381-385

Chapter 381: Like a Moth to a Flame

“He’s here!”

“That guy is here!”

As the sensory ninja embedded within the unit snapped their eyes open in horror, their shouts were instantly drowned out by a sudden explosion of thunder.

A monstrous figure, fierce and battle-scarred, charged forward like a bolt of lightning—an old but ferocious warrior, his body crackling with electricity, hurtling toward them like a javelin!

“Restraint unit—”

Before the command could be fully issued, a crimson bolt of lightning had already arrived. The sensory ninja who had spoken was instantly decapitated, their head sent flying as the terrifying figure smashed into the front lines. More than a dozen Iwagakure ninjas were thrown into the air, their bodies torn apart mid-flight. The blood that rained down still carried the warmth of steam.

At that moment—

The Iwagakure forces finally reacted, albeit a step too late.

“Ninjutsu squad, reshape the terrain! Middle squad, iron-rock cannons, rapid fire—now!”

“Earth Release: Earth Return!”

From the center of the Iwagakure formation, a barrage of iron-rock cannonballs was spat out, blanketing the entire area ahead like a storm of bullets, sealing off the Raikage’s path forward.

Simultaneously, a second wave of ninjutsu was unleashed from the rear ranks:

Earth Return. Seismic Core. Heaven’s Falling Clay.

Pre-planned and synchronized, these jutsu worked together—collapsing the ground beneath the Raikage to eliminate his foothold, creating massive pits to trap him, and then dropping a heavy mass of clay from above to bury him alive.

However—

All of these tactics were based on intelligence from before he became the Jinchūriki of the Seven-Tails. And the most obvious trait of the new Seven-Tails Jinchūriki was—

He could fly!

As he surged forward, the streak of lightning that was the Raikage twisted upward six times in rapid succession, dodging most of the attacks. He soared over the pits with ease and then crashed straight through an earthen barrier, diving directly into the enemy ranks.

What followed—

Was a massacre that ordinary ninjas could not hope to withstand.

Their attacks couldn’t pierce his defense.

They couldn’t track his movements.

They could only try to defend—but defense was futile.

The scene before the Iwagakure ninjas was a vision of hell. Yet, despite the horror, they had no choice. Gritting their teeth, swallowing their fear, they roared as they rushed forward, filling in the gaps in the formation—only to meet another wave of death.

“Lord Tsuchikage!”

The intelligence officers of Iwagakure watched in horror as the Raikage rampaged through their ranks like a wolf among sheep—unstoppable, invincible. One of them turned toward Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, his voice urgent:

“This doesn’t match our intelligence! The difference is too vast! If this continues, we’ll be locked in a war of attrition.”

“And once our casualties hit the limit, we might—might—”

Ōnoki furrowed his brows deeply and raised a hand, silencing the officer before he could finish speaking. His expression was grave as he turned his cold gaze toward Hidan, who was surrounded by Iwagakure forces.

At that moment—

“How… how is this not working?”

Hidan gritted his teeth, enduring the intense pain of an iron spear piercing his chest. He trembled in confusion as he watched A, the Third Raikage, who had supposedly been affected by his Jashinist Curse Technique. The same wound that had pierced Hidan’s own heart should have incapacitated the Raikage.

Yet he was still fighting—slaughtering his way through the battlefield, completely unfazed.

“The ritual… it was successful… so why…?”

Then—

Ōnoki’s icy voice suddenly sounded in Hidan’s ear.

“That’s because—”

“It’s not painful enough. It’s not ruthless enough. That man’s willpower far exceeds your imagination.”

“Did you think a shinobi war was just a child’s game?”

“Listen well—*this is a battle of wills.*”

Hearing those words, Hidan clenched his teeth, his hands trembling as he yanked the black spear from his chest.

Then, lowering his gaze, he gripped the spear tightly, staring at his own thin, darkened leg.

“If that’s the case, then I’ll show you…”

With that declaration, Hidan flipped the spear in his hand, preparing to stab it straight into his own leg.

But just as he was about to do it—

A hand suddenly grabbed the spear, stopping him.

Standing before him was Bunka, an Iwagakure ninja with dark markings under his eyes. Letting out a slow breath, Bunka locked eyes with him.

“Hidan,” he said.

“Didn’t you understand?”

His expression turned grim as he raised his other hand, pressing it against Hidan’s forehead.

