Chapter 157: sky city
Kakuzu successfully escaped at the cost of one heart.
Five hearts, five lives.
Unless Naruto took action, it would be difficult to keep him there.
As for Hidan, he had already been turned into minced meat.
The Rasengan-brand meat grinder—you deserve to have it.
But Naruto could still sense Hidan's life force.
He thought of something interesting.
He directly used the Summoning Jutsu to call Liu Er over, then sealed Hidan onto its shoulder.
"He has an immortal body. Study it well."
Hearing this, the slight dissatisfaction in Liu Er's heart vanished, and it left happily.
If it had an immortal body, it could mess around everywhere.
And by the way, it could have some fun with Danzo.
Naruto looked at Jiraiya.
He had a distracted look on his face, staring at Lord of Heavenless's corpse.
Those who didn't know better would think the two of them were father and son.
Naruto, who had received Lord of Heavenless's memories, naturally knew the reason.
He had played the prophet with Obito once himself; he didn't expect Lord of Heavenless to do the exact same thing to Jiraiya.
To be honest, fooling people with spoilers can really mess them up.
So, spoilers really do harm people.
Don't give spoilers casually, because harming others ends up harming yourself.
It affects the relationships between brothers, sisters, friends, and family.
As time passed, Lord of Heavenless's corpse did not disappear, but his face had changed into another.
This was a corpse Lord of Heavenless had stolen from a certain prisoner.
But Jiraiya didn't know that.
"Is this his true face?"
He wasn't surprised.
When traveling abroad, it was normal to use aliases and disguises.
To avoid debts, Tsunade had used countless different faces.
Neji and Kakashi returned.
But neither of them spoke.
Because they could tell that Jiraiya's state of mind seemed off.
"Teacher, what are you thinking about?" Narutoasked.
"Don't you think the White Lotus Sect is strange in every way?"
Jiraiya didn't mention what Lord of Heavenless had said. He pointed at the corpse and said, "He called himself Lord of Heavenless, the White Lotus Sect Leader, but he committed suicide. I can't figure out why he would kill himself."
Although Lord of Heavenless's suicide made those words stick even deeper in Jiraiya's mind.
It was a lingering feeling he couldn't shake off.
"Maybe he just didn't want to live anymore," Naruto said casually.
"Who would think like that?"
Jiraiya glared at him, telling him not to make wild guesses.
Naruto shrugged.
Lord of Heavenless really did feel like he'd lived enough.
Because his goal was accomplished.
The sky city.
Naruto smiled. No one would believe that Wudi City could actually fly.
Lord of Heavenless had originally intended to use it in this war, but later gave up on the idea.
Because once the Land of Fire saw it, they would definitely take it for themselves.
"Put his body away, Kakashi."
Jiraiya couldn't figure it out, so he waved his hand and gave the order.
He didn't let anyone else see the small card in his hand.
He hadn't believed Lord of Heavenless at first.
But his death had raised doubts in his mind.
So he planned to go meet this Merlin.
Kakashi took out a scroll. Since it was a dead man, he just threw him directly into the storage scroll.
"Lord of Heavenless staged a resurrection before. Does his suicide mean he will be resurrected again?"
He stood up and asked as he thought of this intel.
Jiraiya frowned at the words.
There seemed to be such a possibility.
Naruto was about to say something.
Haku appeared before them.
"Are you the White Lotus Saintess?"
Jiraiya looked up and asked.
He had already investigated and knew that the person before him was indeed the White Lotus Saintess.
But he certainly couldn't say that.
Haku nodded and said, "The Sect Leader has passed away. He previously stated that if he died, we, his followers, should abandon the White Lotus Sect and join the Land of Fire."
"What?"
Jiraiya exclaimed in surprise.
The White Lotus Sect was no small-time power.
Giving it up just like that?
He understood even less what Lord of Heavenlesswas up to.
If he was going to surrender, why commit suicide?
To show off his integrity?
"The Sect Leader's body will be left for Lord Jiraiyato handle,"
Haku spoke calmly, "After you exchange it for the bounty, you may burn him and scatter his ashes into the sea."
Jiraiya sized her up and asked, "Why aren't you all grieving?"
"Why grieve?" Haku shook her head gently. "We are all striving for a great cause. Everyone dies in their proper place; there is no need for sorrow."
"..."
Jiraiya didn't understand.
Does everyone in your White Lotus Sect have something wrong with their head?
But he felt a chill.
Shouldn't such a power fight to the last moment?
There must be something fishy going on.
But this was a matter for the Land of Fire. Konohacouldn't easily intervene, and the Daimyo wouldn't allow it either.
"I ask the members of Konoha to introduce us."
Haku pointed outside the city and said, "Explain to that Great General that your Konoha killed the Sect Leader. The remaining followers are unable to resist and voluntarily hand over Wudi City, along with a gift."
Jiraiya was slightly taken aback.
Normally, he wouldn't take the blame for something like this, but thinking about what Lord of Heavenless had said...
