"You're destroying the very foundation of the Ninja World!"
As three elite units of the Shogunate Ninja Force were deployed to the battlefield, Asura took a brief moment of safety to angrily accuse.
"The foundation of the Ninja World has always been ninja themselves, not those lofty, self-righteous Yil beings."
Hyuga Soushu pointed his Torch Pole toward Asura again, his icy gaze brimming with cold-blooded killing intent. "Since neither you nor they are willing to submit or die, I'm honestly at a loss."
"Hmph!"
Asura rarely laughed coldly, but spat out a mouthful of blood this time. "Relying on you? Then the Ninja World might as well wait to be destroyed by outsiders from beyond our skies!"
"Outsiders..."
Hyuga Soushu's eyelids flickered slightly, though he didn't show any overly obvious reaction.
Moreover, he had noticed something unusual—the chakra signature of this Jiraiya had completely shifted, and he seemed to know far more than he did before.
Initially, he thought maybe the Toad Sage from Mount Myoboku had stuffed another toad's soul into Jiraiya's body, but now it seemed more likely that someone had fished out a strong warrior's spirit and fused it with Jiraiya's residual spirit.
However, exactly which era's soul had been implanted into Jiraiya's body was something Hyuga Soushu couldn't determine.
After all, Mount Myoboku, which had carried on its legacy for many years, must possess some hidden depths, and even among the Chijinkai (Earth Crawlers) bound by summoning contracts, their accumulated numbers over the years surely weren't few.
"You sure seem to know more than you should!"
Asura immediately caught the subtle shift in Hyuga Soushu's expression and became visibly excited right away. "You must definitely have connections with some indescribable entities!"
"Utter absurdity!"
Unwilling to waste more words, Hyuga Soushu stomped his foot and charged forward once again.
"Damn it!"
This time, Asura chose not to dodge—because Hyuga Soushu hadn't used his eerie Body Flicker Technique yet—and instead gathered chakra in both arms, ready for close combat once more.
This wasn't stubbornness—it was calculation. He knew his ninjutsu couldn't match Hyuga Soushu's blinding speed, so instead of wasting chakra, he opted to take the fight straight into close combat.
Even so, Asura himself clearly knew that the fundamental reason he had sustained injuries earlier was simply because he was inferior in skill.
But true to his nature, Asura still wanted to push forward with all-out combat to see if a turning point might emerge—at the very least, he'd wait and see how the clash between the Three Great Sages played out before deciding his next move.
Meanwhile, just as Hyuga Soushu and Asura entered into another round of combat, the Toad Sage—who had been locked in relentless combat with the Slug Sage—grew increasingly frantic.
Right under his nose, the ninja frogs belonging to the Mount Myoboku lineage were being brutally slaughtered by the Shogunate Ninja Force.
The sacred Holy Place Mount Myoboku (the sacred dwelling of the toads) had now become a filthy and bloody battlefield, littered with the corpses of ninja frogs—an unspeakably tragic scene.
The sight of each fallen ninja frog gnawed at the Toad Sage's soul.
What enraged it the most was that the Three Sacred Priestesses of Ryuchi Cave clearly seemed hesitant, holding back their full strength as if merely going through the motions at this critical moment!
Therefore, even though White Snake Sage had already unleashed his most powerful Sage Art techniques in fierce combat against Slug Sage, Toad Sage still felt uneasy inside.
The last time at Shikkotsu Forest, he had deserted White Snake Sage when things went wrong. If now White Snake Sage were to turn the tables using the same methods against him, Mount Myoboku would be facing massive troubles!
Yet no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't change a thing.
Because just after a brief moment of distraction, under the attacks from three newly deployed battalions of the Shogunate's Direct-Control Ninja Units, the Expeditionary Ninja Forces began completely overwhelming the battlefield like a rolling snowball!
[Ninja Frogs dropped like flies!]
Simultaneously, as the Expeditionary Ninja Force gained more advantage, their sweeping speed increased further!
Under these changing circumstances, it only took less than five minutes from when the three new battalions entered the battlefield until they overwhelmed Mount Myoboku!
You could say everything crumbled like a house of cards!
Witnessing this scene, Toad Sage couldn't help but feel a chilling dread creep up inside.
Although he himself also lacked experience commanding large-scale ninja operations, he could clearly see that the reason for this defeat wasn't because the Mount Myoboku frog ninjas lacked courage in battle—they had fought valiantly until finally overcome by force.
That couldn't be blamed; by the time the frogs began to retreat, the entire situation had already become hopeless. It was simply the defeat came much faster than expected.
Of course, what mattered most was that Senior Toad Sage, the supreme being of Mount Myoboku, couldn't do anything at all!
Even right now, he could only watch helplessly as groups of Shogunate Ninjas gradually surrounded Elder Shima and the Three Sacred Priestesses of Ryuchi Cave under the commands of various Jonin Officers, preparing to trap them like fish in a barrel.