“Lord Tsuchikage said—”

“You’re not ruthless enough. You haven’t suffered enough.”

The moment he finished speaking, black sealing patterns began to spread across Hidan’s body from the point of contact.

Jigyaku Jibaku Fūin (Self-Sacrificial Binding Seal).

A powerful sealing technique. Once activated, bands of markings continuously expanded across the victim’s body, restricting their movements entirely. In the original timeline, Danzo Shimura used this technique to seal Sasuke Uchiha.

As the sealing marks covered Hidan’s body—

Four towering figures loomed over him, their presence suffocating.

A deep chill gripped Hidan’s heart.

“Wh… what are you going to do!?”

But the four Iwagakure shinobi said nothing.

Their expressions were cold as they each drew black spears—

And plunged them mercilessly into his limbs.

Shhk! Shhk! Shhk! Shhk!

Arms severed. Legs broken. Chest pierced. Liver gouged.

“AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!”

The unbearable pain shattered Hidan’s limits. It was more than even he could endure. He nearly blacked out.

But the sealing technique kept his mind conscious, forcing him to remain fully aware of his agony.

At the same time—

The blood-red lightning rampaging through Iwagakure’s forces suddenly came to a halt.

The Raikage tumbled to the ground in a chaotic roll—his four limbs now bore massive, gaping wounds.

The Jashinist Curse Technique had finally worked.

The ritual had bypassed his Lightning Release Armor and inflicted direct damage to his body.

“Hhhhhh—”

“RRRRAAHHHH!!”

The excruciating pain forced even the Third Raikage to widen his eyes, his agonized roar shaking the battlefield.

“This is our chance! Kill him!”

Seeing the legendary warrior finally falter, the Iwagakure soldiers surged forward, morale soaring.

However—

Even with his limbs destroyed, the Third Raikage was no ordinary man.

Amidst the countless Iwagakure ninjas charging toward him—

His body, now limp and unresponsive, suddenly rose once more.

Like Doctor Octopus from Spider-Man, he balanced himself on his seven writhing tails, standing up without his arms or legs.

His gaze pierced through the battlefield, landing on Hidan, who was screaming in torment.

“That brat’s the source of the curse?”

“He’s close to Shinji?”

“Should I save him? No… in this state, I can’t.”

In the blink of an eye, the Raikage made his decision.

His face twisted in resolve.

His body surged with unrelenting lightning, his monstrous form growing even fiercer.

As if he had already accepted his grim fate—

He let out a final battle cry.

“——ROOOOAAARRR!!”

Like a moth to a flame, he threw himself into the inferno once more.

(End of chapter)

Chapter 382: Furious Rage, The Mangekyō Awakens!

“It worked, but...”

Ōnoki’s expression darkened as he watched the ruthless shadow rampaging through the Iwagakure army, even after having all four of its limbs severed—still able to use its tail as a replacement.

There was no doubt now. Just as he had suspected, Jashinist curses could bypass the Lightning Release Armor and inflict real damage on the Third Raikage.

Under normal circumstances, a direct hit like that should have left the Raikage completely incapacitated, reduced to nothing more than helpless prey.

However, the unexpected had happened—A had become the Jinchūriki of the Seven-Tails.

Thanks to his Seven-Tails Partial Transformation, even with his arms and legs severed, the Third Raikage could still use his tail as a substitute, maintaining his incredible penetration power and near-impossible speed in human form.

This version of the Third Raikage was far more troublesome than a fully transformed Seven-Tails.

Right now, the only viable strategy was to force him into full Tailed Beast Mode. That would slow him down enough for Iwagakure’s forces to focus their attacks directly on the beast itself—

Kill the beast, and they kill the Raikage.

And the key to forcing his full transformation—

Ōnoki suddenly turned his cold gaze toward Hidan, standing behind him.

He spread his hands apart, and a pure white cube appeared in his palm, spinning rapidly.

At that moment—

Hidan, panting in agony like a wounded beast, stared at the Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique forming in Ōnoki’s hand.

Even an "immortal body" couldn’t survive that.

“Haha…”

Hidan’s breath was ragged, his face twisted in pain.

His eyes flickered with a dazed look—

As if he had already realized his fate.

He bit his lip so hard it nearly bled, his teeth grinding audibly in frustration as he glared at Ōnoki and roared in fury:

“*Tsuchikage!*”

“Is this really your final answer?!”