He nodded and agreed.
The Great General of the Land of Fire agreed without any surprise.
After all, he had taken Wudi City without losing a single soldier.
Why refuse such a good thing?
Of course, there was another reason: the ten thousand soldiers he brought could be considered private troops loyal to his family.
At the same time, he also saw that shocking gift: the Princess of the Land of Fire, En Yui.
This was truly a double blessing.
He would certainly receive an award from the Daimyo.
Not only had he removed a thorn in his side, but he had also found the long-missing princess.
Because it was a surrender, Wudi City did not change its name.
The ordinary sect followers were disbanded.
Zabuza and Haku followed En Yui back to the Metropolis.
At the Inn.
Neji and Kakashi left after reporting on Kakuzu's abilities.
Jiraiya personally wrote the mission report.
This time, besides the White Lotus Sect, they had also encountered Kakuzu and Hidan from the Akatsuki Organization.
Of course, Naruto's growth was also astonishing enough.
Jiraiya hesitated for a moment and omitted what Lord of Heavenless had said.
Mainly the part about him being the White-Haired Lion King.
If he said that, no one would believe it anyway.
"...The White Lotus Sect surrendered. The Eyebrowless Blade King and the White Lotus Saintess have gone to the Metropolis of the Land of Fire. Perhaps the Daimyo should be reminded to stay safe. However, with the Guardian Shinobi Twelve there, there shouldn't be a problem... It is worth noting that the White Lotus Sect still has two Great Guardians who have not appeared, while the other three Dharma Kings were mere figureheads to deceive outsiders and do not actually exist..."
Jiraiya reached this point and took out the small card.
"Merlin, what a strange name."
He tapped his finger on the table, his mind as chaotic as his heart.
"Being able to see the future... is he like the Great Toad Sage?"
Given all the claims, Jiraiya only believed half of what he'd heard.
The part about the White-Haired Lion King was likely false.
Since the White Lotus Sect had already fully surrendered and joined the Land of Fire, the four great dharma kings naturally no longer existed.
Jiraiya gave a self-deprecating smile.
He didn't expect that he, one of the legendary Sannin of Konoha, would be made so restless by an obscure Lord of Heavenless.
He picked up his pen and continued his report.
"Of the two from the Akatsuki Organization, one has an immortal body and repeatedly mentioned a so-called Wicked God, which may be related to the long-vanished Jashin Cult of the Land of Hot Springs... The other, according to Neji, possesses five hearts, each representing a type of nature transformation, which reminds me of the Earth Grudge Fear secret technique of Takigakure. Coincidentally, a tragedy occurred in their village years ago where all high-level officials died unexpectedly and lost their hearts..."
Beneath his feet, Naruto was walking through a dim underground passage.
The walls on both sides were different from usual tunnels, possessing a metallic luster, white and with a certain technological feel.
He went all the way down to the depths of Wudi City.
There was an underground palace here.
The surroundings were empty, with only a transparent cylinder in the center.
As Naruto approached, the cylinder began to vibrate violently and made a sound.
Patterns on the surface, like a circuit board, began to glow.
He looked at the creature inside the cylinder, the Zero-Tails, Reibi.
Compared to the Tailed Beasts' height of dozens of meters, it was only four or five meters tall.
But compared to a human, it was still a behemoth.
The Zero-Tails Reibi looked like No-Face from'Spirited Away,' and its body was composed of mud-colored tentacles, looking like a very long python.
Naruto had received Lord of Heavenless's memories.
It basically matched the deeds he knew.
Finding Zabuza and Haku, occupying Wudi City, establishing the White Lotus Sect, and repelling two Land of Fire encirclements.
The only thing unknown to others was that he had found the ruins of the former Land of Sky.
The Ancor Vantian from the movie, an aerial fortress that could fly using the Zero-Tails as power.
Lord of Heavenless had buried it beneath Wudi City.
As for how it was buried...
He took advantage of the great battle during the first encirclement, which almost destroyed the buildings of Wudi City.
It was buried during the reconstruction.
The reason Lord of Heavenless was so elusive was that he had been staying in the underground palace, carrying out modification work.
Of course, he was the commander.
The one actually doing the work was the technical staff he hired.
Specifically, the survivor of the Land of Sky, Shinnō.
Well, he was probably 'forced' to be voluntary.
Naruto rubbed his chin.
According to the setting, the source of the Zero-Tails' power was the darkness deep within people's hearts.
The so-called Dark Chakra.
Although infinite, it was clearly not particularly powerful.
Compared to Kurama, its output was too low.
Should I get a few Tailed Beasts someday?
But that might be a bit of a waste of talent.
Naruto glanced at the Zero-Tails and continued forward.
Behind the main hall was the even more core operational center.
The original main structure of Ancor Vantian was stone, and there wasn't much that was truly mechanized.
But under Lord of Heavenless's guidance, the materials had been completely swapped out.
It shouldn't be like the original plot where something that sounded so high-end ended up being destroyed by Shino Aburame's Insect Jamming Technique.
