"How do we resolve this?" Nagato looked at the Konoha ninja in front of him. "What do you think?"
"Naturally, Konoha will take over and investigate any ninja who has bloodied their hands with Konoha's," Masashi said. "Your organization's personnel management is a mess, you're even sheltering missing-nin from the Five Great Villages. Let me help clean it up for you."
"So, we can't come to an agreement? Konoha is ready to lose Ame, then?"
"Ame has existed for decades now. What a pity, it's about to follow in the footsteps of the Fūma clan of the Land of Rice Fields."
Masashi sighed and activated the Flying Thunder God.
At the same time, Nagato, who had been using chakra sensing from the start, detected the activation of the space-time jutsu. The technique he had long prepared was instantly set into motion.
A deafening explosion rang in everyone's ears, both inside and outside the canyon.
The former Root ninjas looked up and saw clouds of dust billowing as massive boulders were hurled into the air like building blocks.
But in the next moment, their surroundings changed, they were now outside the canyon.
Inside the gorge, Nagato maintained his jutsu stance, but before him stood a chakra-formed shield. The transparent shield protected none other than Masashi.
Fiery patterns had already crept up Masashi's face.
"Nagato, you put a lot of faith in those eyes of yours."
Thick, visible chakra was pouring from Masashi's body. First, bones, then muscles and skin, then an eerie, monstrous suit of armor.
As the chakra continued expanding, the earth and stone around Masashi were being pushed aside.
Nagato suddenly leaped into the air. A giant hand emerged from where he had just stood, grasping at nothing but air.
With a rumbling crack, the mountain cliff was forced open from within. The white chakra warrior burned like fire, revealing its form amidst the collapsing rock.
Above, thunder roared, and Nagato's figure flickered in the rain.
Outside the canyon, the former Root ninjas saw the massive chakra construct.
The threat of the Uchiha clan was something Danzō often spoke of before his death, and now they finally witnessed it firsthand. But as they stared, an unsettling thought crept into their minds, if this thing was supposed to be a "threat"…
For the first time, some of them felt dissatisfied with Danzō.
Did you misunderstand the definition of a threat?
Suspended in midair, Nagato sensed the thirty or so chakra signatures clustered together outside the canyon. But he also sensed many more approaching from all directions.
He understood Masashi's intent.
Of course. As things stood, someone of Masashi's rank in Konoha would undoubtedly be aware of the stakes.
But…
"The Land of Rain is not so easily taken, Masashi."
Nagato clasped his hands together, and chakra surged like a torrential flood. With the bloodlines of the Uzumaki and Senju clans, Nagato possessed a chakra reservoir that would make most envious to death.
The rain poured harder, escalating into a full-blown downpour.
Yet, Nagato remained aloft, standing on an expanding body of water beneath him. The rain was being drawn to gather under him. Simply relying on the Six Paths abilities of the Rinnegan wasn't enough to deal with Masashi, unless he used the Gedo Statue. He had realized this years ago.
After all, Masashi seemed to have an unnaturally deep understanding of his eyes' abilities.
But that battle had also shown him the value of seemingly ordinary, conventional ninjutsu.
Since then, he had stopped relying solely on brute-force Rinnegan techniques. Before, he never cared, chakra consumption might have been high, but the overwhelming dominance had been satisfying.
Until he encountered Masashi.
Below, inside his Susanoo, Masashi saw the massive body of water forming in the sky above.
A curtain of water veiled the sky overhead, dark and oppressive, barely allowing the flashes of lightning to pierce through.
"You've changed a lot." Masashi chuckled. "But… it's too flashy."
As the brightest light in this darkness, Susanoo clasped its hands together in a sealing gesture.
An intense light illuminated the faces of those outside the canyon, it was the fire erupting from Susanoo's body.
No rule said the Totsuka Sword had to be held in Susanoo's hand.
Thus, everyone watched as fire coalesced into a massive column, shooting into the sky.
In theory, water counters fire.
But rather than a blade, this was more like a Totsuka Cannon, and it tore through the watery curtain above like a pillar drilling through tofu. The expanding flames mercilessly evaporated layer upon layer of water, producing a thick white mist that even shrouded the cliffs below.
Above the water layers, Nagato ceased his chakra output.
Because he saw a crimson glow surging toward him from below at terrifying speed!
The next moment, countless flames burst through the water's surface, engulfing him before shooting past and piercing the storm clouds above!
At its peak, the fire column erupted.
With a world-shaking roar, the barely-maintained aerial water barrier was torn into countless fragments. The howling wind uprooted trees from the ground, sending them spinning like broken kites through the raging air currents.
