“Now, Black Iron Fist: Eject!” Shinki orders, waving his hand.

  “GAAGH?!?!”

  In the time it takes to blink, the left hand immediately balls up into a fist and shoots forward like a cannon, slamming directly into Takato; the storm shinobi grits his teeth as he is knocked back straight into the arena wall, creating a crater where he crashed.

  The red-haired ninja is immediately dazed from the attack; the only thing keeping him awake is the persistent, aching pain flowing throughout his body; he feels something warm trickling down his nose.

  Wh-Wha… What was that…? Takato asks himself while clumsily pulling himself out of the wall. …F-Feels like… I was just hit by a… b-building…

  Once out, the storm sibling falls to his knees. Stumbling onto his feet, red-haired shinobi wipes his nose; the sight of blood startles him for only a brief moment, but he quickly collects himself and smacks his cheeks to wake himself up; he stares down his opponent, poised to evade.

  “Is that the best you’ve got? *huff*...” The stubborn Takato sneers, raising his fists. “‘Cuz I can… *huff* …do this all day…”

  With another wave of his hand, the stoic Shinki commands, “Eject.”

  Once more, one of the sand ninja’s Black Iron Fists rocket toward the storm sibling at blinding speeds. Fortunately, Takato is ready for it; he produces a shadow clone that immediately grabs him and tosses him into the air, avoiding the iron fist altogether. While in midair, the storm shinobi swiftly weaves the Dog, Horse, and Tiger hand seals, creating a swarm of Demon Lanterns; the ghostly fireballs rain down upon Shinki in an attempt to bombard him. Unfortunately, the sand ninja is able to pull back his iron constructs just in time to block the flaming projectiles; the numerous explosions kick up a smokescreen.

  God-shocking-dammit…! Annoyed, Takato clicks his tongue as he descends. “What the–?!”

  To the red-haired ninja’s shock, one of the iron fists blasts out of the cloud of smoke and grabs onto him, holding him up in the air; its enveloping grip is tight and suffocating just like a bear hug; the dust settles, revealing a Shinki who’s standing tall, assured of his victory.

  “You fought well… *huff* …but it appears I’ve… *huff* …come out on top…” The prodigal sand shinobi begins breathing heavily as sweat runs down his exhausted face.

  “HEH… Oh, yeah…? That’s hilarious coming from you…”

  Shinki raises a brow. “Hmmm?”

  “To think that someone, who doesn’t even know his limits can claim he’s won,” Takato sneers, looking down on his opponent; he starts infusing more chakra. “Tell me… just how much chakra did you waste replenishing the iron sand that I’ve been demagnetizing?”

  *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof* *poof*

  Weaving a hand seal, the storm sibling produces a shadow clone right next to him, within the iron fist, but doesn’t stop there; he proceeds to create more and more clones; each shadow clone made, forces the construct to open up some. His opponent tries to reinforce his grip by clamping down his fist with the other hand, but it’s no use; Takato has made enough clones to break out of the Black Iron Fist and completely surround Shinki; the moment they land, each storm ninja produces a pair of flaming orbs.

  “Scorch Style: Super Steam Kill Barra–?!?!?!”

  Sensing the mysterious and sudden appearance of three ominously powerful chakra signatures from on high, the, now paralyzed, Takato’s blood runs cold with sweat running down his face like a faucet; they are so powerful that even non-sensory types can detect their presence; everyone holds their breath with silent dread. The storm sibling quickly glances over at Shinki and sees that even the sand shinobi is frozen with fear as well.

  “Heh heh heh heh… It seems I’ve finally found you.” A voice says with sinister delight.

  Heart pounding out of his chest, Takato slowly lifts his shaking head and looks up to witness three inscrutable figures descending upon them; they all have pale white skin and hair, just like his father.

  Wh-What’s… what’s going on…? Who’re these guys, and why do they look like dad?! A terrified Takato questions, quietly.

