Facing Nagato's interrogation and ridicule, Kakashi merely raised his hand slowly, his expression remaining calm and indifferent.
"What you say is both right and wrong."
"The shinobi world has already endured a thousand years of bloody conflict."
"Without me, there is no telling how much longer the wars of this world would have persisted."
"Without me, the tally of death and sacrifice would be endless."
"Without me, pain and the smoke of gunpowder would remain the world's only melody."
As Kakashi spoke, arcs of electricity began to crawl, flicker, and dance across his raised palm. Though they were only a few thin strands of lightning, they triggered a profound sense of crisis in the heart of the White Snake Sage—the oldest being present.
"Under my rule, the lives of the common people in the shinobi world have gradually stabilized."
"They no longer have to worry about wandering into war zones or being targeted as suspicious elements. They are safe."
"Everything is moving in a positive direction."
"And yet, people like you seek to subvert all of it."
"In my eyes, you are the world's greatest terrorists."
"You are simply unwilling to accept that you are not the masters of this shinobi world."
"You are simply unwilling to accept that you are not the ones who possess all of this."
"Do not make excuses for your actions; that is the path of the weak."
"To think you could shake my will or question my methods by bringing up so-called innocents and victims..."
"That is far too naive."
"People like you..."
"Should be..."
At that point, a sharp, piercing light flashed in Kakashi's eyes.
"...Erased."
As the final word fell, the tiny arcs of electricity in his hand suddenly surged outward, lashing toward the surrounding enemies!
"Dodge!"
The White Snake Sage, who had been maintaining a high state of alert, saw her pupils contract. She let out a low shout and immediately retreated at high speed!
The White Snake Sage, who looked like a frail, elderly woman, exploded with speed and power that completely defied her appearance!
The electrical arcs flickered, leaving faint traces of ozone in the air. Wherever they passed through the void, they left a visual afterimage like a line of searing fire. This alone showed just how high the temperature of these seemingly small, white arcs of electricity truly was.
Among the seven people surrounding Kakashi, Hiruko was the weakest. If he had managed to complete his so-called Chimera Technique, he might have survived.
But unfortunately, he hadn't.
An arc of lightning snaked onto his body. He looked down in utter disbelief as his form was torn apart by this tiny strand of electricity, his face contorted in absolute horror.
Is this Kakashi's power?
I didn't even have the ability to resist?!
"Kakashi, you...!"
Hiruko instinctively looked toward Kakashi. Even at this moment, he couldn't believe Kakashi would kill him so easily.
Brilliant crimson blood stained Hiruko's white robes.
With just one move, this rogue ninja who had evaded the Leaf for decades was dead on the spot!
"Indeed, he is not to be underestimated."
"Truly worthy of being called the greatest man in a thousand years."
The White Snake Sage watched with a grim expression as Kakashi forced everyone to retreat in disarray and break their formation with a single move. She had lived for a millennium; she had seen Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, Asura, and Indra.
Even if one included Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, it would have been almost entirely impossible for any of them to possess such strength at Kakashi's age.
"The First Man in a Millennium."
That was the only true way to describe Kakashi.
"Oh?"
"Weren't you going to overthrow me and my empire?"
"Why evade?"
"Why hide?"
"Look me in the eye."
Kakashi watched the figures he had forced back with a single strike, a look of mockery appearing on his face as the electricity in his hand began to condense.
A small, white orb of light was born at his fingertips.
As the orb spun, it split from one into three, and from three into nine.
"That is..."
Nagato narrowed his Rinnegan, staring intently at the small light orbs. The transcendent sensory perception granted by the Rinnegan made him realize that these orbs were far more dangerous than the previous arcs of lightning.
"Be grateful. If I were to fight with my full strength, this prison, this sea, and even this entire tectonic plate would suffer horrific destruction."
"For the sake of my territory, I will not go all out."
"You should be thankful. You won't have to experience that feeling of despairing powerlessness."
Following his words, the nine small white orbs formed a line at his fingertips. With a flick of his hand, they shot out toward the six remaining enemies!
Nagato and the others were each targeted by one, while the White Snake Sage was assigned three.
This time, the White Snake Sage didn't even need to give a warning. Hiruko's body wasn't even cold yet; if the mere arcs were that strong, how much power was packed into these condensed orbs?
"Kakashi!"
"Don't get too ahead of yourself!"
"Kamui!"