“Yes.”

Ōnoki’s gaze remained cold and unwavering as he looked at the boy before him—so small he still resembled a mere child.

“If you wanted to exact revenge on a great nation, you should have been prepared for this outcome long ago.”

“A small nation daring to challenge a great one is already a gamble with life itself. And now, just your one life is enough to secure a massive victory—what more could you ask for?”

Hidan let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh.

At this point, he couldn’t even understand anymore—

How had his original pursuit of peace turned into blind vengeance?

Why had he entrusted his mission to those he was supposed to take revenge upon?

He had wasted years, endured endless pain for this goal, only to find it all ending in futility.

And now, instead of answers, only more questions remained.

As he neared death, it felt like grasping for a lifeline in a storm—

With resentment and rage burning in his eyes, he clenched his teeth and demanded:

“At least let me die knowing the truth—”

“Answer me, Tsuchikage!”

“Will my death bring peace to the Land of Hot Water?”

Ōnoki fell silent.

The invasion of the Land of Lightning was only the beginning. Next, a two-front war would force the Land of Fire to cede territory.

Caught between Konoha and Kumogakure, how could the Land of Hot Water ever know peace?

Looking at Hidan—this naïve child who had inherited another man’s will—

Ōnoki felt a sharp pang in his long-dead heart, a fleeting memory of the stone he cast away forty years ago, and the humanity he abandoned with it.

Then, an unbearable fury surged through him, making his eyebrows and beard bristle.

“*Brat,*”

“*This is war!*”

Whether he was answering Hidan or justifying his own cruelty, Ōnoki’s expression darkened, his voice cold and sharp:

“*This is war!*”

“No rules. No limits.”

“For this cause, I even sacrificed my own child!”

“And yet, you—some naïve brat—still dare to talk about ‘peace’ and ‘ideals’?!”

“*What you feel is not righteousness—it’s rage. It’s hatred!*”

“You think you’re the only one with a grudge?!”

“You think your childish ideals can break the endless cycle of hatred in this world?!”

Ōnoki's voice rose, shaking with emotion. His face flushed red, then darkened into an ashen blue.

“*You’re wrong!*”

“Ideals built on nothing will always crumble before reality!”

“The only thing that truly endures in this world—*is hatred!*”

“Whether it’s you, me, or anyone else living in this damned world!”

“A ninja—”

“*Is someone who sleeps on a bed of vengeance and walks the path of disgrace for the sake of duty!*”

With those words, Ōnoki’s expression hardened.

His grip tightened around the pure white Dust Release cube as he aimed it at the immobilized Hidan.

“For that reason—*I will bear every sin!*”

But at that moment—

“*Well said!*”

A voice suddenly burst through the battlefield like a crack of thunder.

“*Well said, Ōnoki!!!*”

The ground split open with a deafening roar.

From beneath the earth, a massive azure serpent slithered up, its maw gaping wide—

And from within its fanged jaws, a battle-worn figure leaped forth.

A man clad in a tattered Uchiha robe, blood-stained and riddled with holes.

While absorbing the Eight-Tails’ horn, Shinji had felt a strange stabbing sensation in his heart—

Though it didn’t pierce his defenses, something felt wrong.

Trusting his instincts, he had abandoned the sealing process mid-run, rushing toward the battlefield as an ominous premonition loomed over him.

And the moment he arrived—

What he saw set his blood on fire.

Iwagakure’s forces torturing his younger brother to the brink of death.

The Third Raikage, roaring in despair, spiraling toward his demise.

And the Tsuchikage, as if it still wasn’t enough, about to unleash Dust Release and finish Hidan off.

Hatred erupted like wildfire.

In an instant—

Forget chakra exhaustion.

Forget depleted natural energy.

Forget waiting for the future and the power of the sages.

All rational thoughts vanished.

Standing before Iwagakure’s ten-thousand-strong army,

Shinji’s face twisted with rage.

His skin contorted, veins bulging violently across his forehead and around his eyes.

And then—

He locked eyes with Ōnoki, his gaze drenched in crimson.

A flood of natural energy surged into him—

And his right eye darkened into an abyssal void.

Eight golden, twisted petals spiraled around the sun within his iris.

Without hesitation—

Ji activated the forbidden eye that led only to blindness.

And then—

A pillar of fire erupted around him, piercing the sky.

