The two Jinchūriki's reckless, all-out attacks pushed Hui's second shadow avatar into a corner, forcing it onto the defensive.
The relentless assault left him with no choice but to block and evade, but Hui quickly realized that this would inevitably end in his avatar's defeat. The constant dodging only restricted his movements and limited his options.
He scowled. If he was going to be taken out, he might as well make it count.
With this in mind, the second shadow avatar moved decisively, abandoning his defensive stance.
Channeling sword energy to the tip of his blade, he shaped it into a deadly spear and thrust it straight toward the Two-Tails' Jinchūriki, aiming for his heart.
Squelch!
The blade pierced through the Jinchūriki's torso, striking just next to his heart. The blow was devastating—though not immediately fatal, it left him gravely injured.
In exchange, the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki seized the opportunity, launching a ferocious strike that shattered the second shadow avatar into nothingness.
As the memory and experience of the fight flooded back to Hui's main consciousness, his brow furrowed. His shadow avatars weren't like ordinary shadow clones; each one was immensely powerful and difficult to produce.
Creating them required tremendous concentration, and they were far more resilient than typical clones. However, Hui could only sustain two at a time, and once one was destroyed, he needed at least half an hour to recover enough mental energy to create another.
Still, the sacrifice had been worthwhile. The Two-Tails' Jinchūriki was no longer in fighting condition, effectively neutralizing a major threat.
Hui turned his attention back to his current opponent, the Second Raikage, who was severely battered yet stubbornly fighting on.
Meanwhile, the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki carried his injured comrade back to the Kumogakure lines before returning to the battlefield, rejoining the Third Raikage in their fight against Hui's first shadow avatar.
Just as Hui had singled out the sword-wielding elite as the weak point to exploit, the Kumogakure shinobi now viewed Hui's remaining shadow avatar as the key to gaining an advantage. If they could quickly destroy it, the three remaining elite fighters could concentrate their efforts on surrounding Hui's main body.
Up on the mountain, the Uchiha clan leader and other Konoha elites seethed at the sight, barely restraining themselves. Were it not for Hui's earlier orders, they would have already joined the fray to protect him.
Likewise, Kumogakure's elite fighters knew the battlefield was no place for them in a clash of this magnitude. They feared that entering the fight would only make things worse, so they held back.
With the addition of the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki, the pressure on the Third Raikage eased significantly.
Though the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki wasn't as strong as the Second Raikage, he and the Third Raikage had honed their coordination over years of training together, mastering a combined technique.
Now it was Hui's first shadow avatar feeling the strain. His movements became more cautious, focused on avoiding attacks that could force his destruction. Though he retained 90% of Hui's offensive power, his defence was notably weaker.
Unlike Hui's main body, which could endure non-fatal wounds with little issue, a single deep strike could dispel the shadow avatar.
Despite its resilience, the avatar's vulnerability to precise strikes remained a critical weakness, like a drum skin that could endure pounding but would tear under a single stab from a knife.
"Let's use it!" shouted the Third Raikage.
"Understood!" responded the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki, already knowing exactly what his comrade meant.
In perfect unison, the two moved to flank Hui's shadow avatar, positioning themselves on either side of him.
Seeing their maneuver, the first shadow clone's brow furrowed, sensing the danger but unable to recall the exact move they were planning.
Then he saw them lift their arms, rushing at him with deadly intent, and realization struck him like a flash of lightning.
It was too late.
Lightning Release: Double Lariat!
In an instant, the two closed in on him from both sides, arms outstretched to deliver the lethal technique. The shadow avatar's eyes widened, knowing that the strike was inevitable.
Hui's true form might have been able to avoid the attack or even redirect it, but as a shadow avatar, he lacked both the durability and the finesse to dodge or absorb the impact.
His only option was to make this exchange worthwhile.
With a final burst of energy, the shadow avatar erupted in blinding white light, illuminating the battlefield like a small sun and enveloping both the Third Raikage and the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki. When the light faded, the avatar was gone.
In its place, a sword remained embedded in the Third Raikage's chest, having pierced straight through his body.
"Damn it!" the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki cursed, seething as he looked at his injured comrade.
Blood poured from the Third Raikage's chest wound, but in a show of resilience, he ripped the blade out, using his lightning chakra to numb the pain and stem the bleeding.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Hui had been momentarily thrown off balance by the feedback of his shadow avatar's destruction.
The Second Raikage capitalized on the opening, landing a powerful punch that sent Hui flying.
The Second Raikage didn't dare to pursue, however. His body was already battered and bleeding from multiple wounds inflicted by Hui, and he knew he was nearing his limit.
It was only thanks to his Lightning Release Armor, which could break free from paralyzing techniques, that he had lasted this long.
Moreover, his natural resilience against genjutsu had kept him from succumbing to Hui's illusions. Still, his entire body ached from the relentless assault, and his injuries were beginning to take a toll.
One reason Hui hadn't gone in for the kill was that he wasn't just aiming to defeat the Raikage; he needed to take him down in a single, decisive blow.
Only a complete victory would deliver the psychological impact necessary to break Kumogakure's morale entirely, crushing any hope they had of winning the war.
After righting himself mid-air, Hui landed gracefully and stood motionless, his expression unreadable.
"I suppose I was a bit careless," he muttered, glancing at the Third Raikage and the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki with mild irritation. "You actually managed to take down both of my shadow avatars."
With a sense of satisfaction, the Second Raikage straightened, taking in a steadying breath. Although the cost had been high, eliminating Hui's avatars had been well worth it.
"All that's left now is you, Hui. I told you—you're going to die here today," he said, his voice filled with determination.
"Is that so?" Hui replied, his mouth curling into a slight smile as he glanced upward. The Second Raikage's heart skipped a beat, suddenly uneasy.
Without another word, Hui began weaving hand signs.
Sage art: Majestic Destroyer Flame!
A sea of flames erupted from Hui's mouth, the scorching heat spreading across the battlefield and reaching even the Konoha shinobi stationed on the mountain.
The blazing inferno was so intense that it could be felt even at that distance, washing over them in waves.
This time, the flames weren't aimed at causing destruction. Instead, Hui directed the majority of the fire skyward, where it mingled with the ominous dark clouds overhead.
In a matter of moments, the dark clouds turned an inky black, rumbling ominously as streaks of lightning flashed within them.
A deafening crack split the air, and the sky itself seemed ready to unleash a thunderstorm.
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