225 Naruto: Snatching the Mangekyō

Boom!

Three dull thuds echoed as three Truth-Seeking Balls slammed against an invisible but solid barrier, bouncing off high into the air.

"Has the cooldown or duration of Shinra Tensei changed under the influence of Six Paths power?" Hikari's crimson Sharingan spun as the thought crossed her mind.

Still, her objective had already been achieved.

With a graceful sweep of the Black Receiver in her hand, the Amaterasu flames below surged violently. Gigantic serpents of black fire roared upward, spewing endless torrents of black flames.

In an instant, densely packed black spheres condensed to their peak density, radiating a terrifying aura.

The overwhelming heat rippled outward, spreading an aura of destruction. There was no doubt: Hikari's Amaterasu-based Fire Release technique, if fully unleashed, could obliterate an entire town.

Nagato's pupils shrank. His earlier Shinra Tensei had inadvertently facilitated the completion of Hikari's technique.

This level of attack was far beyond what the Preta Path of the Rinnegan could absorb. Attempting to absorb it recklessly would spell disaster.

Instinctively, the six floating Truth-Seeking Balls behind him merged into a single massive sphere, encasing Nagato entirely.

In the next moment, countless black spheres whistled through the air, smashing into Nagato's protective sphere.

Boom! Boom!

The black spheres formed by the Amaterasu flames erupted like Tailed Beast Bombs, their brilliance outshining the sun and illuminating the night sky. The inferno spread like a second sun, casting everything below into a fiery hellscape.

The intense heat melted rocks into rivers of magma, turning the land into a molten red inferno.

Amid the fading brilliance, two figures clashed relentlessly. Each collision caused the air itself to tremble, sparks flying like fireworks.

Nagato, charred black, stood battered. One of the horns on his forehead was burned away, and his white robes were singed and melted.

Even the Truth-Seeking Balls couldn't completely negate the devastating attack powered by Hikari's fusion of Six Paths energy and Sage power.

Their close-quarters combat left Nagato at a disadvantage. However, for the Jinchūriki of the Ten-Tails, such injuries were negligible.

Nagato's wounds healed at a terrifying speed, his vitality restored after just a few exchanges. Not only that, but his aura grew even stronger, proof that he was further harmonizing with the Ten-Tails' power, boosting his strength.

Boom!

Nagato slammed his Six Paths Staff into the ground, deflecting Hikari's Black Receiver. He roared,

(T/N: I think it is about: Six Paths Rod — Naruto used this term referring to the staffs he formed out of the Truth-Seeking Balls.)

"Shinra Tensei!"

Bang!

An enormous repulsive force struck Hikari, sending her hurtling like a streak of light into the burning mountain range below.

Crash!

The mountains collapsed, boulders shattered, and the earth quaked.

Nagato's newfound power as a Ten-Tails Jinchūriki had elevated his Rinnegan abilities to a whole new level.

Snap!

With a crisp clap, Nagato brought his hands together.

The ground rumbled as gigantic spires erupted like bamboo shoots, forming sharp peaks that curved toward Hikari's location in the mountains.

Boom!

Scarlet light burst from the earth as a massive red warrior emerged—a fully realized Susanoo.

The colossal Susanoo swept its blade, cleaving the stone spires and piercing tree roots that lunged toward it. The black energy of its sword sliced through the air, leaving a dark scar in the sky.

Nagato, cautious, dodged the slash, his form blurring as he moved away. The sword's energy split mountains, dividing the landscape into two with each swing.

Hikari's Susanoo, empowered by Six Paths energy, hadn't grown larger but radiated unparalleled power.

Hiss!

The red warrior unleashed a flurry of sword strikes, each cleaving through the land and leaving behind gaping black fissures.

"Shinra Tensei!"

Nagato, unable to evade, activated his repulsion ability again. The collision with the Susanoo's sword energy caused him to falter, his body shooting backward like a falling meteor.

Crash!

Nagato slammed into the ground, shattering the terrain for hundreds of meters around.

Buzz!

A wooden colossus rivaling the Susanoo in size rose from the earth, and Nagato stood atop it, his cold eyes locked onto Hikari within the Susanoo.

Their gazes clashed, and their ocular powers collided in an invisible but palpable explosion.

Ugh!

Hikari groaned, her head snapping back as if struck, causing the Susanoo to tremble.

Despite the Six Paths enhancement, her Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan's power was still no match for Nagato's Rinnegan under similar enhancement.

Snap!

Nagato clapped his hands again, and four massive wooden dragons erupted from the earth, their jaws snapping as they lunged for the Susanoo.

"Amaterasu!"

Scarlet eyes blazing, Hikari ignited the Susanoo in black flames, spreading the fire to the incoming dragons.

(T/N: Just to realize that it's not my fault or the author's, it seems like the character does have a lot of abilities. Wiki: She had the abilities Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu implanted into her eyes, and was able to utilise the Engraved Tsukuyomi through her Mangekyō Sharingan as well. While she was skilled in the use of Amaterasu, the strain of the technique took its toll on her eyes. Furthermore, Hikari showed the capability to manipulate the shape of the black flames.)

The flames sharpened into black blades, severing the dragons in a single stroke.

"Amaterasu!"

Locking her eyes on Nagato, Hikari unleashed the black flames directly on him.

Nagato's expression remained calm. "Preta Path!"

In an instant, the black flames were absorbed into an invisible vortex.

Nagato raised his hand, chanting, "Banshō Ten'in!"

The Susanoo was pulled toward him by an overwhelming force.

Instead of resisting, Hikari grinned wildly, relishing the intensity of the battle. Her Susanoo thrust its sword forward, using the pull of the gravitational force to drive its blade toward Nagato.

Nagato, unfazed, brought his hands together, concentrating his Ten-Tails-enhanced Rinnegan power.

"Six Paths: Shinra Tensei!"