Wait, That's It?

"Yo, yo, I don't wanna fight you, but this is the Raikage's mission, yo."

Killer B sang in his bizarre rap style as he swayed his body, the seven short swords on his back clattering.

Jiraiya poked his head out from behind Lin Zi, looked Killer B up and down, and pursed his lips.

"What a weird guy... And his songs are even weirder."

Lin Zi held the Kusanagi Sword horizontally, his golden slit pupils fixed on Killer B. Without turning around, he asked, "Don't kill the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki just yet. What about the trash hiding nearby... Can we kill them all?"

"I don't see why not." Jiraiya crossed his arms, looking unconcerned. "They dared to scheme against us, so they can live with the consequences."

"Hey, hey, hey!"

Tsunade suddenly squeezed between the two, bumping her shoulder into Jiraiya and knocking him off balance.

"Why are you two wasting so much time talking? Get ready to move!"

Jiraiya stumbled forward a couple of steps, nearly falling flat on his face, and wailed, "Whoa! Tsunade, wait for us! This is the legendary Sannin joining forces, after all. Can't we make a bit of a ceremony out of it?"

"I'm going in too, Jiraiya." Lin Zi turned his head and grinned at him. "I'll leave those underlings to you."

"Honestly!" Jiraiya slapped his thigh and complained. "I'm stuck doing all the dirty work! Orochimaru, don't hold us back!"

"Got it."

Lin Zi brought his hands together. His chakra suddenly grew dense, two horns thrust up from his head, and a nictitating membrane covered his pupils.

Sage Mode: activated!

The Yin Seal on Tsunade's forehead was fully released. Chakra surged around her like a tangible force, and the ground cracked under its pressure.

The two of them charged at Killer B from either side.

"You're strong, but I'm not scared, yo." Killer B grinned and reached behind his back. "I've got partners who are in sync with me, yo."

He abruptly drew all seven short swords! He gripped two in his hands, held two in the crooks of his elbows, clenched one between his teeth, and tucked the remaining two behind his knees.

The blades flashed as one, like an iron lotus suddenly blooming, and came straight at them with a piercing whistle.

"Let's see if I can take you back this time." Lin Zi licked his lips, his snake-like pupils narrowing to slits. "I've always hated being threatened by strangers."

Sage chakra roared outward, pressing the stones, fallen leaves, and weeds flat against the ground. Even the air grew thick and sluggish.

"Yo, Orochimaru, you've got a sharp tongue, yo."

Killer B sang as all seven swords struck at once!

Clang, clang, clang, clang!

Lin Zi's Kusanagi Sword became a streak of silver-white as it clashed furiously with Killer B's web of blades. The metallic ringing came as thick and fast as rain pounding on a tin roof, sparks flying in every direction.

Killer B's swordsmanship was certainly bizarre. His seven blades attacked from completely unexpected angles, with elbows, knees, and teeth, their flashes weaving a dense, impenetrable net.

But Lin Zi was faster.

His arms twisted and turned as if they had no bones. The Kusanagi Sword blocked, thrust, and countered at impossible angles, each stroke precisely finding a gap between the seven blades.

Two white snakes slipped quietly from his sleeves and slithered along the ground toward Killer B's feet, waiting for a chance to coil around them.

"Yo, you're a tough one, yo!" Killer B leaped backward. All seven swords shifted at once, dazzling bolts of lightning flaring along their edges.

Lightning Release: Lariat!

Lightning became countless tiny snakes, raining down over Lin Zi through the web of blades.

Now!

Tsunade had been circling nearby, waiting for her chance. Her pupils narrowed as she pushed off the ground, her whole body becoming a green blur as she cut straight in from Killer B's blind spot!

"Got you!"

She joined the fingers of her right hand like a blade. Chakra gathered intensely at her fingertips, forming a bright blue Chakra Scalpel, precise as a surgical instrument.

Whoosh!

The blade severed the nerves in the muscles of Killer B's left arm.

"Ah!"

Killer B grunted. His left hand instantly went limp, and the short sword he had been holding clattered to the ground. The sword tucked into the crook of his left elbow lost its support and fell as well.

Two swords hit the ground.

Tsunade immediately retreated after landing her strike, coming to a stop beside Lin Zi. "What an arrogant little brat."

Killer B clutched his completely immobile left arm. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and the easygoing look finally disappeared from his face.

Lin Zi stood with his sword held across him, the sight of Killer B's disheveled state reflected in his snake-like pupils. He spoke slowly.

"Still singing, Eight-Tails Jinchuriki? Or are you going to call your partner out?"

Killer B clutched his left arm and grinned.

"Yo, yo~ You've really made me mad~ The Eight-Tails' power will make you regret this~"

Boom!!!

Red chakra erupted from his body, wrapping around him like boiling lava. His pupils narrowed into slits, and a bestial, violent aura radiated from him.

"Tailed Beast Chakra Cloak..." Tsunade narrowed her eyes, her fists cracking as she clenched them.

Lin Zi tilted his head, his golden slit pupils filled with disdain. "What's this? The rapper's transformed?"

"Is something wrong with everyone from the Cloud Village?" Tsunade scoffed.

"Probably." Lin Zi shrugged, holding the Kusanagi Sword in front of him. "He looks intimidating, but I'd guess he's even more out of his mind now."

"Enough talk!!"

Killer B roared. Five blades wrapped in red chakra came hurtling forward like a runaway chariot! He was more than twice as fast as before. The ground shattered under his feet, and lightning crackled along the blades, mingling with the Tailed Beast Chakra.

"Bring it on!"

Lin Zi charged forward instead of retreating and slammed both hands against the ground!

"Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation!"

Rumble! The ground exploded, and countless stone hands burst out from beneath it, gripping Killer B's ankles and waist tightly!

"Sage Art: White Rage Technique!"

A Red Light Dragon roared out of Lin Zi's mouth and exploded in front of Killer B's face! Dazzling light and piercing sound waves tore through the air!

"Ugh!" The shock left Killer B's vision white and his movements faltering.

Now!

Lin Zi slid along the ground like a snake, his Kusanagi Sword aimed straight at Killer B's throat!

Killer B instinctively tilted his head aside. The sword's edge grazed his neck, drawing a spray of blood, but the Tailed Beast Chakra immediately sealed the wound.

"Left side!" Tsunade's voice rang out beside him.

Killer B had just started to turn when a sudden pain shot through his left leg!

Whoosh!

Tsunade darted in from his blind spot, her Chakra Scalpel slicing precisely through the nerves in his left leg muscles.

"Ah!!" Killer B's left leg gave way, and he dropped to one knee with a heavy thud. He tried to stand, but his left leg still had no strength in it at all.

Lin Zi retreated three steps, the Kusanagi Sword hanging at his side. He flicked the blood from its blade, while Tsunade landed beside him and rolled her wrist.

The two looked at Killer B kneeling on the ground, then glanced at each other.

"That's it?" Lin Zi raised an eyebrow.

"So much for a Tailed Beast Jinchuriki," Tsunade sneered.

Killer B gasped for breath. Red chakra still surged around him, but he could barely hold on to his swords.

Just then, slow footsteps sounded from the other end of the street.

Jiraiya was spotless. He carried an unconscious Cloud Village shinobi in one hand and tossed him aside like a piece of trash. After dusting off his hands, he looked at the three of them facing off, utterly unimpressed.

"Yo, you're still fighting?"

He sauntered over, radiating the relaxed air of someone who had just finished a good workout.

"Just as I thought."

Jiraiya put his hands on his hips and threw his head back in laughter.

"Without Lord Jiraiya keeping watch, the two of you would've been in for a tough fight!"