After absorbing the power of the dragon vein, Mukade's speed and reflexes had risen to rival Minato's. But now, with Sage Mode fully activated, Minato's strength and agility had surged to new heights. Combined with Mukade's weakened state from their previous clashes, the gap between them became undeniable.
Boom!
With a powerful blow to Mukade's chest, Minato sent him hurtling backward, the impact cracking the ground beneath them. Beneath the fractured earth, Minato's crystalline sealing layer rippled, barely containing the immense pressure building below.
Swish!
In an instant, Minato closed the distance, his expression cold as he gathered chakra into his palm, forming a massive Rasengan. "Super Odama Rasengan!"
Mukade, caught off guard, had no time to evade. Minato's attack struck him squarely, launching him sideways. He crashed through several buildings, rubble scattering in his wake.
"Cough…" Mukade staggered, blood dripping from his mouth as he struggled to regain his footing. The destructive power of the Rasengan had torn through his defenses, leaving him visibly shaken. Even with his altered form, the impact had left him battered.
Ding Ding!
The sound of high-speed vibrations echoed in Mukade's ears. He barely had time to react before Minato's next attack came into view—a deadly rotating mass of chakra and wind blades.
"Senjutsu: Wind Release: RasenShuriken!"
Boom boom!
The RasenShuriken hit Mukade head-on, the spiraling wind blades exploding upon contact and enveloping him in a devastating vortex. The impact tore through the surrounding area, scattering debris and shaking the ground.
Minato's gaze was intense as he watched the storm of wind dissipate. Anyone hit by a RasenShuriken loses their ability to move, even if they survive, he thought, his focus unwavering.
With swift precision, Minato formed a series of hand seals, releasing the Primordial Seal. The crystal layer over the dragon vein shimmered, then slowly faded, allowing the energy flow to resume.
The ground trembled as the dragon vein's power, which had been forcibly interrupted, began to circulate once more. Despite this, the earth beneath Rōran continued to shake, unstable from the build-up of energy.
I've held the seal for too long, Minato realized, his expression tightening as he felt the irregular surges from the dragon vein. Its once-smooth flow had become turbulent, its power expanding erratically.
"Haha… You finally removed the seal!" Mukade's laughter echoed across the ruins, ragged but defiant. To Minato's shock, Mukade, despite his grievous wounds, was still moving. Blood seeped from his pores, yet he slid forward, his body twisting like a serpent as he crawled toward the crack in the ground.
"How…?" Minato whispered, disbelief flashing across his face. By all rights, Mukade should have been incapacitated. His body was so battered it was barely holding together, leaving a trail of bloodstains behind him. Yet he pushed forward, his resolve unwavering.
Mukade's crazed grin widened as he reached the crack, his mouth opening to draw in the dragon vein's power like a thirsting creature. Purple energy bubbled up, radiating in his direction.
Buzz!
But before he could absorb the energy, the bubble-like aura around the dragon vein began to fade, dimming as if its power had been severed from him entirely.
Across Rōran, deep in the chamber housing the source of the dragon vein's power, Sara stood with sweat streaming down her face, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she lowered her hands. "The dragon vein… it's sealed." She exhaled a weary breath, relief spreading across her face.
Back at the crack, Mukade's expression twisted with rage. "Damn you, Sara!" he hissed, feeling the disconnect as the dragon vein's energy slipped beyond his reach. His face paled, his injuries catching up to him as the last remnants of strength began to drain away.
In an instant, Minato appeared beside Mukade, his expression hardening as he looked down at him. "It's over," he said coldly, his resolve unwavering.
But Mukade's eyes glinted with desperation and a trace of madness. A faint glow began to emanate from his body, growing more intense with each passing second.
Buzz!
Minato's instincts flared. "He's going to detonate the remaining dragon vein power within himself," he realized. If Mukade exploded here, it would disrupt the flow of the dragon vein and possibly destroy Rōran.
Minato prepared to strike, intending to finish Mukade before he could complete his self-destructive plan. But Mukade, sensing his intent, lunged toward the crack, his mangled body collapsing forward in a final act of defiance.
With a quick motion, Minato reached out, grabbing Mukade's legs, halting his descent.
"Hehehe…" Mukade chuckled darkly, then gritted his teeth as his legs suddenly exploded, forcing Minato to release him.
"I told you… Rōran's destruction will be on your hands, Hokage," Mukade sneered, as his torso plunged downward toward the dragon vein.
"Damn it!" Minato cursed inwardly, realizing he'd underestimated the bizarre resilience of Mukade's altered body.
Just as Minato prepared to leap after Mukade, Kushina appeared at the edge of the crack, her expression fierce as she tossed a marked kunai toward Mukade.
"Minato!" she called out.
Minato's gaze snapped to her, and with a sharp nod, he immediately formed the necessary hand seals.
"Flying Thunder God: Second Step!"
The kunai Kushina had thrown glowed with Minato's chakra, a pattern like a barrier extending from it. The energy surged toward Mukade, wrapping around him like a rope, linking him to the kunai's mark.
In a flash of realization, Mukade's eyes widened with horror as he felt his body being pulled from the dragon vein, teleportation energy enveloping him.
Swish!
A second later, Mukade found himself above a vast sea, suspended in mid-air for a brief moment before a tremendous explosion of purple light erupted from his body.
Bang!
The detonation was so intense that it created a massive vortex in the sea below, sending waves crashing outward. The blast left a swirling chasm of water over ten meters wide, and as the whirlpool raged, Mukade's form disappeared, his aura vanishing entirely.
Back at Rōran, Minato exhaled a long breath, relief flooding him as he realized Mukade was finally gone. Turning to Kushina, who had landed beside him, he smiled gratefully. "Perfect timing, Kushina. I couldn't have done this without you."
Kushina lifted her chin with a smirk, though her gaze softened as she glanced at the damaged surroundings. "Don't think I've forgotten how you sent me away without warning. But I'll let it slide this time."
She turned her gaze to the massive crack in the ground where Mukade had nearly detonated. Seeing the aftermath of his final act left her with a sense of unease. "What was with that guy, anyway?" she asked, glancing at Minato.
Minato shook his head, his expression contemplative. "Even I'm not sure. His body seemed to defy normal limits… and the way he broke his destroy legs without hesitation…"
He trailed off, his thoughts drifting to Mukade's ruthless final moves. The sheer tenacity and altered resilience Mukade had shown were beyond anything Minato had seen. Yet despite that, the dragon vein's energy, combined with his injuries, had ultimately been his undoing.
"Well, whatever he was," Kushina said, relief tinged with residual tension, "he's gone now."
Minato gave a nod, though his gaze remained steady. "Yes, but we need to complete the seal on the dragon vein."
With Mukade gone, the abnormalities in time and space should stabilize once the dragon vein was sealed again. If Mukade somehow managed to survive, he would have no choice but to return to his own era, correcting the disruption he had caused.
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