An invisible, jet-black power surged forth instantly, enveloping the Eight-Tails' massive form. Killer Bee immediately realized he'd lost control of his Tailed Beast transformation. The half-formed Tailed Beast Ball in his mouth began to dissipate slowly.
"Could this be… a secret technique of the Nara clan of Konoha!?" the Eight-Tails yelled, still rapping at him despite the situation.
"Bee, look closely—there's no shadow on the ground. That's not a Nara ninjutsu, it's a Sharingan eye technique!" Killer Bee shot back.
"Fine, I can't explain it in a few words. Let's just use that move to escape!"
The moment the Eight-Tails saw the Mangekyō Sharingan pattern, it knew it couldn't win this fight. The Sharingan of the Uchiha clan was a natural counter to Tailed Beasts.
"Hachi, let's use that move!"
"I'm more flexible, more adaptable, and I'll never turn back if I can run away!" Killer Bee agreed without hesitation. He turned and shouted at the unseen enemy. "Evil boy, let me go if you dare! Or I promise I'll whip you to death with my octopus tentacles!"
After yelling, he even sang in a lewd voice. "Whip you to death, tie you up, slippery, into the hole, YEAH~~~"
The Eight-Tails: "…"
"Enough with the pointless verbal attacks."
Hearing Killer Bee's vulgarities, the smile under the masked figure's mask vanished. In its place was the gleam of a jet-black longsword.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Three enormous, jet-black sword beams instantly slashed through Killer Bee's Tailed Beast form. The next moment, all eight octopus tentacles and his remaining arm were severed, falling to the ground with wet thuds.
The residual force of the three sword beams continued unabated. They parted the surface of the pool, creating towering waves, and shattered the mountains along their path until there was no more obstruction within a thousand meters. Finally, the sword beams disappeared into the horizon.
Those three strikes had left the area around Cloud Thunder Canyon devoid of mountains, replaced by only an endless expanse of shattered rock and layers of smoke.
This place would no longer be called Cloud Thunder Canyon. It was now Cloud Thunder Ruins.
BOOM!
The Eight-Tails, its head and body severed, rolled its eyes as its massive body crashed to the ground. The impact generated tremendous wind pressure, pushing severed, bouncy tentacles into a nearby pool of water. One tentacle sank completely to the bottom after a single ripple.
Meanwhile, atop a broken mountain peak in the distance.
Two wounded Hidden Cloud ninja stared in disbelief through binoculars at the fallen Eight-Tails.
"So… so powerful! The master was instantly killed without any resistance!"
"He didn't even release that powerful Tailed Beast Ball!"
"And that black giant's slash was terrifying! Its sword could slice through canyons and mountains!"
The other ninja's face was also filled with fear, his voice trembling. "I recognize that outfit—it's from that international mercenary ninja organization, Akatsuki! Could another Nation have hired them to assassinate Killer Bee?"
"And these Akatsuki mercenaries are quite powerful, aren't they? Killer Bee is the second strongest ninja in our Hidden Cloud Village, second only to the Raikage himself!"
Despite their disbelief, the unconscious figure lying on the ground below was undeniably Killer Bee.
"Hey, that Akatsuki ninja is getting close to Killer Bee. Should we go and rescue him?"
Seeing the masked figure approach the fallen Jinchūriki, one ninja anxiously looked at his companion.
The other quickly put away his binoculars and slowly retreated. "Don't be impulsive. Even an adult wouldn't stand a chance. Going there now would just be suicide. Before we're discovered, let's hurry back and report to the Raikage…"
Who is it?!
The retreating Hidden Cloud ninja hadn't finished speaking when his expression suddenly changed. He immediately drew a kunai from his waist and swung it rapidly behind him.
Behind him, a giant pitcher plant was spinning as it emerged from the ground. A White Zetsu, with a strange grin on his face, rose in a spiraling, flower-like motion.
At the same time, he shouted loudly, "Hello… WAAAA!"
The "waaa" at the end was the White Zetsu's scream as he nearly got his eyes pierced by the kunai. Barely dodging the attack, he sprang from the ground, patting his chest in lingering fear.
"That was dangerous! Just saying hello almost got me killed like the last White Zetsu #250!"
"A white monster with only half a face?" The Hidden Cloud ninja looked at the bizarre body in surprise. "Who are you? What are your goals…?"
"AH!!!" The Hidden Cloud ninja who hadn't moved behind let out a scream, interrupting his question. A black arm had pierced through his chest from behind. Blood flowed down the black fingers.
"You won't have a chance to go back and report," Black Zetsu said, having ripped out his heart.
"Idiot, stop playing around. Hurry up and finish off that Hidden Cloud ninja," White Zetsu #251 snapped. "The Eight-Tails below has already been dealt with by Menma. He's not one to wait patiently!"
Hearing Menma's name, White Zetsu #251 shrank back and quickly cast the Spore Technique. Instantly, a large number of white spore fungi sprouted from the Hidden Cloud ninja's body.
"Damn it, what is this? No, my chakra… AH!!!"
In the blink of an eye, the Hidden Cloud ninja's chakra was completely drained. Then, the 252nd White Zetsu that had sprouted from his body pulled out a kunai and slit his throat.
The last group of Hidden Cloud ninja beside the Cloud Thunder Canyon were dealt with.
Black Zetsu and White Zetsu merged back into one, then used the Mayfly Technique to shrink into the ground.
A short while later—
They reappeared in the Cloud and Thunder Canyon—no, in the ruined canyon.
"Why so slow?" Menma's cold voice rang out.
White Zetsu remained silent, feigning death, refusing to speak or act. Black Zetsu glanced at him, somewhat surprised that he hadn't spoken. Then, approaching Killer Bee lying on the ground, he said, "The commotion was a bit loud; quite a few Hidden Cloud ninja came, but they've all been dealt with."
As he spoke, Killer Bee was pulled into the ground by the Mayfly Technique.
But the next second, Black Zetsu frowned. He raised his hand and pulled Killer Bee out of the ground. However, what emerged wasn't Killer Bee's body, but a bouncy tentacle.
"It's a clone! The Eight-Tails tricked us!"
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