Obito Uchiha let out a low roar, his Mangekyō Sharingan spinning. A spatial vortex manifested in front of him, and the white orb entered the Kamui dimension directly!
But a second later, Obito's expression shifted. Another spatial vortex manifested on the surface of the sea not far away!
Violent, berserk energy erupted from that vortex!
Fire wrapped in thunder surged toward the sky! Just one orb had destroyed a third of the interior of his Kamui dimension!
"Rinnegan • Preta Path: Blocking Technique Absorption Seal!"
A transparent barrier expanded around Nagato. An orb slammed into the seal, and its infinite power was converted into the purest chakra, surging frantically into Nagato's body!
Nagato's face turned grave.
The amount of chakra contained in this one small orb was staggering. Even a Tailed Beast Bomb paled in comparison. As the orb was completely absorbed, Nagato gasped for breath, the massive influx of chakra nearly rupturing his meridians.
"Asura Path!"
Nagato aimed one hand at Kakashi. His hand transformed into a mechanical cannon, fueled by the chakra he had just absorbed from the orb, and fired a dazzling laser beam at Kakashi!
Facing this attack, Kakashi's expression didn't change.il He met it with an open palm.
The laser beam, seemingly scorching and immensely powerful, couldn't even scratch Kakashi's palm!
"Dammit!"
The White Snake Sage hovered in the air. Three giant snakes—purple, black, and red—swarmed out from her wide sleeves, swallowing the three white orbs in one gulp. But a moment later, the orbs burst through the snakes' bellies and continued flying toward her!
By this time, the White Snake Sage had used those precious seconds to enter Ryuuchi Cave Sage Mode.
She swung her sleeve. Everything seemed the same, yet everything had changed.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed slightly.
An air wall?
Inorganic Reincarnation.
With a single glance, Kakashi recognized the White Snake Sage's technique. The omnipresent air was twisted together by her, transforming into the sturdiest of walls. This method was far more sophisticated than that of the three Snake Scales of Ryuuchi Cave.
The air wall successfully blocked two of the orbs, and an endless heat diffused through the air, causing Kakashi to re-evaluate the White Snake Sage's strength.
But even so, only two were stopped. One orb was still flying straight toward her face!
The White Snake Sage's eyes filled with terror. She had many more techniques, but none were suited for this specific situation.
At this thought, she let out a shrill, angry roar.
"You old fossil! If you don't come out now, everything is over!"
The moment her voice fell, a shadow as massive as a mountain appeared over the ocean accompanied by a colossal cloud of white smoke!
Before the object's form could even be seen, a violent, world-swallowing inferno swept across the battlefield!
The flames were so hot they had turned entirely white, a testament to their staggering temperature!
As the fire swept through, the small white orb was actually melted away! Not just the one facing the White Snake Sage, but the ones hounding the others were also incinerated!
Kakashi looked at the "mountain," his gaze turning icy.
Mount Myōboku. Gamamaru.
"It seems you have finally chosen to stand against me."
That "mountain" was none other than the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku, Gamamaru!
"Kakashi, all of this is the choice of destiny."
"I have been shackled by destiny for many years. Only now do I have the chance to break free and take a step further."
"Do not blame this old man."
Gamamaru's voice was like a giant bell. If an ordinary person had heard such a massive sound, they would have been coughing up blood.
"Looking at your size, it seems the Great Toad of Iwagama of Mount Myōboku is your true body."
Kakashi remained dismissive of "destiny," finding himself more interested in Gamamaru's physical form.
"Correct. The Great Toad of Iwagama has always been me," Gamamaru replied calmly.
"Is that so..."
Since Kakashi now knew that Gamamaru was the Great Toad of Iwagama, he asked no further. The combat power of Mount Myōboku had always been represented by Gamabunta, Gamaken, and Gamahiro, along with Shima and Fukasaku. Only the so-called Great Toad of Iwagama remained mysterious; in the original story, just a portion of its stomach lining was enough to force Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki to flee.
If the Great Toad of Iwagama was actually Gamamaru, it all made sense.
"Since the White Snake Sage and the Great Toad Sage are both here, how could the last one be absent?"
Kakashi flew high into the sky, staring down at the massive creatures below. He held a sword-seal with one hand in front of his chest and spoke softly:
"Summoning Jutsu!"
The chakra within him surged like a roaring river, and a terrifying wave of chakra suppressed the entire field!
