Kitagawa Minamoto had always been aware of Nagato's immense potential.
Moreover, he believed that it wasn't just him—Black Zetsu and Madara Uchiha were likely well aware of this fact too.
"For Nagato to be forced into using White Zetsu cells to enhance his strength, it seems my relentless attacks have truly shaken them."
Kitagawa Minamoto was self-aware enough to admit it. After being beaten down by him repeatedly, anyone's mental state would crumble.
"And now, with the addition of White Zetsu cells, Nagato does seem significantly stronger."
As Kitagawa Minamoto engaged in combat with Nagato, he couldn't help but evaluate the latter's current abilities.
Very strong.
That much was undeniable!
With the Asura bloodline and the ability to withstand the power of the Rinnegan, Nagato's physical constitution had now surpassed imagination.
If the old Nagato had to sacrifice his own life force to use large-scale techniques like Shinra Tensei or Chibaku Tensei,
Now, Kitagawa estimated that these techniques would only place a heavier burden on him, without the fatal consequences.
However—
"For others, he might be a tough opponent, but for 'Ōtsutsuki Minamoto-shiki,' he's still..."
Kitagawa Minamoto shook his head. Not just as Minamoto-shiki, even his original self found Nagato manageable, though slightly troublesome.
But the foundation of the Ōtsutsuki bloodline was solid; it was just a matter of being "slightly troublesome."
Boom—
Boom—
Boom—
The deafening sounds of battle echoed continuously. Even the most basic taijutsu exchanges between Kitagawa Minamoto and Nagato caused unimaginable destruction.
From within Takigakure to its outskirts, their clashes left devastation in their wake.
Towers, houses, mountains, forests—everything crumbled and shattered upon contact with their power.
"Are these two monsters?"
The village leader and elders of Takigakure stared in disbelief at the chaos caused by the two combatants.
When the battle broke out, they had already begun evacuating.
Watching them tear through mountains and hearing the deafening roars, they realized there was no room for compromise.
These two were truly fighting to the death!
It wasn't just them; fierce battles were raging throughout Takigakure, leaving the villagers in despair.
The Tailed Beast was something they didn't want to give up.
For years, the deterrent power of the Tailed Beast had allowed them to remain unscathed during the ninja world wars.
But now, it seemed their possession of the Tailed Beast had turned into a death sentence...
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Regardless of what they thought, the battle showed no signs of stopping. Kitagawa Minamoto and Nagato fought with increasing ferocity!
"You can't deal with me the way you did before, Kitagawa Minamoto!"
Nagato, though enraged by Kitagawa Minamoto's verbal taunts, couldn't deny the fury burning within him.
"Is that so?"
Kitagawa Minamoto tilted his head and leapt into the air.
Dodging a massive boulder hurled by Nagato, he landed atop it and shook his head.
"Haven't you noticed? I haven't even used any techniques yet."
"You're holding back to avoid damaging Takigakure, aren't you?"
Nagato's expression was cold as he accelerated toward him.
"Don't pretend to care about them. You're only doing it for appearances! The pain you've caused is beyond words!"
"Then why haven't you resurrected Yahiko?"
Kitagawa Minamoto raised an eyebrow, asking curiously once more, which only fueled Nagato's anger.
"Die!"
Nagato roared, charging forward. But in that instant, his eyes narrowed.
Kitagawa Minamoto had vanished, and not far away, a powerful surge of chakra was brewing!
"You call me pretentious? Then what about you? Why won't you answer my question about resurrecting Yahiko?"
Kitagawa Minamoto's voice echoed from the distance.
Looking over, Nagato saw a white column of light quietly forming in Kitagawa's hand.
"This only proves that even you don't dare to face the truth. So, the truly pretentious one is you, Nagato."
Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World!
"Shut up!"
Nagato shouted angrily, raising both hands.
"That technique is useless against me. Shinra Tensei!"
The column of light collided heavily with the visible energy wave, triggering a series of ear-piercing explosions!
The intense blasts spread outward rapidly, illuminating the surroundings with flickering firelight and rolling smoke, creating a scene reminiscent of hell.
Amid the chaos, Nagato remained vigilant, scanning his surroundings.
Though he hadn't fought Kitagawa Minamoto many times, he knew this man was someone who would use any means necessary.
Kitagawa Minamoto never missed an opportunity, and a moment of carelessness could lead to ruin!
"Is it coming?"
Suddenly, Nagato felt the ground tremble beneath him and immediately understood what was happening.
Boom—
In the aftermath of the explosion, another thunderous roar erupted.
