belamy20

401-405

Added 2025-05-06 20:26:01 +0000 UTC

Chapter 401: Fatherly Love and Son’s Fist, The "異" Scroll

Six years ago...

Alongside Naruto, a man known as Mukade—who existed in the original timeline—was sent to the past after unsealing the Ryūmyaku (Dragon Vein), effectively becoming a “time traveler.”

Returning to the past, Mukade retained all his memories of the events between Konoha Year 40 and Konoha Year 60. With his advanced puppet techniques and knowledge far beyond the modern era, he assumed the alias “An Lushan” and infiltrated Rōran. Convincing the Queen of Rōran to use the Dragon Vein as an energy source, he helped construct the grand and prosperous "Thousand Towers."

Then...

After assassinating the Queen of Rōran and sidelining her successor, Sara, Mukade gradually seized full control of the nation.

“So,”

“Even before this brat arrived in our time, someone else had already come here six years earlier, running amok in this world.”

“His existence didn’t bring catastrophic danger to this world. In fact, he built a massive city that was never meant to exist. Time travel isn’t as paradoxical as you might think—there are no grandfather paradoxes. Instead, this operates more like a time-space ninjutsu with strict limitations.”

“Naruto, standing here now, will eventually leave this world once a certain condition is met.”

After explaining everything he knew, Shinji turned to Minato.

“So, Minato, perhaps it’s time for you to be honest.”

“Ninjas aren’t creatures that prioritize missions above all else. There’s no need to suppress your emotions. Besides, I’m sure this kid has a lot he wants to say to you.”

With a gentle smile, Shinji gave Naruto a slight push toward Minato.

At that moment, Naruto still found it hard to believe.

“He’s my… father? The Fourth Hokage?”

Minato fell silent.

Truthfully, with his intelligence, he had already deduced most of what Shinji had revealed.

However, he still didn’t know how to face this child he had never met before.

Naruto’s very existence proved that he and Kushina had indeed ended up together, which should have been something joyful.

But the Nine-Tails sealed within Naruto, the marks of the forbidden Reaper Death Seal—only usable at the cost of one’s life—and the chakra remnants of his future self and Kushina within the Eight Trigrams Seal...

And now, the first thing Naruto thought upon seeing him wasn’t recognizing him as family but blurting out:

“The Fourth Hokage.”

These things...

Perhaps, they all told a story filled with regret.

Minato dared not dwell on it further. He was confident that, for the village, he would make choices he wouldn’t regret. But now that he knew everything in advance...

When the moment of decision truly arrived, would he still accept that fate without hesitation?

Minato’s heart wavered.

And when the heart wavers, the unwavering "Will of Fire"—which had burned for over a decade, dedicated to sacrificing everything for Konoha and illuminating the next generation—would inevitably begin to…

Shake.

Naruto, who had been pushed in front of Minato, struggled with his emotions—conflicted, uneasy, and lost.

Then, he lifted his head, his bright blue eyes staring blankly at Minato.

First, he let out an awkward laugh.

Then, tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.

For a moment, he didn’t know whether to feel happy or sad.

Happy—because he had finally met his father.

Sad—because this reunion happened twenty years too late.

His father was Konoha’s hero.

And heroes… sacrifice themselves for the village.

Minato had given his life when Naruto was just born, leaving him to spend these past years alone.

Minato could only offer a wry smile. Seeing the indescribable, complex emotions in Naruto’s gaze, he reached up, removed the mask from his face, and revealed features that were nearly identical to Naruto’s—down to the same deep blue eyes.

Looking at that face, Naruto finally realized—this was real.

He swallowed hard, his lips trembling as he stared at Minato.

And then, he spoke:

“Dad?”

“Um…”

“Did you know, Dad? For over ten years, people have called me the ‘Demon Fox.’ I…”

Minato’s expression darkened with guilt.

“Shinji was right. You are my son.”

“If people knew you were my child…”

“There would have been many dangers coming your way. I…”

But before Minato could finish, Naruto suddenly lowered his head and interrupted him in a muffled voice.

“Too late.”

“Hm?” Minato was slightly stunned.

The next second—

BAM!

Naruto, head down, clenched his right fist and delivered a powerful uppercut straight to Minato’s gut!

Minato’s eyes widened in shock as the force struck him squarely in the stomach.

Meanwhile...

