Sunday morning.
The group arrived at the former site of the Land of the Sky in the Land of Birds.
"Is this really the Land of the Sky?" Kurenai asked, her face full of doubt.
Before her eyes lay a dense forest with no buildings visible, not even broken walls.
"It's underground," Kitazawa reminded them.
"Torune." Kabuto immediately called out.
Aburame Torune raised his arms, and a large number of Phosphorus Destruction Bugs flew out. They spun in the air and then disappeared into the ground.
"There's a very large structure beneath our feet, like a city," Aburame Torune said, a little surprised.
"How was this put underground?" Izumi's face was full of disbelief.
As far as the forest in front of them was concerned, there were no traces of anything having been moved.
"The only explanation is that the Land of the Sky began constructing this building underground after the Second Ninja World War ended," Kabuto said thoughtfully.
"There's a huge, cold chakra inside this building," Torune suddenly interjected.
"How huge?" Kabuto asked curiously.
"Wait!" Torune's expression changed slightly. "My Phosphorus Destruction Bugs have been discovered!"
"How is that possible?" Kabuto's first reaction was disbelief.
Phosphorus Destruction Bugs are nano-sized poisonous insects, invisible to the naked eye and very difficult for a ninja to detect.
Kitazawa, however, guessed the reason. It must have been the Zero-Tailed Beast sensing the Phosphorus Destruction Bugs.
Shinno had created a weakened version of a Tailed Beast, mimicking one, and called it the Zero-Tailed Beast.
The Zero-Tailed Beast fed on the darkness deep within people's hearts, and the chakra it possessed was called Dark Chakra.
Of course, the ninja world's chakra only has seven attributes. The so-called Dark Chakra is actually the Yin Release Chakra.
Yin Release can create form out of nothing, which led to the birth of the Zero-Tailed Beast.
"A group of Land of the Sky ninja is heading towards us." Torune asked somewhat guiltily, "Kitazawa-sensei, what should we do now?"
The Phosphorus Destruction Bugs failing in front of Kitazawa—and causing them to be discovered by the Land of the Sky ninja—made him feel unusually embarrassed.
"As a ninja, infiltration failure is normal, and skirmishes are also unexpected events a ninja must experience." Kitazawa paused, then said in a deep voice, "Everyone, prepare for battle!"
"Yes!" Everyone responded in unison.
"Torune, where are they coming from?" Kabuto quickly asked.
"There's a passage twenty meters over there." Torune raised his hand, pointing to a spot not far away.
"Very good." Kabuto flicked his hands, and six explosive tags flew out, sticking to the area around the passage.
"Kabuto is truly excellent." Kurenai praised again upon seeing this.
"They're coming out!" Torune reminded them.
Kabuto immediately detonated the explosive tags upon hearing this.
Boom! Boom! Boom! The six explosive tags exploded simultaneously, and terrifying flames erupted, instantly forming a sea of fire.
Screams and curses rose. Many Land of the Sky ninja were directly buried in the sea of fire.
"Use Fire Release and Wind Release!" Someone commanded.
The next second, more than half of the sea of fire was extinguished, revealing the remaining Land of the Sky ninja inside.
"Bastards! I'll kill you all!"
A voice approached, and a white-haired middle-aged man appeared before them with a Body Flicker Technique.
His face was contorted, and his eyes were filled with killing intent. Losing a large number of his subordinates before even engaging in battle made him absolutely furious.
"Konoha Village ninja?!"
The middle-aged man noticed the Konoha headbands on Kitazawa and the others and immediately sobered up quite a bit.
Although the Land of the Sky had always wanted revenge on Konoha Village, he was well aware of Konoha Village's strength.
He would not go to war with Konoha Village without sufficient preparation. However, he now had a question he wanted the answer to even more.
"How did you find this place?" The middle-aged man took a deep breath and asked.
"Are you Shinno?" Kitazawa retorted.
"You actually know my name?" Shinno immediately felt it was unbelievable upon hearing this. He was certain he had never met Kitazawa and the others.
