The creation of the Scorching Core is troublesome, and its manufacturing cost is equally exorbitant.
As such, Kusuno, the inventor of the Scorching Core, doesn't have many of them on hand.
Qingshui, on the other hand, doesn't lack the technology, money, or materials. Although his industrial system in many high-end fields still lags behind the One-Punch Man world, Qingshui can still craft one himself.
It's just a bit slower.
After he broke through the fourth Limiter, he started making time to produce this Scorching Core, and so far, he's only managed to create the one in his hand.
Even so, a single Scorching Core, combined with an Arc Reactor, would be enough to grant Sasori's Puppet a combat power that surpasses anyone in the Ninja World, aside from Qingshui himself.
Even a fully powered Senju Hashirama might not be able to match it.
After Qingshui finished explaining the function of the Scorching Core to Sasori, Sasori immediately wanted to install it onto the Red Sand Sasori.
"Is it really as terrifying as you say?"
"Theoretically, if pushed to its limit, it should possess the ability to pierce through the entire Ninja World continent in a single blow. Its only drawback is the need for a massive energy supply, but as long as there are enough Arc Reactors, energy is not an issue."
Qingshui smiled faintly at Sasori.
The upper limit of energy that the Scorching Core could unleash was quite considerable, even for Six Paths Level powerhouses.
Although its form was relatively simple, lacking variation and being purely an energy bombardment, it possessed a kind of pure numerical beauty. If used well, it could serve as a significant power-boosting skill among the Six Paths Level.
In terms of sheer power, even without the mechanics and numerical synergy of something like Planetary Devastation, which could seal Kaguya, it would still pose a considerable threat to most Six Paths Level powerhouses.
At the very least, it was enough to inflict severe damage on Qingshui's true body.
If he could hit.
Even if he did hit, his regenerative abilities would allow him to recover, but it would indeed cause significant damage and require some time to heal.
If he were to take such an attack while facing an enemy of the same Six Paths Level, while it might not immediately pose a dire threat, it was highly likely that the need to recover from the physical trauma would temporarily affect his combat effectiveness and put him at a disadvantage.
Therefore, while Qingshui would present the Scorching Core, he wouldn't actually unlock its full potential, citing technical barriers as an excuse and only opening it up to about fifty percent.
Although he trusted Sasori and Chiyo, there was still a possibility for this item to fall into the hands of others besides them, and he couldn't underestimate that.
While he was the only Six Paths Level powerhouse in the Ninja World on the surface, he couldn't be sure when those hidden Otsutsuki Clan members might appear to oppose him.
Fifty percent of its energy already possessed destructive power on par with a Dragon-level threat. Even a peak Senju Hashirama or a Rinnegan Madara might not be able to withstand a single hit.
It was sufficient for him to allow Sasori and the others to control the Puppet and possess the true strength to suppress an entire great nation single-handedly.
After Qingshui finished detailing the Scorching Core to Sasori, Sasori was stunned into silence.
What did he mean by piercing the continent and destroying the Ninja World?
Even if it couldn't unleash its full power, fifty percent of it was already world-destroying.
"I've never doubted your research results before, but this time… this kind of power, you might as well say it's comparable to the Sage of Six Paths."
"The Sage of Six Paths? I might still be a bit short of him for now, but I suppose I can be considered in the same league of powerhouses."
Qingshui tilted his head back and said after a moment's thought.
Sasori took Qingshui's words as a joke, but when his gaze fell back on the Scorching Core, he looked at Qingshui with renewed surprise and uncertainty.
"Are you serious?"
"From childhood to now, all these years, when have I ever lied to you?"
"Heh, you haven't lied, but you've certainly misled me quite a few times. I've figured it out, you're like me; you find everyone else too stupid, so you teach me new knowledge first and then leave me to teach those idiots." Sasori sneered, looking at Qingshui with disdain.
"But I have other things to do, and besides, tell me, have I ever screwed you over? Did you ever miss out on any benefits?"
Qingshui slung an arm over Sasori's shoulder, acting like a close buddy.
"You're lucky you haven't screwed me over, or you'd be dead by now."
Sasori glanced at Qingshui and took the Scorching Core.
