On the high cliff, Shinji observed the battlefield while silently contemplating.
He urgently needed to confirm the mysterious figure's condition. Only by doing so could he proceed with his plans.
After all, if the mysterious figure had truly degenerated into an unconscious, mindless tumor, there was no need to fight it to the death.
Whoosh.
At that moment, a figure landed beside Shinji.
It was none other than Shion, who had come with him. Instead of rushing into the fray, she carefully avoided the battlefield and joined Shinji's side.
Shinji asked, "You're not hurt, are you?"
Shion shook her head before asking curiously, "How can both of them use 'Wood Release'? And…"
For some reason, Shion found Yakumo, clad in the hooded red-cloud cloak and mask, strikingly familiar, and she already had a faint guess in her mind.
"Now's not the time for that," Shinji said, pausing before continuing, "Get ready. Once the tumor is broken open, watch for my signal and be prepared to use a sealing technique!"
"Understood!"
Shion nodded firmly.
She knew this wasn't a sparring match at the ninja academy. A single mistake could cost the entire shinobi world, so she didn't dare let her guard down.
On the battlefield, though the tumor was formidable, the combined 'Wood Release' of Karin and Yakumo was not to be underestimated. A surging sea of trees quickly gained the upper hand, ensnaring every one of the tumor's terrifying tendrils with vines, leaving them no room to writhe or maneuver!
Seizing the moment as Karin and Yakumo's 'Wood Release' temporarily restrained the tumor's tendrils, the others freed up their hands to prepare an assault on the tumor's main body.
Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!
The first sound to ring out was the sharp, piercing screech of electric currents, like a flock of birds!
Sasuke crouched on a tree branch, his left hand supporting his right, which crackled with radiant lightning!
"Not enough… still not enough…"
He muttered, his expression growing fierce.
The tumor could stand against Shinji's fully realized 'Susanoo,' so its strength was undeniable. Sasuke knew that a mere 'Chidori' wouldn't be enough to harm it.
Gritting his teeth, he steeled himself and activated the dojutsu of his Mangekyo Sharingan, 'Amaterasu.'
But the target of his 'Amaterasu' wasn't the distant tumor—it was his own right hand, shimmering with blinding lightning.
Whoosh!
In an instant, the pale blue 'Chidori' enveloping Sasuke's hand was tainted by the 'Amaterasu' black flames, forcibly transformed into black lightning!
"With my current dojutsu and chakra, this is my only shot…"
Sasuke clenched his teeth, glaring fiercely at the distant tumor.
During the earlier sweep of the ghost domain, he had used 'Amaterasu' and 'Susanoo' multiple times, severely depleting his dojutsu. This was his final strike.
Moreover, without awakening the 'Kagutsuchi' ability from his original timeline to shape 'Amaterasu's' black flames, the flames posed a threat to him as well. A moment's carelessness could lead to him being burned by his own 'Amaterasu,' or even perishing in it.
Seeing Sasuke's reckless move, the others' expressions shifted.
Unaware of Sasuke's final trump card, 'Izanagi,' they thought he was risking his life.
"Trouble!"
Karin and Yakumo each let out a cry, then simultaneously unleashed all their chakra, urging their 'Wood Release' to further suppress the tumor's tendrils, providing as much cover as possible for Sasuke's final strike.
At the same time, with a boom, a massive ice crystal construct rose amid frost and mist. Standing on the shoulder of the slowly ascending construct was none other than Sasuke's partner, Haku!
This technique was a spoil of war Shinji had obtained after defeating Doma, the 'Ice Crystal Construct Technique,' which he had passed on to Haku. After years of training, Haku could now wield the 'Water Lily Goddess' that Doma had once summoned with his Blood Demon Art!
This move was a fusion of Haku's Ice Release Bloodline Limit and Blood Demon Art techniques, his ultimate ninjutsu, which he rarely used.
Seeing Sasuke go all out, Haku threw caution to the wind.
"I'm going in!"
With a loud shout, Sasuke didn't wait to see if the others would coordinate. With a whoosh, he shot toward the airborne tumor like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Sensing the threat, the tumor pulsed violently. All its tendrils struggled furiously, attempting to attack Sasuke.
"Stay put!"
Karin let out a fierce cry, pouring all her strength into her 'Wood Release' to bind the tendrils.
Yakumo, equally unyielding despite her heavily depleted body, pushed her 'Wood Release' to its limits to prevent the tendrils from reaching Sasuke.
In an instant, a contest of strength began between the tendrils and 'Wood Release.'
The tumor's tendrils were incredibly powerful, capable of shaking even Shinji's fully realized 'Susanoo.' Ordinary 'Wood Release' couldn't easily restrain them. Vines snapped instantly under the strain, wood chips flying everywhere!
But the strength of 'Wood Release' lay in its relentless regeneration. As tendrils broke vines, new ones sprouted to take their place, surging forward endlessly, preventing even a single tendril from breaking free!
The tumor grew increasingly frantic!
Thump! Thump!
With another pulse, the tumor abandoned its existing tendrils' attempts to attack the charging Sasuke. Instead, it sprouted countless new tendrils, striking at him from all directions.
"Damn it!"
Sasuke's expression froze.
With the insight of his Mangekyo Sharingan, he instantly realized all his attack routes had been sealed by the new tendrils.
Whoosh!
At that moment, a massive ice crystal hand, shrouded in chilling mist, unfurled, blocking more than half of the tendrils' assault!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
In an instant, countless tendrils struck Haku's 'Water Lily Goddess' ice hand, shattering ice and sending cold gusts howling!
Sasuke, momentarily distracted, worried that Haku's 'Water Lily Goddess' wouldn't hold against the tendrils.
Standing on the construct's shoulder, Haku shouted, "Keep going!"
Sasuke nodded, no longer focusing on the clash between the 'Water Lily Goddess' and the tendrils. His gaze locked back onto the nearby tumor.
At the same time, Ido, in its spirit form, darted through the air. Using its Koryugan to manipulate blood, it slowed the tumor's tendrils, hampering their speed.
"I've got it!"
With the tumor drawing closer, Sasuke, protected by the others, smirked!
But in that split second, a tendril, striking from an unknown angle, pierced toward Sasuke's face.
"What!?"
Sasuke's heart sank.
Whoosh.
At that moment, Neji and Kimimaro in their combined form landed beside Sasuke. Blocking the tendril with their body, they shouted, "Keep going!"