The storm clouds churned, drawn to the infernal glow.

“*—BOOOOM!*”

Lightning howled, ripping apart the heavens.

And from the swirling storm above—

A titanic beast of thunder, greater and grander than any Tailed Beast,

lowered its head.

In that instant—

It struck.

A supersonic bolt that would land in a thousandth of a second.

Target: Ōnoki.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 383: Mythical Projection – Ten-Fist Sword!

"Is that... Lightning Style: Kirin?!"

Dark clouds gathered in the sky, swirling ominously over the vast plains surrounded by mountains.

Just as Ōnoki was about to unleash his Dust Release, a sudden disturbance caught him off guard. Instinctively, he looked up—

And saw it.

In the sky above, blue lightning crackled wildly.

Within a span of several kilometers, the lightning bolts within the clouds converged at an abnormally fast and violent speed—

And then,

They struck down in an instant!

Ōnoki immediately abandoned his intent to kill Hidan with Dust Release and to severely wound the Raikage, forcing him into full Tailed Beast transformation.

Because the range of this attack was enough to engulf his entire central army, dealing devastating damage to hundreds of Iwagakure shinobi!

He had no choice but to extend his palm upward!

A white beam of energy shot skyward from his palm, colliding with the descending lightning strike at a single point!

Two immensely destructive forces clashed, yet instead of a typical explosive impact, the battle of energy was strangely silent.

Before the power of Dust Release, which could disintegrate anything into atoms, even an S-rank Lightning Style jutsu like Kirin stood no chance.

The white beam cut through the sky, splitting the storm clouds apart and wiping out all traces of lightning!

However,

Shinji's goal had already been achieved.

Using the Thunder God's Sword: Futsunomitama to summon divine lightning, he launched a large-scale assault on Iwagakure with unparalleled speed, forcing Ōnoki to abandon his plan to kill Hidan.

And in those brief seconds—

A pillar of light expanded behind Shinji.

Twenty-six bones, glowing between bright yellow and deep red, emerged from within the light!

A half-formed skeletal Susanoo rapidly took shape amid the fiery glow.

Then—

Flesh gathered.

Tendons and membranes intertwined.

Armor was forged and donned!

Fueled by the terrifying ocular power of the Mangekyō Sharingan, Susanoo surged past its early forms at an astonishing pace—

It skipped the first skeletal phase,

Surpassed the half-bodied second phase,

And soared past the flesh-and-blood, long-legged giant of the third phase—

Straight to the fourth form!

In this stage, the Susanoo was reinforced with the armor of the Tengu Warrior, drastically increasing its defensive capabilities. It could manifest the devastating "Sword of Susanoo," capable of sweeping vast battlefields. Additionally, in this form, it could serve as armor for a Tailed Beast, enabling the activation of the full-body "Majestic Armored Susanoo."

This was an ultimate Susanoo transformation—one that only those with Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan could achieve.

Yet now,

Shinji had summoned it with just a single Mangekyō Sharingan!

"What the hell is that?!"

"Holy crap, it's way too big!"

"It's like a freaking mountain!"

Before the eyes of ten thousand Iwagakure shinobi, a colossal figure rose from the earth as if an entire mountain range had emerged from nowhere.

Standing at a staggering 120 meters tall, this blazing red Susanoo was clad in armor of searing flames, resembling a massive volcano in humanoid form!

But that wasn't the end—

Floating within the Susanoo, Shinji's right eye burned fiercely.

The eight-petaled pattern of his Mangekyō swirled violently against the dark sclera.

An immense surge of Natural Energy gathered around him, channeled through the power of the Sage’s Heart and the pulsating veins around his eyes.

It infused the Susanoo.

Across its armor, black, twisted markings emerged, fusing seamlessly into the plating—bestowing the power of the Sage upon the entire entity!

This was not the Cursed Seal-infused Susanoo that Uchiha Sasuke would one day develop in coordination with Jūgo.

This was something only Shinji could achieve—

Sage Mode: Susanoo!

At that moment—

Faced with such an overwhelming force, the battlefield fell into absolute silence.

Only the sound of ragged, panicked breathing echoed through the ranks of the Iwagakure army.

A power beyond their time had resurfaced in the world.

Yet, in the hands of thousands of Iwagakure shinobi, there were only kunai and shuriken—weapons that couldn’t even scratch this monstrous titan.

A deep, unshakable sense of despair spread through their ranks.