Shinji, the orchestrator of this scene, gradually revealed a satisfied smile.

“Here it is, here it is!”

“This is it—the ‘Fatherly Love and Son’s Fist’ moment!”

Rubbing his chin, he watched Minato—who had taken the punch head-on, his expression shifting through various emotions before settling into a silent sigh.

“Now that Minato knows the future, he shouldn’t repeat the same foolish decision during the Nine-Tails’ attack…”

Nearby, floating in midair, Sasori’s expression remained unchanged. However, as he glanced at Shinji, a trace of disdain flashed across his face.

“What a waste of time. I can’t believe you find this entertaining.”

“And to think, you even stopped me from extracting the Nine-Tails from this brat.”

There was a faint hint of frustration in his voice.

As he glanced at the father and son finally having their moment, Shinji turned back toward Sasori and took note of the elaborate Tailed Beast Reaction Core embedded in his chest. He more or less figured out why Sasori was here—and why he suddenly decided to make a move on Naruto.

But the Dragon Vein was crucial for perfecting his new Sage Art and capturing the White Snake Sage for an instant refinement.

Naruto’s Nine-Tails, on the other hand, would return to its proper timeline once this event concluded—merely an anomaly of this specific time-travel incident.

So, even though Sasori had gathered accurate intel, this trip would ultimately be fruitless for him.

With that in mind, Shinji raised an eyebrow and casually suggested:

“The Dragon Vein and the Nine-Tails—neither are available to you.”

“But if you’re really into capturing little creatures, how about I help you snatch one when I head to the Land of Water later?”

“No need.”

Seeing that Shinji had set his sights on his intended prey and knowing he wasn’t confident in defeating him right now, Sasori frowned in displeasure and immediately rejected the offer—as if it were some kind of charity.

“These things aren’t that hard to capture anyway.”

“But, Shinji—”

Sasori paused, narrowing his eyes slightly as he gave a meaningful warning.

“The Land of Water… isn’t as simple as you think.”

“Neither the Mizukage nor the Elder Council… Their true backers might be hidden even deeper than you realize.”

With that, he tossed a scroll toward Shinji.

“For example… this.”

Shinji caught the scroll and unrolled it slightly.

Recognizing it as a sealing scroll, he noted its intricate markings—at the center was a large character: *"異"* ("Different" or "Strange").

“This is…”

He infused chakra into the scroll, sensing its contents.

In an instant, Shinji’s head shot up, his gaze locking onto Sasori in shock.

Inside this *'異' scroll* was…

A *Fusion-Body White Zetsu*!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 402: The Grand Puppet Performance, The Queen Falls from the Tower!

White Zetsu—

At its core, White Zetsu is a creation of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, transformed from native humans of the ninja world through the Divine Tree.

Most White Zetsu possess weak combat abilities and are primarily used for reconnaissance, though some are exceptions.

Shinji once extracted a special variant, the Spiral White Zetsu, from the Third Mizukage, making it a unique product of such transformations.

Between the ordinary White Zetsu and the Spiral White Zetsu, another variant exists—

The Fusion White Zetsu.

Formed by merging multiple White Zetsu into a small giant-like entity, it possesses strength far beyond a standard Chūnin. It can spew poisonous mist, extend its limbs to capture targets, and utilize the Mayfly Technique. Even against a Jōnin, if caught off guard, it can achieve significant results.

Upon seeing what was sealed within the scroll, Shinji furrowed his brows.

He was well aware that the Land of Water was Madara’s stronghold and that White Zetsu was under his control. However, given Madara’s extreme caution, why would he expose White Zetsu beyond intelligence gathering?

Unless… someone else was controlling them.

"Where did you find this thing?"

"Near the classified location where Kirigakure imprisoned the Three-Tails Jinchūriki. This creature can change its appearance to mimic others, and it seems highly sensitive to chakra fluctuations. At that time, I switched my energy source, eliminating chakra fluctuations, which allowed me to approach it."

Sasori frowned slightly and continued,

"When I engaged it, several ninjas from the Land of Water suddenly transformed into identical pale creatures and merged into one, then spewed poison mist at me."

He didn’t mention the outcome, but Shinji’s lips twitched—he could already imagine the scene.

For an ordinary ninja, such an ambush would likely mean instant death.

But… this was Sasori of the Red Sand.

