"That substance..."
Not far from where the man in black and the masked man stood, Minato's golden eyes focused intently on the white liquid steadily dripping from the former's torn sleeves. His brow furrowed slightly as recognition dawned upon him.
The memory surfaced clearly in his mind—before his rebirth, when he had struck the masked man with his Flying Thunder God Second Stage technique, one of his opponent's hands had been seeping with this same mysterious white substance. The sight had been brief, but distinctive enough to leave an impression.
Kushina had mentioned to him previously that several of the masked man's accomplices possessed parasite attached to their bodies that could interfere with chakra perception and tracking abilities. This white liquid had to be connected to that technology somehow.
Focusing his enhanced senses, Minato expanded his perception to analyze the battlefield more thoroughly. What he discovered made his eyes narrow with interest. The chakra fluctuations emanating from the man in black were completely chaotic at this moment, like a storm raging within his body.
Not only had the protective barrier surrounding his body been completely destroyed by Minato's devastating sage technique, but the man had also absorbed far too much natural energy during the attack. The consequences were already becoming apparent.
Natural energy was notoriously difficult to control, even for experienced practitioners. Without proper training and preparation, exposure to such concentrated amounts would inevitably lead to petrification—a fate that had claimed many would-be sages throughout history.
If this continued unchecked, the man in black would be consumed by the natural energy and transformed into a stone statue without Minato needing to lift another finger.
Whoosh!
Azure chakra light blazed to life as the masked man's Susanoo reformed around both figures, its ethereal armor materializing to provide protection. However, the damage from Minato's previous attack was clearly evident in the construct's weakened state.
The man in black raised his right hand with visible trembling, and both he and Minato could see that the petrification process had already begun. His palm was turning to stone, the gray discoloration spreading slowly up his fingers like creeping death.
"So this is natural energy..." The man in black's voice carried a mixture of pain and fascination. "Even my Rinnegan cannot completely purge it from my system."
His eyes, those legendary purple orbs that granted him godlike power, stared at the advancing petrification with grim determination. The situation was dire, but he was not one to surrender to fate.
"Hmph!"
Gritting his teeth against the pain, chakra began forming in his left hand, shaping itself into a blade of pure energy. Without hesitation, the man in black raised the chakra blade and severed his own right hand at the wrist.
The detached limb hit the ground with a wet thud, and immediately the natural energy that had been contained within it went wild. The surrounding earth absorbed the chaotic energy, and within seconds, both the severed hand and a small area around it had been completely petrified.
"He managed to concentrate all the natural energy into a single location..."
Minato's analytical mind raced as he observed this display. Anyone unfamiliar with natural energy manipulation, regardless of their chakra reserves or combat prowess, should have been unable to consolidate the chaotic energy in such a precise manner. The level of control required was extraordinary.
How had he accomplished such a feat?
As Minato pondered this question, he noticed that the man in black's severed wrist had stopped bleeding entirely. Instead, mechanical components began emerging from within the wound, rapidly assembling themselves into a fully functional replacement hand.
"If White Zetsu hadn't absorbed a portion of that sage technique's impact, I would have lost far more than just a hand," the man in black thought grimly, cold sweat beading on his forehead despite his stoic exterior.
The reality of their situation was becoming increasingly difficult to deny. Even with the combined might of himself and the masked man working in perfect coordination, they were being systematically overwhelmed by Konoha's Hokage.
"He's completely different from what he was eleven years ago."
The man in black's piercing gaze remained fixed on Minato as these thoughts churned in his mind. During their previous encounter a decade past, while Minato had certainly been formidable, his speed and raw power had not yet reached this seemingly impossible level.
"The ability to prepare sage techniques while simultaneously entering Sage Mode... that's something only Hashirama Senju was ever capable of achieving," the masked man's voice resonated with barely controlled terror, his words echoing through their mental connection.
"Something that only the First Hokage could accomplish?"
Coming from the masked man—someone whose identity and experience commanded respect even among the most elite shinobi—this comparison carried tremendous weight. It meant that in terms of sage arts mastery and natural energy manipulation, the current Fourth Hokage had reached a level equivalent to the legendary God of Shinobi himself.
According to the tales passed down through generations, those few individuals who had witnessed Hashirama Senju's full power in battle had described him as possessing abilities rivaling those of the Sage of Six Paths, the mythical founder of all ninjutsu.
And now, this current Fourth Hokage had demonstrated the capability to suppress both of them to such an extent within mere minutes of combat beginning.
To ordinary shinobi observing this display of power, such abilities would seem almost divine in nature, far beyond the realm of human possibility and entering the domain of legends made manifest.
This unprecedented level of strength represented the greatest variable in their carefully planned assault on Konoha—a factor they had severely underestimated.
"If I hadn't been gravely injured in that battle years ago, the Fourth Hokage would never be able to act so presumptuously!" The masked man's voice dripped with bitter anger and frustration.