Shinnō had been lurking and repairing for so many years, only to achieve nothing in the end.
Endless gears.
Naruto felt like he had entered the inside of a mechanical watch.
At various joint nodes, there were researchers or engineers in charge.
He looked at Shinnō.
This guy was originally a medical Ninja.
But he endured humiliation and, in order to repair Ancor Vantian, mingled in various Ninja villages.
Not only did he get materials, but he also stole Ninjutsu and Kinjutsu.
Even more ridiculous than Kakashi.
At least Kakashi used the Sharingan to 'borrow' openly.
Konoha had not escaped Shinnō's clutches either.
The formula for controlling the Zero-Tails, as well as the Eight Gates, were all stolen by him.
Shinnō possessed two forbidden techniques, Body Activation and Body Revival. Combined with the Zero-Tails' Dark Chakra, he could open the Eight Gates within the human body without dying.
But facts proved that it wasn't the Eight Gates that were strong, but Guy.
His performance in the movie was a mess.
Unlike Guy, who almost kicked his way to the series finale.
Of course, Naruto suspected his Eight Gates might not have captured the essence, like a knockoff.
"Sect Leader Lord of Heavenless."
Shinnō noticed his arrival, turned around, and greeted him very politely.
He had been underground all this time, so he didn't know about the changes in the White Lotus Sect.
Naruto nodded slightly, and didn't intend to tell him the truth.
The reason Shinnō was so obedient was that Lord of Heavenless had made a deal with him.
Of course, the prerequisite was that he had been beaten up severely.
The content of the deal was simple.
Shinnō would help modify and strengthen Ancor Vantian, and in return, Lord of Heavenless would deal with Konoha with him.
The former Land of Sky was defeated by Konohaduring the Second Shinobi World War.
Because of the White Lotus Sect's actions, Shinnō quickly agreed to Lord of Heavenless's request.
"When will the fortress be completed?" Narutoinquired.
"The main body has been modified and can take off at any time. The rest is a matter of weaponry. Because the Sect Leader's requirements are very high, it will still take some time," Shinnō replied.
The original Ancor Vantian's greatest weapon was a Chakra Cannon powered by the Zero-Tails, comparable to an ordinary Tailed Beast's Tailed Beast Ball, and its power was decent.
Besides that, there were man-made bombers.
Sky Ninja piloted flying machines, using Wind Release as power, and attacked with Ninjutsu in the air.
In Lord of Heavenless's or Naruto's view, such a good fortress was completely wasted.
So a large amount of funds was spent to redo the weapon system.
Naval guns, torpedoes, missiles, and whatnot—all of them were added.
All fear stems from insufficient firepower.
However, the technological content wasn't high; it was all based on the versatile Chakra.
So compared to before, it required more power support.
One Zero-Tails was a bit insufficient.
Naruto nodded, inspected it once like Lord of Heavenless, and chose to leave.
As for Shinnō, once Ancor Vantian was completely finished, he would no longer have any value.
At that time, he would just get his hands on those secret techniques.
According to the deal, Shinnō could not leave.
Supposedly, it was set up by Lord of Heavenless to make him work more peacefully.
Well, a true old capitalist.
Naruto added a new seal at the entrance. It wasn't strong, but it served as a warning.
If Shinnō tried to leave by force and broke the seal, it would trigger the Flying Thunder God Mark.
Back at the Inn.
Naruto was organizing his gains.
Two achievements.
As per custom, he first added attribute points to defense, reaching 26%.
Secondly, the number of card draws had increased again.
Currently, two had been accumulated.
Naruto washed his face.
[Drawing card... Congratulations to the host for obtaining one item card.]
Bronze-colored?
Naruto didn't have high expectations as he flipped the card over.
[item card: Parseltongue.]
[Description: Permanent item from 'Harry Potter.' The user can use the language of snakes to communicate with them.]
"..."
Naruto sighed.
The problem is that the snakes in the Ninja Worlddamn well speak human language!
This thing is really useless.
I can't exactly pretend to be a snake to infiltrate Ryūchi Cave, right?
By the way, do snakes communicate with each other using snake language or human language?
It made Naruto inexplicably think of the strange scene of two Korean imports in the league of legends LPL communicating in Chinese.
He used the Flying Thunder God Technique, and while exchanging Chakra with Sasuke, he stuffed this card into his body.
"Is there any way to stimulate emotions?"
Naruto felt the overly abundant Dōjutsu Power in his eyes and couldn't help but think.
He felt he had reached the standard for awakening the Sharingan.
But there had been no movement, so he might as well find some stimulation himself.
Well, I'll go see Hinata tomorrow and try.
That's 4,000 words for today, equivalent to two chapters. I owe everyone one chapter and will make up for it tomorrow with 8,000 or 10,000 words. PS: From now on, I'll try to maintain a daily update of 6,000 words. Mainly because I have to organize our company's personnel information tonight, and there's a nucleic acid test tomorrow morning.