Moreover, when he stole secret techniques from various villages, he always used the identity of a wandering physician and never his real name.
"Attack."
After Kitazawa confirmed that the person in front of him was Shinno, he didn't bother with further pleasantries and directly shouted.
"With you? Who gave you the guts?" Shinno was so angry he laughed upon hearing this.
As he spoke, the Land of the Sky ninja had already extinguished the flames and surrounded Kitazawa and the others.
It wasn't surprising that Shinno underestimated Kitazawa and the others.
Firstly, they were all too young; the oldest were Kitazawa and Kurenai, both only twenty-two.
Secondly, the Land of the Sky ninja had a numerical advantage; although a group had been taken out by explosive tags, the remaining number still exceeded twenty.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" Uchiha Izumi activated her Two-Tomoe Sharingan and launched a huge fireball upwards.
"Sharingan?" Shinno's gaze narrowed slightly.
The name Uchiha was known throughout the ninja world. And for Uchiha Izumi to be able to activate her Two-Tomoe Sharingan at such a young age, she was undoubtedly a genius.
Being able to be the Team leader for a genius indicated that Kitazawa and Kurenai were not as simple as they seemed.
But Shinno remained unconcerned. This was the main base of the Land of the Sky. More importantly, he believed in his own strength.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Bullet!"
At the same time Izumi made her move, Kabuto opened his mouth and spat out a series of bullet-like wind spheres.
"Ninja Art: Hundred Flowers Chaos!" Petals filled the sky, and Kurenai disappeared from her spot.
But none of them were as fast as Aburame Torune. "Poison Cloud Technique!"
Torune clasped his hands together and suddenly blew out a breath. The poisonous insects in his hands scattered like a mist with the wind.
"What is this?" The Land of the Sky ninja closest to him instinctively took two breaths.
He didn't even have time to speak again before covering his mouth and nose and falling backward.
"Watch out!" Shinno glanced at him, his pupils contracting in shock. "His cloud contains poison!"
But his warning came too late. The Sky village ninja near Torune all collapsed, dying instantly.
"Such potent poison!" Shinno was both shocked and angry.
As an experienced Medical Ninja, he had seen many types of poisons, but none compared to Aburame Torune's Phosphorus Destruction Bugs.
He made a decision in an instant. The Phosphorus Destruction Bugs' poison caused instant death upon contact—there was no way to save anyone.
The only option was to eliminate Aburame Torune as quickly as possible.
In Shinno's view, Aburame Torune was undoubtedly the greatest threat, even more so than Kitazawa, who still hadn't made a move.
"Forbidden Technique: Body Revival Technique!"
Shinno immediately formed hand signs. His once unremarkable body suddenly bulged with muscle, stretching his clothes several sizes larger.
Whoosh!
Shinno vanished from his spot. After activating the Forbidden Technique, his speed had greatly increased.
Kitazawa noted how this Body Revival Technique resembled the Fourth Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra Mode—though in this case, it should be called Yang Release Chakra Mode.
Lightning Release Chakra Mode used lightning chakra to stimulate the entire body, while the Body Revival Technique relied on Yang Release.
However, the flaws were obvious: it didn't last long and placed a massive burden on the body.
While Kitazawa was analyzing, Shinno had already launched a punch at Aburame Torune. At this moment, he looked nothing like a Medical Ninja—only a pure Taijutsu fighter.
"Body Flicker Technique!"
Kurenai flashed in front of Aburame Torune, meeting Shinno's attack with her still-unpolished Chakra Enhanced strength.
Boom! The two forces collided.
Kurenai was forced back several steps, unable to hold her ground. Shinno stood firm and unmoving, clearly superior in raw power.
Yet he couldn't press his advantage. The Phosphorus Destruction Bugs were already swarming toward him.
Shinno retreated without hesitation.
He had seen what happened to the Land of the Sky ninja after being poisoned, and though he was a Medical Ninja, he dared not touch those nano-sized insects.