Inside the canyon, the sheer force of the explosion caused massive rock walls to collapse in a deafening avalanche. Above, the storm clouds were ripped apart, leaving a gaping hole in the sky.
For a moment, the rain stopped.
After a long pause, the rolling clouds slowly returned, once again drenching the battlefield below in torrential rain.
The former Root ninjas had already retreated to a safer distance. Gazing at the drastically altered terrain, their usual emotionless expressions faltered beneath their masks.
Danzō-sama, you actually wanted to kill someone like this back then? Oh, right, back then, the Uchiha clan wasn't as strong as it is now.
Anyway, it's a good thing you died early. At least you didn't have to witness this scene…
Torune removed his mask and wiped the rain off his face. The water was surprisingly warm.
But it was already cooling down.
"Fū, isn't our new leader a little too strong?"
"If he wasn't, he wouldn't have become the head of the ANBU under the Uchiha name," Fū muttered.
"Is the enemy… dead?" Torune seemed to be talking to himself. "There's no way he survived that, right?"
"How would I know? If you're that worried, go check it out. We'll wait for your report."
"If you don't want to pay me back, just say so…"
The two exchanged their usual banter, but soon fell silent.
Susanoo had spread its wings and soared into the clouds in the crumbling landscape.
The enemy was still alive!
Torune's mouth fell open. The way things were going, the ninja world was becoming really difficult to survive in.
People like this… were they even ninjas anymore?
What kind of ninja was this?!
But Masashi wasn't concerned with his new subordinates right now. Aside from teleporting them farther away earlier, he hadn't spared them another thought.
He only knew one thing, Nagato's chakra was still present.
Controlling his Complete Susanoo, Masashi flew into the sky, his Sharingan locking onto Nagato's figure.
Nagato didn't look too battered, aside from his soaked clothes, he seemed unharmed.
He landed on the opposite side of the canyon, where the damage was less severe, giving him a foothold.
If he hadn't activated Shinra Tensei in time as a defensive barrier, he might have ended up gravely injured, just like last time.
The Preta Path could absorb all ninjutsu, but it couldn't do anything about the explosive force caused by a technique. That was a lesson he learned years ago when Hanzō hit him with the Exploding Flame Formation.
Back then, it only hit his leg. If he had taken a direct hit just now… Forget the injuries, he'd probably be stark naked by now.
That fire… It was hot enough to obliterate a cumulonimbus cloud.
Masashi… His strength had grown at an absurd rate over the years.
Forget ordinary ninjutsu, trying to obscure his vision was useless. If he didn't break through that shell, it would be impossible to win.
In the distance, Susanoo spread its wings and charged toward Nagato, kicking up powerful gusts of wind. This wasn't a ninjutsu, the Preta Path couldn't absorb it.
Nagato immediately pushed his hands forward.
"Shinra Tensei!"
The rushing wind halted for a brief moment, then reversed direction, blowing back even more violently. The moment Nagato made his move, Masashi activated the Yata Mirror.
Susanoo didn't slow down. It wasn't charging at Nagato, it was ramming straight into the cliff!
This was a standard Uchiha battle tactic with Susanoo, no need for fancy tricks. Either the enemy collided head-on, or they died.
With Susanoo's sheer size and speed, dodging was practically impossible, unless one had Flying Thunder God or Kamui to escape through space-time techniques.
BOOM!
The Yata Mirror and the invisible repelling force collided, unleashing a deafening explosion.
For a brief moment, they were locked in a stalemate. Then, both forces rebounded onto their users.
Susanoo was pushed back dozens of meters.
Nagato was sent flying even farther.
No contest, Masashi's Complete Susanoo wasn't as massive as Madara's, but its physical strength was on par with the Two-Tails.
Masashi had personally tested this with Matatabi's help.
Meanwhile, in the original timeline, Nagato's Shinra Tensei couldn't even push back Naruto in his Six-Tails form.
It was a clear fact, among all the tailed beasts, the Nine-Tails was undoubtedly the strongest.
At the cost of destroying a portion of the cliff, Susanoo stabilized itself, then kicked off and launched skyward once more, rushing at Nagato again.
Size wasn't an issue, Masashi's Sharingan saw everything.
Nagato's chakra was huge, comparable to that of a tailed beast.
The deafening howls of wind filled Nagato's ears.
Unlike Masashi, he didn't have Susanoo's protection. The recoil from their clash just now had his head ringing.
He had no choice.
There was no other way!
As Susanoo spread its wings and charged once more, Nagato stopped hesitating. He slammed his hand onto the ground, releasing an overwhelming surge of chakra.
A deafening rumble filled the air as a massive bolt of lightning illuminated the sky. The light that followed cast a gigantic shadow upon the ground.
