Chapter 121: Two Pairs of Master and Disciple

If you look from a great height, you will see three differently colored streams converging around the Four Red Yang Formation, resembling a coffin. They are the squads from Konoha, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure.

Given the current Ninja World War, the three Kage have chosen to cooperate for their own purposes, but remain wary of each other.

One of the premises for Onoki and A to enter the Four Red Yang Formation is to ensure their teams can break the formation at any time to escort their Kage back to the village.

Mutual restraint and the ability to betray each other make this a cooperation with daggers poised at each other's backs.

What happened before the cooperation is settled, but what will happen after is still unknown.

At least for now, the three shinobi villages are carrying out their respective duties.

At the eastern side of the Four Red Yang Formation, Jiraiya is standing like a nail, forming hand seals. Beside him is a team of Konoha ANBU guards, and beyond them is the Iwagakure squad that just arrived.

If Konoha betrays, both Kumogakure and Iwagakure have the capability to interfere with the casters and break the Four Red Yang Formation from the outside. This is part of the alliance agreement.

Jiraiya looks at the battlefield within the barrier. Though he can't see clearly due to the distance, the constant tremors under his feet tell him how intense the battle is.

The three great masters are besieging Moon God. This is the most high-stakes peak battle in the ninja world in the past ten years. Jiraiya is curious about how many rare techniques the four will use, but as one of the "pillar" casters, he remains at his post.

But at this moment, a huge shockwave suddenly erupts from the outer region of the Iwagakure squad. Rainwater is thrown high into the sky, and trees are broken.

"Enemy attack!"

"Damn it, could it be Konoha..."

"Retreat quickly!"

The Iwagakure squad is in chaos. Jiraiya frowns, "Go help them."

"Yes!" Several ANBU obey and disappear from their positions.

"Almighty Push!"

A loud shout explodes in the air, and a shockwave even more powerful than before appears, killing more Iwagakure shinobi and injuring two ANBU, leaving them unconscious.

'Compared to before, the distance between us has shortened by 700 meters, which means in two seconds, they will break through here... heh.'

'The Four Red Yang Formation will be destroyed. If I wait for the attack, not only will the barrier be compromised, but I might be killed too.'

Making this judgment, Jiraiya sighs, lowers his hands, and stops transmitting chakra. The balance of the Four Red Yang Formation is broken, and the rectangular barrier with red flames twists, deforms, and visibly fades away.

Ignoring the formation, he forms hand seals again, his mouth inflating before he blows out a large mass of burning flames.

Fire Release: Big Flame Bullet

His timing is excellent. As the flames are fully released, the powerful enemy that had attacked appears right in front.

The fire style mixed with oil is extremely powerful, pulverizing the ground, but the attacker absorbs all the flames by merely spreading his arms.

The heat from the fire style evaporates the rain, causing fog to rise. Amidst the fog, a young man with red hair steps forward.

Jiraiya is silent for a moment, then laughs heartily as usual, "So it's you, Nagato... it's been a long time. You've become an outstanding shinobi."

"Jiraiya-sensei." Nagato's purple Rinnegan glows coldly,

"What are you here for? Coming to attack my Amegakure..."

"My Amegakure, huh? Well, Hanzo is dead, and there's no one left in Amegakure to stop you." Jiraiya sighs, "Nagato, I only just found out about the battle a month ago, Yahiko and Konan..."

"Dead." Nagato says coldly, "Killed by Hanzo and Konoha."

The white-haired man instinctively looks away, seemingly unable to meet his disciple's eyes.

"Jiraiya-sensei, don't blame yourself. You once told me you've been searching for the answer to peace all your life."

"When we parted, I told you my answer. For me, protecting Konan and Yahiko meant safeguarding this world."

"Now it seems, this world has rejected my answer."

Jiraiya can't help but speak, "Nagato, don't drive your soul into a dead end. The world is complex, even true sages can't see through everything. When tragedy strikes..."

"When tragedy strikes..." Uzumaki Nagato interrupts his teacher, his chakra and ocular power surging like a tsunami. But more overwhelming than his power is his heart, filled with hatred and rage, "...When tragedy strikes, you weren't there, Jiraiya-sensei."

...

Light falls on Shinosuke's corpse. With no need to pass through the red barrier, the sunlight becomes clear again.

The Four Red Yang Formation has been destroyed.

Shinosuke's body floats in the air, organs displaced and bones shattered. Yuto pours chakra into the body recklessly, pushing it to the brink of collapse.

But it was worth it. He successfully stalled for the two minutes before the barrier was broken.

The cost was high. Yuto's chakra was greatly depleted, and while Shinosuke's body appeared intact, it was riddled with internal wounds.

The three opponents, though disheveled, were not fatally injured. Without the ability to use his companion's eye techniques, Shinosuke's body lacked the decisive means to secure victory.

Yet what seemed like a sure kill, at the moment the Four Red Yang Formation was destroyed, tilted the scales sharply.

As the barrier vanished, Minato and the Third Tsuchikage and Raikage felt a sinking feeling.

To avoid serious injuries, the three masters chose to avoid risky moves, opting to wear down the enemy within the Four Red Yang Formation.

That's the value of the siege tactic—to win with minimal cost!

Now it seems they were too complacent. Moon God also has comrades, and they are strong enough to break through the defenses of the three great ninja villages!

"No matter the cost, he must be killed here..." Onoki clasps his hands, preparing a rare Dust Release.

Minato nods, throwing another dozen Flying Thunder God kunai.

The Raikage extends a finger, his Lightning Release Armor humming as he prepares to use "One-Finger Nukite."

Yuto smirks, sending Shinosuke's body flying high, then disappearing mid-air.

"I haven't even enjoyed your bait yet..."

Minato is momentarily stunned, but his face changes in the next second, "Damn! He's headed for Yuto!"

A flash of yellow, and Minato takes the two Kage with him, disappearing from their positions.

...

The forest rushes past below as Shinosuke's body flies high. At this altitude, even Onoki would struggle to mount an effective attack.

With thirty-five seconds left in the mask mode, Yuto calculates the time, spotting the escort team with his Byakugan from afar.

Taking a deep breath, he begins to dive. He aims to complete everything in the remaining thirty-five seconds.

Boom!

However, as he dives to a certain height, a giant tree suddenly strikes from below, hitting the repulsion shield with great force, turning the tree into splinters and causing Shinosuke's body to jolt.

Below, a blonde woman with a resolute face and a purple mark on her forehead stares coldly at the enemy in the sky.

'Even if I die, I won't let you get close to Yuto's escort team...'

In Tsunade's heart, there is only this thought.

(End of Chapter)