  As the veiled one holds up his right hand, revealing a red Rinnegan on his palm, he makes a perplexed scowl the instant his cold eyes fall on the young storm ninja. “What’s this… a half-breed?”

  Takato’s flaming spheres, as well as Shinki’s iron sand, are drawn towards the veiled figure; they are all sucked one-by-one into the veiled man’s Rinnegan hand and absorbed.

  “Judging from his chakra, he must be the spawn of that enigmatic traitor.” Remarks the largest of the three.

  “Ooh, if that’s the case…” The stranger with the glowing-red pouch on his waist slowly walks toward the storm sibling; he wears a sinister grin on his pale-white face. “We really should thank him for blessing us with this new sacrifice.”

  Just as the mysterious figure reaches out to grab Takato, who feels a strong sense of foreboding; the young Uzumaki’s body moves on its own, leaping several meters back, away from them, he grits his teeth and slams his hands down against the arena floor, infusing his chakra.

  “I ain’t afraid of you--just try and take me. I’ll take you ALL on!!”

  A shroud of red chakra erupts from the red-haired shinobi’s body, taking the form of a giant bobtail cat with glowing-yellow eyes and a bell collar around its neck; its left paw holds up a large coin while its right paw is upright, waving.

  With a desperate fire in his eyes, the young Uzumaki roars, “Take this! Cat God Possession: Monster Cat Beckoning Jutsu!”

  With bristling fur, Takato’s chakra avatar bares its fangs and claws, preparing to attack; just as it is about to strike, the storm genin feels a sharp pain in his chest, he looks down and sees a red thread of chakra piercing his body; the cat monster immediately dissipates as Takato feels all his strength leave him. The mysterious figure wielding the red pouch is the source of the string.

  “My, my… You creatures possess the most unusual of techniques.” He sneers, yanking the thread. “It’s quite amusing, actually.”

  The string leaves the storm genin’s body, draining him of his chakra; his eyelids become very heavy while losing all his remaining strength. While sliding into unconsciousness, Takato feels an invisible force pull him away; it feels strangely comforting.

  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  “How dare you even touch my son…!” Jin growls while glaring coldly at the three Otsutsuki, he uses the Universal Pull to drag his and Gaara’s sons to safety, behind him. “What I have planned for you will make Hell look like Heaven.”

  The seething Onikage hovers in the air while Naruto jumps down to the arena floor; flapping his white chakra wings, Rito joins him, ready for a fight while Lee takes a battle stance.

  “So many vulgar creatures are getting in the way.” An indifferent Momoshiki remarks.

  Focusing chakra into his right hand’s fingers, Kinshiki responds with, “Then we shall cleanse the area first.”

  The burly Otsutsuki pats the ground, causing a small, localized tremor that tears up a chunk of the stadium ground, destabilizes the stands, and shatters the pillars, which hold up the roof; the shinobi from all villages scramble to protect the innocent bystanders; out of the corner of his eye, the furious Jin witnesses his cousin, Ino Yamanaka destroy some of the falling debris with a Rasengan, saving herself as well as everyone seated near and around her.

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  (Author’s Note: Jin taught Ino the Rasengan back in Chapter 104.)

  “Dad! We’re here to help!” Satoshi shouts, appearing on the ledge with his sister, Mai.

  His gaze fixated on the invaders, Jin uses the Almighty Push to gently send Takato and Shinki over to his other children. “You’re overestimating yourselves. Get your brother to safety and then help the Leaf with evacuation.”

  His eldest son argues, “But Dad–”

  “That’s an order!” Rito interrupts, using his chakra to forge a crystalline axe.

  The two genin heed the orders given, and carry Takato and Shinki away to safety, allowing Jin and Rito to descend to the ground, landing at Naruto’s side; all three are poised to attack.

  “Protecting your lessers? Ridiculous.” Momoshiki coldly scoffs, raising his left hand and revealing the Rinnegan in its palm.

