Hey, why are you running?

Before the words had even faded, Lin Zi violently shook his arms!

Sshhh-la.

The edges of his hardened forearms sharpened, resembling two long blades that carved two dazzling arcs through the sunlight, slashing straight toward Ai's chest.

Ai felt the hair on his body stand on end. Instinctively, he pushed his Lightning Release Armor to its limit, his figure transforming into a bolt of blue lightning as he retreated frantically, his speed so great that he left a lingering afterimage in his wake.

The sharp blades grazed the lightning shroud on his chest, kicking up a string of blinding sparks.

His tunic was sliced open, and a stinging, burning sensation flared across his skin; he had narrowly avoided being cut.

As Ai landed, he glanced down at the tear in his clothes, then looked back at Lin Zi, who was slowly lowering his arms and ending his stance. Ai's expression was so dark it seemed as if water could drip from it.

Lin Zi flicked his wrists and licked his lips, his tone light and airy, yet it pierced the heart like a knife.

"Is that it?"

He tilted his head, his snake-like pupils filled with mockery.

"This so-called Lightning Release Armor... it's nothing special."

"What did you say?"

Ai's knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists. The lightning wreathing his body surged violently, like a thundercloud pushed to the brink of rage. He held nothing back, driving his chakra to the limit and pushing the power of his Lightning Release Armor to its absolute peak.

BOOM!

A scorched crater exploded into the ground. Ai's figure split into three azure afterimages, launching a Lariat from the front, the left, and a diagonal angle simultaneously! The air was torn by three shrill shrieks—the sonic booms of his speed breaking the sound barrier.

"Angry? Is everyone in your Cloud Village this hot-headed?"

Lin Zi's snake pupils rotated at high speed. The serpentine perception granted by the Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode expanded, and in coordination with the Many Snakes Array already covering the battlefield, he had eyes everywhere.

He continuously adjusted the angle of his hardened arms, forcing every one of his opponent's attacks to collide with his blocks.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Every collision sounded like a war hammer striking an anvil. The violent force channeled through Lin Zi's body and into the earth, causing the ground beneath them to shatter inch by inch as spiderweb-like cracks spread wildly.

"Such fast speed..." Lin Zi tilted his head while blocking, still having the leisure to speak. "But it's always just a little bit off, Lord Raikage."

Ai grew more alarmed with every strike.

This guy's predictions were like a ghost's; every time a Lariat was a fraction of a second away from connecting, those hardened arms were always waiting there in advance.

If this continued, forget about taking Killer B away—he might even be dragged to his death here!

"SHUT UP!!"

Ai was completely enraged, letting out a roar toward the heavens. In an instant, the Lightning Release Chakra surrounding his body stopped radiating outward; instead, it was frantically drawn inward, compressed, and finally—

Sshhh-la!

His hair stood straight up, burning like a blue flame atop his head. The lightning on his skin condensed into a tangible suit of armor, his speed surpassing the limits of visual perception.

Strongest Lightning Release Armor!

This time, Lin Zi's snake pupils could only catch a fleeting glimpse of azure light.

BOOM!!!

A Lariat slammed solidly into Lin Zi's chest before he could fully harden it. The sound of cracking bone was clearly audible, and Lin Zi was sent flying like a ragdoll, crashing through half a mud wall as dust and debris filled the air.

"Cough..."

Amidst the dust, Lin Zi wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He looked up at the azure bolt of light charging toward him again, his golden vertical pupils shrinking to pinpricks for the first time.

Frontal assault... I can't keep up.

Before the thought could finish, the blue light was already upon him!

"Triple Rashomon!"

Lin Zi slammed his hands onto the ground. With three thunderous roars, three giant iron gates rose from the earth, standing like city walls in the center of the battlefield.

Almost simultaneously, his cheeks puffed out, and a blinding red light ignited deep within his throat.

"Sage Art: White Rage Technique!"

A dragon of red light roared from his mouth, exploding violently in front of the Rashomon!

Ai's speed was too great; his momentum carried him headlong into the first gate, shattering it with a punch! Then the second! And the third!

But the intense light and high-frequency sonic waves of the White Rage Technique erupted just before the final gate. Ai's nervous system was severely disrupted by the sudden sensory assault, causing a fatal delay of a few seconds in his movements.

Now!

Lin Zi's true body lunged out from his own mouth like a snake shedding its skin, sliding more than ten feet away along the ground.

The body left behind was pierced through by Ai's fist, exploding into a sky full of pale, discarded snake skin that fluttered amidst the lightning.

"You're so impatient..."

The real Lin Zi knelt on one knee, wiping the blood from his lip.

"Did you really think you could get the better of me?"

Lin Zi turned his head to look at Jiraiya and Tsunade.

"Are you two not ready yet? I've been waiting until I'm impatient."

"Oh~ This Sage is coming!"

Jiraiya pressed his palms together, and the two Sages, Fukasaku and Shima, exerted their power simultaneously. His white hair grew longer, and the markings of Sage Mode crawled across his cheeks.

Tsunade also stepped forward, standing beside Lin Zi. The Yin Seal on her forehead glowed blindingly, and chakra rose around her body like a physical substance.

"It's been a long time since we worked together, Jiraiya, Orochimaru." Tsunade clenched her fists. "Get ready!"

"Received!" Jiraiya grinned.

"Understood, Tsunade." Lin Zi licked his lips, a flash of excitement crossing his snake-like pupils.

Jiraiya took a deep breath, his chest swelling, and he suddenly opened his mouth to spew a monstrous Sage Art: Toad Oil Flame Bullet!

The viscous toad oil mixed with scorching flames, rushing toward Ai like a burning beast and pinning him firmly in place.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

Lin Zi formed hand seals, and a gale roared from his mouth, fueling the fire. The sea of flames expanded threefold in an instant, completely swallowing Ai.

Immediately after, he slammed one hand onto the ground, and the Triple Rashomon rose from the earth, forming a triangular formation that trapped the center of the inferno in a cage of steel!

"Let's go, Tsunade!" Jiraiya formed hand seals again, Sage chakra gathering in his throat. "Sage Art: Frog Call!"

A toad-like sound that pierced the soul surged from all directions into the interior of the Rashomon, weaving into a hallucinatory sonic cage.

"Don't worry, my genjutsu won't hurt you," Jiraiya shouted to Tsunade.

Lin Zi nodded at Tsunade.

Tsunade took a deep breath, pushing the Ninja Art: Creation Rebirth — Strength of a Hundred Technique to its limit.

Chakra markings crawled over her entire body, and she poured explosive power and the monstrous strength of the Senju Clan into her right fist.

She leaped, launching herself like a cannonball onto the top of the Rashomon. Looking down from above, the light condensed on her fist pierced the night sky.

"Go to hell!!!"

BOOM!!!

Tsunade's monstrous strength punch, Jiraiya's Sage Art fire and genjutsu, and Lin Zi's Wind Release and Rashomon compression—three forces collided violently within the confined space!

"Are you kidding me!!!"

A deafening roar from Ai erupted from inside the Triple Rashomon. He pushed his Lightning Release Chakra to the limit, attempting to withstand the combined attack with his strongest Lightning Armor, but it only resulted in his body being pushed back frantically.

BANG!!!

The Lightning Release Armor on Ai's body shattered completely under the triple strangulation, turning into blue and white sparks that filled the sky.

Only his body, tempered over many years, remained exposed at the center of the destruction, struggling desperately to dodge the aftermath of the explosion and the terrifying power radiating from Tsunade's fist.

"Ai!!"

A heart-wrenching roar from Killer B echoed from behind.