"I'll study how to properly install and adjust this thing later. But before that, you need to accompany me to test the power of the Red Sand Sasori. You've exaggerated so much that you're almost the Sage of Six Paths; surely you're not incapable of handling this Puppet, right?"
"Oh? You're getting cocky now, Sasori. Let me think, the last time you proposed a spar with me was probably three and a half years ago?"
Ever since the Third Kazekage tried to guide Qingshui three and a half years ago, only to end up in a stalemate in the training grounds, proving that Qingshui already possessed Kage-level strength at that time, Sasori, who used to enjoy sparring with Qingshui, had never challenged him again.
Their strengths were no longer on the same level. A year and a half ago, he had only entered this threshold by creating a Human Puppet using the corpse of the Third Hokage. At that time, Qingshui could already contend with three Kage-level powerhouses simultaneously on his own, making the gap even wider.
Despite the vast difference, Sasori could at least recognize the gap.
It was the opposite now; Sasori didn't know how big the gap was between him and Qingshui anymore, or how much it could be bridged with the Red Sand Sasori Puppet.
But he wanted to try.
Qingshui couldn't possibly have reached the level of the Sage of Six Paths, could he?
Soon, Sasori would know the answer.
"Where is this place?"
Sasori, sitting in the head of the Red Sand Sasori, looked around in horror as reality seemed to invert around him.
Where had Qingshui brought him to?
Is this inside some kind of barrier?
How did I get here?
Did Qingshui pull me in with his space-time ninjutsu?
But I didn't notice anything. I just followed him and touched the mirror surface he shattered, and then this happened.
Good grief.
Could it be that you really have the strength of the Sage of Six Paths level?
"This is the Mirror Dimension, a layer that exists between reality and illusion. In short, you can think of it as a pocket dimension. Here, any destruction you cause to the environment will automatically recover after a period of time.
It's also secure enough to ensure that our battle won't be detected by anyone outside."
Qingshui said with a slight smile to Sasori, who was stunned in the cockpit of the giant puppet's head.
"So it's a powerful space-time ninjutsu? It's so big, can you bring an entire army in? Can the exit point to the outside be chosen as well? Doesn't that mean that once our army is assembled, we can launch a surprise attack on other ninja villages in an instant?"
"Yes, but unfortunately, not a single person in the village has learned my Flying Thunder God technique yet, let alone the Mirror Dimension and spatial teleportation."
Qingshui shrugged.
There are no particularly simple skills related to space. Even Summoning Jutsu requires a certain talent in space-time and a basic understanding of some Sealing Jutsu to learn.
The Kamar-Taj sorcerers of the Marvel Universe are indeed quite adept at manipulating space, with considerable research, but it's all based on borrowing the power of the Vishanti through the Sling Ring. Essentially, the sorcerers act as a medium, similar to a magic tool, in this process.
Even Qingshui only reached this point through a fortuitous encounter in the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Valley, after mastering multiple space-related abilities and building a sufficient foundation.
Without Kekkei Genkai like the Mangekyo Sharingan, which is a bloodline limit from the Otsutsuki Clan, normal ninja in the Ninja World would at most be like Minato Namikaze.
Unfortunately, Konoha Village has only produced one Minato Namikaze in decades, and Qingshui has not yet found anyone with such extraordinary talent in space in the Sand Village.
Such prodigies are rare and hard to come by. Even geniuses like Orochimaru and Sasori, who surpass ordinary ninja in intelligence, cannot learn them.
"I'm starting."
Sasori quickly adjusted his mindset and entered combat readiness, controlling the Sasori of the Red Sand.
"Bring it on."
Qingshui remained relaxed, not even drawing his sword. He simply unleashed a fierce aura, his hair and skin turning milky white at that moment.
Since breaking through the fourth Limiter, his physical strength had already touched the threshold of Dragon-level. With the enhancement of Psychic Aura and Sage Art Reverse Growth, it had further increased by a large margin.
Qingshui believed that even without using any other means, just using his fists, he would likely possess the strength to smash a fully complete Susanoo with his bare hands.
As for Sasori's Sasori of the Red Sand...
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
Dense beams of light and artillery shells shot from the cannons that rose from the giant scorpion puppet towards Qingshui.