But he wasn't without a plan.
"Super Activation Fist!"
Shinno clenched his fist and launched an aerial punch at the incoming bugs.
Dark Chakra erupted, forming countless chakra spheres. Upon contact, the spheres expanded rapidly, shredding the insects into pieces.
"What?!" Aburame Torune's heart trembled.
It was the first time he had seen his Phosphorus Destruction Bugs destroyed like this.
Shinno sneered and, with a swift stride, charged at Torune again.
"Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!" Kurenai flashed in front of him.
Their eyes met. Shinno immediately found himself embedded in the trunk of a tree.
Genjutsu? He reacted quickly, dispelling the illusion—only to be greeted by Kurenai's Rasengan.
Shinno instinctively raised his arms to block. His arms were immediately torn into a bloody mess upon contact.
"Ahhh!" He roared, kicking out furiously.
Kurenai retreated at once.
The two broke apart, several meters of distance between them.
Kurenai frowned at Shinno's arms. The Rasengan hadn't caused as much damage as expected.
"It's Activation Jutsu," Kitazawa explained. "His body is in an activated state—his speed, defense, and attack are all enhanced."
"That powerful?" Kurenai asked in surprise. "Then what should we do?"
"His body can't withstand prolonged activation," Kitazawa replied. "If we drag it out, we'll win."
"Who exactly are you?!" Shinno felt a chill down his spine as Kitazawa so clearly explained the mechanics of his Forbidden Technique.
Only he should have known its details. Where had Kitazawa learned this?
"Wind Release: Vacuum Blade!"
In the instant Shinno was distracted, Kabuto appeared behind him with a Body Flicker Technique.
Shinno immediately reacted, turning and punching the kunai in Kabuto's hand. The force sent the blade flying.
Kabuto's expression hardened, and he quickly retreated.
Shinno was about to follow up with another punch when a huge fireball shot from his left. He had no choice but to dodge.
When he landed, he realized all the Land of the Sky ninja had already been taken down by Kabuto and Uchiha Izumi.
Fury burned in him at their poor performance, but at the same time, he recognized the strength of Kabuto and Izumi.
The situation had reversed. He was now surrounded by five Konoha ninja.
"Medical Forbidden Technique: Flesh Regeneration!"
Shinno no longer held back. He formed hand signs again.
"Medical Forbidden Technique: Destruction and Rebirth!"
The superposition of the three Forbidden Regenerative Techniques caused his appearance to undergo a drastic change.
He transformed from a middle-aged man into a young one, his white hair turning black. Muscles bulged across his body, radiating terrifying power.
"How can there be a ninjutsu that makes someone younger?" Kabuto asked gravely.
"The Phosphorus Destruction Bugs tell me his aura is at least three times stronger," Aburame Torune said in a deep voice.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Crimson Claw!"
Without a word, Uchiha Izumi formed hand signs, spitting out flames while throwing numerous shuriken.
The flames wrapped around the shuriken, flying toward Shinno from all directions like a phoenix's flower petals.
Shinno didn't retreat—he advanced. He punched, knocking all the shuriken aside, then quickly closed the distance to Izumi.
"Secret Technique: Poison Cloud Technique!"
Torune clapped his hands together, blowing out a mass of poisonous insects that formed a smoke-like barrier in front of Uchiha Izumi.
But Shinno vanished from his spot.
"Where is he?" Kabuto quickly looked around.
"Torune!" Izumi's Sharingan captured Shinno's afterimage.
Whoosh! Shinno appeared to Torune's left.
Super Activation Fist!
He was as cautious as before, avoiding direct contact with Aburame Torune's body.
Instead, he threw a punch through the air.
The momentum was several times greater than before, and a fierce gust rose instantly.
Despite Uchiha Izumi's warning, Torune still didn't react in time.
Kitazawa frowned slightly, immediately stepping forward, grabbing Torune, and pulling him back. Shinno's fierce punch missed its target.