One after another, Iwagakure ninjas stared up at the giant, their faces pale with dread.

"W-We have to fight that thing?"

"T-This is impossible!"

"Wait, weren’t we supposed to be fighting the Hidden Cloud? Where the hell did this thing come from?!"

Meanwhile—

Floating in midair like a small, helpless potato, Ōnoki fell silent.

Yes.

They had come to pluck the Hidden Cloud’s fruit.

He had brought ten thousand troops to take down the Third Raikage.

But now—

Now...

What the hell were they even surrounding?!

As he stared at the sheer overwhelming might before him, a memory resurfaced—one from forty years ago.

Back then, just like now, he had stood before a force so immeasurable that it crushed even the thought of resistance.

Back then, that force had belonged to another man—one who bore the same Uchiha name.

Back then, his will had been utterly shattered.

And now—

This moment mirrored that one, down to the very second.

Ōnoki looked down at his aged, wrinkled hands, feeling the weight of the years on his shoulders.

A cold sweat ran down his back.

The instant this power returned to the world, he knew—

If they didn’t kill Shinji today,

Tomorrow, the entire world would be at his clan’s mercy!

Ōnoki’s face twisted into a grimace.

The wrinkles on his face pulled taut like drawn strings,

His furious eyes burned like two sharp blades.

"Today—"

"Things are different!"

"I am no longer the man I was!"

At that moment, Ōnoki abandoned all previous plans.

He gave up on killing Hidan.

He gave up on killing the Raikage.

He gave up everything.

With a thunderous roar, he charged straight toward the mountain-like Susanoo!

"The shame you gave me—today, I will return it a hundredfold!"

"UCHIHA!!!"

Blinding white energy condensed in his palms as he locked his sights onto Shinji.

Iwagakure had devised countermeasures for whichever side—Cloud or Leaf—emerged victorious in the war over Yunming City.

But neither side had fallen.

Instead, both had arrived here, alive.

Yet at this moment, the Third Raikage was no longer their priority.

The instant Ōnoki roared and charged at Shinji—

Iwagakure's entire war strategy was rewritten!

"ROOOAAAARR!!"

Without hesitation, the Five-Tails' jinchūriki, Han, entered full Tailed Beast transformation!

His massive white-furred body, resembling a hybrid of a dolphin and a horse, burst onto the battlefield!

Steam surged within him, forging limitless power in his flesh!

A 70-meter-tall demon beast charged at the Susanoo’s waist—

"BOOOOM!!"

The impact sent the armored giant skidding hundreds of meters across the ground, gouging a ten-meter-wide trench in its wake!

But inside the Susanoo, Shinji exhaled slowly.

He had fully adapted to his divine vision.

Then,

His gaze snapped cold.

"You beast..."

"Don’t worry—I’ll find you a cage."

As his words fell—

He raised his palm.

His Mangekyō spun violently.

The 120-meter armored Susanoo followed, lifting its hand skyward—

As if demanding something from the heavens.

Suddenly—

The storm clouds split open.

A brilliant red light shone down.

Then—

It descended like an ethereal crimson glow—

A phantom-like, gourd-shaped artifact materializing in the Susanoo’s grasp!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 384: The Sage Art Susanoo, Earth-Shattering Dust Storm!

According to the Kojiki, in the chapter of Susanoo,

After being exiled from Takamagahara, Susanoo arrived at a place called Torikami, above the Hii River in the land of Izumo.

There, in an act of righteousness, Susanoo wielded his Totsuka Blade to slay the Yamata no Orochi, a fearsome serpent that had been terrorizing the land.

Meanwhile, in the Shinobi World,

A Totsuka Blade capable of slaying the Yamata no Orochi also exists.

This sword was later discovered and wielded by Uchiha Itachi. Unlike a conventional blade, this spiritual sword takes the form of a gourd. The sake that spills from the gourd transforms into a blade upon emergence. Anyone pierced by this sword is sealed within the gourd, trapped in an illusionary world akin to a drunken dream. This legendary blade, imbued with sealing power, is one of the fabled Kusanagi Swords!

At this moment,

The Mangekyō Sharingan in Shinji’s right eye awakened its unique ability—Rei’i.

This ocular power allows him to manifest mythology into reality, merging legendary strength with his own.

This dojutsu serves as a conduit for ultimate power,

Able to project the three divine abilities of Susanoo from mythology!