"Should we make a move?" Lady Shichima secretly communicated to Tamayu using a secret technique.
She was feeling nervous too.
After all, the rapid collapse of Mount Myoboku's frog forces had similarly exceeded her expectations. Plus, although individually those Shogunate Ninjas weren't considered threatening by the Three Goddesses, their sheer numbers remained stacked here. Worse yet, once combining their efforts through sealing techniques, even Divine Maidens at the Sage level probably wouldn't walk away unscathed.
"Wait for Master Sage's signal!" Tamayu felt a flicker of interest inside, yet outwardly maintained a calm expression pretending to be gritting her teeth in determination.
"Waiting won't be a good option either," Tachitsuhime stole another glance toward White Snake Sage locked in battle with Slug Sage, growing increasingly anxious inside.
She could clearly sense the sluggishness pervading the air now.
This sensation of stagnation must have come from the special sealing techniques being silently cast by the quietly gathering ninja forces.
After all, among the ranks of these Shogunate Ninjas, there were even a few red-haired Uzumaki Clan Members mixed in. As everyone knew, what the Uzumaki Clan was most famous for across generations was precisely their secret sealing techniques.
"But we can't possibly abandon Master Sage and flee ourselves! Otherwise, Master Sage will definitely never forgive us afterwards!" Tamayu finally spoke out her true feelings.
The other two Divine Maidens immediately shivered involuntarily, further accelerating their Sage Art techniques.
At that moment, a sudden and violent sound rang out—
"Boom!"
The fierce impact sent shockwaves rippling outward in all directions!
In an instant, every fighter on the battlefield turned their gaze toward the source of the noise.
There, Senior Toad Sage disregarded the corrosive mucus on Slug Sage's body and grabbed onto its back, determined to pin him down!
Taking this chance, White Snake Sage broke free from Slug Sage's entanglement. He unleashed a Sage Art technique, summoning a gigantic Earthen Dragon that crashed headlong into the Shogunate Ninja Force!
This was no ordinary Earth Release construct—it was a Sage Art creation formed using Ryuchi Cave's Reincarnation Jutsu!
In a flash, the Earthen Dragon flew into the ranks of the Shogunate Ninja Force, leaving behind only bloodshed and carnage!
Caught completely off guard, the Shogunate Ninja Force sustained heavy casualties.
After all, against a creation by a Great Sage, common Chunin were far too weak—halting it, or even slowing it down slightly, seemed like an impossible dream.
Luckily, Slug Sage quickly broke free from Toad Sage's grasp and once again split into Katsuyu clones to entangle White Snake Sage, preventing further devastation from his Ninjutsu.
Meanwhile, Sanjinki seized this opportunity to rise into the air, planning to launch an aerial attack using Sage Art techniques.
[Purifying Sky Barrier!]
A Uzumaki ninja among the Shogunate Ninja Force shouted loudly. The air instantly thickened, and Sanjinki felt an unbearable pressure weighing on her body. It was as if space itself could no longer support her.
Immediately afterward, several golden chains shot upward, attempting to bind Sanjinki as she began plummeting downward.
On the ground, Elder Shima, surrounded and attacked by five people including Sakumo Hatake, had already fallen into a defensive position.
"Spurt! Spurt! Spurt!"
Hyuga Soushu and Asura clashed head-on for a while, appearing to be evenly matched at first glance.
But Asura still relied purely on his flesh-and-blood body. Even with Chakra manifestation as defense, the sheer force left him battered all over, blood seeping from his mouth.
[Counter Storm!]
After directly repelling Asura's counterattack using Wind Barrier, Hyuga Soushu swung his hammer straight at Asura's face once more!
"Clang!"
At the last possible second, Asura raised both arms just in time, blocking Soushu's ferocious strike.
[Blood Slash!]
Instantly, ripples of red energy expanded outward from Hyuga Soushu.
This time, Asura took half a step back, quickly steadied himself, and charged forward again to engage Hyuga Soushu!
Coincidentally, they were standing right above where the [Watchtower Totem] had been planted!
[Jumping Slash!]
Soushu silently chanted, then like a phantom appeared behind Asura, striking him right at the base of his neck!
"Crack!"
Another crisp sound rang out.
There was nothing better than a solid spine bone!
At this moment, Asura knew there was no hope left for their side.
So in the instant he was sent flying, he proactively activated a secret technique hidden within his body.
[Flying Thunder God Technique!]
Although Asura, as a reincarnated vessel, wasn't particularly proficient in this jutsu originally developed by the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, it was still powerful enough to enable a silent escape through space.
Furthermore, after performing the technique, Asura completely vanished. Even the Hyuga ninja from the reserve unit scanned repeatedly with their Byakugan, but still couldn't locate Jiraiya's whereabouts.
"Fourth and Fifth Platoons, advance!"
Hyuga Soushu didn't bother continuing the pursuit and immediately issued another command: "Everyone else remains in position! Stay alert but don't act rashly. No one is to change combat objectives without direct orders!"