Wind Release: Great Vacuum Sphere!
Kabuto seized the opportunity, leaning back and spitting out a huge, high-pressure wind sphere. Wherever it passed, dust flew, and not a blade of grass remained.
'Super Activation Fist!' Shinno turned and punched.
Boom! The two forces clashed, and a violent wave of Chakra spread in all directions.
Kabuto's expression grew heavy.
Under the enhancement of the three Medical Forbidden Techniques, Shinno was indeed stronger than he had anticipated.
Ninja Art: Moonlight Beauty! As Kurenai raised her hands, a large number of petals appeared.
Seeing this, Shinno punched out again. The petals scattered instantly, though some still floated in the air.
Shinno noticed Kurenai's disappearance. Just as he was about to search for her, Kabuto rushed forward.
Chakra Scalpel! Kabuto raised his arm and swung the blade at Shinno.
A whooshing sound rang out. Kurenai appeared above Shinno's head.
A highly compressed sphere of Chakra emerged from her right hand; she flipped her body, slamming a Rasengan down on Shinno.
Unseen, Kurenai and Kabuto had completed a perfectly coordinated attack.
But Shinno showed no awareness of being in danger. He calmly raised both fists—one aimed at Kurenai, the other at Kabuto.
Super Activation Fist!
Dark Chakra spread out from him like a waterfall, engulfing everything. Wave after wave of air currents, like ocean tides, submerged Kurenai and Kabuto.
Kurenai instinctively placed the Rasengan in front of her. The terrifying force crushed the Rasengan, blowing her away.
Kitazawa leapt forward, catching her body.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique! Izumi reacted quickly, launching a giant fireball between Kabuto and Shinno.
Yin Healing Wound Destruction!
Kabuto retracted his Chakra Scalpel, covering his head and heart with both hands. The next second, the terrifying Dark Chakra instantly dispersed the fireball and continued forward with undiminished momentum.
Kabuto's body trembled. Just as he was about to brace himself, an Earth Release: Earth Wall rose in front of him. Relieved, he exhaled.
"What an annoying bastard!" Shinno glared at Kitazawa and shouted angrily, "I'll kill you first!"
Super Activation Fist!
He unleashed both fists, aiming at Kitazawa. A tsunami of Chakra descended once again.
Compound Ninjutsu: Lightning Water Dragon Jutsu! Kitazawa stood still, forming hand signs.
A roaring lightning water dragon surged forth, plunging into the tsunami of chakra. A violent collision erupted.
Konoha-Style Body Flicker Technique!
Using the obscuring Chakra, Kitazawa vanished from his spot. He reappeared behind Shinno, unhesitatingly drawing Zangetsu.
Uchiha-Style: Gale Sword!
The blade suddenly glowed crimson, flames soaring into the sky, transforming into a giant blade of fire.
Shinno immediately sensed the danger behind him. He quickly turned, hastily throwing a punch.
Activation Fist!
The Dark Chakra was torn apart by the blade of fire.
"Damn it!"
At the brink of death, Shinno roared, terrifying Chakra bursting from his body. His face flushed red, and Chakra formed a protective wave around him, forcefully resisting the blade of fire.
Kitazawa retreated without hesitation.
"Is that the Eight Gates?"
Kurenai looked at Shinno—his hair standing on end, his aura surging—and her eyes widened. Wasn't this the same phenomenon as Might Guy after using the Eight Gates?
"Blood red?"
Kurenai suddenly thought of something and asked in horror, "Is this the Eighth Gate of the Eight Gates?!"
"Isn't the Eight Gates Formation a forbidden Ninjutsu of Konoha? How does he know it?" Kabuto felt the terrifying aura pressing on him, making it hard to breathe.
Torune and Uchiha Izumi also showed expressions of impending disaster.
"That's right. This is the Eight Gates, and my Medical Forbidden Technique allows me to open all Eight Gates without dying!" Shinno laughed loudly. "Since I won't die, you all will!"