The first of these is—

The power to seal everything:

“Mythic Projection: Totsuka Blade!”

A crimson light streaked across the sky, descending into the armored Susanoo’s palm. In an instant, the radiance solidified into a gourd-shaped hilt.

"What is that!?"

Onoki’s expression darkened as he watched Shinji summon this mysterious artifact from the heavens. A deep sense of unease crept over him, yet he could not immediately discern its nature.

Sticking to his battle strategy, he turned sharply and commanded the Five-Tails' Jinchūriki, Han, with a stern voice:

"Han! Follow the plan!"

"Knock him down! I’ll cut off its limbs to restrict its movement!"

"Also— Sensor Division! Locate that brat’s exact position and report it to me immediately!"

The towering Flaming Susanoo before him was unlike Uchiha Madara’s Susanoo. This one possessed a dense, obstructive aura that limited visibility. Moreover, the Armored Susanoo stood 120 meters tall, making it nearly impossible to pinpoint Shinji’s location within it.

Without an exact target, attacking blindly would only waste chakra.

At this stage of battle, tactics were meaningless.

The Iwagakure forces had a simple plan:

First, they needed to dismember the colossal Susanoo, immobilizing Shinji and trapping him within a specific area. Then, Onoki would deliver the final blow.

After all, while the Third Raikage Ay’s Hell Stab: One-Finger Thrust was renowned,

Onoki’s Dust Release was the true *"Strongest Spear"*—if it could land a direct hit.

Orders spread swiftly through the Iwagakure army.

With both a Jinchūriki and the Tsuchikage leading the charge, the once-dreaded Susanoo now seemed slightly less invincible. The Iwa shinobi forced down their terror, falling into formation like an advancing swarm of ants, following the battle plan to the letter.

At the moment when Shinji projected the Totsuka Blade into this world,

The Five-Tails, now in full Tailed Beast Form, dug its rear hooves into the ground, preparing to charge. However, it seemed to be waiting for something.

Its first attack was merely an attempt to knock Shinji out of formation, preventing him from using his massive frame to crush the Iwa forces. Given Susanoo’s enormous size, even a casual swing could wipe out hundreds of Iwagakure shinobi.

The second strike—

Would be the kill shot.

Above them,

Thick storm clouds gathered, muffling the sky.

Distant thunder rumbled, and the oppressive winds carried a sense of unease, swirling through the battlefield.

After a brief pause,

The Five-Tails' Jinchūriki, Han, caught a glimpse of an elderly monk at the front lines, clad in a blue-purple robe, clutching Buddhist prayer beads. His hair and beard were completely white.

At that instant, Han's gaze sharpened.

The Five-Tails instantly reached full power, its entire body tensing before it launched forward—a blazing white streak surging toward the Armored Susanoo!

As this assault began…

The entire Iwagakure army, tens of thousands strong, split into hundreds of squads, all charging toward the colossal giant standing on the plains!

“Earth Style: Great Moving Earth Core!”

“Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld!”

“Earth Style: Mountain Earth Technique!”

Hundreds of earth jutsu detonated simultaneously!

The ground quaked, collapsing and sinking into a massive chasm!

Beneath Susanoo’s feet, the earth liquefied into a swamp, while massive rock spears—tens of meters tall—burst from the surrounding land. Further away, the entire terrain shifted, splitting apart and slamming inward, attempting to crush the giant.

Yet—

Standing upon Susanoo’s brow, Shinji’s gaze remained calm.

Despite their all-out attack,

He found their efforts… laughable.

"You call that Earth Style?"

He sneered, sweeping his gaze across the battlefield. Then, his eyes widened, his voice ringing cold and authoritative:

"Watch closely—

THIS is true Earth Style!"

The instant his words fell,

The Armored Susanoo responded.

With a thunderous step, it shattered the pitifully shallow ten-meter Swamp of the Underworld beneath its feet, standing firm upon solid ground.

Its legs bent slightly.

And then—

Defying the very laws of physics—

The entire Susanoo LEAPT into the sky!

——BOOM!!!

Upon landing,

The earth itself trembled!

Even the central mountain ranges of the Land of Lightning shook violently.

Countless Iwagakure shinobi collapsed, unable to maintain balance. Those who barely remained standing staggered, their footing unstable.