Suddenly, a cloud of white smoke, even larger and more expansive than the one from Gamamaru's arrival, erupted in the sky!
The people in Hozuki Castle looked up in disbelief at the colossal entity that blotted out the sun!
If Gamamaru was a mountain, then this celestial object was a river of stars capable of eclipsing everything!
White. Nothing but white!
An unprecedentedly massive slug swam through the sky! Compared to her, Kakashi's figure was like a firefly next to a bright moon!
For the first time!
For the first time in the history of the shinobi world, someone had summoned the Complete Form of the Katsuyu Sage!
"Lord Kakashi."
Despite being such a massive creature, her voice was exceptionally gentle and pleasant. Unlike Gamamaru's deafening roar, it sounded like a normal person speaking right beside one's ear.
"Ah, Lady Katsuyu. It's a rare meeting of old friends. I thought it would be a shame if you were absent."
"So, I called you out to see them."
Kakashi spoke calmly.
"I see, Lord Kakashi."
The Katsuyu Sage used the sky as her sea, swimming like a giant whale through the water, looking down at the Great Toad Sage and the White Snake Sage.
"It has been a long time, Shirohebi, Gamamaru."
Shirohebi [White Scale] was the White Snake Sage's name.
"Katsuyu, it seems you have chosen to stand against us."
Gamamaru's voice was as still as ancient water, showing no emotion.
"It is not a choice. We have always been on opposite sides."
Though the Katsuyu Sage's voice was gentle, her personality was unexpectedly firm.
Slugs beat snakes, snakes beat toads, and toads beat slugs. This was the relationship between Shikkotsu Forest, Ryuuchi Cave, and Mount Myōboku. While the existence of the Sannin made the world believe the Three Great Sages were friendly, they had actually always been in a state of rivalry.
It was only because of Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki's influence behind Mount Myōboku that they had barely suppressed their mutual hostility. With Kakashi's sudden rise breaking this balance, it was naturally impossible to maintain the previous facade of friendship.
"You certainly have a lot to say..."
The White Snake Sage sneered at the Katsuyu Sage in the sky.
"Talking to them is useless. Prepare to move, Lady Katsuyu," Kakashi said.
"I feel the same, Lord Kakashi."
"Then let us settle our enemies."
The Katsuyu Sage's sky-blotting, massive body began to shrink rapidly. In the blink of an eye, the giant creature that had eclipsed the sun transformed into a human form!
She wore a dress of interwoven blue and white. Her fair skin seemed to glow under the sunlight, and her long, sky-blue hair fell over her shoulders. Her features were so exquisite they seemed inhuman. Her bare feet, small enough to be held in one hand, stood quietly in the void. Her gentle, beautiful eyes shimmered like water as she looked at the slightly surprised Kakashi beside her.
"Is this the first time Lord Kakashi has seen me in this form?"
"Are you surprised?"
The Katsuyu Sage asked with a light laugh.
"It's a bit strange, but I'm not surprised," Kakashi answered honestly.
After all, the White Snake Sage could appear in human form; there was no reason the Katsuyu Sage couldn't do the same.
"Hmph. In that case, Gamamaru, let's get started."
Staring at the human-form Katsuyu in the sky, the White Snake Sage spoke coldly.
"It seems we have no other choice."
As Gamamaru spoke, flames swirled around him, and he too transformed into a human form.
His black hair flowed like a waterfall, and he had a powerful, burly build, clad in ancient, crimson armor. In a moment, the mountain-like Gamamaru had become like an ancient general.
"We are moving, Lord Kakashi."
The Katsuyu Sage lowered her eyes and spoke softly.
"Yeah. Today is the day we settle everything."
As Kakashi spoke, the Katsuyu Sage had already dove down, charging toward the White Snake Sage and Gamamaru!
She actually intended to fight two experts of the same level alone!
Kakashi didn't mind this; instead, he looked toward the group from Hozuki Castle. Just as he said, today was the day to resolve all issues!
Obito Uchiha looked up at Kakashi in the sky with a complex gaze.
"Before this, I have one last question."
"If you can tell me, then even if one of us dies, I will have no regrets."
Obito spoke.
"Speak."
Kakashi didn't mind answering a single question.
"Back then."
"Sixteen years ago... what exactly happened to my eye?"
"Whose eye is yours, really?"
This was the truth Obito Uchiha desperately wanted to know. Otherwise, even in death, he would not be at peace.