At the end, his expression twisted, and without further delay, he charged straight at Kitazawa. His speed was blinding, his momentum overwhelming—like a mountain pressing down!
Kurenai, Kabuto, and the others' eyes were filled with worry. But at this moment, they could only trust Kitazawa. After Shinno activated the Eighth Gate, they were no longer his opponents.
Torune tried to direct the Phosphorus Destruction Bugs toward him, but Shinno's body was covered in raging Chakra, and the insects were blown away before they could even get close.
Kitazawa slashed out with his blade. The blade of fire reappeared, splitting forward. But Shinno neither dodged nor flinched, colliding with it head-on.
The blade of fire shattered, leaving burns on his body. But these burns healed instantly.
This was the effect of Medical Forbidden Technique: Destruction and Rebirth!— any injuries sustained were rapidly healed.
Kitazawa felt that the current Shinno was like combining the Strength of a Hundred Healings Technique with half of the Eight Gates Jutsu.
Shinno reached him, threw a punch, and countless airwaves erupted.
Kitazawa turned into mud, torn apart by the airwaves—Earth Release: Earth Replacement.
Shinno frowned slightly, immediately looking around.
A whooshing sound rang out. A kunai flew toward him.
Shinno instantly locked onto its source. He directly ignored the kunai, intent on killing Kitazawa.
But just then, the kunai trembled, transforming into countless solid kunai.
"What?" Shinno quickly stopped.
Although his skin was thick and his regeneration powerful, with so many kunai, he'd be riddled with holes.
'Super Activation Fist!'
Shinno swung both fists. Dark Chakra erupted, deflecting all the kunai.
"It seems your Eight Gates haven't reached the essence of Taijutsu." Kitazawa's voice came from behind him.
Shinno's Eight Gates lacked the corresponding Taijutsu techniques—such as the Evening Elephant, Night Guy, and others.
Shinno instinctively turned around, meeting Kitazawa's gaze.
Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!
Uchiha-Style: Blazing Sword Meteor!
Shinno was in the state of all Eight Gates open, his Chakra violently surging. The Genjutsu only restrained him for a moment.
Kitazawa seized the opportunity and slashed with his blade. The fiery-red blade glowed at high temperature, twisting the air wherever it passed.
Shinno's expression changed drastically, but it was already too late to dodge. He gritted his teeth and slammed a punch onto Kitazawa's Zangetsu blade.
Power erupted. Kitazawa felt his right arm go numb, his body forced to retreat.
"Ahhhh!" Shinno let out a scream. His fist had been cut open by Zangetsu, five severed fingers falling to the ground.
Medical Forbidden Technique: Flesh Regeneration!
Shinno's face turned pale as his fingers rapidly regenerated.
"Limb regeneration?" Seeing this, Kabuto's pupils constricted.
He subconsciously asked, "How can we even fight this?"
"How can there be such a terrifying Ninjutsu?" Uchiha Izumi swallowed hard, feeling nervous.
"I believe in Kitazawa," Kurenai said in a deep voice. "With his personality, if he couldn't win, he would have taken us away already."
Kitazawa didn't hear Kabuto and the others' conversation. He was observing Shinno.
Shinno's Medical Forbidden Technique: Destruction and Rebirth!" had a time limit.
Although the original work never stated how long it could last, Kitazawa—an excellent Medical Ninja—could judge by observing Shinno's physical condition.
Peak state and declining state always presented different reactions.
"I'm going to kill you!" Shinno had suffered a great loss, and his anger surged.
He closed in, a terrifying power erupting as he punched directly at Kitazawa's heart.
'Chakra Enhanced Strength!' Kitazawa stood still, returning a punch.
"You're asking for death!" Seeing this, Shinno showed a cruel smile.
Boom! As soon as the two fists met, a wave of air spread in all directions.
Shinno's eyes suddenly widened. How could there be such immense power?
He didn't hesitate, and the Chakra in his body continued to surge. Kitazawa took two steps back but stood firm.
