Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

The moment Ino's warning rang through the communication network, Konoha's ninjas mobilized.

Under Shikamaru's direction, elite shinobi moved to intercept Ishiki while others focused on evacuating the villagers. The fight against Ishiki was bound to devastate the village, and minimizing casualties became the immediate priority.

Kirito, perched atop the Hokage Building, watched as the shinobi rushed into action. However, he remained still, observing the situation. He knew better than to rush into battle against an opponent as formidable as Ishiki without gathering more information.

"If he can shrink objects indefinitely, I need to determine if I can detect those reduced objects. That will decide how I approach this fight."

Floating above Konoha, Ishiki surveyed the village, his Byakugan scanning buildings in search of Kawaki. Frustration etched across his face as his search yielded nothing.

Below, a team of Konoha's elite shinobi, led by Konohamaru, arrived to stall Ishiki and buy time for the villagers to evacuate. Among them were Rock Lee, TenTen, and Choji.

"I can't find him," Ishiki muttered to himself, his expression darkening. "If you're hiding Kawaki, then I'll just have to kill some of you to force Konoha to hand him over. Let's see if that gets your attention."

With a wave of his hand, massive stone pillars began materializing out of thin air, crashing down toward the group of shinobi.

"Move!" Konohamaru shouted, but the attack was swift and overwhelming. The stone pillars struck with immense force, pinning several shinobi beneath them. Only quick reflexes saved them from fatal injuries.

Konohamaru, undeterred, charged forward with a Rasengan in hand. "I won't let you succeed!"

As he leapt toward Ishiki, his Rasengan suddenly vanished mid-strike. The unexpected loss of the technique threw him off balance, leaving him open.

Ishiki capitalized, delivering a powerful kick that sent Konohamaru hurtling back to the rooftop.

"Is he dead?" Ishiki muttered, looking down at the injured shinobi. His gaze turned to Konohamaru, who struggled to his feet despite his injuries.

"You'll never get Kawaki," Konohamaru spat through gritted teeth.

"Then die," Ishiki replied coldly.

As a massive stone pillar materialized above Konohamaru, the young Hokage candidate could only watch, powerless to evade in time.

"Is this the end...?"

Suddenly, a black metal rod shot through the air, striking the stone pillar with immense force. The pillar was knocked aside, crashing into a nearby building and splitting in half.

Konohamaru turned to see Kirito standing behind him, calmly pulling stone fragments off the injured TenTen.

"Konohamaru," Kirito said, his voice steady, "Take your team and evacuate. Leave the rest to us."

Konohamaru hesitated, but before he could argue, Naruto landed beside him.

"Konohamaru, go. We'll handle this."

Reluctantly, Konohamaru nodded and began helping his team retreat.

Ishiki's attention shifted to the new arrivals. His Byakugan analyzed Kirito, and his confusion grew.

"Who are you?" Ishiki asked, his tone laced with curiosity and disdain. "You look like an Ōtsutsuki, yet you fight alongside these humans. Why would one of us stoop so low?"

Kirito stepped forward, his expression unyielding. "My name is Kirito, and I'm here to stop you. Let's just say I've made some different choices."

Ishiki's eyes narrowed as he examined Kirito more closely. "No records of him... but his horns mark him as pure Ōtsutsuki. Could he be useful? Or just another fool?"

"Fascinating," Ishiki said, a malicious grin spreading across his face. "You've chosen to align yourself with these ants. A mistake you'll soon regret."

A small die appeared in Ishiki's hand, glowing faintly as he turned it over.

"Let's see what you're worth," Ishiki said, tossing the die at Kirito.

Naruto sensed the danger and shouted, "Kirito, watch out!"

The die shot toward Kirito at an incredible speed, expanding rapidly mid-air until it became a massive cube, half the size of the rooftop.

Kirito didn't flinch. As the cube neared, he raised his arm and struck its surface with a backhand.

CRACK!

The force of the impact shattered the rooftop beneath Kirito's feet, but the massive cube was sent hurtling backward. It rolled uncontrollably, crushing several buildings before coming to a stop.

Naruto stared in awe. "That was... impressive."

Kirito turned to Naruto, a wry smile on his face. "You won't make me pay for the damages, right?"

Ishiki's smirk faded, replaced by a glint of irritation.

"So, you're not just talk," Ishiki muttered. "But let's see how long you last."

Kirito's calm expression remained. "Naruto, this might take a while. Make sure Konohamaru and the others are safe."

Naruto nodded. "You've got this?"

Kirito's eyes never left Ishiki. "Let's find out."

(End of Chapter)