!"
"Then let's do this, senpai!"
Flames of deep crimson surged from Kiyosuke's body, distorting the air around him.
"Tsunade-sama," he said, "if I destroy this place in the process, what happens?"
"You'll pay for the reconstruction," Tsunade replied darkly.
"Then forget it. Let's just go all in."
Guy dashed forward.
"Sixth Gate—Gate of View! Open!!!"
His fists blurred, igniting the air with rapid friction, unleashing a storm of blazing punches that rained down like meteors.
Satori raised his wings and beat them hard. A violent gale burst forth, mixed with a storm of feathers.
"Kakashi!"
"On it! Kamui!"
But Kakashi's target wasn't Satori—it was Kiyosuke. In an instant, Kiyosuke vanished, pulled into Kamui's dimension.
Then, a new vortex opened behind Satori—Kiyosuke's fiery form emerging from it, eyes locked on his back.
Sensing his intent, Satori tried to flee—but too late. Kiyosuke burst from the Kamui space and appeared directly before him.
Seeing no escape, Satori opened his enormous jaws and swallowed Kiyosuke whole.
"You walked right into my trap," Satori said coldly.
"Yeah," Kakashi panted, "he walked right in."
BOOM!
A violent explosion erupted inside Satori's body. Shards of teeth flew everywhere as the creature was sent hurtling backward. Three massive fangs crashed to the ground.
A humanoid figure of living flame stood atop the fallen beast.
"You're the first fool who dared run into my blast radius," Kiyosuke said.
"Damn you!" Satori roared, slamming a massive palm down. The fiery figure dispersed, but Yamato immediately formed hand seals.
"Wood Release: Four-Pillar Prison!!"
Wooden pillars surged from the ground, wrapping around Satori's body and trapping him.
"Got him!" Yamato said.
"Excellent."
"It's not over yet!" Satori bellowed.
The grotesque face on the side of the Box of Ultimate Bliss split open. From its mouth staggered the people it had consumed earlier—dazed, lifeless, eyes empty. Like puppets, they charged toward Satori, smashing at the wooden bindings to free him.
"They're being controlled!" Kiyosuke shouted, punching one of the puppets and shattering its spine. But even with broken bones, they kept moving, completely numb to pain.
He remembered what Gamabunta had said.
"Those modified by the Box can never return to normal. There's only one thing we can do now—kill them."
"Liger Bomb!!"
The Raikage grabbed one of the puppets and slammed him into the ground. The earth cracked violently, lightning arcing through the debris.
The target was reduced to a lifeless corpse.
"Then so be it! None of them are innocent! Konoha shinobi—attack!"
"Don't order my people around!" Tsunade snapped.
"All units—attack!"
The Twelve of Konoha and the elite jōnin all joined the fray, intercepting the controlled soldiers.
Kiyosuke swung the Kusanagi Sword, decapitating another puppet. But then—
CRACK!
Satori broke free from the wooden bindings, rising again, trying to take to the sky.
Kiyosuke would never let him escape.
He slashed, severing one of Satori's wings. The beast screamed, crawling desperately toward the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
"If I can just… reach it… just reach that place…"
"It's already full," Kiyosuke said, driving a flaming fist into Satori's face.
Another howl of pain echoed.
The Box of Ultimate Bliss opened once more, releasing a surge of dark chakra that flooded into Satori, rapidly healing his wounds.
"Damn it!"
Kiyosuke sprinted forward—but then froze.
Satori's body was shrinking, transforming back into the form of Muku.
Only his eyes… those cold, calm eyes… they were still Satori's.
"This form isn't so bad either," Muku murmured, clenching his hand.
"Damn you, monster! I can see it in your eyes—you're no human!"
Kiyosuke lunged, clashing with him.
Muku's movements were slippery and fluid like a serpent's, evading each strike with uncanny precision. His mind-reading hadn't vanished—he knew every one of Kiyosuke's attacks before they came, dodging and countering at perfect moments.
"You think your tricks can impress me? You're underestimating me!"
The Raikage flashed beside them.
"Lariat!!"
His arm swung like a guillotine, slicing through the air with terrifying force.
But Muku twisted aside at the last instant—faster than even the Raikage's reflexes.
The blow struck Kiyosuke's neck instead, severing his head clean off.
"Oi! You did that on purpose, didn't you?!" Kiyosuke's decapitated head shouted before bursting into flames and reforming atop his shoulders.
"Hmph! You'll live. Focus on the real threat! Bee!"
"On it!"
Killer Bee returned to human form, swaggering forward with his usual unbothered rhythm.
"It's useless," Muku sneered. "The Box has amplified my power. You'll never kill me now!"
He leapt onto the Box of Ultimate Bliss, forming hand seals.
"Fire Release: Demon Lanterns!!"
Fiery skulls the size of houses materialized around him and plummeted toward the trio.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions shook the ground one after another.
When the smoke cleared, the Fourth Raikage stood firm, clad in his Lightning Release Armor. Killer Bee was wrapped in his Tailed Beast cloak. Kiyosuke walked out of the flames unharmed.
Muku's eyes widened in disbelief.
Are you even human?
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