Using poison against him was like trying to show off sword skills in front of Guan Yu.

"That's the situation," Sasori said indifferently.

With that, he activated the Tailed Beast Reactor on his chest and spread his hands open.

Since he couldn’t obtain energy from this place, there was no reason to stay. His research had reached a critical stage—his self-sustaining energy core was resolved, but there were still many challenges in developing a giant puppet (or mecha) capable of countering Shinji’s Susanoo.

However, at that moment—

From the depths of the city, a wave of cheers erupted.

Swoosh!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Fireworks shot into the sky, illuminating the twilight horizon.

"Her Majesty, the Queen!"

Crowds of people flooded the streets from every corner, pushing large ceremonial floats while raising their hands in celebration, chanting the name of the Queen of Rōran.

It was as if a grand festival was about to begin.

Seeing this spectacle, everyone on the tower simultaneously changed expressions.

Naruto, knowing that his Captain Yamato had also been caught in the Dragon Vein’s influence, saw the commotion and wanted to investigate immediately.

The three Konoha ninjas, however, sensed that something was off beneath this seemingly joyous scene.

And Sasori—

"Someone can control this many puppets at once?!"

Sweeping his gaze across the massive crowd, Sasori noticed something uncanny.

The thousands gathered below moved with synchronized precision, as if guided by an invisible hand. They formed ranks, shifted positions, and held up signs with seamless coordination.

Yet, strangely, not a single ninja or samurai was present to maintain order.

With his expertise as a master puppeteer, Sasori instantly saw through the truth—

The people below weren’t people at all.

They were puppets!

Even for a genius like Sasori, who had reached the pinnacle of puppetry and pushed his brain to its limits, he could only perform the Hundred Puppets Performance.

The strongest puppeteer Shinji had ever faced, Elder Chiyo, could only control ten puppets at once.

Yet, this scene—

A Ten-Thousand Puppets Performance!

One person controlling tens of thousands of puppets—this was beyond reason! Even Sasori was momentarily stunned.

Quickly regaining his composure, his eyes narrowed as he examined the city he had once dismissed as flawed. Now, he carefully studied the dense chakra threads connecting the countless puppets.

His initial intention of leaving was momentarily put on hold, and a smirk formed on his lips.

"It seems… this place isn’t entirely worthless after all."

Atop the tower—

Naruto, who had been chatting with Minato and regained his cheerful demeanor, suddenly leaped out.

Minato’s squad, along with Sasori, all headed toward the city’s center.

Watching them go, Shinji recalled—

At this moment—

Rōran’s Grand Vizier, Anrokuzan—who was actually Mukade, a ninja who had traveled here six years ago—had already learned how to open the Dragon Vein after killing the previous Rōran Queen.

This grand festival was his setup to assassinate the current Rōran Queen, Sara.

According to the original timeline, Naruto would arrive just in time to save the queen, triggering a chain of events leading to the revelation of Mukade’s scheme and an intense battle.

But now—

Naruto had been delayed due to his battle with Sasori and his reunion with Minato.

Which meant…

Was Queen Sara really about to take the Leap of Faith off that tower?!

"That side looks lively. Aren’t you going?"

Beside him, Hidan, clinging to the tower’s spire while shivering, turned his head and asked nervously.

"Hey, Shinji, if you’re not going, could you at least take me down first?"

Shinji twitched his lips.

"Your immortality is going to waste."

"But…" After estimating the timing, Shinji lifted his head.

He gazed toward the city center, where a massive puppet army surrounded a towering structure.

Atop that tower—

A red-haired girl was just about to be pushed off.

Turning back, he looked at Hidan with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Since the queen has no one to save her—"

"Hidan, my friend, I’m about to set you up with a wife!"

"Wait, what?! Bro, what did you just say?!" Hidan’s face turned blank in confusion.

"Catch her!"

Shinji grinned widely.

In the next instant—

Flames ignited, and a massive skeletal frame emerged!

A colossal hand, wrapped in blazing fire, grabbed the tiny figure of Hidan.

Like throwing a javelin—

His Sharingan gleamed red as he calculated the trajectory.

Then—

He swung his arm and launched Hidan straight at the falling queen!

"Shinji, YOU SON OF A—!! @#$%&!!! BEEP! BEEP!"

With a long string of censored curses, Hidan’s eyes widened in terror as the world around him blurred into streaks of motion.

