"Storm Release: Judgment!"
The young man's shout rang out on the ring in Izayoi's mansion.
A huge beam of light shot out, striking the transparent barrier wall violently. Then it reshaped and shrank into a line, carrying terrifying cutting power and speed, slicing through the raised circular ring and Izayoi's wooden clone in half.
After the Storm Release light disappeared, the barrier surrounding the ring slowly faded.
The severely damaged ring also collapsed.
"Not bad… You've mastered Storm Release: Judgment so quickly. Looks like your Sharingan has developed well." Izayoi clapped.
"Tsk… It still took a lot just to take down one of your wooden clones." Uchiha Sasuke pouted, slightly embarrassed, but clearly in a good mood.
Even though it was just a wooden clone, and he only won thanks to a clever tactic using Storm Release: Judgment at the last second, after so many years, he had finally defeated Izayoi—at least once.
"Being able to destroy one of my wooden clones is already impressive," Izayoi admitted honestly, even though the clone was rather weakened.
"Can I kill that man now with my current strength?" Sasuke asked hopefully, his eyes full of anticipation.
"It's difficult."
Izayoi shook his head and began explaining Uchiha Itachi's strength to Sasuke. He spoke slowly, "According to the intelligence gathered by the village, the Mangekyō Sharingan not only has stronger perception and copying abilities than the Three Tomoe Sharingan, but the illusion abilities have also advanced significantly—it can even control Tailed Beasts and Jinchūriki."
"And that's just its basic ability. What makes the Mangekyō Sharingan legendary is that its user will gain a special and powerful technique in both eyes."
"When the user becomes familiar with both abilities, they can unlock the hidden third power—that's also the reason the Shura of the Ninja World, Uchiha Madara, could rival the God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama: Susanoo."
"Susanoo?" Sasuke raised his eyebrows.
Before he could ask further, Izayoi smiled and said, "You know about that big battle a few days ago, right?"
"Yeah!" Sasuke nodded seriously. Not just him—even among ordinary people, from the elderly to little children who could barely understand anything, everyone knew about the new age's "Valley of the End Battle."
Many people had even traveled across countries to the Land of Rain to see the ruined battlefield, just like they once visited the Valley of the End to see the stone statues.
"The Susanoo of the Uchiha clan is also known as the power of a god—anyone who sees it will die." Izayoi laughed. "Susanoo is what corresponds to the wooden Buddha statue you saw in that battle."
Hearing that, Sasuke's pupils shrank suddenly. His eyes trembled as he asked in disbelief, "Are you… joking? The Mangekyō Sharingan can really do that?"
"Of course—if you have enough pupil power." Izayoi explained in simple terms. "Wood Release is driven by Yang Release chakra. The more you have, the greater and more powerful the trees you produce. As long as my chakra, and my mastery of nature and shape transformation meet the requirement, I can also create Buddha statues of that scale."
"Similarly, Susanoo is based on Yin Release chakra. It materializes Yin chakra into the shape of a giant. If your Yin chakra is strong enough, the giant you create will be even bigger."
"If your Yin chakra is infinite, you can even build one larger than the wooden Buddha statue in the photo."
"On the other hand, if your Yin chakra is weak, then you won't be able to form the full body. At most, you'll get the skeleton or half-body. That's why Susanoo has stages."
"Only a complete giant form is the real Susanoo."
"I see…" Sasuke instantly understood and said, "So that's why he wants to get the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan—he's after endless pupil power. Just like Uchiha Madara, who could bring out a full-body Susanoo to rival the God of Shinobi."
"Maybe." Izayoi shrugged, not planning to tell the cruel truth just yet.
"Then do I have to awaken Mangekyō Sharingan before I can get revenge on that guy?" Sasuke asked, unwilling to accept it. His pride had just swelled, only to be deflated again by Izayoi's explanation.
"Not really," Izayoi smiled. "Itachi awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan when you were seven. Unless he also transplanted Hashirama's cells, his pupil power has been wearing down every time he uses it. Right now, he might not even be able to summon half a Susanoo."
"The only things worth fearing are the illusion abilities of the Mangekyō and his left and right eye techniques."
"If you master the Sage Mode from Ryuchi Cave, or use the Super Hurricane Ball to fuse three chakra natures into the Dust Release, you'll be strong enough to face him."
Izayoi continued, "If you want to play it safer, I suggest you master both before going after him."
"Alright. Then teach me Dust Release." Sasuke replied confidently.
"I'm a little busy right now, so why don't you head to Ryuchi Cave first and learn Sage Mode from Orochimaru." Izayoi rolled his eyes.
Right after speaking, Izayoi raised an eyebrow.
Noticing the change in his expression, Sasuke asked, "What's wrong?"
"My Wood Clone just sent a message. Something's happened to Orochimaru. I'll go check it out."
Leaving only that sentence, Izayoi vanished.
Sasuke's pupils contracted. "Flying Thunder God… this guy Izayoi…"
After the recent legendary battle, things like the Rinnegan, the Wood Release, and the Flying Thunder God Technique had all become hot topics.
Sasuke, of course, recognized that this was a time-space ninjutsu.
But he didn't suspect Izayoi was "Otsutsuki Toneri." As Izayoi's best friend—and adopted son—Sasuke knew Izayoi had the right to read the Sealed Book at will.