The man in black reflected silently on these words. The only shinobi who had ever been considered a rival to the God of Shinobi now stood beside him as an ally. However, the legendary figure seemed to have sustained severe injuries during his climactic battle with the First Hokage at the Valley of the End all those decades ago.
The power he could bring to bear now was clearly far less than what he had possessed during his prime, when his very name had struck fear into the hearts of enemies across the elemental nations.
"To be pushed this far right from the beginning of our assault..."
The masked man's cold gaze shifted to study his black-clad companion, both of them acutely aware that achieving their original objectives was becoming increasingly unlikely given the current circumstances.
Minato's penetrating stare remained fixed upon both opponents, his sage-enhanced senses monitoring their every movement and analyzing their tactical options.
After a moment of tense calculation, the masked man reached a decision. "Zetsu, inform Konan and the others to finish dealing with their current opponents immediately and provide us with support!"
This urgent message was swiftly relayed through their communication network, reaching Kakuzu who stood poised nearby, his multiple hearts beating with anticipation of renewed combat.
The immortal bounty hunter's dark green eyes suddenly contracted with predatory focus.
Rustle!
Black tendrils began extending from Kakuzu's sleeves, collar, and even from between his lips, writhing with malevolent life as his various hearts prepared for battle.
Kakuzu's calculating gaze shifted to focus entirely on Uchiha Yoruki, and he raised both palms, different elemental chakra natures beginning to condense in his left and right hands simultaneously.
Yoruki immediately sensed the shift in his opponent's intentions, and the flame-like patterns within his Mangekyō Sharingan began spinning rapidly in response to the mounting threat.
"You've had those eyes active for more than ten years now," Kakuzu sneered with the confidence of someone who had lived through multiple generations of conflict. "I refuse to believe that your ocular power can still be as potent as it was in your youth!"
With his extensive experience spanning decades of combat, Kakuzu possessed detailed knowledge about the limitations and drawbacks of the Mangekyō Sharingan. He understood better than most how the constant use of those legendary eyes gradually depleted their wielder's sight and power.
If Uchiha Yoruki's eye power had remained at its peak levels, even someone of Kakuzu's caliber would hesitate to engage him in direct combat. But after years of continuous usage, his ocular abilities had to have degraded significantly.
As he finished speaking, Kakuzu suddenly opened his mouth wide, and a grotesque mask-like face began emerging from within his throat—one of his additional hearts preparing to join the battle.
A third elemental chakra nature began condensing directly from his open mouth, and when the three most destructive elemental combinations of wind, fire, and lightning began gathering together, even Uchiha Yoruki felt the gravity of the approaching threat.
Meanwhile, in another district of Konoha...
When White Zetsu's urgent message reached Konan through their communication network, her typically serene expression shifted to one of concern and surprise.
"For both Madara and Nagato to simultaneously request immediate support... just how formidable must the Fourth Hokage be?"
She remained suspended in the air above the battlefield, her paper wings keeping her aloft with graceful ease. Even momentarily diverting her attention from the combat below didn't provide Tsunade with sufficient opportunity to launch an effective aerial assault.
Tsunade had noticed the sudden change in Konan's expression during their fierce exchange, but before she could capitalize on the apparent distraction, her opponent's demeanor transformed completely.
Konan raised her hand toward the legendary Sannin with deadly purpose, and at that moment, her chakra reserves exploded outward with unprecedented intensity.
Countless sheets of pristine white paper began falling like snow around the battlefield, each piece moving with ethereal grace as they danced through the air like supernatural spirits responding to their master's call.
"Paper Person of God Technique: Divine Judgment!"
Konan's voice carried the cold finality of a death sentence as the seemingly innocent origami began forming massive circular formations, creating an intricate pattern that encompassed an area more than ten meters in diameter.
Her piercing gaze locked onto Tsunade below, and any trace of warmth or mercy vanished from her amber eyes, replaced by the pitiless determination of one carrying out divine will.
"This is heaven's decree," her voice echoed with supernatural authority, "your destruction is ordained!"
Elsewhere in the village...
"So even those two have reached such desperate circumstances," Sasori mused, his lips curving into a somewhat mocking smile as he received the same urgent communication.
He suddenly raised his head to look directly at Hatake Sakumo, who stood ready for combat several meters away, and his expression shifted to one of savage anticipation.
Without ceremony, Sasori tore away his concealing black robe, and when Sakumo finally saw his opponent's true form clearly, his eyes widened in shock and disbelief.
"No wonder he's maintained such a youthful appearance... he's transformed himself into a human puppet!"
As Sakumo processed this horrifying revelation, steel cables suddenly extended from Sasori's back with mechanical precision. The puppet master stepped onto one of the cables and used it to launch himself into the air, gaining the high ground advantage he needed for his most devastating technique.
Reaching behind himself, Sasori withdrew a large scroll from his back and unfurled it with a dramatic flourish. His artificial eyes, now gleaming with unrestrained madness and bloodlust, focused intently on his legendary opponent below.
"Red Secret Technique: Performance of a Hundred Puppets!"
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