"Guy, as a man, don't show such an expression so easily."
Despite the damage to his reanimated form, Might Duy's gentle smile radiated the same warmth that had defined him in life. His eyes, now clear of Black Zetsu's manipulation, carried a profound sense of peace and accomplishment as he looked upon his son.
"You have completely surpassed me in every way that matters," Duy continued, his voice growing softer as the sealing technique continued its work. "From now on, the future of our village—and all the people within it—will be protected by your strength."
The specialized scroll continued wrapping around Duy's broken form, its sealing formulas glowing with increasing intensity as the binding process approached completion.
Buzz!
But at that crucial moment, something unprecedented occurred. A soft, ethereal light began emanating from Duy's body, starting as barely perceptible wisps and gradually intensifying until his entire form was wreathed in gentle radiance.
The paper-like fragments that comprised his Edo Tensei body began to scatter like cherry blossoms in the wind, dissolving into nothingness as they fell away. Beneath the artificial construct, a soul of pure white light gradually separated itself from the earthly remains, rising slowly toward the rain-darkened sky.
"Is the sealing technique failing?" one of the Konoha ninja asked, his voice tight with concern as he witnessed this unexpected development.
Karin shook her head, her analytical mind processing what she was observing with growing understanding. "No, that's not it. His Edo Tensei is being dispelled from within."
"Dispelled? But why? How is that possible?"
None of the assembled ninja possessed sufficient knowledge of the resurrection technique to comprehend what they were witnessing. The mechanisms behind such a phenomenon were far beyond their current understanding.
Yet Guy, despite his typically straightforward nature, seemed to grasp something essential about what was occurring. The heavy sorrow that had weighted his expression began to lift, replaced by something approaching wonder. He raised his head to watch his father's ascending soul, and for the first time since the battle began, he smiled with genuine happiness.
"Don't worry, Dad," Guy called out, his voice carrying clearly through the rain-soaked air. "My friends and I will definitely stop the enemy's conspiracy! We'll protect everything you died for!"
Duy nodded, his ethereal form glowing brighter as it continued its ascension. His smile never wavered, even as his spiritual essence gradually became translucent and began to fade from sight.
"I know you will, my son. I have complete faith in the man you've become."
As his soul reached a certain height, it dispersed entirely, returning to whatever realm awaited those who had found peace. The light that had surrounded his reanimated body dissipated simultaneously, and the remaining paper fragments scattered to reveal the true face of the sacrifice that had been used for the resurrection.
After witnessing Duy's final departure, Guy and Konan exchanged meaningful glances before simultaneously launching themselves toward another battlefield where their assistance was needed. The rain continued to fall around them, but it no longer seemed quite so oppressive.
Karin and the other support personnel followed close behind, their mission parameters shifting to adapt to the rapidly evolving tactical situation.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the war zone...
"It's raining at precisely the wrong moment," Itachi observed grimly, his scarlet eyes analyzing the deteriorating weather conditions with tactical precision. The increasing intensity of the downpour was creating problems beyond simple visibility—it was actively interfering with their transportation capabilities.
In these conditions, Sai and Shin's Super Beast Pseudo-Paintings were losing their effectiveness. The ink constructs that served as their aerial mounts were struggling against the wind and rain, their flight paths becoming increasingly unstable as the storm intensified.
As a result, their planned rapid deployment to headquarters was being significantly delayed.
Swish!
The Second Hokage's expression darkened as he assessed their tactical predicament, but his response was immediate and decisive. His form suddenly transformed into a streak of white light, moving with such incredible speed that he vanished from Itachi's sight within moments.
Even centuries after his death, Tobirama Senju's mastery of high-speed movement techniques remained unparalleled.
"Such incredible speed!" Itachi breathed, genuinely impressed despite the urgency of their situation.
Turning to address his team, he issued rapid orders: "Continue toward headquarters at maximum possible speed despite the weather. Also, establish contact with Shisui and Aburame Shibi immediately—we need to coordinate our approach."
Even though the Second Hokage had declared that searching for the Edo Tensei caster was futile, there were still other critical objectives that required attention and coordination.
"Yes, sir!" Sai and the others acknowledged the orders before struggling back into the air on their weather-beaten mounts.
Itachi followed the direction of Tobirama's departure, pushing his own speed to its limits as he raced through the storm toward what promised to be the war's decisive confrontation.
At the Allied Shinobi Forces Headquarters...
On the devastated battlefield where mountains had been moved and valleys carved by the clash of legendary powers, Sasuke stared up at the massive Wood Human with a mixture of fury and grim determination. The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan patterns in his eyes spun faster and faster, their crimson light intensifying as unprecedented amounts of chakra began building within his system.
His gaze shifted momentarily to take in Madara's perfect Susanoo, a construct so massive it could stand eye-to-eye with Hashirama's wooden giant. The scale of power being displayed was beyond anything most shinobi could even comprehend, let alone match.
The Wood Human's fist descended toward him like a falling meteor, its size and speed promising to crush anything in its path. With his current Susanoo's capabilities, Sasuke knew with absolute certainty that he couldn't withstand another direct hit.
"BANG!"
At that critical moment, an explosion of chakra erupted from Sasuke's body with such force that it created visible shockwaves. A substantial pillar of light purple energy suddenly shot skyward, its intensity causing the very air to shimmer and distort.
"RUMBLE!"
The lavender energy beam collided with the Wood Human's descending fist, creating an impact that shook the earth for miles in every direction. Ancient bedrock cracked under the stress of such titanic forces, while surface structures simply disintegrated from the reverberations.
Against all expectation, the massive fist was actually pushed back by the surge of energy, its descent halted and then reversed by the sheer power of Sasuke's chakra output.
