After multiple encounters, Minato was no longer so wary of Nagato's Shinra Tensei.
The last time he had knocked down the Deva Pain, the opponent hadn't used Shinra Tensei to blast him away. Maybe it was because Nagato hadn't reacted in time, but more likely, the ability couldn't be used continuously.
Minato leaned toward the latter theory, so when Guy and the others were sent flying by Shinra Tensei, he had already cast aside his earlier hesitation toward it.
The marked kunai he hurled at Nagato split into two in midair, then into four, then eight… in the blink of an eye, nearly a hundred marked kunai filled the sky.
Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!
By this time, Nagato had already risen from the ground. His clothes were in tatters, his face smeared with grime, fresh blood at the corner of his mouth, he looked rather battered.
Seeing the swarm of kunai coming at him like locusts, Nagato's eyes went cold. He pressed one hand to the ground, and in a puff of white smoke, a massive black-and-white panda appeared before him.
Nagato knew those oddly-shaped kunai with strange markings were key to Minato's teleportation. During Shinra Tensei's cooldown, the most effective counter to such a barrage would be a large-scale Wind Release to blow them away, not summoning a defensive creature.
Even if a summon could block them, the scattered kunai behind it would still give Minato excellent mobility. Using Wind Style to sweep them all aside was the logical move.
But Nagato didn't choose that. Wind Style might not clear every single kunai, and he had other plans.
The panda shielded him, deflecting the rain of kunai with a continuous metallic clatter. The rest sailed past it, embedding themselves in the ground not far behind Nagato, exactly as Minato wanted.
A gleam flashed in Minato's eyes.
By then, Guy had finally broken free from Shinra Tensei's force. Landing steadily, he once again charged at Nagato.
Swift as the wind, relentless as the rain, this was the taijutsu fighter's creed: never let up until the enemy fell.
Blood trickled from the corner of Guy's mouth as he blurred into a streak of green, racing forward.
At the same time, Minato teleported to one of the kunai that had been blocked by the panda and knocked nearby, cutting the distance to Nagato. He immediately threw another kunai at close range.
Suddenly, Nagato's body vanished without warning, and the kunai flew harmlessly through the air.
Minato's pupils shrank sharply, but instead of teleporting away, he leapt backward, just in time to see Nagato appear out of nowhere, black rod in hand, stabbing at where he had been.
The source was revealed: a giant chameleon emerged from invisibility for a moment before fading again.
If not for the heightened danger sense of Sage Mode, Minato would have reflexively teleported instead of dodging backward. Now he knew the trick, Nagato had been hidden inside the chameleon's mouth, which allowed him to vanish and reposition before attacking.
Dodged once, Nagato immediately extended his hand toward the retreating Minato.
Banshō Ten'in!
A powerful pull seized Minato, dragging him straight toward the waiting black rod aimed for his chest.
But Minato didn't teleport away, because Guy had arrived.
A fierce whistling cut through the air.
The red-and-green blur that appeared behind Nagato was Guy, leaping high, his leg arcing upward before crashing down toward Nagato's skull with devastating force.
Nagato seemed unaware of the rear attack, but the invisible chameleon had already seen it.
Asura Path: Mechanical Arms!
Two extra arms sprouted from Nagato's shoulders, barely managing to catch Guy's heel before it connected.
At the same time, his cold gaze stayed fixed on Minato, the black rod thrusting forward as the pull dragged the Hokage in.
A slippery loach was hard to catch, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try.
Just as the rod was about to pierce Minato, the Hokage vanished.
With his exceptional dynamic vision, Minato's Flying Thunder God was infuriatingly hard to counter.
He reappeared right beside Guy, who also bore a teleportation mark. This was the perfect moment, and Minato didn't hesitate.
Frog Kata!
Instead of a Rasengan, he used the Toad Style taijutsu. Gathering natural energy, he shaped it into an invisible strike that smashed into the back of Nagato's head.
But as it connected, a jagged metal tail, no one knew when it had appeared, swept toward both Guy and Minato.
Bang!
Nagato was blasted away by the natural energy strike, while the tail slashed deep wounds into both attackers, blood spraying.
They landed on their feet, while Nagato crashed down, the back of his head now slightly concave metal.
At the critical moment, he had not only counterattacked with the tail but also transformed his skull into steel, boosting his defense enough to survive the blow.
Both sides had wounded each other badly.
Nagato hit the ground, grimacing through the pain, and instantly flipped upright, forming rapid hand seals.
Lightning Release: Double Halberd Spear!
Twin spears of lightning burst from his hands, streaking toward Guy and Minato.
Minato frowned, gripped Guy's shoulder, and teleported the both of them away, reappearing three hundred meters to Nagato's right, letting the lightning spears crackle harmlessly past.
Seeing the Flying Thunder God evade even high-speed lightning, Nagato's face stayed cold. He used Body Flicker to close the gap and pulled Guy toward him with Banshō Ten'in.
Guy was yanked forward, but Minato, quick as ever, teleported again to his side mid-flight and whisked them both away.
This time they landed five hundred meters from Nagato. The teleport drained more of Minato's chakra, and both were bleeding heavily, though Guy's wounds were lighter, Minato's were more serious and needed urgent attention.
Yet Nagato seemed unwilling to let go, his gaze locking on Guy again.
Flying Thunder God required no seals and could be used instantly, both offensively and defensively, but like all ninjutsu, it consumed chakra.
Nagato knew he'd never catch Minato directly. But Minato's chakra was finite, once it ran out, so would his options.
Suddenly, Nagato stopped moving.
Over a dozen figures arrived in a blur: Itachi, Shisui, Tsunade, and about ten masked ANBU.
But they weren't what made Nagato halt.
Moments later, a crimson figure appeared, hair swaying in the wind, eyes blazing with fury.
"So you finally show yourself, Nine-Tails Jinchūriki."
Nagato's cold voice reached every ear present. Now there was no need to hold back, he could unleash his chakra without restraint.
His goal was clear.
His target… was Kushina!
Not far from Konoha's perimeter....
"The real target has appeared," White Zetsu said in surprise.
Hearing this, Ye Zi's eyes glinted.
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Currently on Chapter 595 - Four Kages vs Ye Zi Part II