"Nian?"
"Uchiha Nian?"
Tsunade and Jiraiya, who were at a distance, both froze, their expressions shifting from panic to astonishment. Jiraiya even rubbed his eyes, doubting whether he was seeing clearly.
Seeing Nian here was indeed an incredible sight.
"It's me," Nian nodded, his voice still gentle.
"How did you…?" Tsunade's cheeks flushed, a hint of barely noticeable joy flickering in her gaze.
"I came to help a friend, but seeing you in danger…" Nian suddenly tilted his head, "If I save you, Konoha will owe me a huge favor, right?"
On the other side, the Four-Tails scratched its head, unable to understand why its technique had vanished into thin air. But it quickly shook off its confusion and let out an angry roar toward Uchiha Nian.
"Let's catch up later."
Nian turned to face the massive form of the Four-Tails, his crimson eyes beginning to glow ominously.
Before the Four-Tails realized what was happening, its colossal eyeballs reflected the illusion of the Sharingan.
The moment their eyes met, Nian poured his chakra into his eyes, casting a genjutsu that sent the Four-Tails into a stupor.
The air fell into an eerie silence.
Jiraiya, Tsunade, and even Fukasaku, who stood nearby, were all stunned, their eyes wide open.
They couldn't comprehend how the Tailed Beast, which had exhausted all their strength to defeat, could be subdued by Nian with just a fleeting glance…
Yet, in the next moment, the Four-Tails suddenly moved again, the illusion in its eyes disappearing as it regained clarity, displaying a flicker of human-like awareness.
It looked at its hands in bewilderment before scanning its surroundings, seemingly assessing the situation.
"It seems my uncle was right; ordinary genjutsu is ineffective against Jinchūriki," Nian said, crossing his arms and gazing up at the towering behemoth before him. "You… must be Old Purple, right?"
The Four-Tails hesitated slightly, a look of seriousness peeking through its gaze.
Currently, the one controlling the body was indeed Old Purple's soul.
As an imperfect Jinchūriki, he had already lost consciousness the moment he fully transformed, allowing his spirit to be consumed by the Four-Tails' raging chakra, like a lonely boat tossed about on stormy seas.
It was only when Nian's genjutsu hypnotized the Four-Tails' mind that he had the chance to break free, as if the light of dawn had finally illuminated his spirit.
Since it was like this…
Old Purple didn't hesitate; a fierce flow of energy erupted from his body, transforming into a violent wind that swept in all directions.
To him, everyone present was an enemy; killing them all was the only correct answer.
Whether it was the Four-Tails executing the attack or he doing it himself, it didn't matter!
The wind howled as Tsunade crossed her arms defensively in front of her, her twin ponytails disrupted by the gale, dancing like two light golden ribbons in the storm.
Struggling to lift her head, she saw Nian standing straight, his black hair and clothing billowing, resembling a banner standing firm in the wind, unwavering.
"Lava Release: Flower Fruit Mountain!"
The Four-Tails pressed its hands to the ground, and with a visible ripple, the surrounding earth began to sink, turning inch by inch black, until bright red flames ignited in the darkness, creating a sea of lava that boiled over with bubbling heat.
Nian's gaze darted, and through the lens of his kaleidoscope Sharingan, he could see the violent energy brewing beneath the lava, as if it was about to erupt at any second and engulf the entire land in flames.
He wasted no time; focusing his pupils, he aimed at the lava beneath the Four-Tails' feet.
"Amaterasu!"
A jet-black flame ignited the lava, bursting upwards like ink spilled in clear water, rapidly spreading!
Amaterasu, the eternal flame that never extinguishes before incinerating its target, could burn everything, and during the combustion process, its effectiveness doubled.
In an instant, the sea of lava transformed into a deep abyss of black flames, extinguishing the energy brewing below.
As an experienced ninja, Old Purple sensed the danger the moment he spotted the black flames, leaping away in an agile motion, descending like a monkey on a tree.
If this technique were executed with the Four-Tails in control, it would surely have been hit by Amaterasu.
"No! This person is too ominous; I must end this battle quickly! Delays could lead to problems!"
Old Purple fixed his gaze on the youth below, a dangerous gleam flashing in his eyes.
Without hesitation, he manipulated the Four-Tails to raise its neck, opening its mouth wide as a terrifying and heavy energy began to gather within. Four long tails swirled around like kneading dough.
Tailed Beast Ball!
The air suddenly stagnated; red and blue chakra gathered atop the Four-Tails, gradually forming a purple-black sphere.
With the appearance of this black ball, a threatening aura enveloped the battlefield!
"Oh no, it's the Tailed Beast Ball!" Tsunade took two steps back, breathing rapidly.
Jiraiya and Fukasaku shared the same helplessness, watching as the ball grew larger, feeling a wave of despair surge within.
Nian stepped forward, splitting his legs as they stood amidst the chilling rain.
It was well-known that both the Sharingan and Wood Release naturally suppressed the Tailed Beasts, as if there were an elemental counter.
Fortunately, Nian possessed both of these powers.
"Wood Release: All-Bag Technique!" He formedhand seals and slammed his palms together.
"Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!"
The ground cracked as four thick wooden vines burst from the earth, transforming mid-air into enormous, solid wooden hands that grasped the Four-Tails' four tails, yanking them with immense force.
The Four-Tails fell back onto the ground, the amassed energy losing its balance; the half-formed Tailed Beast Ball shattered with a loud bang!
Old Purple grew furious, swinging a fist to shatter one wooden hand and taking the chance to free one of his tails.
Nian would not give him that opportunity; instantly erupting with chakra, he clapped his hands together.
"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"
The damaged wooden hand branches surged, expanding significantly until they morphed into a gigantic wood dragon, matching the size of the Four-Tails. As soon as it appeared, it coiled around the beast's robust body tightly.
Nian gasped for air, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, then washed away by the rain. Shouting, he summoned another wood dragon that rose from the ground, opening its massive jaws to bite down on the Four-Tails' neck!
His breaths were heavy; it was evident that this technique had drained a considerable amount of energy from him.
"Ah ah ah ah ah!"
The chakra continued to burst forth, the wood dragon constricting the Four-Tails' body, suppressing it while continuously absorbing the Tailed Beast's chakra. As their energies waned and surged, the Four-Tails' struggles gradually weakened.
Before long, the Four-Tails ceased to thrash about, its Tailed Beast chakra receding like a tide, its gigantic form gradually shrinking until it reverted back to Old Purple's appearance, held in the mouth of the wood dragon.
The heavy rain continued to fall, and the battle came to a quiet end.
Nian let out a small sigh of relief; as he straightened up, he felt a warm and soft embrace envelop him, two pale arms wrapping around his waist.