After a cold snort, Tsunade said nothing more.
Yet, her brows furrowed deeply, her amber eyes full of worry for Aoyama Ryuyun.
Don't do anything foolish, Liu Yun...
---
"Shikaku!"
The Ino–Shika–Chō trio were equally anxious about Aoyama Ryuyun's situation.
Yamanaka Inoichi couldn't help glancing at Nara Shikaku.
"Ninjutsu — Iron Sand Shuriken!"
The Third Kazekage seized the opening without hesitation.
"Ninjutsu — Super Expansion Jutsu!"
Fortunately, Akimichi Chōza reacted in time, expanding his arm to block the incoming Iron Sand Shuriken before it could strike Inoichi.
"Thanks, Chōza!"
Inoichi exhaled, offering a grateful nod. If not for Chōza's reflexes, he might not have survived that exchange.
"It's nothing! We're partners, aren't we?"
Chōza grinned broadly.
"Yeah."
Inoichi nodded back, determination returning to his expression.
The Third Kazekage didn't seem bothered that his jutsu had been blocked. Instead, his eyes flickered toward the distant battlefield where Shukaku raged.
"The final victory in this war will belong to Sunagakure," he said coldly.
"That's not necessarily true."
Shikaku's calm voice carried across the field, his tone unshaken.
As long as he was standing, he wouldn't allow the Kazekage to interfere with Konoha's front line.
"Tch!"
The Third Kazekage clicked his tongue in irritation.
Their coordination was flawless — even he couldn't find a clear opening.
He'd tried to provoke them, but Shikaku remained cool-headed, refusing to rise to the bait. That composure only infuriated the Kazekage further.
"Die!"
Enraged, he sent forth another wave of Iron Sand, but the Nara strategist had already anticipated it, his shadow stretching to intercept.
Seeing his teammates' lingering worry, Shikaku spoke calmly:
"Believe in him."
Indeed — at this point, they had no choice but to place their faith in Aoyama Ryuyun's strength.
"Right!"
Both Inoichi and Chōza nodded in unison, focusing once more on their fight.
---
"Die, you insignificant ant!"
By now, the Tailed Beast Ball had fully condensed in front of Shukaku — a black sphere of pure, compressed chakra glowing with ominous light.
"I am..."
Aoyama Ryuyun's eyes narrowed sharply.
A violent gust rose around him as Armament Haki cloaked his twin blades in black steel-like luster.
With his arms crossed, his expression turned fierce, eyes burning with unyielding pride.
"I am meant to soar above the clouds. Until then... I will not die!"
His defiant voice echoed across the battlefield.
"Die!"
"BOOM!"
The Tailed Beast Ball tore through the air, exploding forward like a black comet.
But Aoyama Ryuyun didn't retreat.
Under countless astonished gazes, he charged straight into its path.
Is he insane?!
That thought struck nearly everyone watching.
As the light of the Tailed Beast Ball enveloped him, Aoyama Ryuyun's voice thundered out once more—
"Lion's Might — Meteor Slash!"
"Clang!"
Sword light burst forth — dazzling, like a falling star.
The Float-Float Fruit, Armament Haki, Observation Haki, and master-level swordsmanship — all of his power erupted at once.
The brilliance was blinding; many shinobi instinctively shielded their eyes.
"Slash!"
A crisp metallic cry split the roar of destruction.
And then —
"Swish!"
As the light faded, everyone saw the unthinkable.
The Tailed Beast Ball had been split cleanly in two.
A single pair of swords had divided it — perfectly.
"BOOM! BOOM!"
The severed halves exploded in the distance, their shockwaves flattening the surrounding terrain.
The air currents whipped violently, tugging at Aoyama Ryuyun's clothes as he floated midair, but his expression remained calm, even mocking.
He looked down at Shukaku and smiled faintly.
"This..."
Shukaku's eyes widened like copper plates.
His mind blanked.
His Tailed Beast Ball — cut open?!
Impossible!
"Lion's Might — Beast King Slash!"
Before Shukaku could recover, Aoyama Ryuyun's next strike fell.
A massive arc of golden sword qi shaped like a roaring lion tore through the air, cleaving into Shukaku's arm.
"GAAAHHH!"
Shukaku howled. The severed limb disintegrated into sand, scattering across the battlefield.
Though he could regenerate, the pain was genuine.
Countless streams of sand surged back to reconstruct his arm — but this time, Aoyama Ryuyun gave him no chance.
Landing gracefully on the ground, he drove one sword into the sand.
"Earth Scroll — Four Extremes Sacred Beasts!"
"ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!"
The ground erupted as four massive beasts of sand emerged — Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise.
Formed from the earth and imbued with the Float-Float Fruit's power, the sacred beasts charged at Shukaku from four directions, their roars shaking the heavens.
Though his mastery of the Float-Float Fruit was still in its early stages, the manifestation of the Four Sacred Beasts radiated overwhelming power.
Against the already-wounded Shukaku — it was more than enough.
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