Twin Devils of Konoha

Chapter 4: Demon vs. Assassin

The battlefield was silent for only a moment. 

Naruto, still paralyzed and pinned to the ground by Illumi's needles, struggled to move. His body was screaming in pain, but his eyes remained locked on Menma, whose new transformation radiated an overwhelming presence. The demonic aura surrounding him twisted unnaturally, the nine ethereal tails flickering behind him like flames caught in a storm. 

Illumi remained still, his blank expression betraying no emotion. However, his sharp eyes studied the transformation carefully. 

"This isn't normal jinchūriki behavior."

The moment passed. Menma's fingers flexed, claws gleaming under the moonlight. Then, he moved. 

BOOM!

The ground cracked beneath his feet as he launched himself toward Illumi at terrifying speed. 

Illumi barely had time to react. His instincts screamed, and he leaped backward just as Tailed Beast Claws slashed through where he had been standing. The air hissed as the attack cut through stone, leaving deep scars in the terrain. 

Illumi twisted mid-air, launching a volley of chakra-infused needles toward Menma. The needles whistled as they shot forward. 

Menma didn't dodge. 

Instead, he swiped his clawed hand in a diagonal slash, shredding the needles into dust mid-flight.

Naruto, watching in awe, couldn't help but gasp. "Menma...!" 

Illumi landed soundlessly, already throwing more needles in a rapid spread. This time, his fingers flicked subtly, a feint. The moment Menma moved to intercept, Illumi blurred forward, taking advantage of the distraction. 

Menma reacted instantly. His nine tails twisted unnaturally, intercepting Illumi mid-charge. 

WHOOSH!

Illumi's eyes widened as the tails moved on their own, sweeping toward him like striking serpents. He barely twisted his body in time, avoiding being grabbed, but he couldn't avoid everything. One of the tails clipped his shoulder, sending him skidding backward. 

Menma capitalized immediately. His left gauntlet pulsed as he clenched his fist. 

"Crimson Howl."

A monstrous sonic roar erupted from Menma's mouth, warping the air itself. The pressure wave struck Illumi with full force, sending him flying through several trees. Wood splintered and cracked as his body tore through the landscape. 

But Menma didn't stop. 

Before Illumi even hit the ground, Menma was already above him, claws poised to strike. 

Illumi's instincts screamed. At the last second, he twisted his body unnaturally, dislocating his arm mid-movement to evade the killing blow. Menma's claw strike hit the ground instead, carving a deep trench in the earth. 

Illumi rolled, snapping his arm back into place as he landed. His expression hadn't changed, but his pulse quickened.

"This is getting troublesome."

His fingers blurred as he threw special chakra-infused needles, not at Menma, but at the ground.

The moment the needles embedded into the earth, chakra threads erupted from them, forming a restrictive net. 

Menma moved to destroy them, but the moment he did, Illumi was already behind him.

A sharp nail extended from his fingertip, aimed directly at the back of Menma's skull. 

Naruto's eyes widened. "MENMA, BEHIND YOU—!" 

CLANG!

Illumi's attack was stopped mid-strike

One of the spectral fox hands had formed behind Menma, catching Illumi's wrist.

For the first time, Illumi's face twitched in surprise. 

Menma grinned. "Gotcha." 

BOOM!

The Beast King's Grasp squeezed, slamming Illumi into the ground hard enough to create a crater 

Dust erupted from the impact. 

Illumi lay motionless for a split second. 

Then, his hand twitched.

Menma's eyes sharpened. 

SHING!

Illumi disappeared in a blur of movement, reappearing several meters away, his body unnaturally contorted as he reset his broken limbs. He exhaled slowly. 

"He's not just strong. He's fast, and his reaction speed is unreal." Illumi thought

He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a single black needle

Menma tensed. 

Illumi stabbed the needle into his own chest.

Suddenly, his chakra flared wildly**. 

His muscles expanded slightly, and his speed nearly doubled. His next movement was instantaneous, he was already in front of Menma, before anyone could blink. 

"Rhythm Echo."

Menma's eyes widened. Multiple Illumis surrounded him, moving in an unnatural cadence, their footsteps completely silent. It was like they were flickering between different moments in time, their bodies distorting with every movement. 

Then, they all attacked at once.

Menma reacted on instinct. His Tailed Beast Claws slashed outward, but hit nothing but air. 

The real Illumi struck from below.

A chakra-infused nail stabbed into Menma's ribs, sending pain rippling through his body.

Menma snarled, swinging wildly. Illumi vanished again, reappearing at Menma's back, stabbing another needle into his spine. 

Menma, staggered.

Naruto's eyes widened. "MENMA!" 

Menma growled, but his movements slowed.

"You were reckless."

Menma grit his teeth. "Tch..." 

Illumi vanished again, his final attack aimed directly at Menma's neck 

But then, Menma smiled.

"You forgot something." 

Before Illumi could react, Menma's tails wrapped around him like a vice. 

Illumi's eyes widened.

"Chakra Rend."

A pulse of corrupting energy surged through Illumi's body. His limbs seized as his chakra was violently disrupted. 

Menma grinned. "That's checkmate." 

But before he could finish the fight, Illumi's body suddenly collapsed into itself.

Menma's claws slashed through empty air.

Naruto gasped. "A, Body Replacement?!" 

Menma's eyes shot up just in time to see Illumi standing in the distance, his expression blank. 

The assassin exhaled. "This mission is a failure." 

Without another word,he retreated. 

Menma took a step forward, ready to pursue, but suddenly, his legs gave out.

The strain of the Devil Arm finally caught up to him. 

His vision blurred as his body collapsed to the ground. 

WHIRRR

A sudden burst of chakra filled the air. 

Menma's hazy vision caught sight of Hiruzen, Kakashi, Asuma, Guy, Anko, Kurenai, and several Anbu arriving at the battlefield.

Their eyes widened in shock as they took in the destruction, and the demonic gauntlets covering Menma's arms.

The last thing Menma heard before losing consciousness.

"What in the world happened here?"

Tbc