Isshiki's mind nearly burned out, unable to comprehend why Minato suddenly wanted to commit suicide.
Was it to save Obito? But why sacrifice himself? Did he overestimate his defenses or underestimate Isshiki's strength?
Though Minato's chest was pierced by Isshiki, he wasn't completely dead. Instead, he grabbed Isshiki, preparing to activate Flying Thunder God Jutsu and take him away together!
"Fool, then die with me!"
Isshiki released his left hand, which was choking Obito, and struck Minato's head again.
If he had to choose between killing Namikaze Minato or Uchiha Obito, Isshiki would unhesitatingly pick Minato!
No choice.
His death here today was all thanks to this Fourth Hokage!
As long as he could kill Minato, the most infuriating ninja, Isshiki could at least vent his rage.
So, he decisively let go of Obito, preparing to kill Minato first! After all, with only dozens of seconds left to live, he could still kill Obito afterward…
Obito, with his chakra sealed by black rods, had no strength to resist.
*BOOM!*
Isshiki's attack was too fast. Before Minato could activate Flying Thunder God Jutsu, Isshiki struck again, shattering his head!
Still unsatisfied, Isshiki grabbed with both hands, tearing Minato's body in two!
"Hahaha!"
"That damned lowly creature is finally dead!"
Drenched in blood, Isshiki's face was filled with unprecedented joy.
That bastard Namikaze Minato had nearly become his nightmare!
Killing his opponent completely now brought unmatched satisfaction and joy, making Isshiki feel like he was floating in heaven. Even if he was about to die, he didn't care much anymore.
There was a sense of transcendence and hollow sadness after reaching the peak of pleasure, indifferent to worldly matters.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Simultaneously, Minato's lightning-fast "suicide" stunned all his teammates.
"What's going on?"
"Minato's dead?!"
"What was he doing?"
Hashirama and Nagato were both dumbfounded, unable to comprehend Minato's suicidal act. Even if he wanted to save Obito, he shouldn't have sacrificed his life, right?
Especially since he "killed himself" so quickly, teleporting right in front of the enemy. It left Nagato and the others no time to save him. Even Madara frowned, completely baffled by Minato's actions.
Was this the "way to save someone" Minato mentioned earlier?
Sacrificing his life for Obito's? Most importantly, it didn't even work, did it? Obito was still beside Isshiki!
(No, something's wrong! I must've missed something…)
Madara didn't believe Minato would die so easily.
Minato wasn't that useless Tobirama; he shouldn't be that foolish. He must have another ace up his sleeve!
And the Sage of the Six Paths didn't intervene to stop it, so Minato couldn't have died so carelessly. But they saw Isshiki tear Minato apart with their own eyes.
The blood and corpse were clear as day!
In the entire ninja world, no clone technique could reach that level. Even Wood Clones, when fatally wounded, would revert to dry wood, let alone bleed that much…
Wait… if Minato was truly dead?
Then what was standing beside them?
Madara turned and saw Minato's clone beside them—the shadow clone Minato left earlier to use Flying Thunder God Jutsu to transport them.
If Minato's real body was dead, why hadn't this clone dissipated? It didn't make sense!
Unless… Madara guessed the truth, his eyes gleaming.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
On the other side, inside the barrier.
Isshiki, finally calming down from his glee, turned his attention to Obito beside him. He prepared to kill Minato's annoying student before dying. Since he was going to die, dragging another ninja down with him was great.
But just as Isshiki looked at Obito, he suddenly saw a flash of golden light before his eyes.
Then Obito vanished… What just flickered?
Huh? Why did Obito suddenly disappear?
Isshiki was slightly confused.
Was there a speed in this world even he couldn't see? Impossible, absolutely impossible!
Unless… it was some kind of space-time ninjutsu!
The next second, Isshiki looked outside the barrier and was shocked to find Minato's shadow clone had teleported out with the unconscious Obito, returning to Hashirama and the others.
"Bastard!"
Isshiki cursed furiously, never expecting that in the blink of an eye, Minato's clone had seized the chance to save Obito!
That damned creature was truly mysterious, utterly unpredictable! If he hadn't killed Minato's real body, he might've truly lost everything…
Wait!
Something was off. If the Fourth Hokage's real body was dead, how could his clone still exist?
At this moment, Isshiki realized something was wrong. He suddenly woke up. Having lived for thousands of years, though he always looked down on humans, these lowly native creatures, he still understood ninjutsu somewhat.
Normally, it was impossible for someone's real body to die and their clone to persist! Unless the opponent wasn't dead at all!
