Jiraiya looked at Asuma's face, twisted by grief, and his reddened eyes. His own heart was equally stung.
Hiruzen was dead, killed by that traitorous disciple Orochimaru. Didn't he also want to avenge Hiruzen?
But...
"Don't be impulsive!" Jiraiya's voice was low, emphasizing again, his palm pressing slightly, restraining Asuma.
"Today's events... are very complex..."
"But... Jiraiya-sama!" Asuma suddenly turned his head, tears finally rolling down uncontrollably, his voice hoarse and trembling.
"The old man was killed by Orochimaru! They're in cahoots with Orochimaru!!" He pointed at Yukimi and the others, his finger shaking.
"I know! I know all that!" Jiraiya growled, pain also flashing in his eyes.
He took a deep breath and released his hand pressing on Asuma's shoulder.
Jiraiya stepped forward two paces, his gaze passing over the Konoha's Ninja with varied expressions, finally landing on Yukimi, who stood at the front of the Land of Stars' group.
"Little girl." Jiraiya spoke, his hoarse voice trying to remain calm.
"Earlier... I heard what that person of yours said. That you have important matters to announce to the Ninja World?" He paused, his gaze sweeping over the sinkhole, his meaning clear.
"Now, can you tell us what's going on? Who are those two enemies?"
Jiraiya's words instantly captured everyone's attention.
Whether it was Konoha's Jonin like Shikaku, Hiashi, Kakashi, Guy, or Ao and Suigetsu from Kirigakure, Samui and Omoi from Kumogakure, even Asuma, all involuntarily turned their gazes to Jiraiya and Yukimi.
Yes, what was the origin of the enemy who had just created this hellish sinkhole before them?
Was that really something a Ninja could do?
Facing the many gazes laced with hostility, Yukimi's expression didn't change in the slightest.
She raised her small hand, casually wiping away a speck of dust near the freckle on her cheek that was obstructing her vision with her index finger.
Then she slightly raised her head, her eyes meeting everyone's gaze, her clear voice ringing out at the edge of the silent sinkhole:
"You saw it yourselves."
She said, not answering directly, but turning sideways, indicating this giant, desperate sinkhole.
"Aside from our Shura-sama, who else in the Ninja World could cause this level of destruction?"
"The true enemies of the Ninja World have already shown themselves. With a mere gesture, they can easily create destruction on this scale."
Her words were very plain, without deliberate embellishment, but coupled with the giant sinkhole, and the earth-shattering explosion just now, everyone's hearts grew heavier and heavier.
"The... true... enemies of the Ninja World?" Shikaku frowned, repeating the words, his brain working rapidly, trying to find clues from known intelligence, but finding nothing.
Hiashi, Kakashi, and the others also looked equally confused.
Ao frowned, as if recollecting something.
Samui and Karui exchanged a glance, both seeing shock and doubt in each other's eyes.
And Boruto and Adult Sasuke from another Space-Time, upon hearing these words, their bodies shook simultaneously.
The Otsutsuki Clan from beyond the sky!
This name instantly flashed through their minds.
The purpose of their time travel was precisely to pursue Urashiki and prevent him from sucking young Naruto's Nine-Tails' Chakra through time travel.
And now, Urashiki was right before their eyes, and another Otsutsuki had appeared!
The situation was even worse than they had imagined!
Adult Sasuke looked at Yukimi, but his memory held no information about this person.
But the other party seemed to know quite a bit about the Otsutsuki.
His gaze swept over Yukimi, then over Yusuke, Neji, and Gaara, Karin, and others a little further away.
Under the insight of his Rinnegan, he found certain abnormalities.
The Chakra Flow and cell activity of these Land of Stars people faintly carried traces of... being modified.
He sensed an extremely faint, but exceptionally pure, Yang Release Chakra characteristic, as well as a Chakra residue full of vitality but carrying a hint of disharmony...
The former reminded him of Danzo's arm.
The latter instantly conjured the image of Orochimaru, who had successfully reincarnated using a White Zetsu's body in the later stages of the Fourth Great Ninja War.
