"Nawaki!"
Naruto yelled, an arm already regenerating. The Rasengan quickly formed and he slammed it down from the air towards the middle-aged man.
However, he was a step too late. The middle-aged man's hand had already grasped Nawaki by the back of his neck.
Boom!
The Rasengan created a large crater in the ground, and the middle-aged man reappeared over ten meters away, still holding Nawaki.
But just as Naruto and Neji moved to launch a pincer attack to retrieve Nawaki, the Nawaki held by the man transformed into a wood clone. Thick vines rapidly grew from it, wrapping around the middle-aged man in return.
Naruto and Neji stopped simultaneously, both letting out a silent sigh of relief.
Nawaki appeared on a tree behind everyone, laughing, "Teacher Naruto, Brother Neji, you underestimate me too much!"
Neji said solemnly, "Nawaki, don't let your guard down. This guy is incredibly dangerous."
"My ocular jutsu has no effect on him!"
"You know, in the Ninja World, there aren't more than five people who can ignore my ocular jutsu!"
Naruto immediately added, "There's a very evil power hidden within this guy. Stronger than Uchiha Madara, no, not weaker than Ōtsutsuki Kaguya back then!"
Rock Lee listened, his thick eyebrows furrowing, "As strong as Ōtsutsuki Kaguya? In that case..."
Boom!
A powerful force erupted from within him, his body enveloped in green light. He had unleashed the Six Gates in one go.
Tenten, meanwhile, took out the Flying Sword gifted by Sarutobi Asuma, ready to launch a surprise attack at any moment.
"Also, protect yourselves. We absolutely cannot let him get our blood!"
Neji gravely reminded them.
Nawaki, however, laughed, "No need!"
As his words fell, wooden spikes suddenly burst from the middle-aged man bound by the vines.
The Art of the Piercing!
But the middle-aged man smiled, "Attacks like this have no effect on me."
Nawaki frowned, looking at a black-robed figure his Wood Release was suspending.
The damage inflicted on the middle-aged man was being transferred to this black-robed figure!
Tenten watched, cold sweat breaking out on her forehead, "This guy... as long as those Jashinism followers are still around, he won't be harmed at all?"
Nawaki gritted his teeth, "Then let's deal with these cultists first!"
Without hesitation, he completely drained the chakra and life force of all the black-robed figures captured by his Wood Release.
"With that done, you have no one to transfer to. And..."
Nawaki extended both his hands, palms facing the middle-aged man, "This move is different!"
The next moment, a green-blue wooden needle grew from his palm.
Naruto felt a sense of familiarity watching this move, similar to Ōtsutsuki Kaguya's All-Killing Ash Bones.
Swish!
The wooden needle left Nawaki's palm and shot through the air towards the middle-aged man.
The bound middle-aged man chuckled, still offering no resistance, "Kekkei Mōra, a decent power, but still useless against me."
"I told you, none of your attacks are effective against me."
As his words fell, the wooden needle hit the middle-aged man's chest, piercing him.
Immediately, centered on the point of impact, his body began to petrify.
Wood Style Kekkei Mora Technique - Heavenly Wood Divine Needle!
Sarutobi Asuma had never used this move before, and Nawaki was actually using it for the first time.
However, he hadn't expected that this technique, capable of petrifying anything, would also be ineffective.
The petrification rapidly retracted, and then the vines binding the middle-aged man exploded with a boom, turning into countless wood fragments that scattered everywhere.
"You've seen my power."
The middle-aged man made no offensive moves. He looked at Naruto and the others, spreading his arms and laughing, "This is the power of the Evil God!"
"It surpasses your so-called chakra and Sage Mode!"
"Therefore, returning to the embrace of the Evil God is the wisest choice!"
"Come, believe in me together, and I will grant you the power of eternal life!"
Swish!
Uchiha Shii threw a kunai, which embedded itself in the Evil God's forehead.
The Evil God's smile vanished instantly. He slowly turned his gaze towards Uchiha Shii, "Foolish mortal, offending the Evil God is unforgivable!"
Rock Lee leaped up, his long legs chopping down. "You massacred the Alliance! You're unforgivable too!"
Boom!
A leg strike slammed down, creating a large crater in the ground, sending dust and smoke billowing.
But Rock Lee's attack missed.
"There!"
Rock Lee turned his head and saw the Evil God appearing in the air.
Tenten's attack had already been launched, her Flying Swords shooting out, as fast as lightning.
Clang!
A scythe appeared in the Evil God's hand, which was then cut by a Flying Sword. However, the trajectory of the Flying Sword was altered, grazing the Evil God's forehead as it flew past.
The wound healed before it could even bleed.
The Evil God vanished again, then reappeared behind Uchiha Shii.