"Your strength is ultimately no match for mine!" Shinno gasped for breath and said.
"Time is almost up. It's time to end this battle." Kitazawa observed his physical condition and smiled.
"It's time to end it!" Shinno clenched his fists and said, "I'll send you to the Pure Land right now!"
Senju Chakra Mode! Kitazawa felt the surge of Chakra within his body and immediately formed hand signs.
Water Release: Water Dragon Jutsu! A water dragon appeared out of thin air, slamming into Shinno at extreme speed.
"It's all futile!" Shinno snorted coldly, swung both fists, and shattered the water dragon.
But before he could retract his fists, a large fireball had already reached him. Shinno quickly used the Body Flicker Technique, creating distance.
As soon as he steadied himself, kunai wrapped in flames appeared all around him—
Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Crimson Claw.
'Activation Fist!'
Shinno retreated, throwing a punch. Dark Chakra swept out, deflecting the kunai.
Just then, crackling thunder rang out. Several streaks of lightning raced along the ground—
Lightning Release: Ground Flash.
Shinno leapt up, avoiding the lightning.
The wind howled. Wind bullets, like real bullets, slammed into him.
Having dodged several Ninjutsu in a row, Shinno finally failed to react in time and was struck by a wind bullet. His back immediately blossomed with dense, bloody holes.
Shinno screamed repeatedly, but there was no time to rest.
Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!
Kitazawa opened his mouth and spewed out a stream of flames. The flames expanded upon landing, turning into a scorching storm that engulfed Shinno.
"Damn it!" A trace of panic appeared in Shinno's eyes.
He had been bewildered by Kitazawa's relentless Ninjutsu. His mind was now filled with questions:
Why was Kitazawa's hand sign speed so fast? Ninjutsu after Ninjutsu, with absolutely no cooldown time.
Most fatal of all, Kitazawa was proficient in Five Release Ninjutsu, making it nearly impossible to dodge attacks from both the sky and the ground.
"Is this Kitazawa-sensei's true strength?" Kabuto, like Shinno, felt utterly shocked at this moment. It was the first time he had seen someone use Ninjutsu as easily as drinking water.
"So… so amazing!" Uchiha Izumi's mouth hung open.
Although Kitazawa usually gave her an impression of immense strength, witnessing it firsthand was another level entirely.
"…?" Kurenai was surprised and full of questions.
She really wanted to ask Kitazawa, "Are you secretly training behind my back?"
In her opinion, Kitazawa's strength was roughly equivalent to an Elite Jonin, similar to Kakashi. But now she became uncertain.
She had seen Kakashi fight. Even he couldn't achieve such fast hand sign speeds and various Ninjutsu that seemed like instant casts.
The battle between Kitazawa and Shinno continued, but it had become one-sided.
Even though Shinno possessed extreme regeneration, super speed, and terrifying strength, he simply couldn't get close. Under Kitazawa's repeated Ninjutsu attacks, all he could do was frantically escape.
"No! I can't let this continue!" Shinno felt an uncomfortable sensation from within his body.
Under such high-intensity combat, the duration of his Medical Ninjutsu: Destruction and Rebirth! was constantly shortening. It was finally coming to an end.
Shinno gritted his teeth and charged directly at Kitazawa. A water dragon slammed into his body, but he remained unmoving.
In a flash, another large fireball appeared. Shinno suddenly accelerated, crashing through the fireball, and as he threw a punch, the air distorted.
'Chakra Enhanced Punch!' Kitazawa accurately struck his fist.
Terrifying forces collided. This time, Kitazawa did not retreat.
Shinno's pupils constricted.
Wind Release: Rasengan! Kitazawa's right fist held Shinno's fist, and his left hand pressed down on Shinno's abdomen.
"Ahhh!" A scream rang out.
Shinno's abdomen instantly turned into a bloody mess. Then his body rapidly shriveled like a deflating balloon. He immediately aged, becoming wrinkled and white-haired.