'Could it be that the Land of Stars' Ninja had all undergone physical modification or enhancement using Hashirama's cells and White Zetsu's cells?'
But what concerned Adult Sasuke even more was Neji.
In his Rinnegan's perception, beneath Neji's pure Byakugan Ocular Power, there seemed to be lurking an extremely thin Chakra trait.
Although it was so faint it was almost negligible, that feeling...
Faintly reminded him of Otsutsuki Kaguya!
'But how is this possible?'
Adult Sasuke looked up at the battlefield in the sky, analyzing the now known intelligence.
The Shura who had changed this time-space was the Fourth Hokage's son, Naruto's brother. And the Fourth Hokage also seemed not to have died, or had been resurrected by some Ninjutsu.
Adult Sasuke naturally knew that aside from Edo Tensei, there were multiple resurrection Ninjutsu in the Ninja World.
Just as the people on the ground were thinking, their minds stirred by Yukimi's words, the battlefield in the sky underwent another sudden change!
A sense of heaviness, as if it could suppress space itself, permeated down from above the sinkhole without warning.
Then, to the horrified looking up of all the survivors, in the sky above the sinkhole!
The outline of an ancient-looking black object appeared out of nowhere!
It consisted of two parts. The lower part was a bottomless, giant 'bowl'-shaped container over a hundred meters in diameter. The upper part was a perfectly fitting giant 'lid'.
This 'bowl' and 'lid', one above and one below, like a 'tea kettle', closed with a crash towards the center of the sinkhole!
Its volume was so massive it almost blocked a small half of the sky, the shadow it cast making the already dim edge of the sinkhole even more sinister.
"Wh-What is that?!" Someone screamed in shock.
"A Sealing Technique?! Such terrifying Chakra!" The perceptive Ninja's expressions drastically changed.
Adult Sasuke's gaze hardened, his Rinnegan firmly locked that giant [Sealing Kettle].
This was the ultimate application of Yin-Yang Release, a terrifying method far surpassing ordinary Sealing Techniques!
Meanwhile, at the center of the sinkhole, on the high-altitude battlefield beyond the reach of ordinary eyes, the situation was changing in the blink of an eye.
In the instant before the [Sealing Kettle] appeared…
Menma's left index and middle fingers were firmly grasping that golden, glittering Rinnegan embedded in Urashiki's forehead!
The cold touch from his fingertips, and the still restlessly struggling Urashiki's origin Ocular Power within.
Then Menma's fingers wriggled, blood slowly flowing from Urashiki's empty forehead socket.
"This eye... is mine." The corner of Menma's mouth curved into a satisfied smile.
"Ugh... hah..." Urashiki's entire body convulsed violently.
Menma's Chakra Tails wielded several Chakra Rods, viciously piercing through Urashiki's limbs, nailing him in the void, like a bizarre insect made into a specimen.
He opened his mouth, wanting to utter curses, wanting to activate his final time rewind, even wanting to detonate this body to destroy the enemy.
However, having lost this Golden Rinnegan at his forehead, which was the core of his Crane Form and also carried most of his abilities, even mobilizing Chakra became exceptionally difficult.
Only blood, mixed with fragments of internal organs, flowed from his mouth.
The bone-chilling despair brought by the rapidly passing life filled Urashiki's brain.
He could feel the final connection between himself and that Golden Rinnegan being forcibly stripped away by the other's domineering and strange power.
It was a 'plunder' of the Chakra origin itself!
Fear and despair spread in Urashiki's heart.
Having traversed the starry sky for thousands of years, Urashiki had never imagined he would be reduced to such a miserable state by a 'native'!
Just then, a sudden change occurred!
Above Menma's head, the 'lid' of the Sealing Kettle appeared without warning, with the heavy momentum to suppress everything, covering down towards him!
Simultaneously, all around his body… above, below, left, right, front, back, in all eight directions, even near the Chakra Tails that were restraining Urashiki… dozens of Chakra Rods, gleaming with a dim light, appeared out of nowhere!
These Chakra Rods were not aimed at the vital points of his body, but at the ten Chakra Tails!
