The two Nine-Tails began chasing each other through the village ruins.
The Rampaging Nine-Tails crouched low, its massive body grinding across the streets. Houses crumbled in rows like building blocks wherever it went. It suddenly lowered itself further, its back arched as purple-black chakra gathered madly in its mouth. The Tailed Beast Bomb swelled to the size of a house.
Boom!
Another Tailed Beast Bomb shot out.
Kurama charged in the opposite direction. It didn't even need to aim. Its four claws shattered the ground, and riding the momentum of its charge, it fired Tailed Beast Bomb after Tailed Beast Bomb from its mouth like a rapid-fire cannon.
The purple-black energy spheres tore through the night sky like a reverse meteor shower, each one striking straight at its opponent's muzzle.
A series of explosions filled the sky, and the shockwaves sent every rooftop within a hundred meters flying.
The Rampaging Nine-Tails was forced to lower its head under the relentless barrage. It had no choice but to retreat as it fought, until it was driven beneath the Kage Rock.
It roared in frustration and dug its four claws into the hard rock face. Stones broke loose like a downpour as its massive body climbed up the cliff, leaving dozens of deep gouges in the rock.
At the top of the cliff, it stopped atop the Hokage Monument's head. From its high vantage point, it unleashed a furious barrage.
Tailed Beast Bombs came crashing down from above, purple-black chakra spheres trailing flames as they traced arcs of destruction across the night sky. On impact, they burst into explosions of interwoven red and blue light.
"Hiruzen, this is getting out of hand." Enma's muffled voice came from inside the Adamantine Staff. "Are you sure you want to get involved in a fight between two Tailed Beasts?"
"I have no choice. These old bones still have one last life to give for Konoha." Hiruzen Sarutobi gripped the staff tightly, his battle clothes fluttering in the heat waves. He looked up at the crimson monster atop the cliff. "If only that brat Jiraiya were in the village..."
"Listen, old man," Enma scoffed. "This is no time for daydreaming. Your student's probably crouched outside the women's baths at some hot spring, peeking in!"
"Enough talk." Hiruzen Sarutobi pushed off with his foot. "Let's go!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi pushed off with his foot, and the ground exploded.
He leaped toward the Kage Rock like an arrow loosed from a bow. The Adamantine Staff whirled in his hands, tracing a fierce arc, its surface gleaming with a cold metallic sheen as chakra coursed through it.
"Enma! Extend!"
"Got it!"
The staff slammed into the enormous fox's head!
Boom!
The muffled impact made the entire cliff tremble.
The Rampaging Nine-Tails saw stars. The Tailed Beast Bomb still forming in its mouth exploded prematurely, and its massive body lost its balance. It tumbled from the head of the Hokage Monument and crashed back to the ground, landing right in front of Kurama and kicking up a skyful of dust.
The two giant beasts clashed again, claws and fangs locking.
Kurama drove its opponent back with a swipe, then turned and unleashed a deafening roar at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had landed nearby. Its hostility was palpable.
"Easy, Kurama. Calm down."
Lin Zi patted the chakra fur bristling along Kurama's neck and leaped from its back. The red markings around his eyes glowed faintly through the dust in Sage Mode. He landed not far from the Third, and a ring of wind swept outward the instant his feet touched the ground.
"Grandpa Third," he said, spreading his hands with an innocent smile.
"I don't mean you any harm. Not for now, anyway." He pointed at Kurama, its fighting spirit blazing behind him. "But out of respect for this guy, could you take a break for a bit?"
He tilted his head, a golden glint flashing in his line-shaped Sage eyes.
"After all, this is its fight."
"What kind of joke is this?!" Hiruzen Sarutobi roared. He held the Adamantine Staff across his body, his battle clothes flapping in the wake of the two Nine-Tails' fight. "Do you think this is some children's game?!"
"Of course I understand."
Lin Zi smiled. The line-shaped pupils of his Sage Mode eyes narrowed slightly, and a visible aura shimmered around him—the Natural Energy around him was so dense it was almost liquid. He raised a hand and gently wagged his index finger.
"But I think you've misunderstood me."
He stomped, cracking the ground. Senjutsu Chakra erupted like a storm, lifting the rubble around them into the air.
"What I mean is..." He tilted his head, his smile fading as his voice suddenly turned cold. "If you want to get close to their fight, you'll have to get past me first."
