Chapter 148: Veigar: Leave It to Me
Naruto Uzumaki burst free from his restraints and appeared in front of Queen Sara, only to see Veigar driving a Phenomenal Evil Rasengan straight into Mukade, pinning the monstrous puppet down with sheer force.
"Ve—"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Just as Naruto recognized him and opened his mouth to speak Veigar's name, a series of deafening explosions drowned out his voice.
At the same time, Minato appeared in front of Naruto, flanked by Shibi and Chōza, shielding him from the chaos.
Watching the battlefield with narrowed eyes, Minato thought silently:
Kakashi must've completed his mission.
"Explode!"
Kakashi, now darting through the battlefield, had plastered numerous explosive tags onto the puppet soldiers and was detonating them in rapid succession. Glancing back at Minato, he gave a confirming nod.
"Naruto, now's your chance, get Her Majesty to safety!"
Minato's voice snapped Naruto out of his daze. Nodding quickly, he turned to Sara and urged:
"Sara, let's go! Take everyone and escape to the surface!"
Meanwhile, Veigar, still pressing the massive Mukade down with a Great Phenomenal Evil Rasengan, was clearly exhilarated. The chakra inside him was swelling, visibly and rapidly.
Having completed his fusion with Phenomenal Evil Power, Veigar had finally unlocked its full potential.
Not only did it dramatically amplify his chakra's potency, it also increased its sheer volume.
"What's happening…?"
"You… you're stealing my power!"
Mukade's voice was a venomous snarl. Pinned beneath the Rasengan, he had finally realized that his own Ryūmyaku energy was draining from his body.
"But here in Rōran, my power is endless!"
"And now… I'll bury you all with Sara!"
Suddenly, countless chakra threads erupted from Mukade's body. Scattered puppet parts lying all around the battlefield began flying toward him, drawn in by the threads.
"Veigar, watch out!"
Though still absorbing Ryūmyaku energy through the Phenomenal Evil Power, Veigar immediately sensed the incoming danger. With no other choice, he released Mukade and retreated a step back.
He watched as the puppet fragments assembled into a monstrous, spider-like colossus.
Minato stepped forward, standing beside Veigar as he warned:
"Be careful. This one's more dangerous than he looks."
What Minato referred to wasn't just raw power, but Mukade's cockroach-like tenacity.
"Behold! This is my ultimate form!"
Naruto, having just escorted the prisoners to safety, returned at that moment. Glaring up at the now spider-formed Mukade, he roared:
"You bastard…"
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
A wave of Narutos swarmed the battlefield, launching themselves at Mukade. Some sat, stood, or rode on the giant puppet's back, slashing at it with chakra blades.
"You…!"
"Argh!"
But it was futile. The attacks bounced off with no lasting effect. One by one, Naruto's clones were flung off like rag dolls.
Minato turned quickly and called:
"Chōza!"
Chōza Akimichi nodded knowingly.
"Leave it to me."
Partial Multi-Size Technique!
In an instant, Chōza's arm ballooned to monstrous proportions, far larger than even Mukade's hulking form. With a mighty shout, he hurled a colossal punch.
Boom!
Mukade didn't even have time to dodge. His immense size gave him power, but robbed him of agility. The punch smashed him straight into the wall.
"You Leaf shinobi…!"
Mukade's voice echoed in rage, but no one paid him any mind.
Minato turned again.
"Shibi!"
Without hesitation, Shibi Aburame activated his clan's secret technique.
Secret Technique: Insect Sphere!
A swarm of black beetles poured from his cloak, surging like a living tide. They engulfed Mukade, whose furious screams gradually faded, until his limp form tumbled into the abyssal shaft beneath the puppet factory.
The group hurried to the edge, peering into the bottomless blackness below.
"Is it over…?" Naruto asked cautiously.
Veigar remained calm, voice sharp.
"Not yet. If I'm right, defeating him still depends on Sara's power."
Even as Veigar spoke, a furious roar echoed from the abyss.
"Sara…"
More chakra threads erupted, latching onto the remaining puppet pieces scattered around, pulling them into the chasm.
Mukade knew, even now, he had one fatal weakness.
Sara.
As long as she lived, the secret of his immortality was exposed.
Only by killing Sara could he wield the Ryūmyaku's power without fear.
The Ryūmyaku granted him infinite rebirth, but also bound him to eternal vulnerability.
In the end, Mukade lived and died by the Ryūmyaku.
Sara, meanwhile, had successfully led the prisoners out of the factory. The enslaved laborers could finally reunite with their families above ground.
And then, from the darkness, Mukade emerged again.
His massive upper body now towered like a titan, but his lower half had mutated into a long, armored tail, he looked like a monstrous scorpion.
Veigar stepped forward.
"Sensei. Everyone."
"Leave the rest to me. Go protect Sara, and seal the source of the Ryūmyaku."
"That's the only way. If it remains open, he'll just keep coming back."
Minato started to object, but one look at Veigar's resolute back made him stop.
"…Got it."
Shadow Clone Jutsu!
Ten more Veigars surged into view, darting toward the monstrous Mukade as one.
Mukade, hearing every word, now panicked. His secret was exposed. He had to find and kill Sara before she sealed the Ryūmyaku.
"You little brat!"
Still hidden inside his massive puppet body, Mukade roared as the Veigars approached.
Then, with brute force, he charged toward them.
Great Phenomenal Evil Rasengan!
Veigar and his clones stood firm, each conjuring a colossal Rasengan, swirling with Phenomenal Evil Power. The two forces collided violently.
RUMBLE…!!!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
One by one, the shadow clones dispersed into smoke, leaving Veigar, unshaken, at the center of it all.
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