In an instant, the ten Chakra Tails around Menma were pierced by the Chakra Rods!
It was Jigen!
He had finally seized that fleeting moment when Menma was seizing Urashiki's Rinnegan, and ferociously struck!
And the moment he struck, he integrated the spatial abilities of [Daikokuten] and the fatal killing move of the Yin-Yang Release Sealing Technique!
This giant [Sealing Kettle] was clearly one of his ultimate sealing methods. And the Chakra Rods attacking from all directions were meant to limit Menma's movement and defense, forcing him to take head-on this Sealing Technique!
Jigen's figure appeared not far away in the air. The black patterns of Kama had already spread to his neck. Beneath the white feather robe, black cracks were extending on his lower abdomen.
His gaze swept over Menma, then over the already dying, worthless Urashiki. There was no fellow clansmen sentiment in his eyes, only indifference, like looking at trash about to be cleared, and... the satisfaction of finally catching an opportunity.
'Now! Once he's caught under the Sealing Kettle, not even the Ten-Tails can break free! After dealing with this troublesome guy, I can slowly recover Urashiki's remaining Chakra and eyes at my leisure.' Jigen sneered inwardly.
He didn't care about Urashiki's life or death at all.
He just wanted to resolve as quickly as possible this Shura who had disrupted his plans and possessed ridiculously strong strength, then continue his great work of cultivating a perfect vessel and planting the God Tree!
Facing this dead end, pincered from above and below, locked down from all directions, Menma seemed not at all surprised.
He didn't even look at the 'lid' about to fall on his head, nor did he pay attention to the black rods that had imprisoned his Chakra Tails.
Menma's left hand, grasping Urashiki's Golden Rinnegan, exerted slight pressure.
Pfft.
A soft sound, accompanied by Urashiki's final grunt filled with endless resentment. That brilliant Golden Rinnegan was completely gouged out by him, separated from Urashiki's forehead, leaving only a bloody, bone-deep hole in its place.
Collection +1.
Menma's right hand relaxed. The Chakra Rod that had been piercing Urashiki's chest dissipated with it.
Urashiki's body suddenly stiffened, then completely went limp, his life aura rapidly annihilating, falling towards the 'bowl' of the 'Sealing Kettle' below.
Only then did Menma seem to just notice Jigen's attack.
Then, Menma slowly turned his head and looked at Jigen, who was poised to strike in the distance.
He even let out a soft laugh, a hint of faint mockery in his tone.
"Good timing. However, I advise you to show some real skill. If this is just this level of sneak attack..." His voice suddenly turned cold.
"Then you might as well go keep Urashiki company, Isshiki."
Menma, however, ignored the instant change in Jigen's expression.
After five years, being called by his true name by a 'native', Jigen's expression slightly changed.
And Menma leisurely took out a special transparent glass tube.
The tube contained a pale green, glowing faintly liquid.
He casually placed the Golden Rinnegan, still warm and with traces of blood, into the glass tube.
As the eye fell into the liquid, the bloodstains on its surface were rapidly decomposed and cleansed. The golden pupil slowly sank and floated in the liquid, still emitting a mysterious luster, like a beautiful work of art.
Menma sealed the glass tube and casually put it away.
After doing all this, he redirected his attention to the immediate crisis.
The 'lid' of the Sealing Kettle above his head was less than ten meters from his scalp. All around, densely packed Chakra Rods had pierced his Chakra Tails, seemingly restricting his movement.
Yet, Menma just quietly hovered there.
The next moment, the dark red Tailed Beast's Chakra Cloak that had been enveloping his body rapidly receded and withdrew, disappearing into his body.
The Chakra Rods lost their support and fell with it.
Then—
Hum!!!
A brilliant, pure golden light erupted from within Menma's body!
That golden light, like warm sunlight, carried a sense of divinity that transcended all beings!
Golden Chakra, like a supernova explosion, instantly expanded, replacing the previous dark red Chakra Cloak, forming a brand new, magnificent golden Chakra Cloak!
On the cloak, golden Chakra blazed like the sun.
