The Sky Screen shifted, its view locking onto the battlefield on the border of the Land of Rain.
Naruto arrived in force with Sasuke, the Five Kage, and a host of Konoha's elite.
Two figures stood quietly on the open, ruined plain. They were Lucci and Kalifa, who had been waiting for some time.
The moment their eyes met, the air tightened, and the entire battlefield filled with explosive tension.
Lucci threw his head back and laughed, his eyes brimming with battle lust and contempt as he slowly flexed his wrists.
"So you're Naruto Uzumaki, supposedly the strongest in the Shinobi World?"
"Since you're here, let's give you a proper welcome!"
Before his words had faded, pitch-black beast markings spread across Lucci's body, and the power of his transformation erupted!
Boom!
Violent black energy whipped up raging winds, lifting every loose stone off the ground!
He gave no one a chance to react. In a flash, he became a black afterimage and shot straight at Naruto!
Facing Lucci's fierce surprise attack, Naruto showed no fear. Instead, he grinned broadly, his fighting spirit surging to its peak.
"Perfect timing! I wanted to see just how strong you really are!"
Hum!
Golden chakra swept over his entire body as he fully unleashed Nine-Tails Mode!
A dazzling golden fox cloak enveloped him. The immense aura of nine-tails chakra surged skyward, forcibly countering Lucci's pressure!
The next second, Naruto planted his foot and charged forward to meet him!
Bang!
The golden and black figures collided, the explosive cracks of clashing fists and feet ringing out without pause!
They moved so fast that even the Kage Level fighters present could barely track their intersecting afterimages.
Their punches blasted the air, their auras collided, and the earth trembled!
One was Naruto, who stood at the pinnacle