More and more Mist Shinobi landed on Skull Island. Samui's pupils constricted, and she hurriedly hoisted Lin Yuyuri, her human shield, onto her shoulder.
She had thought the Mist Shinobi would attack her, but when they saw Utakata enter partial Tailed Beast transformation, their attention turned to the battle.
Whether the Mist Shinobi could retake Skull Island hinged on whether Utakata could defeat Star of the Clouds.
"He's actually managed to fight Lord Utakata to a standstill!"
"Is that guy a monster?"
"Lord Utakata's already entered partial Tailed Beast transformation."
"Everyone, fall back ten miles!"
The surrounding Mist Shinobi retreated in a frenzy.
A black and a dark-red blur clashed again and again. Shock waves erupted in every direction, flattening houses and tearing through the forest.
They had no way of joining a fight at this level.
If they got too close and even a stray shock wave hit them, they could be killed.
"Damn it."
Pakura grabbed Samui with one hand and Lin Yuyuri with the other, then used Information Release to race toward the shore.
As Samui was whisked away, she watched the two figures wreaking havoc in the distance and couldn't help swallowing nervously.
Tailed Beasts were war machines. Just sensing their chakra was enough to make her heart pound.
"Neji's so small, and he's fighting a Tailed Beast head-on. Isn't he going to get killed?"
"Is that Lord Utakata?"
Lin Yuyuri had woken at some point. She weakly lifted her head to watch the battle on the island.
Utakata in partial Tailed Beast transformation.
Neji in Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
Skull Island in ruins.
Lin Yuyuri understood that the island's fall would set off a chain of events, but she hadn't expected things to reach this point. Utakata, the highest-ranking commander of the Mist Shinobi army,