"Hmm?!"
"What kind of technique is this?!"
"It can actually sever my connection to the Pure Land?!"
The Sage of Six Paths, now enveloped within a layer of purple light, displayed a rare expression of panic.
The purple barrier took the shape of a massive quadrangular prism, extending from the ground to over a thousand meters into the sky. Its surface was covered with intricate patterns of sealing scripts, faintly glowing and flickering unpredictably, giving the barrier an eerie and mysterious aura.
"Heh!"
"To think you could draw power directly from the Pure Land and infuse it into yourself..."
"No wonder, even without Natural Energy or the Tailed Beasts, you could still fight me on equal footing."
"And now?"
"I doubt you'll even be able to maintain that Susano'o for much longer!"
Sōmi sneered coldly as he spoke.
So, the source of the Sage of Six Paths' power was the Pure Land!
In Sōmi's understanding, the Sage's Ninshū included a technique that allowed Chakra to be "gathered" and formed into a "hand," which could then be passed to others or himself.
It seemed that after lingering in the Pure Land for so many years, the Sage had unknowingly turned it into his personal stronghold.
He could manipulate the souls of past Kage-level shinobi who "ascended" to the Pure Land after death. As for Indra and Asura, who reincarnated repeatedly, it was hard to believe the Sage hadn't meddled in their cycles of rebirth.
However, the renowned and powerful souls appeared to be permanently trapped in the Pure Land, serving as the Sage's "reserve forces."
As for the countless weaker shinobi, they were likely used as "fertilizer" for the Pure Land or as the Sage's personal "power bank."
The Sage's expression turned icy and terrifying. Without uttering another word, he drew the remaining giant blade in his right hand and swung it directly at Sōmi.
Two of the statue's arms crossed together, blocking the blade's downward strike.
Clang!!
A deafening metallic screech echoed as sparks flew in all directions. The Sage's Susano'o dragged its massive blade along the statue's arm, attempting to slice toward the central head.
"Hah!"
"Is this what desperation looks like?"
"Manipulating life and death, defying the natural order of cause and effect."
"Treating countless living beings as mere fodder, devouring the souls of the deceased to create your so-called Pure Land paradise?"
"A failure who couldn't bring peace to the world in life, and even in death, you refuse to rest, instead choosing to plague another realm!"
"Is this why so many 'evil gods' have emerged in this world?!"
"Hahaha!"
"Useless in life, tainting the Pure Land in death..."
"Sage of Six Paths, you and your Ōtsutsuki clan are all the same—incapable, selfish, arrogant, and foolish. You stand on a false moral high ground, using the name of divinity to commit petty and despicable acts!"
Sōmi's voice thundered as he berated the Sage. He had finally pieced together the critical truths about the Pure Land.
At this moment, all that remained in Sōmi's heart toward the Sage of Six Paths was disdain and loathing.
Suddenly—
Buzz!!!
A sharper metallic hum resounded.
Sōmi manipulated the other three arms of his statue to directly "grasp" the massive blade.
Whoosh!
The friction between the vibrating blade and the golden hands generated intense flames, but the combined strength of the three hands forcibly halted the blade's momentum.
With a sudden pull, the Sage's Susano'o was yanked forward by the overwhelming force.
Without hesitation, the statue's remaining arm, which had been poised to strike, unleashed a devastating punch toward the Susano'o's chest, carrying a surge of white energy.
Boom!
The violent sonic boom and shockwave rippled outward. The statue's four arms worked in unison, pulling and tearing at the Susano'o while delivering meteoric punches to its chest.
The Sage of Six Paths, momentarily stunned by the relentless assault, finally regained his composure. He commanded his Susano'o to release its grip on the blade, which was firmly held by Sōmi's statue.
However, Sōmi had anticipated this move. The moment the Susano'o let go of the blade, the statue accelerated, not only seizing the released weapon but also ducking, retracting its fists, and closing in on the Susano'o.
Like a seasoned boxer, the statue unleashed a series of explosive punches with its four fists, aiming directly at the Susano'o's jaw.
Boom!!!
Even the thousand-meter-tall Susano'o paled in comparison to this overwhelming force. The entire structure was briefly sent flying backward.
But Sōmi's assault did not stop there.
He manipulated the statue to charge forward, locking its arms around the unbalanced Susano'o and slamming it into the ground.
Crash!
The earth trembled violently, as if a mountain had collapsed. A thick cloud of dust rose high into the air, obscuring the pitiful state of the Susano'o.
"Ugh!"
"This guy!"
The Sage's consciousness began to blur. When he tried to command his Susano'o to stand up, he discovered that its limbs were firmly pinned to the ground by Sōmi's statue.
"What is he planning..."
"This power!!!"
Suddenly, the Sage's Rinnegan widened in shock.
The three heads of Sōmi's statue began to rotate, their mouths opening wider and wider as they turned.
What happened next was astonishing—the three heads ultimately "merged" into one, with the central head, resembling a wrathful Vajra, as the dominant form.
The mouth of the merged head opened to its fullest extent, and a blinding white light began to condense within. As the light grew brighter, the aura it emitted became increasingly overwhelming.
"Sage Art: Brahma Saint's Extreme Scolding Divine Light!"
Biu!
A cylindrical beam of intense white light shot out, engulfing the head of the Sage's Susano'o entirely.
Boom!!!
It was as if a celestial deity had struck the earth with a massive hammer. Rocks and dust erupted into the air, only to be instantly consumed and obliterated by the white light.
The ground quaked continuously, as if the very planet could not withstand the sheer force of the attack, groaning under the strain.
Crack~ Crack~
The purple barrier that Sōmi had erected earlier began to fracture under the immense power. Cracks spread across its surface, and the once flickering purple seals now shone brightly, as if making a final stand before dimming one by one.
Clang!
A crisp sound of shattering glass echoed.
The purple barrier disintegrated entirely, and the unrestrained tremors of the earth spread unchecked in all directions.
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