"Old man," Enma's voice fell low as the Adamantine Staff trembled in Hiruzen Sarutobi's grasp. "This... isn't going to end well."
Hiruzen Sarutobi stared hard at the blond boy before him, his pupils contracting. "Kid! If you know I'm the Third, then why are you standing in my way as a Konoha Ninja?!"
"A Konoha Ninja?"
Lin Zi scoffed and slowly pulled a Forehead Protector from his pocket.
The metal Forehead Protector gleamed coldly in the firelight. A jagged slash had been cut across the Konoha symbol in its center—the mark of a rogue ninja.
"Grandpa Third," he said, casually hanging the Forehead Protector from his waist. He looked up, golden light swirling in his Sage eyes. "Take a good look. I'm not one of your subordinates."
"Now it's your turn to speak." He raised his right hand, chakra gathering wildly in his palm. "If you don't say anything..."
"Then it's my turn!"
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
Poof! Poof! Poof!
White smoke burst open, and five or six copies of Lin Zi charged out, each holding a nearly meter-wide sphere of azure light in its palm.
Sage Art: Big Ball Rasengan!
The rapidly spinning chakra grew even more massive as Senjutsu infused it, tearing through the air with a piercing shriek.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils tightened as he swiftly formed Hand Seals with his left hand.
Five Elements: Great Barrage Technique!
Chakra of all five natures erupted at once. A sea of flames, a water dragon, an earthen wall, a web of lightning, and blades of wind intertwined into a barrier of destruction and surged toward the Sage Art Rasengans.
Boom!
The first clash sent water and fire hissing into steam and shattered the earth and lightning.
But the Sage Art Rasengans charged through like a raging torrent. Only two were deflected; the remaining three tore through the Five Elements barrier and kept coming!
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face changed drastically. He slammed the Adamantine Staff into the ground. "Again! Five Elements: Great Barrage Technique!"
A second torrent of the five elements roared out, barely swallowing up the remaining Big Ball Rasengans.
Amid the smoke and dust of the explosion, the Third staggered back several steps. His hands went numb, and his chest churned with blood and breath.
He looked down at the scorch marks left on his battle clothes by the residual Sage Art energy, his heart filled with shock.
Ordinary ninjutsu... had really been suppressed to this extent?!
Lin Zi watched Hiruzen Sarutobi stagger back and tilted his head, the line-shaped pupils of his Sage Mode eyes narrowing slightly.
"I actually do respect you, Third." He dusted off his hands, his tone light. "You've had a taste of what it's like. You've learned your lesson, right?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a "Shadow Clone" that had been scattered by the Five Elements suddenly solidified beside them. It had actually been Lin Zi's real body!
Sage Art: Frog Kumite!
His fist, wrapped in Natural Energy, slammed into the middle of the Adamantine Staff with a dull, croak-like boom.
Enma let out a pained groan. The staff shuddered violently, and the chakra inside it nearly scattered. The entire Adamantine Staff went limp, almost reverting to Enma's monkey form.
"Old man...!" Enma's voice came from inside the staff, accompanied by a pained gasp. "There's something strange... about this kid's fists!"
Lin Zi lowered his fist and stood still, making no attempt to follow up.
Just then, Kurama's deafening roar and the Rampaging Nine-Tails' increasingly hoarse wail came from the other side of the village.
"Hey, kid!" Kurama's irritable voice boomed directly in Lin Zi's mind. "Quit playing around with that old man! That loser over there's about to run out of strength. Get back here and finish it off!"
"Oh, I know, I know, Kurama. I'm coming."
Lin Zi sprang into the air, tracing an arc before landing steadily on Kurama's broad back.
He grabbed its chakra fur and leaned forward.
The Rampaging Nine-Tails was clearly at the end of its tether too. Its massive body was covered in wounds, and crimson chakra streamed from it like smoke.
But its ferocity hadn't faded. Abandoning its Tailed Beast Bombs and claws, it lowered its head and dug at the ground furiously with all four legs—
It would settle things with the most primitive weapon of all: a headbutt.
Kurama lowered its body as well, its nine tails stretched straight behind it, its back arched, and a low rumble like a war drum rolling in its throat.
Lin Zi grinned and patted Kurama on the back of its neck.
"Go, Kurama!"
"Ram it unconscious!"
"Watch yourself. Don't actually kill it."
Before you continue