Chapter 247: Crush It Directly
"The war may begin in the next few days. Are you ready, Sasuke?"
As a Jinchūriki and a target of the Akatsuki, Naruto didn't have much freedom to move around. Like the other Jinchūriki, he was constantly under the protection of jonin from various allied forces, usually kept far behind the front lines with his location hidden by powerful barriers.
Only on specific days was he allowed to connect to the coalition's communication network within the barrier, aided by specially assigned sensory ninjas. These brief windows allowed him to communicate with certain individuals.
That might not be much time for most people—but for Naruto, whose only important friend in the village was Sasuke, it was more than enough. Even including the time spent talking with Tsunade and Jiraiya, ten minutes was all he needed.
"It's all ready."
Sasuke's voice came through the sensory network, echoing softly in Naruto's mind.
"Although I'm still not confident I can beat him... my eyesight is far below his, after all. But with the help of a power that doesn't belong to the Uchiha, I might have a chance."
There was hesitation in his voice.
After all, conversations through this perception network were transmitted relay-style by one sensory ninja after another. That meant many people would overhear their words. To preserve confidentiality, both sides kept their messages vague and indirect.
Isn't this the power of the Uchiha?
Naruto thought back to a conversation they had months ago. He could feel how much Sasuke had changed... so he didn't pry further.
"Be safe."
Naruto smiled and nodded faintly, though a trace of sadness crept into his expression.
"...But there's something I want to remind you."
He stopped there.
He'd been thinking for a long time about how to tell Sasuke the truth about Uchiha Itachi. But even with all that time, he still didn't know how to begin.
And now—with so many perception ninjas acting as intermediaries—every word had to be carefully chosen. It made it even harder to speak.
So he said nothing more. And Sasuke, on the other end, remained silent too.
Time passed slowly.
Their extended silence made some of the perception ninjas wonder if the sensory link had been broken. They double-checked several times, confirming the connection was still active.
At last, Naruto spoke in a complicated tone.
"If you ever encounter something that feels... especially important to you, I hope you'll stay calm. Try to find the truth with your own eyes, using your own thoughts. Don't just believe what others tell you—not even me."
"Face the disaster calmly. Find the truth yourself. Then make your decision about the future."
"These were Ryosuke's words to me when I faced a life-changing choice. Now, I'm passing them on to you. This battle..."
But he stopped. He wasn't Ryosuke. He couldn't guide Sasuke the way Ryosuke once did.
Sasuke was no longer the boy he used to be. What he was facing now... might be even crueler than what Naruto had faced.
Naruto had grown up with nothing. No parents. No family. He had only learned the joy of "having something" through pain and effort.
Sasuke, on the other hand, had once known deep happiness—only to have it ripped away by the very person he trusted most.
There's a big difference between having nothing from the beginning and losing everything after once having it.
"Something's happening in the Hidden Mist Village!"
"Prepare for battle!"
"A person—someone just flew out! It's the Rinnegan user! It's Nagato!"
…
Before Naruto could finish his words, chaos erupted on the front lines. A storm of voices overwhelmed the perception network.
"...I see."
Connection lost.
Sasuke looked at the sensory ninja who was already forming seals to reestablish the link, then slowly lowered his hand.
He hadn't heard all of Naruto's words. And he didn't know if Naruto had heard his reply. But there was no time to dwell on it.
To ensure he wouldn't miss the chance to face Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke had requested assignment to the first medium-to-short-range combat unit during pre-war preparations.
Thanks to his status and skills, no one in the alliance questioned the decision—despite his youth.
"Sasuke, it's time to get ready."
As the captain of the unit, Kakashi came to the tent personally to call him.
The troops of the Five Great Nations had been thoroughly mixed. Every squad was a blend of different villages. Kakashi, wanting to keep Sasuke close, made sure he was part of his own unit.
The rest of the world might not know Sasuke yet—but Kakashi knew. He knew how far Sasuke had come in his pursuit of strength alongside Naruto. In some ways, he might have even surpassed him.
"Mm."
Sasuke nodded. He glanced briefly at the sensory ninja nearby, who was now busy relaying battlefield updates to the intelligence division, then quietly stepped out of the tent.
"Nagato flew out of the Hidden Mist Village alone. His trajectory points straight at the main ninja force. He'll reach us in a few minutes."
"We're the first line of defense. Our job is to cooperate with the other forces here and try to stop him—or take him down."
Kakashi moved quickly, explaining the situation as he led Sasuke to the rally point.
"Mm."
Sasuke followed, silently.
"Oh—one more thing."
Kakashi stopped suddenly and turned.
"Catch."
He tossed Sasuke a short blade wrapped in a scabbard.
"This used to be my father's short sword. It's called White Fang."
"After he died, I used it for a while. But years ago, it broke during a mission. With the coalition formed, I had a blacksmith from the Land of Iron reforge it."
"Since it's been reborn, it deserves a new name."
"…This is for me?"
Sasuke stared at the weapon, stunned. "But this was your father's…"
"From the time I started training Genin, you've been my proudest student. Over the years, I've passed down everything I could."
Kakashi hesitated.
"It may sound pessimistic to say this before a battle—but no one knows who'll survive this war."
"So before it begins, I wanted to fix the last flaw I saw in your style."
He pointed at the sword.
