Nagato's Rinnegan flickered with a cold gleam.
The Animal Path had already begun with Summoning Jutsu.
The Split Dog, Chameleon, Bird, Bull, and Panda—five summoned beasts appeared at once.
There should have been a giant crab as well, but it had already been smashed beyond repair and tossed aside.
Seeing the five summoned beasts enter the fray, Gekko Chizan curled his lips in disdain.
The snakes of Ryūchi Cave were not something these little monsters could compare to.
"hmph! More people again?"
"This time it's the Rinnegan?"
"I'll slaughter you all!"
The massive Split Dog charged straight toward Jinlin and snapped down with its jaws.
Already seething with anger, how could Jinlin tolerate that? With a violent whip of her serpent tail, she struck. Under such overwhelming strength, even a large summoned beast like the Split Dog struggled to endure it and was slammed straight to the ground.
But at the same time, the Chameleon and the Bull rushed in as well. The three summoned beasts immediately tangled themselves around Jinlin.
As for the Bird, it circled in the sky, engaging Urokohane in combat.
The Panda, due to its size, simply couldn't join the battle.
"Kurohebi, how long are you going to keep spectating?"
"Where's your poison?!"
Jinlin wasn't afraid of being hit, but facing three summoned beasts alone was still incredibly irritating.
Especially that damned dog—every time it got beaten, it grew another head. That was too much!
Was that even a normal creature?
"Stop yelling! Can't you see I'm busy?!"
Kurohebi snapped back irritably. She truly was occupied.
Those puppets that had previously entangled Jinlin were now heading straight for her—and they had even bypassed her deadly Medusa poison.
There were even layers of sand iron pressing in, turning Kurohebi's once leisurely situation into a tense stalemate.
Among the four sisters, she was the least suited for combat. She could only rely on the venom of the bamboo pit viper to attack. As for her true body... aside from looking a bit bigger, she was essentially worthless in direct battle.
With the assistance of Nagato's summoned beasts, Kabuto and Kakuzu were finally free to focus on a single target each. Kabuto chose Kurohebi, while Kakuzu went after Yamoryū.
In an instant, all four snakes in the field were held back. As for the remaining sea serpents, they had already turned into white smoke and vanished from the earlier fighting.
After all, in a battle of this intensity, ordinary snakes simply couldn't withstand it.
"Chizan, that's enough!"
"Time to move?"
Gekko Chizan had long been unable to contain himself. The blood of a top predator boiled within him.
As a snake, hunting was in his nature!
"I've waited long enough!"
"Let's begin! Let my Titan Python open the curtain!"
Tagitsuhime said nothing. She merely began circulating the natural energy she had just gathered, channeling it into Gekko Chizan's body through the Coiling Serpent Technique.
In the next moment, surging natural energy ran wild.
"Come on. Since you're all here, let's have a proper fight."
"That's what your Akatsuki organization wants too, isn't it?"
"But Nagato, don't forget—back then, it was me who came up with the name 'Akatsuki.'"
"So now, give it back to me!"
Gekko Chizan's voice brimmed with killing intent—negative emotion brought by Sage Mode.
The next second, deep blue chakra gathered and took shape. The enormous Titan Python appeared once more.
"Hmph! Gekko Chizan."
"The word 'Akatsuki' represents the dawn's first light! You didn't name it!"
"Die!"
Nagato attacked first. Apart from the Naraka Path, all his bodies moved—including himself.
The Deva Path was the most powerful. Whether Shinra Tensei or Banshō Ten'in, both were ultimate weapons.
But against Gekko Chizan, he dared not be careless in the slightest. He knew full well how powerful Gekko Chizan was.
Right now it was only the deep blue giant python. That crimson serpent hadn't appeared yet.
"Hahahahaha! Come! Fight me! Fight me!"
From within the Titan Python, Gekko Chizan let out a sky-shaking roar. The massive body surged into motion. The Titan Python possessed the strongest physique among all serpents. With this eruption of strength, the entire island trembled.
At the same time, the instant the Titan Python appeared, Jinlin and her three sisters all let out long howls toward the sky.
Their offensive grew even more ferocious.
Jinlin violently rammed the Bull aside, then whipped her tail again to send the Chameleon flying.
Kurohebi's venom spread into a poisonous mist, blasting all the puppets away.
"Chizan, die!"
"Shinra Tensei!"
Nagato raised his hand and unleashed Shinra Tensei. The shockwave was directed entirely at the Titan Python.
Gekko Chizan grinned widely, arrogance flashing in his smile.
"You think I'm afraid of you?"
"Break!"
The Titan Python didn't dodge at all—it charged straight into it.
Shinra Tensei's shockwave collided head-on with the Titan Python's powerful body. The impact shattered the surrounding trees and rocks.
"Fire Release."
A battle was never one-on-one. A massive dragon of fire appeared from the other side and viciously bit into the Titan Python.
The temperature of the flames was so high that even Gekko Chizan was momentarily startled.
"Tsk tsk, Gekko Chizan, since you're here, don't even think about leaving."
Before the fire dragon vanished, a barrage of fireballs rose into the sky, striking the Titan Python one after another.
A pitch-black Susanoo appeared before the Titan Python. Uchiha Makito, Mangekyō Sharingan activated, stood in its path with killing intent overflowing.
"Tch, everyone's here, huh."
"Fine. Let's fight!"
"Let's see whether your Akatsuki can keep me here—"
"—or whether I'll wipe you out and walk away!"
"Fire Release! Great Fire Annihilation!"
Playing with fire? Who couldn't do that?
The Titan Python opened its jaws and spewed a torrent of blazing flames. Gekko Chizan's chakra could now only be described as vast beyond measure.
With sheer force of a single Fire Release technique, he pushed Uchiha Makito's flames back.
The firestorm swept across half the island.
"Tch, such power from a Fire Release?"
"I have to admit, Chizan, your strength is impressive."
"Unfortunately, this alone won't defeat me!"
"Mukyō! Fire Release:!"
Since pure Fire Release couldn't contend, he would amplify it with another power.
With the activation of his dōjutsu, the distance between the fireballs and Gekko Chizan vanished completely. One by one, fireballs exploded on the Titan Python's face without warning.
Crimson flames blocked Gekko Chizan's vision entirely.
"Tch, annoying dōjutsu!"
Just as Gekko Chizan grew irritated by the interference of the flames, another unexpected enemy appeared.
"Water Release: Water Mirror Jutsu!"
"Isn't it just a snake? Watch me replicate one for you!"
A massive mirror materialized out of thin air. In the next second, Jinlin's figure stepped out from within it and slammed directly into the real Jinlin, knocking her completely dazed.
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