What shocked him was Izayoi's talent for ninjutsu.
Not only had he mastered five nature transformations and their combinations, but he also learned the Flying Thunder God, which only three people had ever used…
A truly terrifying genius!
…
In an underground base in the Land of Rice Fields.
Inside a lab, Orochimaru, who had been analyzing the White Zetsu cells in his body with Kabuto Yakushi, was now sweating.
He stared at the three figures who had appeared suddenly—especially the red-haired youth in the center—and laughed hoarsely, "I didn't expect a small fry like me to draw out the true leader of Akatsuki. I'm honored."
"Orochimaru, you can't escape." White Zetsu grinned playfully. "Pain's Six Paths have already set up the Four Red Yang Formation outside. Unless you know Flying Thunder God, you're not going anywhere."
Orochimaru fell silent, then looked at Nagato—who now appeared only a little older than when he first knew him—and sighed, "I didn't expect those three kids to grow so powerful."
He gave up trying to flee. Unless Ryuchi Cave summoned him with reverse summoning, he had no hope of escaping the ninja god of this generation—Nagato.
Besides, the masked man clearly used space-time ninjutsu.
Akatsuki was far more dangerous than he'd imagined.
Just when Orochimaru was ready to accept death, Nagato spoke slowly, "Orochimaru-senpai, by Akatsuki rules, traitors are killed and their rings reclaimed. But for Jiraiya's sake, if you give me the Hashirama cells, I'll spare your life."
That was why Nagato had come personally.
If Pain had come instead, he would have executed Orochimaru to preserve the divine image of Yahiko. He'd use the Human Path to rip out his soul and the Animal Path to retrieve the cells.
In Izayoi's past life, this would've been called split personality disorder.
Orochimaru was surprised. He hadn't expected the leader of Akatsuki—the one who even made members wear uniform nail polish—to speak so kindly.
He smiled cautiously, "So you came for Hashirama's cells. That's fine. Let my men go first, and I'll give them to you."
Seeing that Orochimaru valued his subordinates, Nagato smiled too. Then he added, "You don't need to worry. My Rinnegan has an ability called the Human Path that reads thoughts by extracting souls, and the Animal Path which turns people into puppets to perform summoning."
"So even if you hide the cells in the summoning realm, I can still kill you and use your body to retrieve them."
Orochimaru broke into a cold sweat again.
As long as Kabuto lived, he wasn't afraid to die.
Even if both of them died, the Heaven's Curse Seal on Mitarashi Anko could trigger at death, allowing him to resurrect.
As long as no one discovered that secret, he couldn't truly die.
But now… he was afraid.
If Nagato used soul extraction, all of his secrets would be exposed.
Black Zetsu spoke in a hoarse tone, "It seems this legendary Sannin still has some secrets."
"Chief, how about we read his soul?" White Zetsu grinned.
Nagato looked calm. "Orochimaru-senpai, what's your choice?"
"My choice is… rejection."
A strange voice answered for Orochimaru.
Under their gazes, a branch rose beside Orochimaru and quickly formed into Izayoi.
"You are…"
Nagato narrowed his eyes.
White Zetsu was the first to identify him. "Konoha's Wood Release ninja… Izayoi."
"Izayoi-kun!"
Seeing him appear, Orochimaru was rarely moved. He'd been a woman in his last body, but now felt like a damsel rescued by a hero.
"Orochimaru-senpai, you looked scared." Izayoi teased.
"Heh, don't laugh. Besides you and Otsutsuki Toneri, I think anyone would be scared in front of this era's ninja god."
"You passed through the Four Red Yang Formation with Wood Release?"
Nagato looked slightly surprised, then praised, "Even as a clone, you have such chakra reserves. You truly are the orthodox Wood Release user."
"I'm flattered to be praised by the savior." Izayoi replied playfully.
Nagato didn't mind, but asked, "Orochimaru is a Konoha S-rank missing-nin. Why are you, the future Sixth Hokage, associating with him? Is his status fake?"
"Missing-nin aren't unforgivable," Izayoi smiled. "Orochimaru-senpai is a scientific genius we only see once in a thousand years. You can't kill him."
"…Izayoi-kun…"
Orochimaru didn't expect such high praise from him.
From the way Izayoi spoke, he was clearly planning to pardon Orochimaru after becoming Hokage.
Nagato didn't look down on Izayoi, even though he'd only sent a clone. He repeated, "If Orochimaru gives me the Hashirama cells, I'll let him go. That's my promise."
The promise of the strongest ninja today was no less than that of Hashirama Senju.
Especially when it came from Nagato instead of Tendo Pain—it felt more persuasive.
Orochimaru made his choice. He was ready to hand over his last trump card to sever ties with Akatsuki.
But just then, Izayoi said, "Hashirama cells? Don't you already have a bunch?"
He turned his gaze from Nagato to the silent figure who hadn't spoken the entire time—Uchiha Obito.
Izayoi smiled playfully. "Half his body is made of Hashirama cells. Just draw a few tubes from him and your Wood Release will level up for sure… Right, Uchiha Obito?"
Nagato: "?"
Black and White Zetsu: "?!"
Uchiha Obito: "?!!!"