Not far ahead of Minato, the Third Raikage and A exchanged quick glances, their eyes flickering toward Killer B, who was locked in fierce combat with Hatake Sakumo.
Their expressions darkened, the realization setting in—they couldn't win against Minato with just the two of them.
Meanwhile, the mark on Minato's palm continued to glow, its brilliance intensifying with each passing second.
"Brother, watch out! That guy's gathering his chakra!"
Killer B's warning echoed across the battlefield. His heightened sensory abilities easily detected the vast chakra Minato was channeling into the special Flying Thunder God mark.
At his words, A and the Third Raikage locked eyes. The elder Raikage's lips curled into a cold, knowing smile as he turned his gaze back to Minato.
"So," the Third Raikage muttered, "you've been preparing too."
"Too?"
Minato's eyes narrowed, catching the implication in the Raikage's words. But before he could press further, the Third Raikage barked out a command.
"B! Now!"
Minato felt it immediately—a surge of overwhelming chakra pouring out of Killer B, far beyond what he had sensed earlier.
Pink, octopus-like tentacles erupted from Killer B's back, unfurling toward the sky. Sakumo, sensing the change, quickly retreated, giving himself space.
"No way..."
Minato's heart pounded as he watched Killer B leap into the air. The tentacles coiled around his body, and with a thunderous roar—
BOOM!
The ground trembled violently as a colossal figure materialized, spanning the width of the valley. A massive shadow engulfed the battlefield, blotting out the sun.
Sakumo's breath hitched. The shinobi he had been battling just moments ago had now transformed into a monstrous beast.
A bull-like head crowned the creature's upper body, with two thick arms rippling with raw power. Its lower half twisted into eight enormous tentacles, each one capable of crushing boulders with ease.
"The Eight-Tails..."
Minato's voice was barely a whisper, but his eyes gleamed with recognition. He could feel the monstrous chakra radiating from Killer B's transformed state.
In his previous life, Minato had fought Killer B and A around this very time. But back then, Killer B had only partially transformed into his tailed beast form. He hadn't yet achieved full transformation.
"So this is what the Third Raikage meant by 'preparing'..."
Swish!
Without wasting another second, the Third Raikage and A launched themselves toward Minato, their speed reaching its zenith.
"Now!" the Third Raikage roared, pushing his Lightning Release Armor to the limit.
On the other side, C reengaged Sakumo, forcing him back into battle, while the newly transformed Eight-Tails lumbered toward the Konoha forces.
ROAR!
The Eight-Tails let out a deafening roar, its voice reverberating through the valley like a shockwave. The very air trembled under the force of its power.
Minato's eyes sharpened. He could feel it—the chakra of the Eight-Tails was significantly stronger than the One-Tail or even the Four-Tails.
It was second only to the Nine-Tails.
Then, the Eight-Tails moved.
Minato's heart clenched as the beast raised its massive head and opened its gaping maw. He could see the terrifying chakra gathering, coalescing into a dark, pulsating orb.
"A Tailed Beast Ball..."
Even the calm, composed voice of the older Minato within him faltered in shock.
Minato had personally witnessed the destructive power of the Tailed Beast Ball when the Nine-Tails attacked Konoha. Without his mastery of the Flying Thunder God technique, the entire village would've been obliterated.
And now, that same catastrophic power was aimed at Konoha's advancing army.
If the Eight-Tails unleashed that attack, the entire Konoha force stationed at the Moon Country's border would be annihilated.
This was Cloud Village's trump card—the power that had allowed the Four Great Ninja Nations to challenge Konoha in the Third Shinobi World War.
If the Konoha army fell here, not even Minato and Sakumo could stop the Cloud Ninjas alone.
Minato gritted his teeth. Killer B's ability to fully transform and use the Tailed Beast Ball at this stage was a deviation from everything he remembered.
The timeline had changed.
Swish! Swish!
The Third Raikage and Yotsuki A's attacks grew more ferocious, their movements blindingly fast. The Raikage sneered as he pressed Minato harder.
"I know you're a master of space-time ninjutsu," the Third Raikage taunted. "I know you can deflect a Tailed Beast Ball. But you can't escape now!"
His gaze flicked toward Sakumo, still battling against overwhelming odds.
"If you leave to protect the Konoha army, Sakumo will die. But if you stay here, your precious army will be wiped out."
The Raikage's trap was clear. Either Minato abandoned Sakumo to save the army, or he stayed and risked Konoha's complete annihilation.
But Minato's expression didn't falter.
Slowly, a calm smile spread across his face as the mark in his palm glowed brighter—radiating like white jade.
The Third Raikage's smirk wavered.
"Where is his confidence coming from?"
In front of the Eight-Tails, the Tailed Beast Ball continued to grow, its chakra pulsating with destructive energy.
Sakumo, locked in combat with C, felt the overwhelming pressure from the Eight-Tails' attack. His heart raced as he realized the imminent threat to the Konoha forces.
"Minato!"
His shout echoed across the battlefield.
But Minato's response was calm, almost serene.
"Senior Sakumo," he called back, "stick to the plan."
Sakumo's eyes widened, but he didn't question Minato. He knew better. If Minato said to trust him, then there was a plan in motion.
The mark in Minato's palm blazed brighter, illuminating the valley.
"Killer B hasn't mastered this yet," Minato thought, analyzing the situation. "The speed at which he's forming the Tailed Beast Ball is too slow compared to the Nine-Tails. He's still inexperienced."
But the Third Raikage sneered.
"So what? Even if you don't care about your comrades' lives, I'd love to see how Sarutobi Hiruzen punishes you—the pride of Konoha!"
The Tailed Beast Ball was now fully formed.
ROAR!
With a feral cry, the Eight-Tails fired the massive sphere of chakra, launching it directly toward the Konoha army.
The black orb soared through the sky, its destructive power humming with lethal energy.
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