As the Raikage grew increasingly solemn, Pain slightly furrowed his brows. "These annoying pests are proving quite persistent. Should I use Super Shinra Tensei on them?"
This move required channeling all of Hagoromo's chakra. The Deva Path wouldn't be able to use ninjutsu for a long time afterward—that was merely a minor concern. The bigger issue was that this move shaved years off the original body's lifespan.
Unlike the Rinnegan's gradual drain on life potential, this direct reduction of lifespan couldn't be replenished with life energy!
Moreover, before he came here, Konan had specifically warned him—if he acted recklessly, she would certainly get angry too, right?
Just as he hesitated, debating whether to unleash his ultimate move, suddenly an extremely powerful chakra entered his sensing range, rapidly approaching their location.
"This chakra… it can only be Seiki!" Pain muttered inwardly, suddenly recalling the Chunin Exams eight years ago. He had withdrawn midway specifically to hide his Rinnegan then (the legendary Rinnegan eye technique). Now, finally, he'd have a chance to face off against that man directly!
"Tobi, Sasori, you two retreat—I'll cover the rear!"
The Akatsuki members in the heat of battle froze for a moment at Pain's words, but quickly snapped out of it.
"Is that man coming?"
"I definitely don't want to meet him face-to-face!"
In contrast, the Allied Forces grew increasingly spirited.
"Great! Lord Seiki is arriving!"
"Hold them down! Don't let them escape!"
Pain watched coldly, "Anyone who stands in my way… will die!"
Suddenly, in the direction where Sasori and Tobi were fleeing, a huge monstrous creature appeared—nine-eyed and closed-eyed, its entire body resembling dry, withered wood.
Compared to it, all those previously summoned Summoned Beasts were practically mice.
"What is this? Another summoned beast?"
"With a body that huge, it's bound to be slow. We can just circle around it!"
This Demonic Statue of the Outer Path was naturally summoned in advance by Nagato's main body. However, since controlling the statue consumed considerable energy and affected his physical condition, and while its chakra dragons' soul-absorbing ability was indeed eerie, it was just like Dust Release—once you got used to it, it wasn't hard to evade.
Therefore, he hadn't used it until now.
At this moment, the chakra gathered within the Demonic Statue's mouth divided into more than a dozen chakra dragons, all rushing toward the enemies.
"What kind of elemental technique is this?"
"Use Earth Release for defense first!"
Several pursuers at the front couldn't dodge in time and instinctively created Earth Release defenses.
But the solidified chakra dragons tore through the earthen walls and impaled their bodies in an instant.
Thump!
Anyone hit—or even just grazed—by the chakra dragons dropped lifelessly to the ground, sending chills down the onlookers' spines. Those still chasing hastily scrambled backward in panic.
"What kind of ability is this? It's too strange!"
"Not only can it penetrate Earth Release defenses, but even the slightest contact results in instant death!"
It terrified them—[Chakra Dragons] so deadly that they killed on contact, rendering people completely helpless and unable to resist were simply too terrifying!
The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path let out a furious roar, reigniting the violent frenzy of the chakra dragons, which now pursued the group like Shinigami.
However, the Allied Ninja Forces, now prepared, proved far less vulnerable than expected. Though they scrambled desperately in retreat, no one was hit.
Pain wasn't particularly surprised by this outcome.
Back then, when he first unleashed this technique, he had mowed down countless Amegakure ninja as effortlessly as cutting through melons and vegetables. But when facing Hanzo, it had been effortless for the latter to escape.
These Allied ninja weren't nearly as strong as Hanzo, but they were all jonin—far better than the Amegakure ninja back then.
"Still, I can make my mark!"
Pain raised his arms and spread them outward to either side.
[Universal Pull]!
The ninja on both sides of Pain suddenly flew helplessly toward him. At any other time, this might not have mattered much, but right now, chakra dragons raged all around. To lose control of their bodies at a moment like this meant certain death!
As the chakra dragons neared them, the ninja caught in the pull cried out in terror.
"Don't drag us in!"
"Help!"
Just then, an almost tangible soul pressure rippled outward.
The chakra dragons stiffened—then immediately scattered into nothingness.
Even Pain was affected. The gravitational pull he exerted slackened, and the ninja regained control of their bodies.
"Phew! That was close!"
"But wait—what just happened?"
Pain stared in disbelief toward a certain direction. "What did you just do? Was that your aura or your soul? You actually managed to interfere with me and my chakra dragons like that?"
From that direction, Seiki lightly leaped down from a tree, smiling softly. "Well, if you ask me, if I want to do something like that, I can just do it!"
The others, hearing this exchange, looked at Seiki with stunned admiration.
"No wonder he's called the Ninja God. I've never even heard of an aura being this powerful before!"
"Even those chakra dragons we couldn't fight back against couldn't stand up to his ability?"
"Absolutely incredible!" Pain thought to himself, shaken. Since gaining the power of the Rinnegan, this was the first time he had felt such pressure.
Just then, the massive wooden giant—which had seemed calm—suddenly struck without warning. Hundreds of arms shot out like a violent storm, pounding down relentlessly.
In an instant, the earth cracked and crumbled, burying Seiki beneath the chaotic assault.
"How despicable! A surprise attack?!"
"Lord Seiki...!"
"Don't worry! Lord Seiki is the Ninja God after all! How could he possibly lose to such a counterfeit?!"
Though the group felt a bit anxious, they were mostly filled with confidence.
After all, Lord Seiki had never lost a battle before!
The next moment, an enormous Daibutsu statue rose up from the swirling dust and debris. The wooden giant, still swinging its arms wildly, nearly toppled over from the Daibutsu's sudden appearance.
Next to the Daibutsu, the wooden giant looked like a child—its flailing blows now as feeble as a kid trying to punch a grown man's legs.
"Now let me show you what real Wood Release looks like!"
As the words fell, Seiki commanded the thousand arms of the Daibutsu to launch an attack in unison.
It seemed as if the sky had collapsed. The earth violently trembled, and the seemingly powerful Yugito instantly disintegrated.
Amidst the flurry of flying wooden debris, an arm reached out and grabbed the falling Kinoto. With a gentle twist of the fingers, the Spores cocoon surrounding him was quickly crushed away.
"Thank goodness!" Kinoto sighed with relief, standing on the palm of the Daibutsu and looking up in admiration as he shouted, "Master Seiki, thank you so much!"
In the distance, Tatsuma watched this scene angrily, having been hit by some flying pebbles and splinters. He felt an unpleasant sensation, as if he saw horns sprouting above his head. "How dare you, Kinoto! Don't you know Seiki Shimaseki is Danzo-sama's..."
"Wait, Danzo-sama..." Suddenly realizing this, Tatsuma's face turned deathly pale as he shouted, "Hurry and save Hokage-sama!"
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
Want to read the subsequent content in advance?
Please follow my Patreon:patreon/Tansnovel
Tans Novel - The Fastest-Updating Naruto Fanfiction Account
Read 100+ chapters in advance, with at least 3 new chapters updated every day! More free chapters! 20+ Naruto fanfictions!
Just three steps:
1. Download and open the "Patreon" app
2. Search for "Tans Novel"
3. Click on the collection and enjoy to your heart's content
<><><><><><><><>