"It does look quite intimidating."
Fugaku's lips curled into a sneer, as if he didn't take the Tailed Beast Ball seriously at all.
With a single command, Susanoo pushed off the ground, charging forward like a moving fortress.
The earth trembled beneath its weight, sending dust billowing into the air.
The four black chakra blades in Susanoo's hands crossed in pairs, gleaming under the sunlight with a chilling radiance.
The razor-sharp chakra-infused edges seemed capable of cutting through anything. Without hesitation, they swung down—cleaving straight through the incoming Tailed Beast Ball.
...
Boom!
The massive sphere was sliced into four perfect pieces before erupting into a catastrophic explosion.
A deafening roar shook the heavens, as if the entire world were about to shatter.
Blinding light burst forth, searing into the eyes like the detonation of a miniature sun.
At the core of the explosion, unimaginable energy raged—
A shockwave of destruction expanded violently in all directions, obliterating everything in its path.
Chunks of earth and rock were hurled into the air like leaves caught in a hurricane.
Deep fissures spiderwebbed across the ground, bottomless and ever-expanding.
Nearby trees were uprooted, sent spiraling away by the force.
Some snapped in half midair, spinning wildly before being flung far into the distance.
Massive boulders, propelled like cannonballs, slammed into distant mountain peaks.
The mountains quivered from the impact, their slopes crumbling as landslides thundered downward.
A suffocating cloud of dust and debris blanketed the battlefield, shrouding everything in chaos.
The sheer force of the blast raged on for what felt like an eternity before finally settling.
When the smoke cleared—
The battlefield lay in ruin, as if it had just endured the end of the world.
Yet, atop Susanoo's head, Fugaku stood unharmed.
His expression was as calm as ever, his gaze unshaken by the destruction around him.
...
"No… we've been tricked."
Ōnoki's voice carried frustration and urgency.
He turned toward the explosion's source, the lingering power unmistakably that of a Tailed Beast Ball.
And then—
Poof! Poof! Poof!
The three "Fugakus" before them dissipated into wisps of smoke.
Shadow clones.
Fugaku and his team knew the ruse could no longer hold—there was no point in continuing the deception.
"Damn it! They were clones?!"
Several Iwa-nin clenched their teeth, furious at themselves for not realizing it sooner.
Their faces twisted with frustration and anger—nothing was worse than being played for fools.
"It's too late for regrets."
"Hurry! We might still make it in time!"
Ōnoki felt an urgent pressure in his chest. There was no time to waste.
Without another word, he turned and shot toward the battlefield at full speed.
Soaring through the air like a streak of lightning, he left his men trailing far behind.
At this moment, stealth no longer mattered.
All that mattered was getting there—fast.
He didn't even have time to think about Rōshi's condition.
He could only hope that he wasn't too late.
...
Meanwhile, Fugaku knew his time was running out.
"It's time to finish this."
His voice was steady and final, as if delivering the verdict of this battle.
Watching as Four-Tails charged at him like a raging beast, his gaze sharpened.
"Amaterasu."
The words left his lips—
And instantly, hellish black flames erupted upon Four-Tails' body.
Like serpents of pure darkness, the flames slithered across its form, wrapping and consuming it.
Wherever the fire touched, it devoured without mercy.
More blood dripped from Fugaku's left eye, tracing crimson trails down his face—stark against the abyssal flames.
...
"AAAAAGGHHHHH!!!"
Four-Tails' agonized screams sent shivers down the spine.
Its rampage was halted, its massive body stumbling forward before crashing to the ground.
Desperately, it beat at the black flames with its massive arms, trying to extinguish them.
But Amaterasu was not so easily put out.
No matter how much it struggled, the flames continued to burn, endlessly consuming its flesh.
"Ignorant beast."
Fugaku let out a cold chuckle, raising Susanoo's massive blade once more.
...
Perhaps sensing imminent death, Four-Tails stopped caring about the flames engulfing it.
Forcing itself up, it roared and swung a colossal fist straight at Susanoo's face.
"A futile struggle."
With a swift motion, Fugaku controlled Susanoo—
And in one decisive slash, severed Four-Tails' arm.
"ROOOOAAAARRR!!!"
A howl of agony tore from Four-Tails' throat.
It stared at the place where its arm had once been—frozen, stunned.
As if unable to comprehend how something so mighty…
Could be cut down so easily.
"Die."
Fugaku could no longer hold back his emotions.
With a sharp command, the black chakra blade sliced straight through Four-Tails' neck.
The beast's agonized scream was abruptly silenced as its massive head soared into the air—
Before plummeting to the ground with a heavy thud.
"How dare you?!"
A thunderous roar rang out.
Ōnoki, who had just arrived, widened his eyes in shock, his face contorted with fury and disbelief.
He could not accept the brutal sight before him.
Four-Tails' colossal body lay lifeless, its severed head resting nearby—
A scene that stabbed into Ōnoki's heart like a blade.
Without hesitation, he raised his hand in rage.
A blast of Dust Release erupted from his palm, streaking toward Susanoo—aimed to obliterate the source of his fury.
...
"What am I afraid of?"
Fugaku's gaze met Ōnoki's midair, and there was even a trace of mockery in his eyes.
Under his control, Susanoo moved with surprising agility, effortlessly dodging the deadly attack.
As the Dust Release exploded in the distance, Iwa-nin reinforcements arrived alongside Konoha's trio, bringing the confrontation to a tense standoff.
"You want to fight here? I don't mind."
Though Fugaku's current state wasn't ideal for a battle against Ōnoki, his tone remained unwaveringly firm.
Susanoo stood unscathed, its imposing presence radiating an oppressive aura.
At the very least, it still made for an intimidating display.
"Fugaku Uchiha…"
"I won't forget this."
Ōnoki gritted his teeth, forcing himself to suppress his rage.
The chaos here would undoubtedly draw Akatsuki's attention.
Even if they were delayed, they would arrive soon enough—
And the last thing Ōnoki wanted was to invite another formidable enemy upon the Land of Earth.
"Spare yourself the concern."
"You're next."
Fugaku pointed to the fading remains of Four-Tails' head, his tone dripping with arrogance.
"I'll be waiting."
"Let's go."
Ōnoki's fists clenched tightly, veins bulging on his forehead as he teetered on the edge of losing control.
But in the end, he swallowed his fury.
With a sharp turn, he led his remaining Iwa-nin in a swift retreat.
...
"Clan Head, that was incredible!"
The Uchiha shinobi had been wary at first, aware that they were outnumbered.
But seeing Fugaku single-handedly force the Iwa-nin to back down—
That was something else entirely.
"Enough talk. Someone get over here and help me."
In an instant, Susanoo dispersed—
And with it, Fugaku's exhausted voice shattered the commanding presence he had just exuded.
"Are you alright?"
The Hyūga shinobi, more observant than the others, immediately stepped forward to support him.
"I'll manage."
"You two idiots, hurry up and seal that arm before we leave."
Despite his weakened state, Fugaku didn't miss a beat in reprimanding his subordinates—clearly accustomed to doing so.
"Yes, yes…"
The two Uchiha moved toward Four-Tails' severed arm, muttering under their breath about their Clan Head's flair for theatrics.
"Let's go."
Once the arm was properly sealed, Fugaku led his team away.
...
Only after they had all vanished from sight did Akatsuki finally arrive.
The group of Akatsuki shinobi scanned the battlefield—
A landscape torn apart, as if a natural disaster had just passed through.
For a long moment, they simply stood there, speechless.