Rōran, Central Tower.
"What? Such powerful chakra!"
Mukade stared in shock at the chakra seeping out from inside the Puppet.
"Now isn't the time to cry. Go do what you need to do. I'll beat this guy to a pulp."
Naruto roared as a massive amount of red chakra erupted from his body.
Mukade hurriedly controlled the Puppet, sealing Naruto inside and making the Puppet absorb his chakra.
"Just what can you do now? You're at your wits' end, aren't you... hmm?"
Under Mukade's stunned gaze, the enormous chakra inside the Puppet swelled. Before he could react, the giant Puppet's chest exploded with a bang.
Naruto shot out, stepped on a steel wire in midair, and used it to launch himself at Mukade, driving a punch straight into his face.
Then, before Naruto's shocked eyes, Mukade's face shattered like porcelain, revealing the material unique to Puppets.
But under the Dragon Vein's power, Mukade's face was swiftly restored.
"In Rōran, my power is infinite!"
Mukade slowly rose to his feet, raised both hands, and fired countless chakra threads. The Puppets that had fallen stood back up, while numerous combat Puppet Soldiers surged in from all sides to surround them.
"Hahahaha..."
Mukade's body rapidly expanded and warped. Countless metal parts and flesh twisted together, eventually forming an enormous Spider Puppet that gleamed with a cold metallic light.
"Behold, my ultimate body!"
Naruto's eyes widened as he stared at the scene before him in disbelief.
"What is with that body?!"
"Hahaha!"
The giant Spider Puppet burst into wild laughter. With the Dragon Vein's enhancement, its two Puppet arms transformed into blades and slashed at Naruto.
"Die here with Sara!"
Naruto dodged rather awkwardly as the Puppets around them closed in on the two of them.
"Running is futile!"
"Damn it!"
At that critical