And then—

A colossal dust storm erupted from the point of impact,

Carrying thousands of massive stones, rolling outward like a divine catastrophe,

Instantly sweeping away thousands of Iwa forces!

However—

From within the billowing dust,

A white silhouette emerged.

The Five-Tails, with its five giant tails swinging rhythmically, charged forward at blinding speed!

Its limbs slammed into the ground,

Carrying terrifying brute force, it rushed straight for the Armored Susanoo!

"I wasn't even looking for you—yet you come running to me?"

"How ridiculous."

Shinji let out a mocking chuckle,

Making no further movement.

The Armored Susanoo simply turned, planting both feet firmly on the ground.

It bent its knees slightly, raising one hand, fingers splayed wide—

Taking a stance to catch the Five-Tails with a single hand!

He had already gauged its strength.

A partial Jinchūriki’s Full Tailed Beast Transformation was far from utilizing a Tailed Beast’s full power.

And—

The Sage Mode enhancements layered onto Susanoo were terrifyingly powerful.

Even after tanking a full-force blow, the Armored Susanoo had not suffered even a single crack.

What Shinji had awakened was not a false Sage Mode like Sasuke’s Cursed Seal transformation.

It was a pure, overwhelming force—

A power so frighteningly absolute,

Even Shinji himself feared it.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 385: Sword Seals the Five-Tails, Shukaku Appears!*

At this moment,

The true form of the Five-Tails, Kokuō, lowered its head, charging furiously at the armored Susanoo with its five sharp horns!

Shinji's gaze sharpened as he watched the pure-white beast before him.

Raising a single palm, he clenched his five fingers!

The giant Susanoo’s hand thrust forward, its black Sage Art patterns glowing red-hot at this moment.

With a resounding impact, the palm slammed firmly against Kokuō’s forehead!

The two colossal entities collided in an instant,

the clash of raw power exploding into a deep, thunderous boom.

*“It stopped?”*

However, to the disbelief of countless Iwagakure shinobi,

after pushing Susanoo back several dozen meters, the giant warrior actually held its ground, preventing Kokuō from advancing any further!

*"It’s not even a full-body Susanoo like Uchiha Madara’s, yet it can contend with the Five-Tails in raw strength?"*

The uninformed saw only the spectacle, while the experienced recognized the technique.

Ōnoki's eyes widened in shock as he observed this scene.

The first phase of their plan had already encountered a major setback.

Now, they couldn't push Susanoo into the giant pit created by Earth Release: Moving Earth Core to restrict its destructive power with the Shinobi Army’s combined techniques.

Before he could issue the next command,

On the battlefield—

With one hand firmly gripping the Five-Tails, Shinji’s Mangekyō Sharingan glowed ominously.

Susanoo immediately tightened its grip around one of Kokuō’s massive horns,

while its other hand—clutching the ethereal gourd—struck downward!

From the gourd’s mouth erupted a mesmerizing, dreamlike flaming blade—

*The Totsuka Blade* plunged straight into Kokuō’s forehead, piercing through to its chin!

*"ROAAAR!!"*

The Five-Tails let out a shrill, agonized scream.

However—

*“Hmm? It’s not here?”*

*“It used steam to alter the temperature and fake the chakra source?”*

Inside Susanoo, Shinji carefully analyzed the Tailed Beast’s chakra network through his Mangekyō Sharingan.

He had attempted to pierce a key chakra node with the Totsuka Blade, just as Uchiha Shana had done when separating Killer Bee from the Eight-Tails.

But this time, he hadn’t struck the Jinchūriki within the beast.

Ji frowned slightly and let out a cold snort.

*"Tch, another intelligence blind spot. But whatever."*

At this moment, within Kokuō’s body, Han—the Five-Tails’ Jinchūriki—suddenly broke into a cold sweat.

He could feel it—

The part of the beast’s body struck by that fiery blade wasn’t just wounded; it was vanishing,

dissolving into chakra and being sucked into that cursed gourd!

If not for his habit of using Boil Release techniques to confuse enemy perception,

he would’ve been outright annihilated by that seemingly ordinary strike.

But before he could feel any relief—

A cold, commanding voice rang out from above.

*“Then let’s change the target. This time, we’ll deal with the big one directly!”*

A terrible premonition gripped Han’s heart.