But before he could make a move, Uchiha Shii disappeared from his original spot, and Neji flashed forward, his palm striking rapidly towards the Evil God. He shouted, "Naruto!"
"Got it!"
Naruto clapped his hands together, and the sound of chains swishing rang out. Adamantine Sealing Chains extended from behind him, then simultaneously coiled towards the Evil God from the ground, both sides, and above.
Since even the attacks using Kekkei Mōra were ineffective, they would use Fūinjutsu.
Naruto and Neji had both realized this. Moreover, Neji felt that the body controlled by the Evil God could transfer all sorts of damage, but if it was merely about hitting pressure points to control bodily functions, it might not be effective.
Therefore, Gentle Fist pressure point attacks, combined with Naruto's cultivated Adamantine Sealing Chains, was the optimal countermeasure!
"A very clever choice, but you are too weak!"
The Evil God chuckled, easily blocking Neji's Gentle Fist with his hands, then kicking Neji away.
Then, he vanished from his spot, evading the sweeping Adamantine Sealing Chains.
"Damn it!"
So close, Naruto gritted his teeth.
In the tree, Nawaki let out a light snort. "This time, I'm going to drain you dry!"
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
A large amount of wood appeared, completely filling the underground space.
Nawaki intended to leave the detestable Evil God nowhere to hide.
"Truly stubborn!"
The Evil God reappeared behind Nawaki again, the broken scythe swinging down.
Bang!
Nawaki's body exploded into wood.
And at that moment, a spatial rift quietly opened behind the Evil God, and a Chakra Blade pierced through him.
"En?"
"Fortuitous timing!"
The Evil God wasn't alarmed at all.
Uchiha Sasuke, who walked out of the spatial rift, frowned. He felt a force trying to enter his body through his Chakra Blade.
Without hesitation, he released the blade and suddenly appeared in front of the Evil God. A fist enveloped in lightning struck the Evil God, sending him flying and crashing into the cave ceiling.
Boom boom boom!
Uchiha Sasuke moved with extreme speed, striking the Evil God repeatedly and using Lightning Chakra to make the Evil God's body lose control.
"Teacher Naruto, share your Chakra with everyone," Nawaki shouted.
Naruto understood immediately and extended his Chakra arms, giving his Chakra to Neji and them, as well as Uchiha Sasuke's three subordinates who had just arrived.
The next moment, everyone vanished from the underground space.
Immediately after, Uchiha Sasuke activated his Rinnegan's Six Paths – Chibaku Tensei!
Instantly, the Evil God's body was immobilized. The entire underground space collapsed with a roar, rocks rapidly converging on the Evil God, engulfing him in moments.
Outside.
Nawaki used the Flying Thunder God Technique to transfer everyone out of the underground space.
Looking at the scene, the earth shook violently, then the ground caved in, the mountains collapsing and sinking with rumbling sounds and billowing dust.
Tenten looked and said, "That Evil God shouldn't be able to escape this time, right?"
Neji said, "Don't be careless. While Chibaku Tensei is powerful, it's not impossible to break free from."
Uchiha Sasuke's three subordinates, however, widened their eyes.
Shinichi couldn't help but ask, "Senior Neji, can Chibaku Tensei really be broken free from?"
"Of course!"
Nawaki said, "Teacher Naruto should be able to!"
"Ah..."
Naruto scratched his head. "Well, that's certainly true!"
"Amazing!"
Shinichi and the other two were utterly shocked.
They had experienced a Chibaku Tensei during their dream training, and they felt it was the most powerful sealing technique. They never expected it to be escapable.
At this moment, the ground stopped shaking, and then everyone saw a giant stone sphere rise.
"Success!"
Rock Lee showed joy.
At this moment, Uchiha Sasuke appeared beside everyone and said, "That guy escaped, and only sealed one body."
Everyone was understandably disappointed. Tenten asked, "So what do we do now?"
Naruto said, "Sasuke, can we still get any information from that guy?"
"No!"
Uchiha Sasuke said, "That body has turned into an idiot!"
Neji pondered, "Is it similar to Teacher Asuma's Spirit Transformation Technique?"
"Not sure!"
Uchiha Sasuke shook his head. "But perhaps this Evil God can descend into the bodies of his followers at any time."
"He also has space-time abilities, making him very troublesome."
As they were speaking, Kakashi suddenly appeared with others.
"Senior Shisui, Senior Itachi!"
Uchiha Shii exclaimed in surprise upon seeing them.
Coming with Kakashi were Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi.
"Naruto, Sasuke, what's the situation?"
Kakashi asked.
Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi looked at the giant stone sphere in the sky, both surprised. "They even used this technique."
"That guy is confirmed to be the Evil God, but it's not his main body that appeared."
