Chapter 83: Armament Haki.

"Lava Style – Burning River Rock Jutsu!" Roshi, cloaked in a Tailed Beast Coat, spat out scorching balls of molten magma, hurling them toward Zenkichi. "Oh? You're joining in too?" "Spitting lava... how terrifying." Zenkichi glanced at him lazily. With a single wave of his golden lightsaber, he generated a powerful gust of energy that scattered all the incoming lava balls effortlessly. "Roar!" The chakra cloak around Roshi deepened in color—his light-red shroud turned crimson, and four burning tails erupted from behind him. He had entered the second form of the Tailed Beast Cloak. With a fierce snarl, he charged straight at Zenkichi. Bang! Zenkichi blocked Roshi's claw with a horizontal sweep of his lightsaber. Though the claw, strengthened by Four-Tails' chakra, could tear through steel, it was no match for Zenkichi's strength—or the unbreakable edge of his golden lightsaber. The attack was halted with ease. "The power granted by a Tailed Beast transformation really is something else," Zenkichi remarked lazily. He opened his mouth slightly, and a radiant golden cross began to form from condensed light particles. "Roshi of Iwagakure..." "Have you ever felt the weight of words?" Zenkichi's voice was calm, but as he spoke, the glow in his mouth grew more intense, radiating destructive energy. Boom! A golden light cannon erupted from his mouth and blasted Roshi point-blank, sending him flying in a blaze of golden energy. Even in his second cloak form, Roshi was no match for the blast—his cloak was ripped open, a massive hole tearing through it. Coughing up blood, Roshi finally understood the vast difference in strength. "I remember when you first came to Konoha, all fired up, wanting to kill me..." "What happened? Having second thoughts now?" Zenkichi eyed Roshi with a bored expression. "Zenkichi!" A loud roar echoed as Killer B of Kumogakure leapt into action. Zenkichi immediately shut his mouth—the Amber Purification Bottle's sealing ability was not something he could risk triggering. Instead, lightsaber in hand, he slashed toward Killer B, and an enormous surge of sword energy shot toward him like a tsunami. Killer B's body was wrapped in the second form of the Tailed Beast Cloak, its red armor glistening. This same form, in the original timeline, had allowed Naruto to block Orochimaru's Kusanagi blade. Now, Killer B held his ground, withstanding the blow—barely—while the others launched their own coordinated assault. The elite ninja sent from Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Kumogakure were not just strong leaders. Their comrades were rare elites as well. The combined attack was immense. "So many people ganging up on me? How scary~" Zenkichi shouted in mock horror, then vanished using Six Styles – Shave. In a blur, he retreated ten meters in an instant, dodging every strike. "Now... it's my turn." His body shimmered and turned into light particles, rising into the air. Mid-flight, the particles reformed his human shape. "Yasakani no Magatama!" From his hands, countless golden light bullets materialized and rained down like a torrential storm, bombarding Killer B and the others. "Damn it!" Killer B cursed as his body pulsed with even more chakra. He fully transformed into the Eight-Tails — an enormous ox-headed, octopus-tailed beast. The monstrous creature glared down at Zenkichi from within the village, its tentacles spread wide, shielding the other Kumo-nin from the barrage. "You're still worried about others?" "Don't be greedy—just take what's yours." Zenkichi raised his leg. The heel shimmered with golden energy. "Speed is weight." "Young Eight-Tails Jinchūriki... ever felt a light-speed kick?" With a lazy smirk, he launched a devastating golden beam from his heel. It slammed directly into the Eight-Tails' forehead like a cannonball. The impact sent the beast crashing into the ground with a thunderous boom, flattening buildings under its weight. After knocking it down with a single strike, Zenkichi appeared next to the Amber Bottle and casually claimed it for himself. "Zenkichi..." The Eight-Tails tried to rise. But before it could react, a golden flash lit its vision. Zenkichi stood before it, the tip of his index finger glowing. The light condensed into a golden cross, spinning with incredible energy. "Sayōnara." The golden laser pierced the beast's forehead cleanly. The Eight-Tails howled, its massive body melting away, dispersing into pure chakra that faded into the air. Killer B collapsed, barely alive—but not dead. Neither was the Eight-Tails, because what had been destroyed was only a chakra-formed projection. The true beast remained sealed. "The Eight-Tails is a fine bijū. It'd be a waste to leave it with someone like you..." Zenkichi murmured. Fiery chakra flames danced on his fingers as he pressed his hand to Killer B's abdomen, tearing through the Iron Armor Seal. He extracted a swirling orb of crimson chakra—the essence of the Eight-Tails. Activating the Amber Purification Bottle, Zenkichi sealed the chakra essence inside. It was not just residual power. This was the core of the Eight-Tails—the substance from which the beast could be reborn. In effect, Zenkichi had just sealed a complete Eight-Tails inside the artifact. --- Ding! Achievement unlocked – Defeated Sunagakure's Twin Elders! Template Character: Kizaru Unlock Progress: 79% Ding! Achievement unlocked – Defeated Kumogakure's Former AB Combo! Template Character: Kizaru Unlock Progress: 85% New Skill Acquired – Armament Haki! As the system notification rang out, Zenkichi felt a new strength awaken within him. Armament Haki. And not just any form—this was the elite-grade Haki used by Marine Admiral Kizaru, capable of clashing against the might of Whitebeard himself. "No wonder the system didn't react when I killed Chiyo or the Third Raikage... so I had to take both of them out as a combo?" Zenkichi looked at the fallen bodies of Killer B and Ebizo, contemplating. He raised his hand and picked up Sunagakure's sealing artifact—the Great Cauldron—then turned his gaze toward Roshi of Iwagakure. The man was critically injured and couldn't even resist anymore. It was the perfect time to extract the Four-Tails. --- Send Powerstones...