Hiruzen persuaded me to die

Even with the bone shield absorbing part of the impact, Hyūga Naraku's fist still landed with terrifying force—directly into the Kaguya patriarch's gut.

"Pffft—!"

Blood exploded from his mouth as he was launched backward, his body tearing through a thick tree before crashing into the earth with a sickening thud.

"Was that... Weird Strength?" Orochimaru muttered, still fending off Kaguya shinobi nearby.

He had caught the term "Weird Strength" from Naraku moments earlier—confirmed now by the sheer brutality of the impact. Even the patriarch's vaunted bone defense had shattered beneath one punch.

No doubt about it.

That blow could've torn the earth open.

Cruel. Precise. Controlled devastation.

Orochimaru couldn't help but recall his old teammate—

Tsunade.

Despite her title as a medical ninja, Tsunade was the strongest physically among the Sannin. Orochimaru and Jiraiya both knew it firsthand.

And now, here stood another practitioner of the same devastating force.

Using Boil Release... to mimic Tsunade's Weird Strength?

The idea sparked in Orochimaru's mind—wild, yet feasible.

But if he was shocked, Terumi Mei was outright stunned.

She had heard it too:"Boil Release – Weird Strength."

And the searing chakra radiating from Naraku's body? Undeniably Boil Release.

"A Taijutsu technique... using Boil Release?" she muttered, mind reeling.

She recalled Naraku's earlier words—applying Boil Release to enhance close-quarters combat.

At the time, she'd dismissed it as bizarre. Implausible.

She had mastered Boil Release for years—and never even considered using it that way.

And yet now, the student had not only mastered it—he was outclassing the original user.

How?

It didn't make sense.

Her version of Boil Release was highly corrosive, laced with extreme heat—dangerous even to the caster if not tightly controlled. One misstep, and the user's own chakra would burn their meridians or scald their flesh.

But Naraku... was using it effortlessly.

She felt a chill.

Whose kekkei genkai is this really?!

And then—

[Boil Release Kekkei Genkai acquired. Water Chakra +400. Fire Chakra +400.]

The system prompt chimed in Naraku's mind.

"Of course," he mused inwardly, unfazed.

Boil Release wasn't just for wide-area damage—it could also enhance the body, elevating physical combat to monstrous levels.

Just like Han, the Jinchūriki of the Five-Tails.

But such use required absolute chakra control.

Heat your chakra too far, and the only one getting scalded... is you.

"Cough…"

The Kaguya patriarch staggered to his feet, blood spilling from his mouth. His body screamed in pain.

But then—he noticed something.

His bones… felt stronger.

Despite the agony, his Dead Bone Pulse was reacting—evolving.

Why? He didn't know. But he didn't care.

Stronger was stronger.

"You bastard… ready to die?" he snarled through ragged breaths, grinning like a madman.

Naraku narrowed his eyes.

His Tenseigan flared.

He saw it—deep within the enemy's body: a strange surge. A spike in power... but also in instability.

Stronger—but fragile.

"Dance of the Camellia!" the patriarch howled, bones erupting from his skin in jagged spurs.

Then—

He spun.

Dozens of sharpened bones tore through the air like a living sawblade as he launched himself toward Naraku.

Naraku didn't move.

He simply raised his right fist.

"I'm curious," he said calmly. "How far can the Dead Bone Pulse really go?"

Then—he punched.

CLANG!

The Kaguya patriarch's spiraling assault stopped cold—frozen mid-air.

His momentum shattered. Bones cracked.

"What…?"

His voice trembled.

Stopped—by a single punch?

It wasn't defense.

It was absolute rejection.

The Dead Bone Pulse, honed for generations… crushed.

But Naraku wasn't done.

Another punch—this one sharper, cleaner.

CRACK!

A sharp sound echoed as bone splinters flew. The patriarch's body was launched skyward once again.

In midair, realization struck him:

"...My bones didn't get weaker."

"He's just too strong."

Blood poured from his lips.

"Cough… You damned monster!"

But he laughed.

Yes—he laughed.

"Hahaha! Why defend against that... when I can just kill you?!"

A long, needle-like spike extended from his right hand, bones spiraling outward like a living drill.

The rest of his arm followed—entirely skeletal now, transformed into a grotesque, high-speed spinning bone lance.

The patriarch kept coughing blood, staining the weapon red.

"This is the Kaguya Clan's ultimate technique!" he bellowed. "Our strongest hardened bone! Sharpened into a single spear!"

His bloodshot eyes glinted madly, hair flying wildly, cheeks sunken with exhaustion—but determination burning in his gaze.

"Prepare to die!"

He charged.

The drill-shaped spear spun so violently the air screamed around it.

But Naraku?

Expressionless.

"Wood Release: Wood Expulsion Jutsu."

Boom.

A massive, grimacing shield surged from the earth, towering over him like a demonic wall.

"Useless!" the patriarch screamed."This is our clan's strongest attack! Split it in half!!"

The bone spear drilled into the shield.

Zzzzzz!!

Sawdust flew.

Flesh-colored bone screeched against ancient bark.

But the grimacing shield held. It didn't even crack.

The patriarch's manic smile began to falter. Then—disbelief.

No matter how violently he drove his bone spear forward, it wouldn't pierce.

The attack... had failed.

The grimace shield split open to the sides—like a curtain being drawn.

Naraku stepped out from behind it.

Calm. Cold.

"That was decent," he said, eyes fixed on the splintered lance, "but your so-called strongest attack... wasn't much at all."