Under the storm-darkened sky, the pillar of lavender light stretched upward like a beacon, its radiance visible even through the heavy clouds. Then, without warning, it began to expand dramatically.
This unprecedented display immediately captured the attention of both Minato and Madara, causing both legendary shinobi to pause in their own battle to assess this new development.
"How could that boy achieve such power?" Madara's voice carried genuine shock for the first time since the battle began. Throughout the conflict, he had dismissed everyone at the headquarters except Minato as beneath his notice—insects whose presence was merely an annoyance.
But this level of chakra output demanded recalculation.
Through his enhanced perception, Madara suddenly realized that Sasuke's chakra signature and ocular power were unlike anything he had encountered from ordinary Mangekyō Sharingan wielders.
"That ocular power... it's the Eternal Mangekyō?" For the first time, Madara's mask of indifference cracked, revealing genuine surprise. "And there's Hashirama's chakra mixed within it as well."
Minato's tense expression relaxed slightly as he witnessed this development. "It seems Sasuke is finally beginning to unleash the true potential of those eyes."
Within the massive pillar of lavender light that pierced the heavens, a new giant began to take shape. This wasn't the partial manifestation Sasuke had been using—this was something far more complete and terrifying. The construct that emerged possessed the bearing of an ancient war god, its eyes fixed with laser focus on the Wood Human standing before it.
"This is..."
Even Naruto, who had grown accustomed to Sasuke's abilities, was stunned by the sheer scale of what his rival had achieved. The complete form of Susanoo towered above the battlefield like a monument to power itself.
Hashirama, standing atop the Wood Human's head, formed hand seals with practiced efficiency before launching his counter-attack. His construct's fist shot forward with devastating force.
The pillar of lavender light gradually coalesced and focused as Sasuke's perfect Susanoo raised its massive sword and charged forward to meet the challenge.
"BANG!"
When the two mountain-sized giants collided, the impact created effects that transcended normal combat. The earth didn't just crack—it split apart in great chasms that ran for miles. The wind generated by their clash was strong enough to uproot entire forests and send debris flying like projectiles.
Naruto, who found himself at almost the same elevation as the battling titans, realized with amazement that he was actually standing at nearly the same height as the Wood Human. Sasuke's perfect Susanoo had grown large enough to fight the First Hokage's technique on equal terms.
"He actually possesses such incredible chakra reserves!" Naruto thought, his sensory abilities confirming that the energy radiating from Sasuke was on par with the massive constructs themselves.
"Idiot, there's no time to stand around in amazement," Sasuke's voice carried clearly despite the chaos surrounding them. His tone held its characteristic edge, but there was an underlying note of confidence that hadn't been there before.
"I'll hold this oversized puppet back," he continued, gesturing toward the Wood Human with casual authority. "You go help Aunt Kushina deal with the Gedo Statue."
"Understood!"
Though Sasuke's sudden surge in power stirred feelings of inadequacy in Naruto's heart, those emotions were immediately overwhelmed by excitement and relief. Finally, they had the strength to stand against the First Hokage rather than simply running and hiding.
Without hesitation, Naruto launched himself from Sasuke's chakra construct, his form becoming a streak of golden light as he descended toward the battlefield below. Within seconds, he had landed and was racing toward the Gedo Statue, whose massive limbs were currently restrained by Kushina's golden chains.
"BANG!"
Behind him, the two titanic giants clashed again, their impact creating seismic tremors that registered on instruments hundreds of miles away. The battle between Sasuke and the First Hokage had truly begun.
As Naruto rushed toward the bound statue, his mind turned inward, seeking the counsel of the ancient entity sealed within his consciousness.
"Nine-Tails, you probably heard that wailing from before," Naruto's mental voice echoed through the depths of his psyche, but received no immediate response.
"This stubborn fox," he muttered, gritting his teeth in frustration. Still, he knew Kurama was listening—the Tailed Beast's silence was more telling than any outburst.
Closing his eyes while maintaining his forward momentum—his enhanced perception allowing him to navigate without visual input—Naruto projected his consciousness into the sealed space within his soul.
The familiar cage materialized around him, its bars glowing with the power of the seal that bound the Nine-Tails. Beyond those barriers, massive amber eyes opened slowly, fixing him with an stare that carried millennia of accumulated wisdom and barely contained rage.
"I can feel your anger from before," Naruto said directly, his voice carrying none of his usual bravado—just honest concern for the creature that had become something approaching a partner.
Kurama's scarlet eyes narrowed as he studied the young human before him. "So what if you can, brat? What exactly do you think you're going to do about it?"
The fox's voice carried clear resentment, primarily stemming from Naruto's previous forcible extraction of his chakra. Trust, once broken, was difficult to rebuild—even between beings bound as closely as they were.
"I have an idea, but I need to confirm whether it's actually possible," Naruto replied, his tone growing more serious as he outlined his plan.
"Right now, I can very clearly sense several chakra signatures similar to yours within that statue's body. Mom has temporarily restrained it with her chains, which means its defenses are compromised."
He paused, gathering his courage before voicing the audacious plan that had been forming in his mind.
"Can I use the same method I employed when we first fought—when I pulled your chakra into myself—to extract the Tailed Beasts' chakra from the statue and free them?"
Kurama's expression underwent a dramatic transformation, his eyes widening with what could only be described as complete shock. For several long moments, the ancient entity was rendered speechless by the sheer audacity of what Naruto was proposing.
"You naive fool," Kurama finally managed, his voice carrying a mixture of disbelief and something that might have been admiration. "You actually want to extract the Tailed Beasts directly from the Gedo Statue's body?"
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