Rubble flew everywhere.
Dust billowed along the road.
Naruto crawled out from beneath the rocks in a sorry state. His Super Self-Healing ability visibly closed the hundreds of wounds covering his body.
"Whew!"
Naruto hopped from side to side, loosening his muscles.
Haku hurried over. Seeing Naruto safe and sound, the worry on his face turned into a smile. "Naruto-kun, that monster is too powerful. I'll hold it off for a while. You can get away first."
Someone was willing to risk their life for you.
How could Naruto not be moved?
"Haku, abandoning your friends and running away is a surefire way to get struck by lightning." Naruto had finally relaxed. He gently pinched Haku's nose. "The fight isn't over yet!"
Yagura, who had landed a hit, continued to roar in his Partial Tailed Beast Transformation. He had no real sense of self. Under Uchiha Obito's genjutsu, all he could think about was cruelty and destruction.
Destroy Kirigakure. Destroy everything.
That was why Yagura, in his Partial Tailed Beast Transformation, had no intelligence. His current strength came from forcibly drawing on the Three-Tails' immense chakra.
But as his strength grew, he was also continually damaging his own body.
Haku followed Naruto's instructions and hid again with Kimimaro.
Kimimaro had recovered a little and could manage small movements. "That monster's chakra is enormous. Can Naruto-kun really win?"
"We have to believe in Naruto," Haku said encouragingly.
Naruto began to wear Yagura down.
Yagura's tails pounded at Naruto in a frenzy. They could injure him, but before long, Naruto would recover and close the distance again.
"So you like burning yourself up, huh?" Naruto changed his fighting style. "Wind and fire—I'll show you the power of the Rasengan."
"Wind Release: Whirlwind Rasengan."
"Fire Release: Burst Rasengan."
"Catch!"
As Naruto closed in on Yagura, a whirlwind spun around the Rasengan in his right hand, while the one in his left crackled with sparks, ready to explode. Then, as if throwing Shuriken, he sent them flying in straight lines toward Yagura, where they converged.
The wind fanned the flames.
An explosion.
Scorching heat.
Yagura in his Partial Tailed Beast Transformation went from an overwhelming force to a moving target for Naruto's aim practice.
If Yagura hadn't been under genjutsu, then with the strength of a perfect Three-Tails Jinchūriki, he might have transformed into the Tailed Beast, subdued Naruto with overwhelming power, and blasted him with a Tailed Beast Bomb.
But there were no what-ifs.
The dazed Yagura couldn't wield the Tailed Beast's true power. And with Naruto's Super Self-Healing, Yagura's defeat was only a matter of time as they traded blows.
[Notice.]
[Chakra remaining: 20%.]
Naruto really was feeling exhausted. He had to maintain the Eight Inner Gates, fire Rasengan after Rasengan like a machine gun, and supply energy for his Super Self-Healing.
Even Naruto's chakra, vast as a great lake, couldn't withstand that kind of drain.
"Focus on the enemy's head." Naruto stopped attacking at random. "This monster can take far too much punishment. Maybe the Rasengan doesn't have enough chakra packed into it. I'll save a little chakra for movement and use the rest for the finishing blow."
"Fire Release: Great Burst Rasengan." Naruto suddenly surged forward. The Rasengan in his hand rapidly expanded, its diameter instantly exceeding two meters.
[Notice.]
[Chakra remaining: 2%.]
The Great Burst Rasengan, bright as a tiny sun, broke through Yagura's defenses. Its scorching heat melted everything nearby into black ash.
Yagura's Tailed Beast Chakra Cloak shattered in the blast. His flesh was torn away, and his bones snapped.
Yagura's head suffered the worst damage; most of his skull was crushed. The Three-Tails' chakra couldn't heal his injuries in time, and with Yagura completely unconscious, he collapsed in a massive crater.
Naruto could hardly believe he'd pulled it off. To be honest, he had no real sense of how strong he was. Whoever he faced, he was always willing to fight.
With a system at his side, Naruto wouldn't cower.
The victory had come down partly to luck.
Naruto took a few steps toward Yagura. Seeing the little man's battered body still breathing, he marveled at the monster's incredible vitality.
"We'll take him back to Konoha together. Mom and Dad should be able to deal with this monster for good." Naruto grabbed Yagura and used the Body Flicker Technique to reach Haku.
Haku said excitedly, "Naruto-kun, you're incredible!"
"Like a god," Kimimaro said, completely awed by Naruto's jutsu.
Naruto set Yagura down. "We need to leave right away. If we wait for more Kirigakure Ninja to arrive, we'll all be in danger. This monster's half-dead for now, so he can't threaten us. But we have to take him with us so he can't hurt anyone else."
Kimimaro asked, "Which ninja village are you from, Naruto-kun?"
"Konoha," Naruto replied.
"Will we cause trouble for Naruto-kun if we go to Konoha?" Haku thought of that first. He had a Kekkei Genkai that frightened people, and he didn't know if anyone else in Konoha would accept him.
Naruto wasn't worried about that at all. "I'm no ordinary person in Konoha. I've got powerful connections. When you get there, don't put up with unfair treatment for my sake. If that happens, we'll reason with them first, then use our fists."
That was Naruto's usual straightforward approach.
Soon, the three of them reached a dock in the Land of Water with Yagura in tow. They bought tickets, boarded a ship, and headed for the Land of Fire.
Land of Rain. Akatsuki's base.
Uchiha Obito was discussing Kisame's arrangements with Konan when the Kamui mark on Yagura suddenly disappeared. Obito's eyes narrowed slightly.
"I have something to take care of. Kisame's strength is at Kage Level, so treat him with respect," Uchiha Obito said without a trace of emotion.
Konan was curious about the Masked Man's identity. Though he claimed to be Madara Uchiha, she didn't believe him at all. She had tested him several times, but learned nothing—instead, she had only put herself at a disadvantage.
Nagato had chosen to work with the Masked Man not only because their goals and ideals aligned, but, more importantly, because the man was exceptionally powerful.
Konan indicated that she understood. "We'll treat anyone willing to join Akatsuki with respect."
A swirling vortex appeared. Uchiha Obito used Kamui to transport himself to Kirigakure. After searching around, he confirmed that Yagura was nowhere to be found.
"He couldn't have broken free of my genjutsu. Could something unexpected have happened?" Uchiha Obito couldn't work out what had happened. Everything seemed shrouded in mystery. "My plan may have been ruined. I need more information. White Zetsu, find out where Yagura is, quickly!"
White Zetsu poked his head out of the ground. "Heh heh heh, I'll get right on it!"
Land of Fire.
At the gates of Konoha.
Naruto looked energetic as he dragged Yagura, frozen into a block of ice. Behind him followed the shy Haku and the cool, aloof Kimimaro.
"You two old guys are taking forever just to register our identities! I've got to hurry home, change, and get to school. I really am Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto said helplessly. "The one frozen in ice is a monster, and the people with me are friends. Everything about us is clear!"
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