The thunder dragon's jaw opened wide, as if it could swallow the sky itself—and it devoured the incoming white cube in a single gulp.

Boom!

The moment the cube entered its body, it detonated with terrifying force.

The massive beast of lightning was instantly torn apart by the explosion. Its center disintegrated into raw thunder particles, leaving only the head and tail intact before fading into the air.

Kaito narrowed his eyes.

"So this is Ōnoki's Dust Release... truly formidable."

"You brat, I swear—you won't leave here alive!"

Ōnoki's bloodshot eyes gleamed with fury, his expression twisted with madness.

Once again, the translucent cubes reformed between his palms. He launched them upward without hesitation.

Kaito moved. Ripples spread through the air beneath his feet as he disappeared with a flicker.

Boom!

The Dust Release missed its target, exploding in the distance with a blinding flash and deafening shockwave.

Chirp!

The sound of birds filled the air as Kaito reappeared beside Ōnoki in an instant. Lightning surged through his left hand, roaring as he thrust it directly toward the Tsuchikage's chest.

His hand pierced through the figure—only for it to crumble into a pile of stone.

"Earth Release: Super Weighted Boulder Jutsu!" came a strained voice from behind.

Kaito turned sharply.

Ōnoki had wrapped his arm in a massive slab of stone, the force behind it shrieking through the air as it struck down like a falling meteor.

The Super Weighted Boulder Jutsu—an advanced form of the Weighted Boulder Technique—was known for increasing weight and force to an extreme. It came at great cost to Ōnoki's aging body.

Kaito recognized the technique immediately.

"That old man really is insane," he thought. "Even his back problems won't stop him from risking everything."

An elite jonin wouldn't dare take that hit head-on.

Unfortunately for Ōnoki—Kaito wasn't just any shinobi.

He pivoted sharply. Chakra surged into his fist, condensing with immense density.

It was a variation of Tsunade's legendary super-strength technique—amplified far beyond its original form.

Thanks to his unique chakra control and sheer raw power, Kaito's strike carried at least five times the force of Tsunade's.

"Arrogant fool!" Ōnoki snarled, his face twisted in fury. He had shattered mountains with this very technique. No one had dared counter it directly before.

Kaito, however, didn't flinch.

Boom!

Their fists collided with the sound of two worlds colliding. The resulting shockwave cracked the sky, sending a deafening blast across the battlefield.

The force of Kaito's punch exploded outward in every direction.

Ōnoki's giant rock-arm shattered on contact—reduced to fragments by the sheer impact.

The aftershock didn't stop there—it slammed into the Tsuchikage, engulfing him completely.

Whoosh!

Ōnoki was launched into the sky like a shooting star, vanishing into the horizon.

Boom!

He crashed into the barren terrain far in the distance, trailing light and smoke behind him.

The ground split open from the impact. Rocks floated upward from the shockwave. Deep cracks spread like spiderwebs across the landscape, and a thunderous rumble echoed across the field.

Dust and debris clouded the air. It was like the world itself was breaking apart.

Tap... Tap... Tap...

Footsteps echoed through the silence.

Kaito walked forward steadily, waving his hand to clear the swirling dust around him.

He stared down into the crater.

Ōnoki lay at the center—bloodied, broken, his breath shallow. His face was blackened, his clothes shredded, and blood trickled from his mouth. He was completely defeated, unable to move.

"Super strength... That was super strength," Ōnoki rasped. "Are you... one of Tsunade's disciples?"

Kaito didn't answer. He pulled an animal-pattern mask from his cloak and fitted it over his face. It had been a last-minute preparation—he hadn't expected to need it, but it was useful now.

"You talk too much. Got any last words?" he said coldly, raising a single finger.

A massive Rasengan formed in the sky above, spinning with blinding intensity.

Ōnoki stared up with disbelief.

"Who are you...? Why didn't my intelligence network in Konoha report anything about a boy like you...? Who are you?"

Kaito's voice was flat. "Just an ordinary shinobi."

He raised his hand to strike.

But then—he paused, frowning.

From the horizon, a group of figures was approaching rapidly.

Kaito lowered his arm and dismissed the Rasengan. He pulled his Konoha forehead protector from his belt and tucked it away.

He couldn't act rashly.

He had come here through the Dragon Vein's time-space energy—he didn't belong to this era. Killing Ōnoki now might drastically alter the timeline.

If another Tsuchikage was appointed ahead of schedule, the resulting butterfly effect could ruin the world as he knew it.

"...Fine," he muttered. "I'll let you live."

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Multiple figures suddenly landed nearby, surrounding him.

They all wore Iwagakure forehead protectors and animal masks—the Iwa ANBU.

"That's ANBU gear…" Kaito murmured.

"You there—identify yourself! What are you doing at Iwagakure's border?" one of the masked shinobi demanded.

"Quiet! You're no match for him—go get Lord Rōshi immediately!" came a weak but recognizable voice.

"Y-You're... Tsuchikage-sama?!"

The Iwa ANBU were stunned. They served directly under the Tsuchikage—his elite unit—and knew him better than anyone.

They rushed to his side in disbelief.

One quickly knelt to administer medical ninjutsu.

The others turned their attention back to Kaito, kunai and blades materializing in their hands as they shifted into combat stances.

They didn't act rashly—but they were ready to strike at the first sign of movement.

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