He turned back mid-air, glaring daggers at Shinji, cursing at the top of his lungs.

Having thrown Hidan, Shinji stood atop the tower, closing his eyes slightly.

He had no intention of involving himself in this Rōran farce.

And truly, there was no need.

Even if Mukade had mastered the Dragon Vein’s power and built a puppet army rivaling a Gundam, strong enough to overpower Naruto in base form—

He was still not worth Shinji’s time.

From the beginning, Shinji knew exactly what he had come here for.

And his real target—

"Found you."

With a burst of violet markings appearing around his eyes and veins swelling on his temples, he instantly activated *Sage Mode: Cursed Seal Second Stage*, drastically enhancing his sensory abilities.

Shinji’s eyes snapped open, turning toward a red tower on the side of Rōran’s central structure.

"The Three Serpent Princesses of Ryūchi Cave!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 403: Enraged and Humiliated, Tower of Death

At this moment,

The grand ceremony surrounding the central tower had reached its climax.

Amidst the cheers of thousands of Loulan "citizens" below,

A red-haired queen, Sara, dressed in luxurious attire, stepped onto the high platform. Just as she was about to raise her hand to acknowledge the crowd’s cheers—

Suddenly,

"Crack!"

It was as if something beneath her feet had collapsed—or as if someone had forcefully pushed her from behind.

"Huh?!"

The ground beneath Queen Sara crumbled abruptly, causing her to lose her balance. In an instant, she was about to plunge from the towering heights.

Behind the curtains, a figure known as An Lushan smirked coldly.

However, at that very moment—

A streak of light, crossing hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye like a blazing fireline, suddenly flashed.

A terrified Hidan shot through the air, grabbing Queen Sara. Holding onto her tightly, he tumbled across the ground multiple times, ultimately crashing back inside the tower from the platform’s outer edge.

"Who’s there?!"

Shocked, Centipede widened his eyes as his sinister grin froze on his face.

Someone had just foiled his plan and rescued the queen!

"And who the hell are you?!"

Before Hidan could even respond, another voice boomed from above—

"Centipede! Surrender now!"

Blonde-haired Naruto Uzumaki leaped down, gripping a spiraling Rasengan, his gaze locked onto Centipede between the towering structures!

Though the man before him had gained considerable weight over the years—his physique altered by six extra years in this timeline—Naruto still recognized him at a glance.

It was Centipede!

Centipede whipped his head around, his expression twisting in shock.

"You... You’re that brat from Konoha six years ago?! You actually followed me here?!"

One after another, more figures descended—

Minato Namikaze, Sasori of the Red Sand, Chōza Akimichi, Shibi Aburame— six unexpected intruders, surrounding Centipede completely.

Meanwhile, still dazed from the sudden rescue, Queen Sara lifted her head in confusion. Instead of showing the gratitude of a victim, she furrowed her brows and questioned the newcomers sternly:

"Who are you?! What are you trying to do to Lord An Lushan?!"

Centipede, now visibly tense, glanced around. Then, he suddenly lifted his gaze toward the top of the tower, where the curtains had been thrown open.

And there—

Standing atop the distant peak of the tower—

Shinji.

The moment Centipede’s eyes landed on him, his face darkened.

A flicker of shock and rage surged within his pupils.

"So this is it... You won’t even give me a chance, huh? You’re just going to discard me like a used tool?!"

"Fine. You forced my hand!"

In the next instant,

Centipede swung his arms wide—his ten fingers danced in a blur!

"Puppet Art: Dragon Vein Puppet Army!"

The battle at the central tower was about to erupt.

A Distorted Time Loop

Strictly speaking, the original Dragon Vein time-travel incident occurred before Shinji even arrived in this world.

Centipede had crossed into this world six years ago—even earlier than Shinji. His battle against Naruto in Loulan had originally been part of a closed time loop:

Centipede time-travels to the past, constructs Loulan.
Naruto and Centipede clash in Loulan.
Centipede detonates the Dragon Vein, destroying Loulan.
Minato intervenes, sealing the Dragon Vein.
Over twenty years later, Naruto arrives at Loulan’s ruins, pursuing Centipede.
The younger Centipede absorbs the Dragon Vein’s power and time-travels again.

The future influences the past, and the past shapes the future.

A paradoxical, bizarre loop.

