The imposing Gedo Statue had all the makings to intimidate enemies; turning and fleeing would be the best option. But the Konoha ninja had no way out, this was their home. There was nowhere to retreat, and no room for fear. They could only face the terrifying enemy head-on.
The dragon spirits were abnormally fearsome, like having nine Ye Zis using the Spirit Transformation Technique, but even faster, with a far more ruthless soul extraction. In a group battle, their presence was overwhelming.
Fortunately, Kushina, skilled in sealing techniques, possessed the ability to counter them. With no sealing squad available on short notice, she was the only one who could reduce casualties.
That alone gave her an even greater reason not to run.
The nine golden chains, driven by her will, spread out toward the dragon spirits. The Konoha ninja targeted by Nagato might have wanted to risk their lives to stop the Gedo Statue, but ordinary ninjutsu could not resist the dragon spirits. Even if they sacrificed themselves, it would be in vain.
Realizing this, all they could do for now was dodge as best they could, even moving closer to Kushina's position.
Nagato wasn't sure if Kushina's golden chains could affect the dragon spirits, but seeing her clear intent, he decided not to take chances. Controlling the Gedo Statue, he had it spit out chains similar to Kushina's Adamantine Sealing Chains.
Nine chains as well, matching hers, writhed in the air like a nest of serpents.
Kushina's eyes sharpened. Just as her golden chains were about to ensnare the dragon spirits, the Gedo Statue's chains intercepted them.
With a clang, the sound of heavy chains clashing rang out. Both sets of chains pulled taut.
"Got you," Nagato said coldly. The dragon spirits continued their assault on the Konoha ninja while he tried to drag Kushina toward him.
At that moment, two powerful bursts of chakra erupted, it was Itachi and Shisui.
Susanoo!
A special Mangekyō Sharingan technique, Susanoo manifested chakra into a giant humanoid avatar, granting absolute defense and overwhelming offense.
A green armored warrior giant and an orange-red skeletal giant stood side by side before the crowd like two guardian deities protecting Konoha.
Shisui's green Susanoo wielded a spiral spear, while Itachi's Susanoo held the Totsuka Blade and the Yata Mirror.
At the cost of their life force, the two transformed into giants, each brandishing their weapons as they charged the Gedo Statue.
From appearance alone, Itachi's Susanoo was mostly skeletal, while Shisui's was covered in distinct layers of armor, their mastery levels were clearly different.
Though smaller than the Gedo Statue, their size was still comparable. Their bodies, made from chakra, were not mere energy constructs... they were massive, tangible beings.
As they charged, each step shook the ground with a heavy thud, the earth trembling faintly beneath them.
Yata Mirror!
Before reaching the Gedo Statue, Itachi imbued the ethereal Yata Mirror with Fire Release's nature transformation, forming three magatama connected by chakra threads, then hurled them toward the statue.
The flaming magatama spun rapidly, radiating blistering heat, and in an instant closed in on the Gedo Statue.
Nagato glanced up, without moving a finger, the incoming magatama were suddenly caught by an invisible force, forcibly diverted from their path. They shot past the statue, landed some distance away, and exploded violently.
Itachi's face hardened slightly. He shifted his focus, raising the Totsuka Blade and stabbing at one of the airborne dragon spirits.
The blade struck true, and a tremendous suction drew the dragon spirit into the sword.
"…"
The instant the dragon spirit vanished, Nagato felt their link sever completely. His eyes flashed with cold light, and with a thought, more chains poured from the Gedo Statue's mouth toward Kushina.
The Nine-Tails' jinchūriki was the priority, everyone else was secondary.
Shisui's green Susanoo didn't bother attacking the chains, and the dragon spirits could not pass through its surface to strike him directly.
Just as Nagato's target was Kushina, Shisui's target was the Gedo Statue.
The giant's steps seemed slow, but each stride carried it far.
While Nagato and Kushina strained against each other, and Itachi used the Totsuka Blade to deal with the dragon spirits, Shisui aimed to assault Nagato directly atop the statue.
If not for having already used Kotoamatsukami on a puppet earlier, leaving him unable to use it again so soon, he would have approached in Susanoo form and cast it on Nagato directly.
Seeing Shisui closing in, Nagato's lips curved into a cold smile.
More chains shot toward Kushina, but mid-flight, they latched onto the tangled mass of chains already connecting them.
It was like thinking a house built by the shore might be unstable in a coming typhoon. So you tie it down with thick ropes, and then, still feeling uneasy, add another layer over that.
Since Kushina's arrival, Nagato had made it clear...
His target was Kushina.
Shhh!
The spiral spear pierced through the air toward him.
Nagato's eyes widened. Retracting the dragon spirits, he unleashed the most powerful Shinra Tensei he could muster, flooding it with overwhelming chakra.
A terrifying force, irresistible in its might, swept outward in all directions. It was like a transparent wall of glass pushed by divine hands, moving at incredible speed, sealing off everything in its path before slamming forward with unmatched power.
Closest to him, Shisui's spear tip was crushed into nothingness by the repelling force, which then smashed into Susanoo's body and sent him flying with ease.
Itachi, the Konoha ninja moving toward Kushina, Minato watching for an opening, the corpses littering the ground, the gravely injured... everything, everyone, even the air itself was hurled away.
This Shinra Tensei was stronger and fiercer than ever before.
A bird flying overhead shattered into a mist of blood, like a mosquito swatted by an invisible glass pane, carried along with the dust and debris toward other parts of Konoha.
Only Kushina, held fast by the Gedo Statue's chains, and the dragon spirits remained unaffected.
Every Konoha ninja present was blasted away by the Shinra Tensei.
The force wasn't just overwhelming, it was incredibly fast, quickly reaching the outer ranks of Konoha's defenders. Buildings crumbled into rubble, swept together into a mass, shoved farther away by an unseen shovel.
No human screams could be heard...
Because the deafening roar of the power that reshaped Konoha's very terrain swallowed the cries of pain and terror before they could escape anyone's lips.
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Currently on Chapter 598 - Two Kage Left