"The Hatake family's kenjutsu isn't bad. But I lost my way. Maybe... you can help restore our name."
Sasuke stared at the short blade in his hand, expressionless.
"…I understand."
The fingers gripping the blade tightened slightly. His heart was in turmoil, emotions clashing beneath his calm exterior.
---
"Is this the so-called strongest coalition force formed by the Five Great Nations?"
High in the sky, the red-haired Nagato appeared alone before the Allied Shinobi Forces. Tens of thousands of front-line troops were already in formation, ready for battle.
"That's far enough, Nagato."
Ōnoki, captain of the combat forces, floated into the air.
"Your path ends here. Your arrogance will be your downfall."
"Oh?"
Nagato halted in mid-air, gazing down coldly at the vast army below.
"Becoming an enemy of God… is the worst mistake you'll ever make."
"From this moment on, the ninja world will come to understand—there should be only one voice."
"My voice. I alone am worthy to become the strongest, to unify the world, and to bring true peace."
"When you say peace, do you mean waging war?" Ōnoki shot back with a sneer. "Don't wrap your selfish ambitions in grand ideals."
"Ōnoki… such a noble heart."
Nagato's Rinnegan eyes scanned the battlefield until they locked onto the old Tsuchikage standing at the front.
"So you're still standing here, even as Uchiha Madara reduces your village to rubble."
"Impressive. Even in the face of destruction, you lead the charge."
His tone carried a rare hint of admiration.
Originally, Nagato intended to have Uchiha Madara launch a surprise assault on Iwagakure—both to remove him as a variable and to fracture the alliance's unity. He hadn't expected Ōnoki to be so resolute, abandoning his village just to oversee the battlefield personally.
Gasps rippled through the ranks.
Did Madara really attack Iwagakure?
The Iwagakure shinobi within the alliance looked shaken. Breathing became ragged. Eyes turned sharply to Ōnoki, searching for confirmation or denial.
"Don't listen to this madman and let your spirits waver!"
Ōnoki's voice rang out, stern and commanding.
"Everyone—attack! Kill this lunatic!"
Though firm in tone, his heart twisted at the possibility.
If it truly was Madara… it wasn't impossible. That man had both the strength and the cruelty to bypass defenses and slaughter an entire village.
Ōnoki hadn't received any intelligence from Iwagakure in over two weeks. That silence now loomed heavily in his mind.
But it didn't matter. He was here, leading the charge. He had a duty. There could be no retreat. No doubt. Not even a flicker of hesitation.
Still, Iwagakure was his home—his life's legacy. The idea that it had been wiped out behind his back filled him with a white-hot rage.
Blood rushed to his head.
In that moment, his aging body felt reinvigorated by fury alone.
"Forget capturing him alive! Kill him right here!"
Ōnoki's face flushed with anger as he clenched his fists.
"Even if you claim to be a god… you'll fall today!"
If the village was truly gone, then going back would only mean mourning.
If that was the case, let vengeance start now!
Ōnoki surged forward, taking the lead.
"Everyone—tear him apart!"
The sound of wind being sliced echoed as shinobi launched into action.
Black shadows darted forward like arrows. Every unit maintained tight formations as they advanced.
"Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
"Wind Style: Tornado Hurricane!"
Other than the melee troops, the various squads began weaving hand signs under their captains' orders.
A massive dragon, formed from fire chakra, rose into the sky. As it twisted upward, a powerful tornado enveloped it, magnifying its destructive force.
A roar—like that of a real beast—thundered from within the firestorm. With mountainous power, the flaming dragon bared its fangs and lunged straight for Nagato.
"There's no point in talking any further."
Nagato's expression remained calm.
"It seems your pain wasn't enough. You haven't truly experienced despair."
He raised his arms.
The searing heat rushed toward him. The air itself shimmered with intensity, as if it would peel his skin away.
And then—
A devastating wave of repulsive force erupted from his body, tearing outward like a shockwave.
White Zetsu cells covering his frame shriveled instantly, their vitality drained and redirected into his Rinnegan.
"Feel the power of a god!"
With a twisted expression of glee, Nagato spread his arms as if embracing the heavens.
BOOM—
The fiery dragon's head was obliterated on contact.
Its flames, once roaring with fury, scattered backward like petals in the wind—driven away by the overwhelming force.
The repulsive blast didn't stop there.
It surged forward like a hurricane, smashing into the coalition lines. It came so fast, most couldn't even react.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bodies flew.
Those too slow were flung like ragdolls, bones crushed, organs ruptured—reduced to bloody pulp.
Some managed to shield themselves, barely surviving with grievous injuries. Others weren't so lucky.
When the dust finally settled…
At the epicenter—where Nagato floated—there was nothing left.
No trees. No buildings. No shinobi.
Everything had been swept away—blasted back thousands of meters, as if by an unseen, omnipotent hand.
And beyond that blast radius…
A landscape of horror. A slaughterhouse.
Twisted limbs. Torn flesh. Blood staining the earth in grotesque patterns.
"What… what is this?!"
"Incredible! Unbelievable!"
"The invisible hand of God! It wiped them all away!"
---
Far from the carnage, near the entrance of Kirigakure, the rebel Mist ninja watched with awe.
This power… it was godlike.
Yes. That man—he was a god.
They had chosen correctly.
Perhaps, just perhaps… he truly could rise above all and unite the entire ninja world.
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