Back at the hidden leaf secret base,
The sensory radar picked up more signals across the battlefield, although none were as vibrant as the ones facing Kakashi.
"Kakashi has confirmed that Killer B has arrived." Shikaku states to the Kage.
"Such a strong move so early in the war. Surely this can't be part of a larger plan, right?" Sakumo questions suspiciously.
"From another perspective, taking out Kakashi alone is a stronger move. He's a respected shinobi, nearly as respected as Ryuu." Shikaku adds,
"What Shikaku says is true, Hokage-sama." Yagura says, "Beside Rikuto Uzumaki and Obito Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake is a respected figure."
Sakumo frustratedly looks away, "Despite the truth within your words, I can't help but feel as though we are missing a piece of the puzzle." Just as Sakumo finishes his thought, a sudden surge of chakra alerts the room, drawing everyone's attention to the large bubbles forming on the screen.
"We have a massive surge of chakra emanating from Kirigakure's direction," Inoichi reports,
Shikazo steps forward, squinting at the data overlaying the geographic map. "Other than the eight and nine tails, no other creature should be capable of this. The first of the Kuroganebi have been released," he declares, turning to Sakumo and Yagura.
Sakumo's brow furrows in concern. "A Kuroganebi? How did Yui manage to deploy such a thing without our notice?"
Shikaku's eyes narrow as he pieces together the scattered bits of information. "We still don't know how these creatures are made."
"But we can guess their origins." Shikazo states, "My best assumption would be they're contracted animals."
"Contact all allied leaders of our forces." Sakumo commands, "I know who the first target will be."
"And that would be?" Yagura prompts, his voice tense.
"Rikuto Uzumaki," Shikaku answers flatly. "If she can neutralize him, Konoha loses a significant part of its defensive strategy, especially his Fūinjutsu capabilities."
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Deep behind the mountains of Kirigakure, nestled inside the rainforests, another battle was taking place.
Fwoosh! Rikuto's blinding speed carries the wind as he accelerates, charging through countless Shinobi.
"Charge!" barks the Iwagakure captain, unleashing Shinobi swarms towards Rikuto's position.
Rikuto, aware of the critical timing needed for his plan, deftly avoids a rain of kunai. His eyes narrowed in focus; he quickly formed a hand seal. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" A roaring inferno bursts from his mouth, engulfing the advancing enemies in a searing blaze.
Meanwhile, a squad of Kirigakure shinobi watches the battle from a concealed location, their expressions tense with concern. "We should assist Rikuto-sama," one Shinobi suggests, his voice laced with urgency.
"Not yet," another counters, holding his comrade back. "Mangetsu-sama and his forces are approaching. We'd only hinder his efforts; he possesses far greater strength than us."
The Shinobi frowns, frustration evident in his voice. "It's our village," he mutters, his gaze fixed on the chaos unfolding before them.
Suddenly, the ground trembles violently underfoot. A thunderous explosion rips through the forest, returning their attention to Rikuto. A towering cloud of smoke billows upward, casting a shadow over the battlefield.
"Look out!" shouts a shinobi as an intense wind shockwave and debris sweeps towards them. They brace themselves, shielding their faces from the flying detritus.
Then, a primal roar shakes the very air.
"Graaaawwwr!!"
The first Kuroganebi emerges into the fray, its massive form casting a menacing silhouette against the smoke-filled sky. The creature, a towering behemoth with a single glaring eye, unleashes a guttural roar that reverberates through the forest, heralding its arrival on the battlefield.
As the Kuroganebi steps forward, its massive frame casts an ominous shadow across the battlefield. The Shinobi of Kirigakure watch in a mixture of awe and terror, their fate momentarily forgotten in the face of this monstrous arrival.
Rikuto, however, stands confident. His eyes narrow as he assesses the beast before him, 'Sharingan!' His eyes transform for a deeper assessment, quickly calculating his next move. 'It's, as Obito stated, a body completely made of chakra. But it's not close to the nine-tails.'
Drawing deeply on his chakra reserves, he forms a complex series of hand seals.
"Water Style: Torrential Vortex Jutsu!" he screams, slamming his palms to the ground. The earth beneath him trembles as water surges from the soil, swirling into a massive vortex that rushes toward the Kuroganebi. The beast roars in defiance, its single eye focusing intently on the incoming threat.
The vortex slams into the Kuroganebi, enveloping it in a fierce aquatic assault. Steam hisses as the creature's heated body reacts with the cold water, obscuring the battlefield in a dense fog. Rikuto doesn't pause; he leaps through the mist, his figure a blur.
"Lightning Style: Thunder Binding!" his hands begin sparking with electric energy. Lightning arcs from his fingertips, chaining through the wet air and striking the Kuroganebi. The beast hardly moves as electricity shocks are sent into its body.
With a guttural roar, it shakes off the water and lightning, its massive limbs destroying the trees around it as it changes its footing.
Rikuto lands gracefully, his face set in determination. "It's strong," he mutters to himself, preparing for the next phase of his attack.
Boom!!
A sudden attack catches Rikuto off guard. His eyes adjust to watch as the gigantic arm reaches towards him from the ground.
As the hand of the Kuroganebi is closing in, Rikuto's eyes quickly shift. 'Mangekyou Sharingan!'
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Hidden near Kumogakure's borders, Yui Uzumaki and the Tsuchikage, Ōnoki reside.
Yui slams her fists on the table. "Damn it!" She yells.
Ōnoki looks at Yui, a smirk on his lips, "What is it? We have unleashed two Kuroganebi; there's no way Rikuto Uzumaki will survive this. With the death of one of the sons of Hanzo, Konohagakure will weaken, and so will the rest."
"No!" Yui yells definitely, "I can feel it. Rikuto Uzumaki has activated his Mangekyou Sharingan. Where is that old man, Ay?!"
Ōnoki shakes his head, "Shinobi must keep a calm head. Despite your past experiences, you must remember to stay calm if you want to win. Even the Mangekyou Sharingan has its limits."
Yui shakes her head. "Not this one..." she mutters. "Release the second phase!" she commands.
"Yes, ma'am!"
Rikuto was dodging multiple strikes, skipping through the trees as a barrage of attacks chased him,
'According to Obito, this creature adapts to multiple attacks at once. There's also a chance Yui Uzumaki is nearby. Her technique to erase Mangekyou's abilities would stop my plans.'
Rikuto stops at a tree, facing a giant fist coming towards him. Making hand seals, Rikuto unleashes his first attack. Inhaling a great amount of air, "Wind style: vacuum bullets!"
Whoosh! Compressed wind travels quickly and smashes into the Kuroganebi, barely knocking it.
"Fire Style: dragon flame bullet!" Another mix of hand seals and Rikuto sends multiple dragons rushing toward the beast.
Seeing the attack, the Kuroganebi inhales deeply, drawing a gust of wind towards its mouth.
Whoosh...
It exhales massive air, creating a pressurized stream towards Rikuto's dragons, destroying them with no effort.
Rikuto clicks, seeing his dragons turn to nothing, 'It can create pressurized bullets even greater than any wind projectile I can think of.'
"Lariat!" A sudden thunderous explosion echoes as Rikuto is taken by surprise from behind.
The Raikage has returned!