At the last moment, Naruto broke through the barrier and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to Amegakure.
"Phew, that was close…"
Naruto sat on the wet ground, catching his breath, his heart still racing from the narrow escape.
Tap! Tap!
The sound of footsteps echoed as Konan and Mei Terumi landed nearby.
"Are you alright?" Konan asked with concern.
"Yeah, that was intense. I didn't expect him to unleash such a terrifying move," Naruto replied with a wry smile as he got to his feet. "But as long as I can use space-time ninjutsu to jump far enough away, that attack won't reach me. Otherwise, it would have been truly unavoidable."
Konan's expression remained worried. "Do you have to go back?"
Naruto shook his head, his gaze fixed on the edge of the rain-soaked horizon. "Maybe I don't need to. His resolve is unusually firm. I have a feeling this time, he'll stop at nothing to come here."
"Oh? He's already arrived."
Whoosh!
In the southern district of Amegakure, a black vortex distorted space-time.
Obito Uchiha and Tobi emerged atop the ruins of a protruding building on the water's surface.
Obito scanned his surroundings. "The layout here is slightly different from the last time I came, but none of that matters now."
Konan clenched her fists, ready to charge forward. "Let me handle him!"
Naruto stopped her. "Konan-nee, don't. With his current abilities, you won't even be able to get close."
Konan tightened her grip. "Then what do we do?"
Naruto's gaze turned resolute. "Leave it to me. This ends here—either he ends it, or I do."
"Sage Art: Phantom Moon Mirage!"
The Southern District
The rain stopped.
Obito looked up at the sky. "The rain that never ceases in Amegakure… has stopped?"
Although the rain had ceased, the sky remained overcast, shrouded in a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere.
Obito sneered. "Hmph, more mist? You never learn, do you?"
"Kamui!"
Whoosh!
Both of Obito's Mangekyō Sharingan spun simultaneously. However, instead of dissipating, the haze thickened and spread even further.
Obito halted his jutsu, frowning. "This isn't mist?"
The Northern District
Mei Terumi observed the spreading haze with a solemn expression. "This is mirage vapor, an atmospheric optical phenomenon. Only the First and Second Mizukage could use it. The Second relied on his summoned giant clam, while the First used the power of the Wet Bone Forest's Sage Arts, drawing on natural energy."
Naruto remained seated, maintaining the hand seals for his technique. "What's coming next will be a fierce battle with unpredictable consequences. Konan-nee, have the ANBU evacuate and protect the civilians."
"Mizukage-sama, I'll need you to protect Orochimaru's research facility. It's a critical asset for Amegakure."
Mei nodded. "Understood. Where is the facility located?"
A low, raspy voice interrupted. "Mizukage-sama, we meet again."
From the hazy mirage, Orochimaru emerged, clad in pristine white robes, a sly smile on his face. "This time, would you like to become one of my test subjects?"
Mei's tone was unyielding. "I'll assist in protecting your facility, but becoming your test subject is out of the question!"
Orochimaru chuckled. "Heh, fair enough. Please, follow me."
Konan hesitated. "Are you sure about this? While using the Phantom Moon Mirage, you can't move, right?"
Naruto replied calmly. "That's true, but the mirage created by the vapor will conceal my true location."
Konan still seemed uneasy but nodded. "I understand. Be careful."
"Go."
After Konan left, the mirage vapor completely enveloped the area.
The Southern District
Tobi shifted uncomfortably. "I've got a bad feeling about this. He must be preparing something!"
Obito's tone was cold. "Then we'll kill him before he finishes. This technique has much better visibility than the mist from before, so it won't entirely block my ocular jutsu. And a large-scale chakra technique like this can't possibly be used alongside Dustless Maze."
Whoosh!
Obito moved swiftly, searching for Naruto's location.
Suddenly, he spotted a figure sitting amidst the haze, hands clasped in a seal.
"There you are."
Whoosh!
Obito unleashed a Tailed Beast Bomb from his Sharingan, aiming directly at the figure.
Boom!
The explosion roared, but as the smoke cleared, the figure remained motionless, unscathed.
Tobi remarked, "It's a mirage. His real body isn't there."
Obito clenched his fists. "So, he's playing tricks? Then I'll attack indiscriminately. With my current power, I can unleash unlimited Tailed Beast Bombs through Kamui until that beast in my dimension collapses from exhaustion!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Vortex-like Tailed Beast Bombs rained down like a relentless barrage, striking every corner of the battlefield.
Obito's eyes glowed crimson, a hint of madness in his expression. "No half-measures! I'll combine them with Kamui Shuriken!"
Boom!
The black Susano'o expanded into a tengu-like form, hurling Kamui Shurikens that spiraled through the air.
Crash!
Explosions erupted everywhere, while the Kamui Shuriken's vortexes tore through the battlefield.
One particularly close call saw a Kamui Shuriken land just twenty meters from Naruto's true body, its vortex edge stopping a mere three meters away.
"Kamui… a single hit is lethal. Tailed Beast Bombs and Kamui Shurikens in tandem… Obito, you've truly grown stronger. One wrong move, and I'll be done for."
Despite the tension, Naruto remained composed. His face, hidden beneath his mask, betrayed no panic.
"Fear of death won't help me. If I lose my focus, victory will slip away."
The battlefield roared with explosions, each moment teetering on the edge of disaster.
Naruto closed his eyes, balancing on the razor's edge of survival, and began to gather Sage Chakra. His hand seals shifted.
"Condensed Light Form!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The mirage vapor coalesced, forming countless illusory clones of Naruto.
Obito's eyes narrowed. "Clones?"
Slash!
The Susano'o swung its arm, scattering the nearby clones. But as quickly as they disappeared, new ones formed.
Hidden amidst the mirage, Naruto murmured,
"Using the vapor to create infinite clones, these are fragile and vanish upon contact. However, as long as the mirage persists, they can be endlessly recreated."
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Thousands of clones materialized, each forming a Sage Art: Rasengan in their hands.
"Each clone may only wield a single Sage Art: Rasengan, but with overwhelming numbers, I'll attack relentlessly."
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Sage Art: Rasengan barrage rained down on the Susano'o, steadily breaking through its armor and defenses.
"Sacred Mirror: Yata's Void Reflection!"
The Susano'o raised a pitch-black mirror, its surface emitting Kamui vortexes that absorbed all frontal and side attacks.
However, the onslaught from behind proved too much.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The Susano'o shattered under the relentless assault.
Whoosh!
Obito placed a hand on Tobi's shoulder, absorbing him into Kamui's dimension before attempting to do the same to himself.
But Naruto's clones, wielding Sage Art: Rasengan, closed in too quickly.
Obito swung his chain-bound fan, scattering dozens of clones, but for every one destroyed, ten more appeared.
Snap!
The chain broke, and the fan flew from his grasp.
The clones surged forward, their Sage Art: Rasengan glowing with power.
"Ugh!"
Forced into his intangibility mode, Obito gritted his teeth.
Naruto opened his eyes, their sharpness cutting through the haze. "Obito, let's see which lasts longer—your intangibility or my chakra. This is a battle where both of us are staking our lives!"
"Dattebayo!!!"
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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