But—

Fourteen months ago, Shinji arrived in this world.

His butterfly effect had already drastically altered the course of history.

And that included Centipede, Loulan’s actual ruler.

A Misplaced Ambition

Centipede, a master of puppetry, was undoubtedly from Sunagakure.

And during his time as a shinobi of the Wind Country in Konoha’s 60th year, the most terrifying force he had ever witnessed was Shukaku’s rampage.

To him, Shukaku’s power was the pinnacle of strength.

With that naïve and simplistic belief, young Centipede foolishly assumed:

"If I can defeat Shukaku, I can defeat all the other Tailed Beasts."

"And if I can do that... I can rule the world."

With that goal, he harnessed the Dragon Vein’s power and traveled over twenty years into the past.

Using future technology and the Dragon Vein, he developed the Ultimate Giant Dragon Vein Puppet, convinced that it would at least be strong enough to stand against Shukaku, if not defeat it.

However—

Just over half a month ago,

A ridiculous, unbelievable rumor reached his ears:

"Shukaku is dead."

And the way it happened?

A thousand-meter-long radiant white sword was swung casually, slicing through both the Jinchūriki and the Tailed Beast—decapitating them instantly.

Dead. Completely dead.

By this point, Centipede was no longer the arrogant, reckless young man he once was.

Since arriving in this timeline, he had heard countless horrifying tales far beyond his comprehension—

The Raikage and his father brawling Eight-Tails with their bare hands.

Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, wielding three nature-based Kekkei Tōta.

Killer Bee, the first perfect Jinchūriki.

Even the old fisherman Chiyo once looked down upon was now known as the King of Espionage and Sunagakure’s Fist King.

Yet—

Every single one of them had been utterly crushed by that terrifying twelve-year-old Uchiha.

The more reports Centipede received, the more his ambitions withered.

At this point, his only desire was to stay in Loulan, run his puppet factory, and quietly sell weapons to Sunagakure.

That was it.

Yet—

The monstrous legend, rumored to be Uchiha Madara reborn, the one who slew Shukaku with a single strike—

Shinji had found him.

Half a month ago, under Ji’s relentless intimidation, Centipede had no choice but to surrender the Dragon Vein’s power.

Planning to make one final profit before fleeing, he contacted Rasa, offering Sunagakure a bulk shipment of war puppets in exchange for a safe retirement.

But now—

Before him stood Minato Namikaze, Sasori, Chōza Akimichi, Shibi Aburame, Hidan, Naruto Uzumaki—

And behind them—

That nightmarish boy who had forced him into this predicament.

He had never even provoked them.

Yet here they were, forcing him to the brink of death.

Centipede gritted his teeth until they creaked. Rage burned uncontrollably in his chest, like a lion pushed into a corner.

He had retreated as far as he could!

But now—

They wouldn't even leave him the scraps of the Dragon Vein!

A blinding, unbearable fury surged to his head.

Centipede clenched his fists, his face twisting in rage. Flames of hatred erupted from within him.

"You forced my hand!"

"Shinji!!"

"You forced my hand!!!"

A crazed, grief-stricken roar shook the central tower—

"If I can’t have it—THEN NEITHER CAN YOU!!!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 404: Naruto, Uncle Will Teach You How to Make a Rasengan!

In an instant—

A massive creature burst out from between the towering buildings.

Made entirely of clay, stretching ten meters long and standing three meters tall, a centipede-like puppet, resembling the front of a locomotive, appeared before everyone!

This was the result of decades of painstaking research by Baizu:

Puppet Transformation: Centipede!

By completely transforming his body into a puppet and assimilating with the Dragon Vein’s chakra, he could replenish his chakra anytime from the Dragon Vein. This technique bore striking similarities to Sasori’s human puppet technique.

"It's huge!"

Naruto gaped in shock at the massive puppet that had suddenly appeared before him.

But when he turned to look at the young versions of his father and the others, he was surprised to see that no one seemed particularly impressed by Baizu’s transformation.

Naruto blinked in confusion.

"Huh? Why aren't you guys reacting at all? I mean, isn't this... kinda huge?"

"Pfft."

Chōza Akimichi let out a stifled chuckle, as if he had just heard a joke.

Standing beside him, Minato smiled and turned to Naruto.

"Let’s go together, Naruto!"