Behind him, six pitch-black, slowly rotating Truth-Seeking Balls condensed out of nowhere, emitting fluctuations that made space itself tremble slightly.
At the same time, a pair of curved horns, like dragon horns, grew from the sides of his forehead, adding an inhuman dignity to his sacred posture.
And in the center of Menma's forehead, the skin split open, and a brilliant Golden Tenseigan slowly opened!
Tenseigan Chakra Mode!
Activate!
"Ugh... hah... im... possible..." Urashiki, falling into the abyss, his life flame about to be completely extinguished, in the last residual light of his consciousness, as if in a fleeting return of vitality, used the last of his strength to barely lift his head, and saw the figure in the air, enveloped in endless golden light, with dragon horns on his forehead and a Golden Tenseigan activated.
His gradually graying eyes suddenly widened, his pupils reflecting that sacred golden light. His throat emitted incomprehensible gurgling sounds.
Then, Urashiki's last bit of consciousness was devoured by darkness. His corpse accelerated its fall into the boundless darkness of the Sealing Kettle.
And Jigen in the distance, the moment he saw the Golden Tenseigan on Menma's forehead, and those dragon horns, the cold, calculating expression he had maintained completely collapsed, revealing an unprecedented look on his face!
His widened eyes were filled with disbelief!
"How is this possible!!!" He exclaimed in shock.
"You! How could you possess such eyes?! This is impossible! This... could this be...?!"
He seemed to recognize something, but couldn't believe it.
Tenseigan?!
This Golden Tenseigan before him brought a strong sense of oppression and the aura of a 'superior Otsutsuki'!
And those horns...
This was a form possessed only by the Otsutsuki Clan!
Menma, however, gave him no more time to be shocked.
The moment he switched to Tenseigan Chakra Mode, he seemed to resonate with the flow of Chakra throughout the world.
He slowly raised his right hand, fingers forming a virtual grip.
Of the six slowly rotating Truth-Seeking Balls behind him, three, as if receiving a command, instantly shot forward, colliding, merging, and shaping in the palm of Menma's virtual grip!
A dazzling golden light erupted from Menma's hand, and a giant golden Chakra Light Sword took shape in his hand in an instant!
The light sword was over a hundred meters long, yet radiated a terrifying aura capable of cutting through everything.
"Golden Wheel—"
"Reincarnation Explosion!"
Menma softly uttered the name of the technique. Then, his right hand, holding the golden light sword, casually swung it from top to bottom, gently.
The movement was casual.
But the effect was earth-shattering.
Swish—!!!
A golden thin line spanning heaven and earth flashed and was gone.
No earth-shattering loud bang, only a faint hum.
The next second, the about to close Sealing Kettle's 'lid', and the bottomless 'bowl' below, a center line appeared in their black outlines.
Then the center line 'cracked', and the Sealing Kettle was neatly cut in two!
The cut was smooth as a mirror!
The aftermath of the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion's slash did not diminish. After cutting open the Sealing Kettle, it transformed into a slender but unstoppable golden light blade, slashing towards the stunned Jigen not far away!
Where it passed, space was pulled into a long void fissure, unable to heal for a long time!
"What?!" Jigen finally snapped out of his shock. Facing this golden light blade, which had cut through his strongest Sealing Technique and whose residual power was still so terrifying it made even him shudder, the shadow of death instantly enveloped his entire body!
Rumble—!!!
The direction where the golden light blade fell, the earth suffered.
As the light blade fell, a straight, bottomless giant rift silently appeared in a stretch of rolling hills and forests north of Konoha!
The rift was hundreds of meters wide, extending forward beyond the horizon!
The rock walls on either side of the rift retained traces of high-temperature melting and lingering, undispersed golden Chakra.
And this was only the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion condensed from three Truth-Seeking Balls.
If Menma hadn't deliberately restrained the vast majority of its power after cutting open the Sealing Kettle, this single slash alone would have been enough to cut the entire Land of Fire, along with its crust, in two!
If it were the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion condensed from six Truth-Seeking Balls, even the planet beneath his feet could be split open!