Above the canopy, the hum of the Ginrei Kojaku pulsated rhythmically.
With every Explosive Flame Arrow fired, a massive fireball would erupt from the distant Kumogakure positions.
It didn't look like a war; it looked more like a one-sided slaughter.
Aokawa, however, frowned at that moment.
In his eyes, the colors of the world suddenly changed.
The blue specks of light representing spirit particles in the air were fleeing frantically, as if sensing something terrifying approaching.
In his field of vision, a shockingly thick dark-red "Reishi Network" was tearing through all the air currents in its path at an illogical speed, heading straight for him.
This level of energy intensity was not something a human should possess.
Aokawa released his fingers, and the spirit particles arrow that had been notched on the bowstring dissipated into the air.
The rain of fire across the sky came to an abrupt halt.
A brief vacuum appeared on the Battlefield.
Below, Uchiha Yashiro, who was in a killing frenzy, swung his blade into empty air and looked up in astonishment.
The Konoha Ninjas who had been advancing behind the "wall of fire" also stopped in their tracks, looking at each other in confusion.
"Why did it stop?"
"Is he out of ammunition?"
Before they could react, the veins around Aokawa's eyes bulged violently.
His vision, which had been focused far away, snapped back instantly, and the Byakugan's sight spread out in all directions without a single blind spot.
It's here!
The next moment! Without any warning.
Behind Aokawa, the air distorted like ripples on water.
A dark-skinned figure emerged like a ghost, holding a gleaming Ninja Blade in a reverse grip. Without a word, the blade went straight for Aokawa's carotid artery.
Killer Bee!
This Eight-Tails Jinchuriki's speed was ridiculously fast; the blade was less than ten centimeters from Aokawa's neck.
"Gotcha, ya fool, ya jerk!"
Before the rap lyrics in Killer Bee's mind could finish, his pupils shrank violently.
He abruptly stopped the thrust aimed at Aokawa, twisted his body with all his might, and swung his Ninja Blade behind him.
Clang!
The sound of clashing metal rang out.
Golden hair fluttered in the air.
Minato Namikaze had appeared behind Killer Bee at some unknown point, his Kunai locked against Killer Bee's Ninja Blade.
"Quick reactions! I've been waiting for you!"
Minato Namikaze's voice was calm, yet it carried a bone-chilling coldness.
Killer Bee was pale with shock; he stared intently at the tree trunk beneath Minato Namikaze's feet, which was completely empty.
"Impossible! There are no Flying Thunder God formula Kunai anywhere near here!"
"How could you teleport here?"
Minato Namikaze didn't explain, only glancing coldly at Killer Bee.
Killer Bee suddenly remembered that Minato Namikaze had appeared behind him and cursed, "You bastard... you actually left a mark on me!"
Aokawa, who had been facing away from everyone, also turned around.
The Ginrei Kojaku in his hand suddenly collapsed, and countless spirit particles particles re-aggregated in his palm, instantly transforming into a Reishi Longsword radiating a ghostly blue light, which he thrust fiercely toward the Killer Bee confronting Minato Namikaze.
He didn't look at Killer Bee, but instead toward the empty void above and to the side.
Just then.
Zzzzt—!
An extremely piercing sonic boom exploded.
That wasn't thunder, but the sonic boom generated by an object moving at high speed through the air.
A burly figure wrapped in violent lightning appeared out of thin air to Aokawa's left.
Fourth Raikage A!
Under the stimulation of Lightning Release Chakra, all the cells in his body were activated to their limit, making him look like a human lightning ball.
At this moment, his speed even surpassed everyone's dynamic vision.
"Brat, no matter how good your eyes are, can they keep up with my speed!"
A's roar was still echoing in the air as his hand-sword had already chopped down.
This was the true killing move!
Killer Bee was just bait to force out Minato Namikaze.
As long as Minato Namikaze went to save the situation, no one could save this Hyuga Clan kid from the Raikage's hands.
This hand-sword strike concentrated high-density Lightning Release Chakra.
Never mind a body of flesh and blood; even a Puppet made of refined steel would be split in two by this blow!
It was too fast.
So fast that the spirit particles blade Aokawa had just raised didn't have time to change direction to block.
So fast that even if Minato Namikaze saw it, he wouldn't have time to activate the Flying Thunder God again.
"Aokawa! Watch out!!" Minato Namikaze shouted, his eyes nearly splitting from the strain.
All the Konoha Ninjas looking up felt their hearts sink halfway.
It's over.
That god-like youth was about to fall.
Boom—!!!
A dull impact sound echoed through the skies.
Following that was the crisp sound of wood splintering.
The canopy of the century-old giant tree beneath Aokawa's feet instantly exploded into a cloud of wood chips.
A massive shockwave spread outward from the two of them, turning the falling leaves directly into dust.
Dust billowed.
All sound vanished.
The Kumogakure Ninjas' faces showed wild joy, while the Konoha side looked ashen-faced.
No one could take the full force of the Raikage's "Raikages Full Power Attack" head-on and survive.
Not even a Tailed Beast!
The dust slowly cleared.
A figure fell from the air.
He flipped nimbly in mid-air, his feet carving two deep furrows into the ground as he landed steadily.
Aokawa brushed the dust off his shoulder and cracked his neck with a slight twist.
"You have quite a bit of strength."
He looked up, his tone flat.
The entire field was dead silent.
Minato Namikaze was stunned.
Standing on the wreckage of the tree trunk, Fourth Raikage A maintained his chopping posture, his large, bell-like eyes filled with gravity.
That strike had landed solidly.
The sensation wouldn't lie.
But... at Aokawa's neck, the originally tidy collar had been completely pulverized, revealing the fair skin beneath.
Yet on the surface of that skin, a network of fine, complex blood vessels bulged like tree roots, radiating a ghostly deep blue light.
"Blut Vene!"
By injecting high-purity spirit particles directly into the blood vessels, the skin and muscles gain defensive power surpassing steel.
The Raikage's mountain-shattering blow hadn't even scratched his skin.
Only his collar was ruined.
"This... what kind of monster is this..."
For the first time, an emotion called "terror" appeared in the eyes behind Killer Bee's sunglasses.
Taking Big Bro's Raikages Full Power Attack head-on?
What is this kid's neck made of?
Aokawa reached out to touch his slightly warm neck, looking at the two dumbfounded burly men above with a hint of playfulness on his face.
Dumbstruck, aren't you?
As long as one reacts in time, this is a defense that even Yhwach couldn't pierce.
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