"Yosh! Here we go!" Naruto pumped his fist and immediately summoned a long row of Shadow Clones, all of whom started forming Rasengan in unison before charging at Baizu in a swarm!

However—

Baizu had no intention of fighting them head-on.

Even with his limited knowledge of the outside world, he could still recognize two of the most famous shinobi standing among the group—Namikaze Minato and Sasori of the Red Sand.

He knew he had little chance of defeating these two powerhouses, especially Sasori. Many of his puppet techniques were based on Sasori’s legacy, so showing off in front of him felt like trying to outdo a master in their own craft.

His transformation into a puppet was only meant to aid in his escape!

Seeing dozens of Naruto clones rushing at him in unison—a scene that was admittedly quite intimidating—Baizu frowned.

"Dragon Vein Puppet Army, attack!"

With a pull of several purple chakra strings—

Numerous puppets hidden in the shadows of the tower suddenly surged forward, colliding with Naruto’s army of clones.

Seizing the opportunity, Baizu retreated swiftly, smashing through an outer wall and leaping toward the red tower on the other side!

The underground level of the red tower housed the control center for the Dragon Vein’s energy.

Only Baizu—who had obtained the secret technique by killing the former queen—and the current Queen of Rōran, Sara, had the ability to manipulate the Dragon Vein.

Baizu’s goal was to trigger the Dragon Vein’s energy into a berserk state, destroying the entire city in the process.

This place also held his ultimate trump card.

At this moment—

A crazed grin spread across his face as he dove downward.

However—

As he fell, his gaze landed on a tall, imposing figure standing at the entrance of the red tower.

"Shinji!!"

Recognizing the figure, Baizu felt his scalp tingle with fear. But then, he quickly noticed that this Shinji seemed vastly different from the one he had encountered before.

His features were sharper, his presence more overwhelming, and he no longer exuded the eerie, sinister aura from before.

Most importantly—

Even after noticing him, this Shinji didn’t react at all, as if he was completely ignoring Baizu’s existence.

"Hmph, your arrogance will be your downfall, Uchiha!"

Taking advantage of the situation, the disgruntled Baizu dove into the ground, tunneling into an underground passage.

Meanwhile—

Standing in front of the tower, Shinji watched as a supposedly dangerous centipede scuttled past him harmlessly.

He had, of course, heard Baizu’s indignant shouting, but—

He simply didn’t care.

Looking at the hole left behind in the ground, he sniffed the air and narrowed his eyes.

"That scent... it's from the three Snake Princesses."

"Looks like the snakes from Ryūchi Cave have already been here."

A smirk curled on Shinji’s lips.

"So, Orochimaru's 'Heavenly Dog Devouring the Moon' prophecy still hasn’t happened yet. If I trigger the Dragon Vein’s rampage early, let’s see if those bastards will come out of hiding."

"For them, consuming the Dragon Vein requires a celestial phenomenon. But for me, it's much simpler."

Swoosh!

Just as Baizu burrowed underground, Naruto suddenly leaped in front of Shinji, looking flustered.

"Uh, uh..."

Naruto scratched his head awkwardly.

"Uncle Shinji, why didn’t you stop him?"

"Hmm?"

Shinji turned back and chuckled, then casually pointed at the ground.

"Don’t worry, look—he’s already coming back out."

The next moment—

A crazed Baizu burst out from beneath the ground, having successfully gathered all his puppet components.

With a manic expression, he clapped his hands together and completed the final assembly.

"Ultimate Form: Giant Dragon Vein Puppet!"

The ground trembled violently, splitting apart. The sheer force of the impact made Naruto stumble, forcing him to channel chakra into his feet to remain stable.

"This power...

This is a power that rivals a Tailed Beast!!"

From deep underground, Baizu roared in madness as his colossal puppet erupted from the earth!

Standing seventy meters tall, the Ultra-Giant Puppet emerged, its massive fist immediately swinging down toward Naruto and Shinji!

"Puppet Transformation: Puppet Spinning Strike!"

Three ten-meter-long spinning blades extended from its enormous fist, whirring as they slashed toward them.

Naruto’s eyes widened in shock at the incoming attack.

Without thinking, he instinctively reached out to push Shinji away.

"Uncle Shinji, move!!"

However—

Shinji didn’t budge.

Instead, Naruto nearly tripped over himself trying to shove him.