A colossal arm burst out from beneath the earth, fingers clenched into a fist, swinging toward the rapidly approaching Susanoo.
Even by looking at just the arm, it was clear, the creature was far larger than Susanoo.
Size equaled power.
Susanoo raised the Yata Mirror to intercept the incoming punch, using the momentum to collide with it.
This time, Susanoo was not pushed back, but in an instant, the chakra consumption surpassed everything up to that point combined.
The Yata Mirror, said to nullify all attacks, trembled violently. Masashi immediately struck with the Totsuka Sword. The massive arm was sliced open, but that seemed to be the extent of the damage.
Yet, the ground continued to rise, exposing more of the monstrous figure.
Finally, another arm broke free, reaching toward Susanoo.
Masashi swiftly maneuvered Susanoo upward, looking down from above at the now fully revealed body of the Ten-Tails.
Just as he had collapsed cliffs while manifesting Susanoo, the even larger Gedo Statue possessed an even greater capacity for destruction.
And atop the Gedo Statue stood Nagato.
The Ten-Tails' shell is really tough!
Masashi had fully activated Sage Mode, his face covered in markings, and his Sharingan enhanced to its strongest state.
Yet even the Totsuka Sword, wielded in this state, could not pierce the Gedo Statue's defenses.
Nagato, too, examined the Gedo Statue's right arm, where a fresh sword mark was visible.
"You're the first to actually injure the Gedo Statue," Nagato remarked.
He knew his opponent could hear him.
However, Nagato also understood that while summoning the Gedo Statue had neutralized Masashi's protective shell, it had not won the fight.
Thankfully, he no longer had to rely entirely on impaling himself with black rods to control the Gedo Statue, otherwise, this battle would be impossible.
Masashi was no ordinary opponent. Unlike past adversaries, he wouldn't stand still and let Nagato attack freely.
Inside the Susanoo, Masashi carefully observed the Gedo Statue and decided to stick to his original plan.
Without the chakra of the nine-tailed beasts, the Ten-Tails' body was limited in capability. In other words, this was the weakest state of the Ten-Tails.
"Not willing to stop, huh…?" Nagato's expression twitched. "Then let's talk face-to-face!"
From beneath his feet, a black rod extended from the Gedo Statue's body, connecting with the black rod in his sleeve.
The statue crouched on all fours, like a beast.
Seeing this movement, Masashi knew what was coming.
The next moment, the Gedo Statue's massive mouth opened, spewing forth a dragon-shaped chakra blast.
The chakra was incredibly fast, within a blink, it was upon Susanoo.
The Yata Mirror once again proved its worth, but for the last time in this battle.
Because this chakra dragon could split apart.
The chakra coiled around the Yata Mirror and Susanoo's arm holding it.
Masashi didn't hesitate. He severed that portion of Susanoo's chakra and retreated.
As expected, the detached arm was instantly consumed, and without his chakra to sustain it, the Yata Mirror was nothing more than an ordinary shield, easily shredded.
These creatures devoured chakra, and with terrifying efficiency.
In other words, they themselves were a form of chakra.
Having absorbed chakra, the dragons split further, filling the sky before surging downward once again.
From a distance, Susanoo swung the Totsuka Sword.
This strike didn't quite slash across thirty thousand miles, nor did it reach Jupiter, but it certainly covered a hundred meters.
The nearest few dragons were instantly decapitated.
"So, you like to eat chakra, huh?"
The fact that the dragons could be cut down by the Totsuka Sword meant they still adhered to the fundamental principles of chakra, making them vulnerable to the blade's sealing properties.
Satisfied, Masashi prepared to strike again, eager to test the results further.
Susanoo executed an Immelmann turn in midair, swung its arm again, and slashed down more dragons. However, the Totsuka Sword was partially torn apart in the process. Still, the exchange was favorable. The balance remained positive.
As he was thinking this, Masashi suddenly paused.
The first wave of spiritual energy absorbed through the Totsuka Sword had arrived. He could feel it, his ocular power was increasing. He was already at his peak, with Sage Mode fully activated and his Sharingan at maximum power.
Yet now, his power was growing even further. Masashi was stunned, then overjoyed.
"Of course! This thing, it's the Ten-Tails!"
The very first pair of Rinnegan in this world? Created from the Ten-Tails' chakra!
These chakra dragons, without a doubt, were remnants of pure Ten-Tails chakra, the same quality as the chakra fruit that Kaguya had once consumed!
The Uchiha clan's treasured but long-lost fan? It was merely carved from a branch of the God Tree. In that instant, Masashi's gaze toward the Gedo Statue changed.