Naruto explained, "He might have abilities similar to Uncle Asuma, soul descending into others' bodies and controlling them."
"Moreover, he has immortality similar to Hidan's, but even more powerful, as he can transfer damage received from attacks, rendering even Nawaki's Heavenly Wood Divine Needle attack ineffective!"
"What?"
Kakashi couldn't help but be shocked.
Nawaki nodded with a dejected expression. "My Wood Release was completely ineffective against that guy!"
"I didn't expect it to turn out this way."
Kakashi's expression became solemn.
Uchiha Itachi asked, "Sasuke, was even Chibaku Tensei completely ineffective?"
"If it's similar to Lord Asuma's Spirit Transformation Technique, Chibaku Tensei should be able to seal it, right?"
Uchiha Sasuke replied, "It's different from the Spirit Transformation Technique. Those followers of the Evil God have Cursed Seals on them, and the Evil God likely appeared within those followers through the Cursed Seals."
"Chibaku Tensei couldn't stop him from leaving either."
Uchiha Shisui said, "It seems he is indeed a very troublesome opponent. No wonder even Teacher Asuma couldn't completely defeat this Evil God back then."
"However, the Ninja World now is not what it was more than ten years ago."
"The alliance's power is in motion; even if he is an Evil God, he won't be able to hide."
Kakashi nodded, then said, "Let's return to the alliance headquarters first. This matter has already been reported to the elders and Asuma."
"Furthermore, Nawaki and the others are no longer suitable to participate in this mission."
This immediately drew Nawaki's dissatisfaction. "Uncle Kakashi, are you underestimating us?"
"We are not in school anymore; we have grown up!"
Uchiha Shii and Shinichi nodded in unison.
They were tired of the previous missions, and while this mission was very dangerous, it was also very exciting.
Uchiha Sasuke said lightly, "Teacher Kakashi, Nawaki is right."
Kakashi said helplessly, "Then let's return to the alliance headquarters first. Oh, and also, let's take the guy inside Chibaku Tensei back with us. We'll see if we can get any useful information."
Uchiha Sasuke nodded and immediately dispelled the Chibaku Tensei, bringing the people back.
Konoha, Sage Domain.
Sarutobi Asuma, who was relaxing in a hot spring with Tsunade, Yūhi Kurenai, and Shizune, couldn't help but show surprise after receiving a message from his clone.
"What's wrong?" Tsunade asked.
Ten years had passed, and she remained as youthful as ever. Beside her, Yūhi Kurenai and Shizune were also untouched by the passage of time.
"Nawaki and the others have encountered the Evil God!" Sarutobi Asuma stated.
"The Evil God?" Tsunade frowned. "The same god that was inside Hidan of the Akatsuki Organization back then?"
Sarutobi Asuma nodded. "That's right."
"Jashinism has resurfaced and destroyed several oases in the Land of Wind."
Yūhi Kurenai and Shizune were both shocked to hear this. "That serious!"
Sarutobi Asuma nodded, then stood up. "I'll go to the headquarters to check it out and have a word with this Evil God."
"His silent return suggests he's likely targeting me."
"However, if his true form has returned to the Ninja World, then I'll capture him and study him!" Tsunade cautioned him not to be careless.
"Don't worry, I'll be very careful!"
Sarutobi Asuma finished dressing and vanished from the Sage Domain.
Alliance Headquarters.
Sarutobi Asuma appeared in Kakashi's office. After hearing the account from Nawaki and the others, he flicked his finger, infusing a stream of Chakra into the prisoners.
But he soon raised an eyebrow. "They were very cautious, managing to erase the marks he left behind."
He had intended to track the Evil God by the residual power of the Cursed Seal within the immortal beings, but the Evil God was clearly not foolish.
However, he then smiled. "Giving me a difficult task?"
"Kakashi, prepare to mobilize the alliance's forces."
"I want all followers of Jashinism found. You will be responsible for clearing them out."
"You can kill them or capture them!"
Kakashi immediately nodded upon hearing this.
"Get ready!"
Sarutobi Asuma finished speaking and disappeared.
Beneath Konoha's Sage Tree.
Sarutobi Asuma's figure reappeared. He then lowered his gaze, mentally connecting with all the Sage Trees in the Ninja World. His perception abilities began to cover a vast area, spanning most of the globe, even the depths of the sea.
This was the first time he had searched for someone in this manner.
Soon, hidden cult strongholds were discovered by him.
Concurrently, as Kakashi mobilized the alliance's forces, spherical War Fortresses, created using Chibaku Tensei, appeared near the alliance headquarters, with a large number of alliance ninja beginning to occupy them.
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Machine Translation by: beta.randomtranslator.com
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