"Rumble-!"
Momoshiki Otsutsuki's body flew backward into the face of a small, isolated mountain on the border of the Land of Rivers, leaving a crater several meters across. Rocks shattered and tumbled down, and dust filled the air.
Momoshiki lay embedded in the rock face, his limbs twisted unnaturally, and spat out a mouthful of blood.
His consciousness blurred for an instant, but the constitution of the Ōtsutsuki Clan allowed him to recover swiftly.
After kicking Momoshiki away with a single blow, Naraku did not even spare him another glance.
The instant he turned, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki was already upon him.
Isshiki had clearly learned from having his movements anticipated earlier. His body constantly changed size as he attacked, pushing his use of Sukunahikona to its utmost.
One moment, he was normal-sized, driving a fist toward Naraku's face; the next, he shrank to the size of an index finger, circled to the side, and thrust out a chakra rod.
This attack pattern was extraordinarily bizarre. Ordinary opponents would have been overwhelmed just trying to adapt to his constantly changing size, let alone respond effectively.
But Shihōin Naraku still blocked him.
Kurikara became an unbroken curtain of light in his hand. Wherever its edge reached, Isshiki was intercepted with pinpoint precision, whether he grew or shrank.
Every flash of the blade appeared directly in the path Isshiki's attack had to take, without the slightest deviation.
The more Isshiki attacked, the more frantic and furious he became.
For the third time, he used Sukunahikona to shrink his body and circle behind Naraku. This time, he abandoned his weapon, spreading his fingers and reaching straight for Naraku's shoulder.
As long as this clawing hand touched skin, he could drive compressed Black Rods into his opponent's body in that instant.
Under normal circumstances, he would