As the ground trembled, the metallic giant scorpion, nearly two hundred meters tall and over eight hundred meters long, spewed out streams of scalding hot steam. It spread the jointed legs on its sides and advanced towards Qingshui.
Powered by a dual-core of the Second Arc Reactor and Five-Tails Chakra!
Facing attacks that could cleave mountains, Qingshui neither dodged nor evaded. He simply adopted the stance of Fist of Flowing Water, Crushing Rock and charged straight forward.
Flowing Water Array!
Fist shadows flew out, so fast they were almost invisible. Combined with the flowing water-like Sage Art Chakra emanating from his hands, Qingshui appeared as if he had activated the Hyuga Clan's Rotation, effortlessly deflecting attacks that would normally require the combined efforts of several powerful ninja, while simultaneously closing the distance.
"Boom!"
A strong and powerful fist directly smashed into the giant scorpion's pincer, creating a large pit.
Inside the cockpit, Sasori's mind was shaken. He hadn't expected Qingshui to charge forward using only his physical body and Nintaijutsu without employing other means.
Even more unexpectedly, even with just this, his Sasori of the Red Sand had already fallen into a disadvantage at the very beginning of their engagement!
Can a person's physical body really be this strong?
Even the Third Raikage, who was considered to have the strongest body in the Ninja World by everyone, probably couldn't compare to the current Qingshui.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
Thunderous vibrations continuously sounded, and Sasori, inside the cockpit, was jolted with each impact.
Qingshui stood on top of the giant scorpion, smashing down with his fists one after another.
Even though Sasori had activated all the weapons on the Sasori of the Red Sand, and the tail stingers at the back danced like a swarm of snakes chasing Qingshui, even deploying his powerful conventional puppets like the Third Hokage Human Puppet to cooperate, he still couldn't stop Qingshui's fists.
"Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist!"
Sharp fist winds emerged, and Qingshui's movements shifted as he weaved between Sasori's tail and the puppets.
Even using only the most basic Body Flicker Technique, amplified by his formidable physique, he was incredibly fast.
In just a few seconds, the Salamander Puppet at the forefront was torn in half by Qingshui's sharp fist winds, and its connected Chakra Threads were severed.
Next came the Third Hokage Human Puppet and Black Ant, followed by Black Crow...
Before long, Sasori's puppet squad, which was enough to contend with a Kage-level expert, had suffered heavy damage and temporarily lost its combat capability.
Sasori wasn't discouraged; he intended to continue operating them.
However, Qingshui didn't give him another chance.
After roughly testing the combat power of Sasori's large puppet, Qingshui directly raised his hand and opened a Teleportation Halo that led straight to Sasori's cockpit. He charged in, instantly appearing before Sasori, extending his left hand, bending his two fingers together, and flicking Sasori on the forehead.
"Ouch! What are you doing!"
Sasori rubbed his reddened forehead, exclaiming in dissatisfaction.
"Well, you lost."
Qingshui said with a playful grin to his friend.
Sasori was silent for two seconds, then smiled helplessly.
Damn, why am I even chasing this!
He had lost, and even though he lost, he couldn't figure out how much strength Qingshui had actually used.
In the past, although Qingshui was powerful and ahead of him, Sasori knew at least the extent of Qingshui's current power and his limits.
But now?
The guy hadn't even used his proficient Swordplay, Ninjutsu, or Puppetry. He had simply charged forward with his bare fists and suppressed the Scarlet Sand Sasori puppet he had painstakingly created, while also disabling the other puppets.
His physical body alone was this formidable. If he went all out, how terrifying would that be?
Now, Sasori truly believed that Qingshui had reached the same level as the Sage of Six Paths from a thousand years ago.
For ordinary ninjas, powerhouses like the Five Kage and the Sannin were legends. But for Kage-level experts, beings like Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara were the true legends, unattainable but at least visible.
As for the Sage of Six Paths?
For all ninjas in the Ninja World, he was already a myth, someone they couldn't even glimpse, like a true immortal.
Elsewhere, this might sound like mythological tales of creation gods, similar to Nuwa Mending the Heavens or Pangu Opening the Heavens.
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