229 Naruto: Snatching the Mangekyō

Fugaku and Shisui exchanged a glance and nodded. Their figures blurred, vanishing in an instant, only to reappear right in front of Nagato.

Clang!

The flame-like longswords slashed downward, colliding with the Truth-Seeking Orbs hurled by Nagato, producing a resonating metallic hum.

"Impressive speed... but your strength is lacking."

Nagato's expression remained cold as he watched the two retreating figures. Without hesitation, two more Truth-Seeking Orbs shot forward, slicing through the air.

Hiss, hiss!

Suddenly, the motions of Fugaku and Shisui changed. The sound of their blades no longer resembled mere slashes—it echoed like heavy weapons being swung down with immense force.

Sure enough, with a sharp crack, the two flaming blades flashed, cleaving the incoming Truth-Seeking Orbs cleanly in half!

Even after splitting the orbs, the crimson blades maintained their momentum, aiming directly at Nagato with the intent to hack him to pieces.

"They can muster such terrifying power?" Nagato's face finally betrayed a hint of surprise.

"Shinra Tensei!"

Nagato's voice was calm but commanding. A burst of repulsive force erupted like a blinding wave, shaking the earth itself.

Boom, boom!

The impact was like two colossal objects smashing against an immovable wall. Fugaku and Shisui gritted their teeth, their chakra flaring as golden and green auras enveloped their bodies.

With a synchronized yell, they surged forward, trying to break through Nagato's barrier of force.

"You're still far too weak," Nagato declared, his Rinnegan glowing ominously. The repulsive energy intensified, its pressure surging like a relentless tide.

The wave of power sent Fugaku and Shisui hurtling backward, their bodies smashing into the ruins below and kicking up clouds of dust.

"Die already!"

A furious voice rang out as a figure leapt high into the air. Tsunade descended like a meteor, her fist smashing down with enough force to shatter the heavens. The sound of her punch tearing through the air was deafening.

"Good timing. Let me show you the true power of the Six Paths!"

Nagato's cold voice boomed as he swung his Six Paths staff upward to meet Tsunade's blow head-on.

Boom!

The clash shook the battlefield. A radiant explosion of light erupted between them, as if a Tailed Beast Bomb had detonated. The ground beneath them cracked and disintegrated, while a storm of wind and dust swept outward in all directions.

Rumble!

As the dust settled, a massive crater, hundreds of meters in diameter, was left in the wake of their collision.

Nagato stood in the center, his staff dragging a long trench in the ground. His hands trembled slightly, and his breathing was heavy.

Across from him, Tsunade's face was cold and determined, the Yin Seal on her forehead fully released.

"As expected of the First Hokage's descendant. You've mastered the Senju clan's monstrous strength to perfection," Nagato said, his breathing steadying as his calm demeanor returned.

Tsunade smirked, her tone mocking.

"Judging by the look on your face, you really think you're the second coming of the Sage of Six Paths, don't you?"

Hiss, hiss!

At that moment, two streaks of fire flashed. Fugaku and Shisui, wielding their crimson blades, erupted from the ground, launching a surprise attack on Nagato.

Clang, clang!

Nagato deftly parried their strikes with his staff, countering their attacks with ease.

"Shinra Tensei!"

Nagato unleashed another wave of repulsive force, sending the two Uchihas flying. But as their bodies hit the ground, they dissipated in clouds of smoke.

"Shadow clones?!"

Nagato's eyes narrowed in surprise. Before he could react, golden and green auras flanked him from either side—Fugaku and Shisui launched a combined assault.

"Susanoo!"

Encased in ribcage-shaped Susano'o, the two Uchihas channeled their chakra into skeletal fists that struck with the force of thunder, aiming to crush Nagato in close combat.

For a Jinchūriki of the Ten-Tails, physical attacks like this were among the most effective methods of attack.

"Good!" Nagato sneered, planting his staff into the ground as he clasped his hands together.

"Shinra Tensei!"

A colossal wave of repulsive force erupted, expanding outward like an unstoppable storm. Fugaku and Shisui were hurled into the air like leaves caught in a hurricane, their Susanoo struggling to maintain form.

Even Tsunade, standing further away, was forced to use Wood Release to erect a barrier of wooden walls to shield herself from the onslaught.

When the storm of force finally subsided, Nagato leapt into the air, his cold gaze sweeping over his opponents.

"This farce ends now. Borrowing scraps of power from the Ten-Tails won't make you my equals!"

Raising his right hand, Nagato conjured a dense, black gravitational core.

"Amaterasu!"

Fugaku's icy voice cut through the chaos.

Boom!

Black flames erupted, consuming the gravitational core in an instant. The Amaterasu, imbued with Sage Chakra, now had the ability to burn through anything—even the gravitational constructs of the Rinnegan.

Within seconds, the core was reduced to nothing but ashes.

"Tch. That damn Mangekyō Sharingan..." Nagato cursed under his breath, releasing a burst of force to extinguish the lingering black flames.

Rumble!

From above, a towering green figure descended like a meteor. Shisui, wielding a complete-body Susanoo, brought down a spiraling sword with earth-shaking force.

"Susanoo? Still not enough," Nagato muttered coldly, raising his hand. A storm of repulsive energy surged upward, colliding with Shisui's sword.

Creak, creak...

The Susanoo, glowing with green light, struggled against the immense pressure. Its sword swung repeatedly, trying to cut through the storm, but the overwhelming force began pushing it back.

With a thunderous crash, the Susanoo was forced to the ground.

Crack!

The earth split open as massive wooden dragons surged from the cracks, roaring as they wrapped around Shisui's Susanoo and Fugaku's figure. Even Tsunade found herself entangled by the relentless wooden beasts.

Nagato's Wood Release, empowered by the Ten-Tails, far exceeded even Hashirama's legendary strength.

But with two loud explosions, a golden complete-body Susanoo and a ferocious wooden giant emerged, effortlessly tearing the dragons apart.

Rumble!

The earth trembled violently as Fugaku's Susanoo slashed down, its blade splitting the battlefield with overwhelming force.

In just a few moments, the wooden dragons were reduced to rubble by the combined might of the Susanoo and the wooden giant.