A terrifying realization struck Isshiki like lightning in broad daylight, but before he could think it through clearly, the real shock arrived!
*SWOOSH!*
A figure in a white Six Paths chakra cloak flew into the battlefield inside the barrier.
Six Paths Minato officially entered the arena!
He brought a massive gift: a Giant Bijuudama, comparable in size to Juubi, dozens of times larger than Kurama's, teleported into the barrier in an instant by Six Paths Minato using Flying Thunder God Jutsu!
"YOU—!!!"
Isshiki roared, his eyes bulging. He finally understood. He'd been played by the enemy again!
Though he didn't know how they did it, he had indeed torn apart a real body! And that body had Kurama's chakra! No matter how you looked at it, it didn't seem like a clone!
Unfortunately, Minato wouldn't explain. Six Paths Minato's sole purpose in entering the arena was to use this final Giant Bijuudama to send Isshiki to the afterlife!
"Goodbye, Isshiki!"
Six Paths Minato activated the Giant Bijuudama, then instantly teleported away with Flying Thunder God Jutsu…
*BOOOOOOM!*
The next second, the Giant Bijuudama exploded massively, dark purple light flooding the entire space.
Isshiki, inside the barrier, no matter how fast he was, had nowhere to escape.
This was why Minato had asked Nagato to maintain the Four Red Yang Formation earlier.
"Namikaze Minato!!!"
"I… %￥…%￥"
Isshiki's boundless hateful roars were quickly swallowed and completely drowned by the unmatched Bijuudama explosion… Like a demon's wail from the eighteenth level of hell, abruptly silenced as if its throat was pierced by the judge of hell's pitchfork!
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Six Paths Minato returned to Hashirama and the others.
Everyone silently watched the terrifying explosion inside the barrier. If this Juubi Giant Bijuudama fully detonated, it could destroy the entire Moon.
Fortunately, the barrier and Truth-Seeking Orbs contained it, minimizing the impact range. This also made the Bijuudama's explosion even more concentrated.
This time, no one thought Isshiki could survive. Even an Isshiki as resilient as the Otsutsuki King of Endurance, at full health, might not withstand a direct Giant Bijuudama to the face—a true Six Paths-level damage.
Moreover, Isshiki was already at low health. Even without this Giant Bijuudama, he had only dozens of seconds left to live…
But to be safe and avoid another unexpected event, Minato decided to activate the backup plan, delivering the final blow to Isshiki with the Giant Bijuudama!
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
The massive explosion still roiled and boiled, obliterating all solid matter inside the barrier, forming a blazing red vista.
The terrifying energy waves nearly breached the Four Red Yang Formation barrier. The sturdy barrier swelled like a balloon, then, like a volcanic eruption, vented most of the impact upward, spewing it into space beyond the Moon. Otherwise, just the leaked residual blast could've caused serious damage to the Moon.
"It's finally over?"
"An explosion like that, he couldn't possibly withstand it!" Madara was slightly annoyed but had to acknowledge the battle's outcome.
"Yes, I can no longer sense Isshiki's chakra aura. He's most likely truly defeated."
Minato closed his eyes to sense, confirming Isshiki's aura and position again.
"We really won?!"
"Hashirama-sama, this is our victory!"
Six Paths Minato sighed in relief. Though not fully relaxed, enjoying a bit of victory's joy was fine.
"Minato, what's with this appearance? You became Juubi Jinchuriki too?"
"This is your real body?"
Nagato's Six Paths suddenly asked. Compared to Isshiki's life or death, he was clearly more interested in the Six Paths Minato before him. After all, from his appearance alone, it was obvious the opponent might be like him—a Juubi Jinchuriki!
"Yes. This is my real body. I became Juubi Jinchuriki before the battle started and kept charging that Giant Bijuudama, waiting for the right moment to strike!"
"So, this was the plan you mentioned earlier?"
Madara looked at Six Paths Minato with slight curiosity and interest in Juubi Jinchuriki. He hadn't expected Minato to secretly become one too!
He hid it well. If they'd known he had so many aces, why bother helping? They could've just watched! Instead, they entered the arena and got humiliated…
"It wasn't originally planned. But since Tobirama-senpai and Obito were taken hostage, I had to activate this backup plan."
Minato nodded, explaining. There was nothing to hide.
"Wait! Minato, I still don't understand something."
"If this is your real body, who was killed earlier?"
"It couldn't be a clone, right?"
"Where's a clone that realistic?"
Hashirama hurriedly asked, truly puzzled. If clones could be that strong, why need a real body? He could just send his clone to date Madara… uh… fight and compete, right?