  However, to his surprise, Momoshiki and his clansmen suddenly find themselves wrapped in shadows; everyone glances to the side and sees Shikamaru standing at the front row, weaving the Rat hand sign.

  The current Nara Clan head firmly declares, “We won’t let you do whatever you want!”

  Just as Sasuke appears, joining them, the somewhat annoyed Momoshiki easily frees himself and his subordinates by absorbing the Shadow Possession Jutsu with his right hand’s Rinnegan; Shikamaru stumbles to his knees, shocked.

  “Kinshiki!” The Otsutsuki leader commands.

  Lifting off into the air, the axe-wielding Otsutsuki replies with, “Right!”

  Sasuke explains the situation. “They’re the ones, Naruto…”

  Already aware of what’s going on, Jin tunes them out and uses the Mind Transmission technique to telepathically communicate., “They came a little earlier than expected. You got the ‘toybox,’ Rito?”

  “Nah yeah, Jin. Just say the word!”

  “…power, INSTANTLY, with no effort whatsoever.” Momoshiki explains while holding up a pill; he makes a smug grin before taking it.

  “It’s such a shame you three came all the way here for nothing, then.” The scowling Jin says, joining the conversation. “Because ALL you’re getting are urns.”

  “In spite of these pests, I’ll rearrange this seedbed and make it beautiful.” The Otsutsuki proclaims, rising into the air while raising his left hand over his head. “Takamimusubinokami.”

  Momoshiki produces a massive Tailed Beast Bomb with several jutsu surrounding it--Takato’s scorch jutsu and Shinki’s iron sand being chief among them; the group can also see powerful fire, lightning, wind, and water techniques floating among the condensed sphere of chakra.

  “It’s meaningless!” Momoshiki yells, throwing a colossal flaming bird at them.

  The defiant Jin immediately manifests his Armored Susano’o while his brother quickly coats the avatar’s armor and shield in crystal, bolstering its defensive capabilities; their collaboration is successful in blocking the enemy’s attack; Naruto sends out numerous shadow clones to protect any and all stragglers still within the stadium, he and his clones all have entered their Six Paths Chakra Mode.

  “As much as I’d love to see you inferior creatures squirm, I think I’ll scout the area for anyone else with unusual techniques.” The hovering Urashiki scoffs; he takes off exiting the arena.

  Sasuke forces his way out of the ethereal warrior and chases after the invader. “You’re not going anywhere!”

  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Just as the Shadow Hokage closes in on the retreating Otsutsuki, he senses someone coming right for him with malicious intent; he quickly draws his sword, whipping around and parries a swing from Kinshiki’s ax. Although Sasuke was successful in avoiding the sneak attack, he is still sent hurtling down due to the sheer force of the burly Otsutsuki’s mighty blow.

  “You must REALLY want me to shorten that horn of yours some more.” Sasuke leers, channeling lightning chakra through his blade.

  Winding back his arm for another attack, Kinshiki roars, “I will silence that uncouth tongue FOREVER!!”

  However, just before anything can happen, Kinshiki is abruptly blindsided by a devastating drop kick to his face, sending him flying into a pile of rubble; the one to deliver such a weighty attack is none other than Jin’s ally, Jaeger.

  “Kinshiki, is it? Surrender or die… This is your ONLY warning.” The Storm Jonin orders.

  “I’d listen to the man if I were you.” Ayanami suggests while slowly approaching the skirmish, she exudes a calm yet determined air.

  The storm kunoichi stands side-by-side with the Shadow Hokage, emitting a powerful, cyan-colored chakra; a purple aura of chakra erupts from Sasuke’s body as the two shinobi face down the burly Otsutsuki, taking their respective battle stances.

  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  “…And this. And This! AND THIS!!” A hysterical Momoshiki shouts as he bombards the crystal-coated avatar with numerous stolen jutsu.

  *BOOM!* *ZZYXX!*

  *KRA-KOOM!*

  *THUD!* *BANG!*

  Magnet, Water, Lightning, Scorch Style, and many more are slammed onto Jin and Rito’s collaboration; the very ground trembles each time an attack lands, but the undeterred brothers continue to stand their ground.