"Yes sir!"
Two platoons from the Shogunate Direct-Control ninja units re-entered the battlefield.
The mountain collapse had become completely unstoppable.
Especially when Hyuga Soushu stepped onto the battlefield, his very first target was Elder Shima, who was desperately struggling.
Before anyone could react, he teleported behind Elder Shima, who was locked in combat with Shogunate ninja, and struck her powerfully, sending her flying!
After all, compared to someone tough-skinned yet fleeing without fighting, Elder Shima was still far inferior.
Immediately after she was sent airborne, the Shogunate ninja sprang into action, launching various techniques in an attempt to seal Elder Shima.
Hyuga Soushu didn't rush in for the kill—because his true objective had always been his greatest enemy!
The battle between the three Great Sages had already reached a fever pitch, and Soushu's arrival created a new breakthrough opportunity.
Noticing his relatively small stature, the Slug Sage promptly launched a clone, which landed gently on Hyuga Soushu's shoulder.
"A fine greeting, Honorable Lady Soushu. Have you come to assist us?"
Small Katsuyu on his shoulder politely asked.
"Yes."
Having landed at the edge of the battlefield, Soushu didn't immediately join the fight. After all, judging by size alone, his attacks would likely feel like mere mosquito bites to such high-level Yil beings as the Great Sages.
"You're very thoughtful, Honorable Lady Soushu," Small Katsuyu continued. "Though with so many subordinates under your command—and even a Tailed Beast Jinchuriki—I believe Small Katsuyu should be..."
The small slug's tentacles pointed toward Bunpuku, the One-Tail Jinchuriki, who was dealing with the giant Gamashichi alongside Shogunate forces.
Its meaning was clear: comparatively, a transformed Jinchuriki would be better suited for a direct confrontation like this.
"If you can cause them significant damage," Soushu said while speaking, "perhaps I could land a killing blow with one strike."
As he spoke, Hyuga Soushu planted the torch pole into the ground and began forming hand seals with somewhat clumsy motions.
"What... this is..."
Small Katsuyu's attention was immediately drawn to Soushu's seals. "Summoning? You're using a Summoning Technique?"
"Precisely!"
Hyuga Soushu nodded, then gathered chakra and slammed his hands onto the earth: [Summoning Art – Demonic Statue of the Outer Path!]
With a burst of smoke, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path—nine-eyed and resembling petrified wood—emerged!
"A corpse!"
"The Ten-Tails!"
"White Snake Sage and Senior Toad Sage were both shocked instantly!
Although they had made various guesses about Hyuga Soushu, they never imagined that the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, which the Sage of Six Paths claimed had been stolen, would actually be in his possession!
Even Bunpuku, who was assisting in suppressing Mount Myōboku's elder toad from afar, almost lost control of his tailed beast due to the Demonic Statue's aura!
[Chakra Dragon!]
Hyuga Soushu didn't know much about the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and with his chakra reserves, he could only activate the most basic attack functions of this statue.
Immediately, a thick chakra dragon flew from the statue's mouth, swirling toward the two startled Great Sages!
"Run!"
Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, White Snake Sage sprang up, then immediately vanished into thin air as a puff of smoke.
Meanwhile, Senior Toad Sage, caught off guard, was directly hit by the chakra dragon. His entire body began wilting rapidly.
Senior Toad Sage felt his life force fading quickly.
At the same time, Slug Sage spat a stream of powerful acid at him, corroding his defensive outer layer into a pitted mess!
[Sage Art: Reanimation Technique!]
Senior Toad Sage roared furiously. Then his skin cracked open and he forcefully shed his outer shell, leaping out as a slightly smaller green-skinned frog!
The discarded shell completely entangled the chakra dragon, temporarily preventing it from launching another attack.
But Hyuga Soushu immediately Body Flickered right onto its head.
[Smite!]
This Summoner Skill claimed its first victory—marking none other than the renowned Senior Toad Sage of the Ninja World.
A red beam of light slashed down overhead. Senior Toad Sage was struck as if by lightning, momentarily paralyzed!
Immediately afterward, Great Katsuyu Sage sprayed mucus and acid again, completely enveloping Senior Toad Sage and pulling him into her mouth.
"Will it hold?"
Hyuga Soushu didn't hurry to press his attack, instead landing squarely atop Elder Katsuyu.
"It might take some time, but I think it'll be okay."
Perhaps because she was stuffed, Great Katsuyu Sage's voice fluctuated unpredictably in volume.
"Good enough then."
Hyuga Soushu forced himself once more to activate the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Another chakra dragon emerged, slightly smaller this time, and shot toward where Hatake Sakumo was battling.
"Get out of here—now!"
As White Snake Sage fled directly, the Three Sacred Priestesses of Ryuchi Cave disappeared one after another.
This chakra dragon naturally targeted Elder Shima, the remaining elder sage of Mount Myōboku.
And her frail body was instantly sucked dry like a withered toad corpse before the Chakra Dragon!
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