White-Hot!

"B, this opponent is no joke! If you keep treating this like a game, you might lose your life!" the Eight-Tails sternly warned from within Killer B.

"Yeah~ I get it~ State Two, end this fast, fool, you jerk!" Killer B said.

Gurururururu!!

An even greater, denser mass of Tailed Beast Chakra than before seeped out of B's body, abruptly contracting to form a crimson Tailed Beast Cloak over his body. White bones of Tailed Beast Transformation even formed around his elbows!

Bang! Killer B dropped onto all fours. Hiss! Scorching vapor rose from his Tailed Beast Cloak and his open mouth.

Forcibly compressing a Tailed Beast's power into human form—this was Cursed Seal: State Two, a form second only to Complete Tailed-Beast Transformation!

Though its raw power fell short of Complete Tailed-Beast Transformation, its speed and instantaneous explosive force were even greater!

Whenever Killer B activated this form, it usually meant the battle would end in an instant.

Inside Susanoo, Riu said impassively, "Oh, Half-Tailed-Beast Transformation..."

"Other than sparring with my big bro, I've never unleashed this form before. This ends now! Headbutt Eight-Blade!"

Boom! Killer B shot forward explosively. His attack was brutally simple: he rammed his head directly into Susanoo.

The skeletal Susanoo clearly could not withstand the savage charge of the Half-Tailed-Beast Transformation. Cracks rapidly spread from the point of impact across its entire body, and it shattered with a boom.

"Easy as can be, that's B!" Killer B accelerated toward Riu, only to pass right through him...

"What!?" As expected, he froze. This was almost everyone's instinctive reaction upon seeing "phasing" for the first time!

Riu turned around, his left Mangekyo Sharingan aimed at Killer B's back. "Kamui!"

Crack!! In an instant, a huge hole opened straight through Killer B's back and chest!!

"Ah!!!" His Tailed Beast Transformation dispersed as well. Killer B screamed as he crashed to the ground, blood pooling beneath him.

Riu looked down impassively at the dying Killer B. "I avoided your head. For a Jinchūriki, an injury like this shouldn't kill you so easily..."

If a Jinchūriki died, the Tailed Beast would die along with them. Thus, Riu could not kill Killer B. Instead, he needed to weaken him in battle, then undo the Iron Armor Seal containing the Eight-Tails and free it from its Jinchūriki.

Thump... thump! Killer B's heartbeat rapidly weakened.

"Cold... so cold..." In Killer B's mental world, the light receded as endless cold spread through him!

"B, hang in there! I'll save you right now!!" the Eight-Tails called out to Killer B, generously channeling its Chakra into him.

Under the Eight-Tails' powerful infusion of Chakra, the massive hole running through Killer B's back and chest healed...

Other than Hashirama Senju, who possessed immense vitality, and Tsunade of the Senju Clan, who bore the Strength of a Hundred Seal, only Jinchūriki who had perfectly mastered their Tailed Beasts could accomplish something so close to reviving the dead.

The corner of Riu's mouth curled slightly. This outcome was exactly as he had expected.

Inside Killer B's mental world.

"What a terrifying eye technique! So powerful it makes me tremble! This great man nearly kicked the bucket!" Killer B said, still shaken.

"B, did you notice? He could have aimed for your head just now, but he didn't!" the Eight-Tails said.

"Could it be that he was so amazed by this great man's genius RAP skills that he couldn't bear to strike?"

"You're overthinking it! I think his goal is to obtain me, which is why he held back against you!" The Eight-Tails had discovered Riu's true intention.

"Since we know what he wants, we don't have to worry about suddenly losing our heads!" Killer B rose to his feet.

Riu remained impassive. "Have you calmed down a little?"

"Fool, you jerk!"

Boom!

Killer B entered Cursed Seal: State Two once more, opening his mouth as Yin and Yang Tailed Beast Chakra compressed at a two-to-eight ratio into an ultra-dense black sphere. The sheer weight of its Chakra caused the ground beneath his feet to collapse.

Though a Tailed Beast Bomb was "small" in Half-Tailed-Beast Transformation, it was still enough to destroy an entire small mountain.

Riu shook his head. "You never learn..."

Boom!!

The Small Tailed Beast Bomb fired!

Without any surprise, it passed straight through his body.

Rumble!! Amid bursting light, a small mountain in the background behind Riu vanished...

"Is this the power of a Jinchūriki!?" Yūhi Uzuki was horrified from a small mountain in the opposite direction.

"So strong. Not only can physical attacks pass through him, even Tailed Beast Bombs can too. Incredible, he's practically invincible!" Killer B said in shock.

"B, his ability is too strange. Without intelligence on it, we have almost no chance of winning. We should retreat first!" the Eight-Tails suggested.

"I agree... but there's something I still need to confirm!" Killer B opened his mouth and condensed another Tailed Beast Bomb.

Riu said coldly, "Again? No matter how many times you try, you're only wasting Chakra..."

Suddenly, Killer B shifted directions. The Tailed Beast Bomb targeted another direction—namely, the mountain where Tobi and Yūhi Uzuki stood!!

"So that's what you're doing..." Tobi said.

Bang! The Tailed Beast Bomb launched at tremendous speed!

Damn it! Riu cursed inwardly, activating Susanoo as he prepared to intercept it.

"Too late!" Riu fully unleashed the eye power of his left Mangekyo Sharingan. His gaze pierced the void, tracking the flying Tailed Beast Bomb!

"Catch up to it, Kamui!!"

"It's over..." The Tailed Beast Bomb was already right before her eyes. Under that despairing pressure, Yūhi Uzuki lost all hope.

Whoosh!!

At the critical moment, space twisted. Accompanied by that familiar vortex, the Tailed Beast Bomb was transferred into the Space-Time Dimension!

This shocking sight left an immense impact on Yūhi Uzuki's heart.

"Lariat!!"

Almost at the exact instant Riu activated Kamui, Killer B's Lariat in Half-Tailed-Beast Transformation struck at Riu!!

Crack! The Susanoo covering Riu's body shattered after blocking it for only a moment. The Lariat was about to hit Riu squarely in the chest...

If it landed solidly, even if Riu survived, he would be severely wounded!

"He did it to save me..." Yūhi Uzuki's eyes trembled violently as she moved to rush over, but Tobi pressed a hand to her shoulder. "Don't panic."

Crack!

A thick tree suddenly sprouted from Riu's right shoulder, tightly binding Killer B's body. Branches split off and continued wrapping around his limbs!

Yūhi Uzuki let out a deep sigh of relief.

"Damn it!! Wood Release!! He can use Wood Release too!!" the Eight-Tails cried out from inside Killer B.

"Wood Release? The Bloodline Limit of the legendary First Hokage, Hashirama Senju! He has all sorts of abilities—amazing! Just who is this ninja? But at least one thing is certain: when he attacks, he must become tangible. That's his weakness, fool, you jerk!" Killer B exclaimed.

"This isn't the time for that! We have to break free of this Wood Release! B!" the Eight-Tails urged.

"Got it, B. Complete Tailed-Beast Transformation!"

Boom!! The trees binding Killer B shattered.

Riu retreated, looking at the enormous creature revealing its true form before him. As he felt that overwhelmingly powerful Chakra, every cell in his body seemed to leap with excitement. "It's finally here. I've been waiting for you for a long time, Eight-Tails!"