Chapter 71: The Tai Chi Rasengan
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
Minato and Liumu, perfectly in sync, released the technique simultaneously.
Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof!
A storm of white smoke erupted, and dozens of clones from each of them sprang into action, rushing to assist with the massive locking mechanisms.
However, at that moment, Liumu—the original one still holding the massive, swirling Rasengan—shouted from across the factory, "EVERYONE, GET CLEAR!"
On cue, one of his clones flashed to the wall, crouched low, and delivered a single, earth-shaking punch.
KABOOM!
Rocks and dust exploded outward. The clone dissipated, but in its place was a gaping, person-sized hole punched clean through the thick wall.
"All that fuss over a door mechanism," Liumu muttered, a bit exasperated. "A simple 'open sesame' would've worked."
Beyond the breached wall was the dilapidated underground site where Liumu had first found Sarah. From here, everyone could climb the pipes to safety outside.
But perhaps because creating the Shadow Clones had diverted some of the chakra maintaining the Rasengan, something strange began to happen.
Under Liumu's astonished gaze, his and Minato's massive Rasengan—one azure blue, the other a vibrant green—seemed to be drawn together. Their edges blurred, their swirling energies intertwining. Within a few breaths, the two spheres had completely merged into one.
"This…" Minato's eyes widened, then gleamed with understanding and excitement. "Two chakras of similar nature can resonate and fuse. The same principle applies to the Rasengan. When their rotational frequencies and sizes align… they merge spontaneously."
The newly fused sphere pulsed with a terrifying, sharp energy that made the air hum.
"A new form…" Minato breathed, a proud grin spreading across his face. "I'll call it… the Super Great Ball… Tai Chi Rasengan!"
"Liumu, on my mark!" Chōza yelled from the side.
Liumu gave a sharp nod. Minato acted first, unleashing another barrage of Shuriken Shadow Clones to harry Anrokuzan's centipede form and slow its regeneration.
"Liumu, now! Anrokuzan's real body is in the puppet's chest!"
"Got it!"
With a furious roar, Liumu leapt high into the air, the colossal, fused Tai Chi Rasengan roaring in his hands like a captive star. He aimed straight for the chest of the monstrous centipede puppet and drove the sphere home.
BOOOOOOOOM——!!!
The explosion was cataclysmic. The Tai Chi Rasengan's rotational force was hundreds, perhaps thousands of times greater than a standard Rasengan. Even in its "Great Ball" form, its destructive power had multiplied exponentially.
The centipede puppet didn't just shatter; it was obliterated. The green energy from the pillar tried to knit it back together, but the rate of destruction far outpaced the healing.
The factory became a storm of flying rock and howling wind. Production lines were smashed by falling debris. The surrounding steel walls groaned and twisted under the force.
A centipede may die, but its body doesn't stiffen.
As the Rasengan's light faded, a battered, bloody figure slowly crawled out from the wreckage of the puppet's chest. It was Anrokuzan. His clothes were in tatters, his forehead was a mask of blood, and his right arm hung uselessly at his side, bone glinting white through a deep gash.
Cough! Cough! He hacked up mouthfuls of dark blood.
He glared at the Konoha shinobi with maniacal hatred. "I… am Anrokuzan! The King of Loulan! With the Dragon Vein at my command… do you think I'd fall so easily?!"
"ARRRGH!" He stumbled backward, and before their horrified eyes, he tore open a conduit behind him, connecting directly to the main flow of the Dragon Vein's energy.
A torrent of emerald power, like a raging river, poured into his body. He began to swell, to grow, mirroring Chōza's earlier Multi-Size Technique.
"Damn it! He's turned his own body into a puppet too!" Chōza snarled, but his voice was weak. His chakra was spent, his massive form wavering. Minato quickly moved to support him.
"And now he's fused with the Dragon Vein itself," Minato said, his voice tight. "Direct attacks won't work. We can't hurt him like this."
Konoha's mission here originated from a bounty posted by Sarah's mother before her death. Loulan, as a hidden ancient kingdom, was a prize in itself. The revelation of the Dragon Vein only heightened every major village's interest. Konoha had been fortunate—or swift—enough to intercept the bounty request, making them the only village with current intel on Loulan.
The bounty had two conditions:
Protect Sarah, Loulan's new queen.
Eliminate the threat of Anrokuzan.
But Sarah's mother had clearly underestimated Anrokuzan. He had researched the Dragon Vein thoroughly. Now, fused with its near-infinite power, he was a titan no ordinary shinobi could hope to stop.
Seeing the worry on Minato's and the others' faces, Liumu knew that even with the Saitama template's power, defeating this regenerating monstrosity would be a protracted battle. Physical attacks alone were futile against an enemy who could heal instantly.
Genjutsu? Probably not. The swirling vortex of Dragon Vein energy around Anrokuzan likely acted as a barrier, preventing direct mental contact.
"Damn it… I should have just killed him from the start," Liumu muttered, regretting his earlier caution. He'd known Anrokuzan was the main villain, yet he'd spent time touring Loulan with the queen instead of acting decisively.
Ding. Timely Mission triggered. Host is requested to 'Restore the Loulan Dragon Vein.'
*Reward: +5 Time Chamber uses. +1 Destiny Roulette spin.*
Liumu: o(≧Д≦)o
A mission NOW? And 'restore' the Dragon Vein?!
He stared at Anrokuzan, who was being further consumed and transformed by the raging emerald energy…
"How am I supposed to 'restore' that? I'm not a god! I can't move mountains or reclaim seas!"
Ding. The Ultimate Template System reminds the host: Dragon Vein energy is also a form of chakra.
Liumu: (╯⊙ ⊙╰ )
What… what does that mean? What is the system implying?
At that moment, Anrokuzan's transformation completed. He had absorbed a colossal amount of energy. His entire form glowed with a sinister green light, covered in jagged, crystal-like spikes. He rose with a deafening roar, his height now surpassing a hundred feet—a true titan.
"Hiss… Wait a minute!"
A sudden, electrifying realization jolted through Liumu. He rested his chin on his hand, his eyes laser-focused on Anrokuzan's glowing chest.
Absorb… energy? Energy is chakra…
The pieces clicked into place.
The Dragon Vein's energy IS chakra. And what is the Taotie's Gluttony for? Absorbing chakra!
An entire Dragon Vein is right in front of me…
That's not a Dragon Vein anymore.
No.
That's a feast for the Glutton!
If that was the case…
Liumu's gaze locked onto Anrokuzan, his eyes gleaming with a predatory light usually reserved for wolves spotting a lone sheep.
But there was a problem. He couldn't just unleash the Taotie's ability in front of Minato and the others.
He flashed to Minato's side. "Leave the rest to me," he said, his voice firm. "You two, get Jōnin Akimichi and everyone else to safety."
"Impossible!" Chōza protested immediately, even in his weakened state. The idea of a lone chunin facing this monstrosity was unthinkable.
(End of Chapter)
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