Seeing Shinji’s relaxed, almost vacation-like expression, Naruto started sweating in panic.

"Aghhh! Why won’t you listen to me?!"

Left with no choice, Naruto quickly crossed his fingers to form a hand seal.

Poof! Poof!

Two Shadow Clones appeared beside him, assisting him in forming a powerful technique.

"Wind Style: Rasenshuriken!!"

With a determined expression, Naruto and his clones launched the spinning jutsu forward, yelling in unison:

"Let's finish this in one go!!"

The Rasenshuriken collided with the puppet’s massive fist!

The high-speed, ultra-sharp wind chakra shredded the giant fist into pieces, severing the spinning blades in the process.

However—

Compared to the seventy-meter puppet, destroying just one hand was hardly significant.

A moment later, its massive clay wrist came crashing down—

Boom!

Naruto was sent flying, crashing headfirst into the ground and leaving a crater in the shape of his body at Shinji’s feet.

Meanwhile—

"Puppet Transformation: Super-Speed Regeneration!"

With a crazed roar, Baizu's puppet rapidly regenerated its shattered fist.

Shinji glanced down at Naruto, who was sprawled out in the dirt.

Raising an eyebrow, he extended a hand and smiled.

"You okay?"

Naruto thought Shinji was offering to help him up.

But before he could respond—

Baizu, now fully regenerated, launched another devastating attack toward them.

Naruto’s face paled.

"Uncle Shinji, run! Forget about me!"

However—

Shinji simply shook his head, casting a side glance at Minato, who was still watching from afar.

"Tch. This guy is really dragging his feet."

Then, turning back to Naruto, he smirked mischievously.

"Naruto—"

"Get up. Uncle's gonna teach you how to make a Rasengan."

"Huh?"

Naruto blinked in confusion.

Then he saw Baizu’s massive fist descending upon them—

"Uncle Shinji—IT'S COMING!!!"

At that moment—

A glowing green Rasengan suddenly appeared in Shinji’s palm.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 405: Taiji Reversed Rasengan, Mirage Transformation!

"This is..."

Naruto's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the eerie green spiral in Shinji’s palm, utterly astonished.

"Rasengan? But... Pervy Sage told me that only the Fourth Hokage and I can use this technique."

Shinji grinned at Naruto.

"Kid, you've got a lot to learn. Your old man learned to form the Rasengan from me."

Naruto glanced at the Rasengan in Shinji’s hand, gritting his teeth slightly.

"But... even the Rasenshuriken couldn't defeat that guy. How could a regular Rasengan possibly—"

"Now, now, don’t overthink it," Shinji chuckled.

With that, he raised his other hand, grabbed Naruto’s palm, and pressed the eerie green Rasengan onto it.

A sudden surge of chakra guided Naruto instinctively to release his own energy. A deep blue Rasengan began forming in his palm.

In that moment, the two spirals—one blue and one green—resonated with each other, growing in size between Naruto and Shinji’s hands.

The sphere swelled until it reached nearly human size.

Naruto stared at the massive Rasengan in awe.

"It’s gotten so huge... How is this even possible?"

Shinji chuckled, temporarily taking on the role that should have belonged to Minato. He explained,

"When two chakras of similar nature come into close proximity, they naturally resonate."

"When their energies merge..."

"The second strongest Rasengan is born!"

As Shinji continued his explanation, the spiraling sphere in their hands showed no sign of stopping. It kept expanding, spinning wildly, and growing even more powerful.

The sheer force within it—swelling, raging, and distorting—sent chills down Naruto’s spine. Unease crept into his heart.

Then, as he processed Shinji’s words, he froze, his expression shifting into one of horror.

"Wait a second... Uncle Shinji, our chakra natures are completely different!"

"This technique should only work when the Fourth Hokage and I combine our chakra, right?"

"That’s exactly why it’s the second strongest Rasengan," Shinji replied in a calm, almost ominous tone.

"But what I’m teaching you..."

"...is what happens when two completely opposite chakra natures are forcibly compressed under a greater power, forced into resonance, colliding like yin and yang, twisting in reversal."

"This is how the so-called all-consuming force of creation and destruction is born!"

"And with that, the Taiji Reversed Rasengan... is complete!"

As his words fell, Shinji lifted Naruto’s palm.

At this moment—

The two violently colliding spirals, forcibly fused together, had expanded into a pitch-black sphere nearly thirty meters in diameter!