He needed to apologize to it.
He had been too arrogant, just because he had spent some time as a top figure and made a bit of profit, he had forgotten his true mission. But words alone were not enough. He needed to express his remorse through actions.
Ten-Tails, my dear, let me savor you!
Indeed, never forget your original purpose. That was the key to success! There was no need to dodge anymore. He no longer needed Susanoo. It was time for a closer connection!
Atop the Gedo Statue, Nagato, who had been directing the chakra dragons, was suddenly dumbfounded.
The majestic, elegantly soaring Susanoo had abruptly stopped dodging, diving headfirst into the swarm of chakra dragons.
It wasn't even slashing. It spread its arms wide, embracing them!
"What the hell…?"
For a moment, Nagato was so confused that he even forgot to keep controlling the Gedo Statue.
"Is he insane?"
Nagato couldn't quite understand what was happening, but he felt as though he was being mocked.
Was the Gedo Statue no longer terrifying? Were the chakra dragons not impressive enough?
Fine, then. Let's see how much you can handle!
Nagato, now slightly irritated, decided that since Masashi was walking toward his own demise, he might as well grant his wish.
Besides…
"Without you, no one in this world can stand in my way!"
Under his command, dozens of chakra dragons surged forward, enclosing the sky and forming a massive, pale-blue cocoon around Susanoo.
Even those outside the canyon could see it, after all, it was enormous.
Beyond the canyon, observers from various factions watched in silent awe. They knew they were witnessing a moment of great significance.
The White Ghost of Konoha and the God of Ame, two of the most powerful figures in the ninja world. If one of them died here, the entire balance of the world would shift.
If they had a choice, they all hoped it would be the White Ghost who perished.
Meanwhile, the man whom so many were wishing dead was sincerely apologizing to the mighty Ten-Tails.
He inhaled. He absorbed. And he absorbed some more.
It felt absolutely amazing.
Even though he was completely wrapped up by the chakra dragons, he wasn't worried in the slightest. If he needed to escape, he could just use the Flying Thunder God Technique.
For now, the priority was to absorb as much as possible.
The chakra dragons were siphoning Susanoo's chakra, but that was fine. It was a mutually beneficial exchange. Everyone was just sharing, like good friends.
In fact, to help his "friends" perform better, Masashi even replenished Susanoo's chakra. He felt that this arrangement was perfect, a win-win situation for everyone.
After all, in the world of adults, mutual flattery was the norm. He could feel it, his spiritual energy was undergoing a significant surge.
How many years had it been? How many years had he wasted?
Wasting time was shameful…
The pale-blue cocoon remained in the sky for a long time, leaving the observers outside the canyon in agony. Rain was falling, yet they refused to look away, fearing they might miss something crucial.
Finally, someone noticed, the cocoon was shrinking.
Had the battle been decided?
Outside the canyon, the former members of Root had already prepared to enter.
Their orders forbade them from interfering, but if their leader was in danger, they wouldn't just stand by and watch.
"Torune, do you think you can do it?"
"Hm. Just create an opportunity for me. As long as I can touch him, that's enough."
The Aburame clan had never been known for rapid, aggressive assaults. They had their own way of fighting.
And nano-sized venomous insects were one of the most dangerous secret techniques of the Aburame. Very few could wield them.
As the son of Shikuro, he was the most exceptional ninja of his generation within the clan. It was thanks to this ability that he had risen to the rank of Konoha jonin.
"Alright, leave the control part to me," Fū added.
Whether or not the Yamanaka clan's techniques could completely restrain their target was uncertain, but as long as they disrupted his movements, Torune would have a chance to cover him in venomous insects.
The group, exuding a sense of determination, was just about to charge into the canyon, when suddenly, Masashi appeared before them.
"Damn, that felt incredible, huh? Where are you guys headed?"
Masashi looked at them, brimming with killing intent, then turned to glance back at the battlefield.
"Wow, you guys are really something! So loyal!" he laughed, smacking Torune on the shoulder.
Normally, one should never touch an Aburame insect-user, but as long as there was a special protective layer, it was fine.
"Masashi-sama, we thought—"
"Don't 'think' too much. Back off and increase your distance. I just came out to give you all a heads-up."
Masashi explained. He had sensed the movement of the former Root members, so he had stepped out to take a look.
Another reason was that the chakra dragons had already provided him with all the spiritual energy they could, his spiritual power had stopped growing.
But his Sharingan… had undergone a new transformation.
In the sky, the chakra dragons were now dispersing, revealing nothing but empty space.
With a flicker, Masashi used the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to the battlefield.
This time, his gaze was fixed on the distant Gedo Statue.