Naruto's Shadow Clone directly formed the Rasengan and charged forward.
Kinkaku glanced over. "Hey, Ginkaku, this Jinchūriki isn't simple. Look at his eyes—those are the legendary Rinnegan!"
Ginkaku sneered. "What's there to be afraid of? We still have the treasured tools of the Sage of Six Paths. Besides, it's an honor to fight the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki. Watch closely!"
With a loud bang, Kinkaku swung his massive war hammer, holding the Kōkinjō—the Golden Rope—in his other hand. Knowing Naruto would try to evade, he launched a feint. As Naruto dodged, Kinkaku grinned and twisted his torso mid-air, swinging his arm to catch him off guard.
"You've been tricked!" he declared triumphantly.
But to his shock, Naruto avoided the blow—even though Kinkaku had attacked from his blind spot. How?
Naruto's Shadow Clone didn't even look back. He had activated Sage Mode, sharpening his sensory perception to a whole new level.
"Rasengan!"
A chakra arm from the Nine-Tails surged out of Naruto's body, grabbed the Rasengan, and launched it at Kinkaku with a roar.
"Damn it!" Kinkaku cursed.
He raised the Banana Palm Fan—one of the treasured tools—and blocked the Rasengan with a loud clash. Sparks flew, and both of them were thrown apart from the impact.
Ginkaku watched from the side and muttered, "As expected of someone capable of becoming the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki... he's got skill."
Darui rushed in, slashing with his blade. "Don't space out! Your opponent is me. Try this on for size!"
Clang!
Darui's sword collided with Ginkaku's massive cleaver.
Tsunade joined the fray. "Don't get cocky!"
With her monstrous strength, she delivered a punch. Ginkaku's eyes narrowed. He remembered that terrifying fist—she had sent him flying earlier. Judging by her name, she had to be one of the Hokage from the Hidden Leaf.
Boom!
Tsunade's punch slammed into the sea, sending water erupting high into the air as Ginkaku dodged at the last second.
"I never imagined the current Hokage would be a woman," Ginkaku commented, amused.
Tsunade narrowed her eyes, snorting coldly.
"But being Hokage doesn't make you invincible," Ginkaku continued, his voice turning cruel. "It's not like I haven't killed one before."
Tsunade's expression darkened instantly.
Darui kept his blade steady. "Hey, Uncle Gin, I'd advise you not to piss her off. If Lady Hokage gets serious, she'll smash you into pieces."
Ginkaku smirked. "What, is the Second Hokage related to her?"
Tsunade replied coldly, "Tobirama Senju—the Second Hokage—is my granduncle. I'm here to avenge him."
Ginkaku raised an eyebrow. "No wonder... I thought I sensed a familiar chakra in you. I thought it was an illusion."
He laughed darkly.
"How interesting. To think I'd meet the descendant of my old enemy... Looks like I'll have to finish what I started back then."
He pointed at her. "I'll make sure you meet the same end as your granduncle!"
Just as Naruto blasted Kinkaku away, a shinobi named Atsui charged in.
"Flaming Sword Slash!"
A massive blade of fire tore through the air.
Kinkaku raised the Banana Palm Fan and countered with a blast of flames of his own. The wave of fire engulfed Atsui.
"Argh! Damn, it's so hot!" Atsui screamed.
Kinkaku sneered. "Quit your whining, brat."
Atsui's face burned with humiliation. Naruto had already stolen the spotlight, and now he was getting mocked in front of his village's seniors.
He roared, "I'm not done yet! Eat this!"
"Atsui, don't be reckless!" Samui shouted.
But that was exactly what Kinkaku was waiting for—a hotheaded fool charging head-on.
Kinkaku sidestepped, and just as Naruto rushed in to stop it, Atsui stumbled forward.
Wham!
Kinkaku's punch landed square on Atsui's face.
Groaning, Atsui rubbed his cheek. "Damn, that fist burns!"
Samui marched over and slapped him. "You idiot! Why are you so impulsive?!"
Just as Atsui opened his mouth to respond, a glowing orb resembling his soul slipped from his lips.
Ginkaku's eyes widened. "Kinkaku! Switch!"
With practiced coordination, Ginkaku tossed the Shichiseiken—the Seven Star Sword—to Kinkaku. Catching it mid-air, Kinkaku slashed at the soul fragment, inscribing it with a cursed seal.
Ginkaku then uncorked the Benihisago—the Crimson Gourd—and held it forward.
"Record!" he declared.
With a hiss, the spiritual essence was sucked into the gourd.
Atsui panicked. "W-What is this?!"
Samui quickly covered his mouth. "Don't say another word! You've been cursed and sealed! If you say your most commonly used word again, you'll be trapped inside that gourd forever!"
Ginkaku chuckled ominously.
Naruto's Shadow Clone blinked in beside them. "Damn it! I was ready to stop you—but you rushed in too fast!"
His words were directed at Atsui.
Atsui gritted his teeth in frustration, but it was too late to change anything.
Darui barked, "Atsui! Head back and help fight the White Zetsu forces along the coast. Stay away from the Gold and Silver Brothers!"
Reluctantly, Atsui nodded and backed off.
Meanwhile, Kinkaku and Ginkaku cackled in unison.
Naruto's expression turned serious. "Grandma Tsunade, Darui—you take Ginkaku. I'll handle Kinkaku. Don't let them team up. We'll take them down one by one!"
Kinkaku handed the Shichiseiken back to Ginkaku, reclaimed the Banana Palm Fan, and gripped the Kōkinjō once more.
He eyed Naruto. "Not scared of this rope, are you?"
Naruto smirked and dashed forward.
He knew the secret now—contact with the rope drew out your soul. There was only one way to neutralize it: take the rope away.
Without hesitation, Naruto pulled out a Wind Release-enhanced shuriken.
Inside his mind, Kurama channeled more of his chakra into the Shadow Clone to give Naruto enough strength to fight.
Kinkaku laughed. "Wind Style? Hah! Trying to counter our Lightning Style? Joke's on you—I'm using Fire Style!"
He swung the Banana Palm Fan.
A torrent of fire surged forward, followed by a massive gust of wind—fusing into a blazing inferno.
Naruto frowned slightly but didn't slow down. He walked directly into the flames.
Kinkaku's eyes widened. "What the hell?!"
The fire and wind parted around Naruto as if a barrier was protecting him—like a shield of chakra.
Could it be the power of the Rinnegan?
Before he could fully process it, Naruto vanished with a flicker and appeared right in front of him.
"Fast!" Kinkaku gasped.
He tried to swing the golden rope at Naruto, but Naruto raised his Wind-style shuriken and slashed.
Slice!
Kinkaku's hand was severed.
Naruto's expression hardened. Nine-Tails chakra flared out, forming a chakra hand that grabbed the Wind-style shuriken and launched it again, slamming Kinkaku backward across the battlefield.
Then—
BOOM!!!
A massive explosion tore through the ocean surface.
Wind Style chakra surged and sliced through Kinkaku's body. He screamed, blood spurting.
"Damn you!" he roared. "You bastard… AHHHH!!"
His body twisted as the Nine-Tails chakra overwhelmed him.
"Explode!!" Naruto shouted.
The Nine-Tails chakra completely burst from Kinkaku's form—and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into his enraged, chakra-cloaked Version 2 state of the Nine-Tails!
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