A deep, oppressive, and terrifying aura spread instantly across the battlefield, weighing heavily on everyone present, as if an enormous stone had been placed on their chests.

Naruto stared at the massive black sphere above them, a nervous twitch forming at the corner of his eye.

If this thing explodes right in front of me... can I even survive?

"Minato, get out of the way!"

At that moment, Shinji turned his head toward Minato, who was still carefully analyzing the centipede puppet’s mechanisms, searching for its core.

"Why are you still looking for a weak point? Listen to me—when fighting enemies like this, you don’t mess around. You go all out from the start!"

Minato, who had been providing strategic support and using this battle as an opportunity to teach Naruto, felt his mouth twitch at those words.

He had wanted to train Naruto in the skills of reading an opponent, finding weaknesses, and striking with precision—hallmarks of a true ninja.

But now, in Shinji’s hands, Naruto was being taught... this.

Minato instantly recognized the principle behind the technique.

This was the same mechanism as Shinji’s infamous Five Elements Reversed Great Blade—an ultra-S-rank forbidden jutsu feared throughout the ninja world.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield—

Sasori, who had been closely observing the centipede puppet and analyzing its operational mechanisms, snapped back to reality.

"Wait... Are they seriously about to finish him off now?"

"The puppet’s ultra-regeneration ability, the clay-based construction technique, and the method of transmitting consciousness through massive chakra surges... This guy's techniques may be crude, but the underlying concepts are incredibly advanced!"

And yet, if I could combine these techniques... that would be the key to my ultimate puppet creation!

Sasori hesitated.

But with his personality, there was no way he’d outright ask Shinji to spare the centipede puppet for study.

In an instant, the Rasengan Shinji had Naruto form left both Minato and Sasori momentarily speechless.

"Uh... Uncle Shinji?"

"If I throw this, are we sure I won’t end up blowing myself up too?"

Naruto’s voice wavered as he stared at the massive black sphere hovering over his head, cold sweat dripping down his face.

Shinji just smiled and continued holding the Rasengan.

"Don’t worry. Let’s scare them a little first."

"Them?"

Naruto blinked, realizing that Shinji’s true target might not be the centipede at all.

Meanwhile—

Near the red tower, three figures, concealed by the Dragon Earth Cave’s unique senjutsu-based illusion, finally started to panic.

"That thing is more terrifying than a Tailed Beast Bomb!"

"Dammit... Are we really supposed to stay here and complete Granny’s mission?"

Squatting on a mural, with a glowing pearl on her head, Ichikishima-hime’s face was filled with horror as she stared at the enormous black sphere.

They had never expected the boy, who once relied on their power to overcome strong foes, to become this powerful.

The Rasengan he had just formed—none of the three Great Snake Princesses had the confidence to take a direct hit from it, even with their vast stores of senjutsu chakra.

But...

"We have no choice!"

Tsunagitsuhime, hidden in the air, turned to Shinji with a sinister expression.

"An Lushan holds the key to opening the Dragon Vein’s Eye. He must not die. If he does, Granny’s ascension ritual and our chance at transformation will be delayed by twenty years!"

"And Shinji..."

"Granny has prepared a special gift for him!"

With that, the three Snake Princesses exchanged glances.

Murderous intent filled their eyes!

---

### Meanwhile...

Inside the giant centipede puppet, An Lushan’s face was frozen in fear.

As the colossal black Rasengan grew below him, the entire puppet trembled. He frantically tried to move backward, terrified that a single misplaced piece could trigger an explosion.

Only now did he truly understand the chasm of power between himself and Shinji.

This wasn’t just a gap.

It was an abyss.

His strongest attack, the Super Dragon Vein Fireball, wasn’t even worthy of comparison to the monstrosity before him.

But just as he was about to succumb to despair—

A ghostly white mist suddenly rose across the battlefield!

The once-open plaza, surrounded by towering structures, shifted and transformed.

In the mist’s wake, a vast, eerie serpent’s lair emerged.

From the distance, the faint sound of a wooden fish tapping echoed through the cavern.

Through the darkness, a towering temple, impossibly vast, loomed in the distance.

This was the unique illusion-based senjutsu of Tagitsuhime from the Dragon Earth Cave—

*Sage Art: Transmutative Mirage!*