It turned out that Uzumaki Naruto's strategy was the correct one.
Through the right plan, he managed to force out Mouryou's true form—and also expose the true power of the Uchiha.
"Well then... let me witness the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan!"
…
The sudden appearance of a green Susanoo triggered waves of astonished gasps.
But compared to this colossal figure over 20 meters tall, Uchiha Shisui's first-stage ribcage Susanoo looked somewhat lacking.
The enormous dragon-shaped demon reminded Shisui of the Nine-Tails attack from years ago.
Back then, the massive Nine-Tails had ravaged the village in just the same way.
But this time…
The Uchiha clan would not sit on the sidelines.
Right there on the battlefield, Shisui immediately activated the second stage of Susanoo.
The green ribcage and skeletal hands wrapped tightly around him burst into blazing chakra flames.
The emerald chakra surged into the sky, forming a semi-humanoid giant of matching color.
"That's... Susanoo..."
Naruto landed, eyes fixed on the tangible manifestation of Mangekyō power before him.
The next moment, Shisui, standing within, manipulated his Susanoo to charge at Mouryou.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The titanic collisions echoed like thunderclaps.
Ordinary shinobi had no place in a battle of this scale.
All they could do was stay far away and provide support from a distance.
The former residence of the Third Hokage crumbled rapidly under the shockwaves from kunai, explosive tags, and stray jutsu—its walls collapsing entirely.
The bombardment of techniques caused Mouryou's body to shudder slightly.
To put it simply... it looked like a massive dog with long fur being blasted by gale-force winds.
Even after the shockwaves faded, Mouryou's burning form stood tall.
"It... didn't work?!"
Many of the guards present were survivors of the Nine-Tails incident.
The sight before them brought back that same sense of hopelessness.
"Hrahhh!!"
At that moment, Uchiha Shisui let out a fierce roar.
The skeletal giant wielding a sword in its hand slashed down at Mouryou.
SLASH!
Mouryou was cut clean in half.
Like a scene out of a movie—the swordsman flashes past in a blur, and the enemy is split in two.
But there was no blood from the split.
The upper body didn't even fall away.
The body, made of something like mist, seemed to be composed entirely of smoke.
Can a blade... kill a puff of smoke?
The answer was no.
"Damn it..."
Shisui gritted his teeth, realizing that brute force alone couldn't kill this enemy.
No wonder it took the sacrifice of shrine maidens for a thousand years just to seal it.
Which brought up the next question: Where was the shrine maiden now?
"Miss Priestess, lend us your power."
In a relatively safe location—
Naruto stood beside the shrine maiden.
Though her hands were free, beneath her ceremonial robe and home kimono, she still wore the "new clothes" Naruto had made for her using red cord.
She looked sadly toward the rampaging Mouryou in the distance, knowing her husband was beyond saving.
After Mouryou took over his body, death was inevitable.
So...
"Ah..."
The priestess began performing strange movements.
In fact, it was her clan's unique hand seals—the ritual for casting.
As violet light flared, she prepared to sacrifice herself to seal Mouryou.
But the next moment, Naruto tugged at the corner of her red garment—
"Eep~."
The casting priestess was immediately interrupted. Her noble face twisted into an odd expression—
Like a drowning person's weakness... or as if she were enduring... some kind of pain.
"Miss Priestess... what I meant was, lend me your power... and then..."
With the wisdom of Uzumaki Naruto, I'll take Mouryou down!
Defeating Mouryou wasn't limited to sealing alone.
By combining the priestess's power with a powerful ninja's might, one could unleash a mixed-element strike that could annihilate Mouryou.
It was a bit like... how Sage Jutsu could affect Truth-Seeking Orbs and break through Six Paths defenses.
Special attack, armor break, defense penetration—call it whatever you like.
No technique is invincible.
No enemy is unbeatable.
If it's alive, it has a weakness.
"Ugh... I understand..."
Pink light surged from the priestess again, flowing into Naruto.
He immediately activated his Tailed Beast Cloak—three tails burst from his back.
The normally orange Nine-Tails chakra now began to turn... pink?
"Who says a monkey-boy can't be a hot guy too?"
Naruto swayed his head, grinning.
Using this pink macho power, he leapt high toward the center of destruction—Mouryou.
Shisui, locked in heated combat with Mouryou, suddenly spotted the figure soaring toward them—radiating an intense, dazzling macho pink glow.
"That's... Uzumaki Naruto?!"
Under the Sharingan's scrutiny, the chakra's nature looked completely different from before.
A divine power intertwined with the malevolent Nine-Tails' chakra.
And then—
This sacred-evil hybrid chakra slammed into Mouryou's body with tremendous force.
BOOM!!
It was like thunder cracking across the earth—or a hammer striking the planet.
Naruto didn't use any complex tricks. He just charged in recklessly—and it worked.
"ROOOOAAARRR!"
Mouryou screamed in pain.
"This power... the priestess..."
Mouryou's massive body, knocked sideways, bent out of shape like a "＜."
Just as it tried to retaliate—
Naruto was already rampaging inside.
Claws and feet flying, three tails stabbed and swung wildly.
He tore through Mouryou's body from its waist up to its head.
Along the way, countless pink lights exploded from within.
"No... this can't be!"
In Mouryou's disbelieving shriek, it erupted in blinding pink radiance—on the brink of disintegration.
"Nothing's impossible! Times have changed, you overgrown worm!"
Naruto burst out from its head, soaring into the sky.
"Ohhhh..." The crowd below looked up in stunned awe at Naruto's arrogant yet powerful figure.
BOOM.
Like mist dissipating...
Like morning dew evaporating...
With a final unwilling roar, Mouryou turned to ash—
Even after Naruto landed,
everyone remained frozen in stunned silence...
***********************************************
Want to read more
patreon.com/Mochi_Whirl