Ten thousand meters above ground, Shihouin Naraku clapped his hands and rose to his feet.
Strong winds swept past, making his short hair even more disheveled as strands brushed across his eyes intermittently.
The battle below was nearing its conclusion, and Naraku knew his moment for action had arrived.
Jiraiya, having failed to enter Sage Mode, would prove no match for the Deva Path. As for Naruto, he remained too inexperienced—even with four tails manifested, he couldn't hope to defeat such opponents.
Regarding Orochimaru, Naraku could tell at a glance that he definitely retained some strength, but appeared to harbor ulterior motives and plans. So he lay there motionless, showing no intention of standing.
Actually, another group could potentially help rescue Jiraiya and Naruto—the Konoha tracking team. Of course, this was merely possibility, as their strength remained somewhat insufficient.
Although they had emerged from their hiding positions and rushed toward the battle site with complete disregard for their lives, how much effect they could achieve remained unknown.
Therefore, the only one capable of breaking this deadlock was Shihouin Naraku himself!
Naraku stood high in the heavens as clouds moved with the wind, rolling up waves of momentum that gradually gathered.
Whoosh—
Orange flames ignited across Naraku's entire body, instantly enveloping him. From a distance, he resembled a burning fireball.
The flames danced faster and faster, their scorching heat beginning to sear the surrounding atmosphere.
Boom!
The flames erupted as temperature rose dramatically!
"The entertainment is about to commence!"
Upon finishing his declaration, Naraku pivoted and plummeted toward the ground like a crimson comet.
His velocity increased exponentially, crossing ten thousand meters in mere seconds.
In the pupils of everyone below, they witnessed a flaming meteorite descending with tremendous force, as if intent on destroying the earth itself.
"Hey, run!"
"Move!"
"Retreat!"
The peripheral Akatsuki members reacted instantly, immediately ordering withdrawal.
"It's fine—the leader is still here. Everything's under control."
"It's just a meteorite."
Only Uchiha Itachi, the most perceptive among them, felt deeply troubled. The meteorite's timing and velocity seemed too coincidental.
But the object moved too rapidly for him to discern details clearly.
At this moment, Tendo Pain slowly ascended, preparing to combat the strange meteorite falling from above.
Given their speed, even attempting escape would prove futile before impact—their only option was destroying the meteorite.
Thud, thud, thud...
The Naraka Path, Preta Path, and several others collapsed to the ground—a sign that Nagato was concentrating all power and chakra into the Deva Path.
Jiraiya stood stunned momentarily before reacting immediately. Ignoring the descending meteorite, he ran directly toward Naruto's position.
Then he reunited with the Konoha tracking team and extracted the black receivers pinning Naruto's tails.
"Jiraiya-sama..."
"Stop talking—evacuate immediately!"
"Yes, sir!"
By this time, Naruto had been controlled by the black receivers long enough to regain composure. With Jiraiya appearing before him, he ceased his rampage.
Jiraiya carried the restored Uzumaki Naruto on his back and fled with the others, but the meteorite was already within striking distance.
Everyone on the ground could distinctly feel the approaching scorching heat and ultimate oppression.
"Too late to run!"
Jiraiya and his group combined their Earth Release techniques, instantly burrowing underground and temporarily reinforcing the earth to avoid the meteorite's devastating ground impact.
As for the Akatsuki members, they trusted their leader's strength completely and felt no concern about meteorite damage.
Especially after witnessing Pain's battle against Jiraiya and Orochimaru, their confidence had grown.
Of course, some possessed enough confidence in their own abilities to remain unafraid of falling meteorite damage.
Rumble, rumble, rumble...
The tremendous sound proved deafening even before impact, making people want to cover their ears against the horrible noise.
As the "meteorite" friction with air intensified, flames burned even more fiercely, concealing the true form within extremely effectively.
Nagato realized Jiraiya had escaped but remained unconcerned. After defeating the meteorite, sufficient time would remain to locate him.
At this moment, Tendo Pain prepared for maximum assault. Terrifying repulsive force erupted wildly as he bombarded the meteorite with devastating impact.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Boom, boom...
CRASH!
Debris and flames scattered across the sky like beautiful fireworks blooming overhead, creating a spectacular sight.
The frenzied collision caused continuous atmospheric vibration and harsh sounds.
The entire sky filled with dazzling white light, bright as the sun emitting its strongest radiance, making observers instinctively close their eyes.
Shockwaves formed by transparent repulsive force and the meteorite's dangerous impact collided violently, with neither side capable of retreat.
Powerful impact force spread through the sky, forming a tremendous hurricane that raged toward the distance.
Nagato sensed something amiss when he felt Tendo Pain struggling to maintain repulsive force. The next second, he glimpsed a pair of eyes bright as stars within the heavenly flames.
Is this human?
How could someone exist within a meteorite?
No—this person became the meteorite!
Before Tendo Pain could react, Naraku, descending from above, burst forth with unparalleled impact, instantly shattering Shinra Tensei's repulsive force.
The Deva Path tumbled from mid-air, plunging heavily into the earth.
Boom!
Flames exploded across the sky, forming a spectacular fireball rushing toward the ground.
Boom, boom, boom...
Countless fireballs struck the earth, causing flames to rise and explode into massive craters.
This apocalyptic scene instantly transformed the forest into a scorching inferno!
Swish!
As the meteor reached the ground, Shihouin Naraku revealed his true form. With a graceful flip, he landed lightly at the battlefield's center.
"What does this mean?"
"The God of the Shinobi World?"
"Shihouin Naraku?"
"How is this possible?"
"Why is he here? How did he arrive?!"
All Akatsuki members displayed nervous expressions, staring at Shihouin Naraku in disbelief.
Clang!
Naraku drew his blade as Kurikara traced an arc, tearing through air. The dark crescent-shaped edge instantly slashed downward, bisecting Orochimaru as he attempted escape.
"Orochimaru-sensei, where might you be going?"
Stepping forward, Naraku positioned himself before Orochimaru, amusement flickering across his handsome features.
"You've indeed arrived!"
"Naturally I would come. To eliminate Orochimaru-sensei, I must handle this personally!"
Orochimaru's pupils reflected Naraku wielding Kurikara, his eyes fluctuating slightly. He truly didn't wish to be stabbed again.
"You witnessed the recent events. Jiraiya and I cooperated to ensure both he and Naruto survived. Surely that counts as merit."
"Who can say?"
The black blade descended!
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