Nagato pressed his hand to the ground, causing the earth to rise beneath him!
The sudden upheaval formed a small mountain, with countless vines below surging toward him.
"Hmph, I knew it."
Nagato snorted coldly.
Seeing the vines spreading relentlessly, he leapt into the air, activating the power of his Rinnegan.
"Summoning Technique!"
With a burst of energy, several summoned beasts appeared.
But just as they emerged, they were immediately ensnared by the vines!
"Absorbing chakra?"
Nagato noticed the beasts' anguished cries as their chakra drained away like a flood.
The vines continued to intertwine and converge, forming a massive forest in no time.
Roar—
At that moment, a deafening roar echoed from the sky.
Kitagawa Minamoto stood atop a colossal wooden dragon, charging toward Nagato.
"So this is Wood Release?"
Feeling the oppressive aura emanating from the wooden dragon, Nagato began to understand why Hashirama Senju was held in such high regard.
The sheer impact of the dragon, combined with the encroaching vines below, was enough to overwhelm even a ninja village!
"But don't underestimate me!"
Taking a deep breath, Nagato maneuvered through the air with agility.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The wooden dragon and vines relentlessly struck the ground, sending smoke and dust flying.
The deafening roars were overwhelming, but Nagato had gathered the chakra he needed.
He suddenly raised his head, his eyes cold as he lifted his hand.
"Now, let me show you the power I possess!"
Nagato's voice was filled with murderous intent as a massive repulsive force erupted from his palm.
"Super Shinra Tensei!"
Nagato unleashed the technique that had once destroyed Konohagakure—Super Shinra Tensei.
But this time, it wasn't through the Deva Path, but directly from himself!
While the Rinnegan's control was formidable, transferring power through black rods inevitably led to energy loss.
Moreover—
Yahiko's body couldn't withstand such immense power, even after modifications.
The limitations of bloodlines dictated the upper limits of their abilities, an unchangeable fact.
Thus, when Nagato himself performed Super Shinra Tensei, its power was even greater and more terrifying!
Buzz—
In an instant, an overwhelming repulsive force swept across the landscape!
"Oh? So that's how you want to play?"
Standing atop the wooden dragon, Kitagawa Minamoto watched Nagato's actions.
Feeling the tidal wave of destructive energy, he tilted his head.
If he were Ōtsutsuki Minamoto-shiki, he could have easily countered Nagato's attack with a Shinra Tensei of his own.
But unfortunately, that wasn't an option right now.
Still—
"Over the years, I haven't just benefited from Ōtsutsuki's power. I've truly mastered the planet's energy too."
Kitagawa Minamoto raised his hand slightly, and his chakra surged wildly.
At the same time, the wooden dragon connected with the vines below, channeling a torrent of energy toward him.
The overwhelming force caused the dragon and vines to begin disintegrating, but as the energy converged in Kitagawa's hand, everything seemed to stabilize.
Soon, a Rasengan formed in his palm.
And as the Rasengan took shape, faint phenomena seemed to ripple around it.
"Rasengan? But it doesn't seem quite like one..."
Nagato, though panting, couldn't understand what Kitagawa Minamoto was doing.
But he could sense the terrifying nature of this Rasengan.
"Three years have brought significant changes to you, but..."
Kitagawa Minamoto grinned as he faced the approaching repulsive force, shimmering faintly with an eerie glow.
"Three years of growth haven't been exclusive to you. Even with the Rinnegan..."
"My style has always been above yours!"
"?"
Nagato couldn't comprehend the meaning behind Kitagawa Minamoto's words.
But in the next moment, he saw the Rasengan in Kitagawa's hand, rippling with strange patterns, suddenly thrust forward to meet his repulsive force.
Buzz—
As the two unique powers clashed, the world seemed to transform in an instant!
The repulsive force and the spiraling Rasengan intertwined, causing visible distortions in the surrounding space.
The extreme forces pulled against each other, creating explosive sounds that echoed through the air.
The ground trembled violently, unable to withstand the pressure.
Under the collision of these two forces, rivers were blocked, cliffs were severed, and the earth was torn apart.
Boom—
Finally, when the clash reached its peak, a massive explosion shook the land!
The earth collapsed abruptly, accompanied by a cloud of smoke and debris.
The giant rocks that had just been launched into the air were instantly crushed into fine dust.
A massive, winding canyon formed beneath their feet!
A colossal mushroom cloud rose silently, seemingly poised to swallow everything around it.
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(End of Chapter)