For the first time ever, the Five-Tails itself broke its usual prideful silence,

its voice—urgent, anxious, and surprisingly feminine—echoing in his mind:

*“Fool! RUN!!”*

*“That is the Totsuka Blade—a divine weapon that seals everything it pierces into an eternal genjutsu world.”*

*“Quick! Undo Full Tailed Beast Mode! Do NOT let that blade touch me!”*

*“If it does, neither you nor I will ever escape!”*

Hearing this unfamiliar voice stunned Han for a brief moment.

But that fleeting hesitation proved fatal.

*"ROAAAR!!"*

The towering 120-meter Susanoo lifted its foot and,

with the force of a cyclist kicking off a pedal,

viciously stomped on Kokuō’s leg!

*CRACK!*

One of the Five-Tails’ slender limbs snapped instantly,

its massive body lifted single-handedly by Susanoo—

Then *SLAMMED* over its shoulder and into the ground!

*"BOOM!!"*

The sheer impact sent up another massive dust storm,

engulfing nearly half of Iwagakure’s forces in a cloud of debris!

Then—

Susanoo planted its foot firmly onto Kokuō’s bloodied forehead, pinning it down.

Lifting the Totsuka Blade high—

*"Seal!"*

Shinji commanded coldly.

The giant warrior drove the flaming sword downward!

The fiery glow surged forth,

piercing through Kokuō’s entire body—from chest to back!

Inside, Han finally snapped back to reality,

his overwhelming sense of doom urging him to act as Kokuō had instructed.

He had to immediately undo Full Tailed Beast Mode!

But—

*“What?! My chakra... I can’t control it?!”*

Cold sweat poured from Han’s forehead as panic filled his eyes.

The flames spreading from within Kokuō’s body were consuming him—

It was just like the future battle between Orochimaru and Uchiha Itachi.

At first, Orochimaru had dismissed being struck by the Totsuka Blade as no big deal.

But five seconds later, he was *completely* overwhelmed.

Against a conceptual divine weapon like the Totsuka Blade—

The moment it pierced you, escape was impossible.

Even in the future, despite Orochimaru’s vast arsenal of forbidden jutsu, his Orochimaru Substitution Technique,

and the fact that he resided within the Eight-Headed Serpent—

Itachi’s blade had struck *only a portion* of his form.

Yet,

That was enough to seal everything.

In mere moments,

With an unstoppable momentum,

The colossal 50-meter-tall, 70-meter-long Five-Tails began melting away beneath the Totsuka Blade’s flames.

From head to toe, its entire body compressed, twisted, and spiraled backward—

Sucked into Susanoo’s phantom gourd.

The only thing left behind—

Was a red-armored, hollow-eyed warrior plummeting from the sky—his power completely drained.

*THUD!*

Han crashed into the ruined plains below.

Shinji cast him a fleeting glance before looking away,

not even bothering to check if he was alive.

Without his Tailed Beast, the man was already as good as dead.

*"Han!!"*

*"Damn it!!"*

Ōnoki clenched his teeth so hard they nearly cracked,

his heart aching as if it were being crushed.

Four-Tails’ Jinchūriki, Rōshi, had been sent on a mission to Cloud.

Given the situation, he was likely doomed.

And now, in mere moments, they had lost the Five-Tails as well.

Iwagakure’s high-end combat power had been *cut in half*.

To the village—this was a catastrophe.

Glaring up at the massive Susanoo,

Ōnoki seethed with fury.

Just then—

A sharp voice rang out from the intelligence unit:

*“Tsuchikage-sama! We’ve found him! He’s inside the giant—right at the forehead!”*

Hearing this, Ōnoki’s rage boiled over.

He shot into the sky,

his small, potato-like figure hurtling toward the towering 120-meter Susanoo!

*“You wretched Uchiha brat!!”*

*“You killed my kin, ruined my plans, stole my Tailed Beast!”*

*“I will grind your bones to dust!!”*

*“Hahahahaha!!”*

Inside Susanoo, Shinji laughed coldly.

*“Ōnoki…”*

*“You’ve lived this long and still haven’t learned from the past?”*

*“You think—”*

*“I did all this for fun?”*

Ji’s gaze darkened as he sneered,

*"But it doesn’t matter now."*

*"I’m burying you next."*

Ōnoki’s expression turned grim as he prepared his next move.

Then—

He thrust his palm forward, unleashing a blinding white energy cone.

And roared:

*"Shukaku!!!"*

(End of Chapter)