Even Uzumaki Mito found Arata shrouded in mystery.
From beginning to end, she could not understand how someone with no notable bloodline could possibly reach his current level of strength.
Judging from Arata's earlier clash with Kumogakure, it was obvious that he had already stepped into the Kage realm. Even compared to herself after activating Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, he might still be capable of fighting on equal footing.
And yet, it had taken him less than half a year to reach this level.
Just a few months ago, Arata had been nothing more than a special jōnin. Against an elite jōnin, he would have had no choice but to await death.
But now, the difference was like night and day.
Having earned the title of the fastest man in the shinobi world and the name "Konoha's Blue Lightning," Arata now truly stood at the very summit of the shinobi world.
At that moment, Uzumaki Mito understood—
everything was connected to the explosive surge in Arata's power.
Still, she deliberately feigned ignorance and said,
"Arata is just an ordinary shinobi, without any special bloodline. Why are you so concerned about him?"
The Great Monkey Sage replied expressionlessly,
"You are not qualified to know that. Before Arata comes here to die, just lie still and wait."
The moment his words fell, the Monkey Sage suddenly raised his right hand and brought it down in a single palm strike.
Due to his enormous size, what appeared to be a simple motion unleashed a deafening roar.
In an instant, the air ignited from friction. His palm compressed the atmosphere itself, forming a crimson palm print over a hundred meters wide that slammed forward.
Having fought the Monkey Sage before, Mito recognized the technique the moment he moved.
Though it looked like a simple strike, it was actually the taijutsu secret art of the Monkey clan, compressing both strength and chakra to the absolute extreme. Even her past Tailed Beast Bombs in full tailed-beast form could only barely contend with it.
But Mito had not remained stagnant all these years.
In the next instant, she swept her right hand forward.
Golden chakra erupted outward, rapidly expanding until it formed a massive Nine-Tails construct entirely composed of golden chakra.
Including its tails, the fox's body exceeded a hundred meters in length—
and Mito herself stood upon its head.
This was her refined Nine-Tails Mode.
No longer a simple manifestation of the Nine-Tails, it was a state in which her chakra and Kurama's chakra were completely fused, resembling a Sage-like transformation.
Seeing this form, the Monkey Sage narrowed his eyes—he had clearly sensed the difference.
Meanwhile, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had already retreated several kilometers away, immediately realized something was wrong upon witnessing both the palm strike and Mito's transformation. He hurriedly ordered his subordinates to retreat even farther.
Against a clash between strength surpassing Super Kage-level beings, even twenty kilometers barely counted as a safe distance.
At the same time, Mito let out a sharp cry:
"Fusion: Ultra Tailed Beast Bomb!"
At her command, the golden Nine-Tails raised its head high, condensing a massive Tailed Beast Bomb in its mouth—
one nearly half the size of the Nine-Tails itself.
This was Uzumaki Mito's strongest attack.
She was confident that even Uchiha Madara's Susanoo would be forced to reveal an opening under such power.
As the Tailed Beast Bomb finished forming and the palm strike closed in, Mito fired the attack and immediately commanded the Nine-Tails to retreat.
The overwhelming Tailed Beast Bomb collided head-on with the crimson palm print and detonated violently.
Yet the palm strike punched straight through the explosion, carving out a hand-shaped vacuum at its center—and continued forward without losing momentum, closing in on Mito herself.
Her eyes widened in shock.
Her strongest attack had been pierced clean through.
BOOM!
The Tailed Beast Bomb completely collapsed, its explosion engulfing an area over fifteen kilometers wide, reducing everything within to nothingness in an instant.
At the same time, the palm strike reached Mito.
Crack!
Her golden Nine-Tails construct shattered instantly, nearly half of its chakra body obliterated in a blink.
The palm strike continued onward, finally smashing into a mountain hundreds of meters tall—
—and reducing it to dust with a single blow.
Only then did the Great Monkey Sage's seemingly casual palm strike finally dissipate.
In its wake remained devastation bordering on apocalyptic.
Uzumaki Mito took the blow head-on, blood spilling from her lips.
Though the damaged Nine-Tails Chakra Mode could quickly regenerate through chakra, her expression had turned grave.
She had believed that reaching mid-super Kage level after years of cultivation meant she was finally qualified to face the Monkey Sage.
But now—
just one palm strike, and she was already at a disadvantage.
She stared at him in disbelief.
"Before… you never used your full strength?"
The Monkey Sage finally moved, looking at Mito—who was still standing—and said with clear admiration,
"You are impressive. To push the Uzumaki bloodline to this level… you are the first in decades."
Her face darkened.
Now, she truly regretted acting on her own without consulting Arata.
This Monkey Sage's strength was far beyond mid-super Kage level—he might very well stand at the peak of that realm.
She had avoided burdening Arata with the Uzumaki clan's troubles, knowing Konoha's general hostility toward her people.
But now she realized—
she might have made things worse.
If Arata sensed her danger, he would certainly come.
Yet facing such a terrifying existence…
Mito no longer knew whether Arata would truly have a chance to win.
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