  “Naruto, Rito… How’re you holding up?” Jin asks with folded arms.

  Repairing the Susanoo’s crystalline armor, Rito responds with, “Just peachy.”

  “It’s a given that one of our clansmen can withstand attacks of this magnitude, but the rest of you…? I’m utterly astounded you survived THIS long.” Momoshiki sneers with a patronizing tone; he pulls out a handful of chakra pills and inhales them like a junkie. “Don’t you worry, ‘Fox,’ I won’t allow you to die just yet.”

  The leader Otsutsuki pours more and more chakra into his Tailed Beast Bomb, making it grow even larger than it was before; thick storm clouds blanket the sky, shrouding the landscape in darkness; the now cloudy sky reminds Jin of the war. With a maniacal grin, he tosses the enormous sphere of chakra at the trio; goosebumps form as the Onikage feels his heart sink.

  I’ve never absorbed THIS much chakra before… Jin takes a deep breath, shaking the jitters off before raising his hands to the sky. …But there’s a 1st time for everything… I can do this…

  “Jin, I’m trusting you with the fate of the Ninja World.” Naruto says, calmly.

  Hmmm…??? Confused, the Storm Village leader glances over to his cousin, who smiles back at him. “What are you…? Don’t tell me…”

  To Jin and Rito’s shock and bewilderment, the Leaf Village leader claps his hands together, manifesting his Kurama Mode; the fox avatar blasts it way out of Jin’s Susano’o like a chest-burster, shattering the ethereal warrior into billions of shards.

  Enveloped within the amalgamation of Naruto and Kurama’s chakra, the Onikage braces himself the moment he realizes he’s being forced back, by the very chakra he dwells in; he glances over and sees that Rito is also fighting the phenomenon.

  “N-Naruto…! Nngh… What are you doing?!” Rito shouts, making a crystalline sword, which he stabs into the ground to anchor himself.

  The Hokage keeps his determined gaze fixed on the enemy’s massive jutsu. “Saving you!”

  “We don’t NEED your protection, you moron!! We handle ourselves just fine.”

  Molding chakra, the Storm Village leader uses the Earth Style: Mobile Core jutsu to erect a pillar right behind him, against his back, while channeling more chakra to the soles of his feet, all in an attempt to resist his cousin’s machinations.

  “I know, that’s why I’m putting my faith in you,” Naruto says, looking back at him with a smirk. “Later…”

  Jin’s pillar and Rito’s sword each bust apart as they are fully ejected from the Kurama avatar and sent flying out of the arena; he looks back to see the Nine-Tails using all his tails to encompass Momoshiki’s Tailed Beast Bomb.

  “NARUTOOOO!! YOU JACKASS…!!!” The Onikage howls back at the stadium as he and his brother safely land, he fervently shakes his fist in outrage.

  The Storm Village leader’s anger takes a back seat the moment he spots someone sprinting past him, back toward the arena, it’s Hinata Uzumaki; Jin quickly uses the Multiple Striking Shadow Snakes technique to bind the kunoichi, dragging her back to safety.

  Trying to break free, an angry and scared Hinata shouts, “Let me go! I have to save my husband!”

  “I understand wanting to help Naruto--I get it. But uhh…”

  “We’ll rescue Naruto. I promise…” Rito chimes in, assuaging her worries. “Boruto and Himawari need their mother, right now.”

  *Fwheeeeeeh…!*

  Everyone’s attention shifts back to the Chunin Exams arena, where Momoshiki’s jutsu is suspended in the air, completely wrapped up in Kurama’s tails; the mass of chakra ominously gives off a brilliant, blinding flash of light while simultaneously fidgeting, erratically.

  To protect himself and all those near him, Jin immediately erects his Susano’o. “Oh, shi–!”

  *KAA-BOOOOOOM!!!*