Chapter 151: What Do You Still Want to Do, Nagato?
Chapter 151: What Do You Still Want to Do, Nagato?
"Seventh Gate—Gate of Wonder!"
"Daytime Tiger!!"
A concentrated burst of air-compressed chakra exploded outward in a blinding flash.
The white tiger-shaped shockwave tore through the sky, sending the monstrous, mutated form of Mōryō hurtling backward, crashing several hundred meters away!
The sheer force of the blast caused the very ground to tremble, making it difficult for anyone nearby to stand.
Huff…
Sakumo Hatake glanced at Might Guy, whose body was wrapped in a radiant blue aura of chakra. He let out a faint smile.
"Thanks, Guy."
Sakumo had no effective means to deal with large-scale monsters, especially Mōryō, who had no clear vital weaknesses.
After days of battle…
Ebizō had fallen.
Rasa had lost an arm in his fight against Kakashi and the others.
"Enough. This is over."
"According to my intel, he isn't just the One-Tails' Jinchūriki… he's your son, isn't he?"
A calm voice echoed through the battlefield.
Kabuto Yakushi had his arm wrapped around the neck of a young boy, a kunai pressed dangerously close to his forehead.
The battle-scarred desert stretched out around them.
Unlike the other major battlefields, the arrival and capture of the One-Tail had barely made an impact.
Only those directly involved in the battle knew how difficult it had been to subdue the child.
Half of Rasa's body was submerged in sand. He stared at his son—Gaara—who had terror in his eyes.
"Hmph. You really are a useless failure..."
Scoffing, Rasa showed zero hesitation.
"If you want to kill him, then do it. I was planning on replacing him as the Jinchūriki anyway."
At that moment—
The last trace of emotion in Gaara's pale blue eyes faded away.
Kabuto pushed his glasses up, his lips curling into a smirk.
"The revived Shukaku… do you think you can still capture it if you let this one go?"
…
Rasa fell silent.
Everyone knew that when the One-Tail revived, it would reappear somewhere in the Wind Country's desert.
But now?
Could he even reach it in time?
Wouldn't it just be instantly captured by Wood Release users?
"Return Shukaku to me, and we'll leave."
After weighing his options, Rasa reluctantly agreed.
…
"I've changed my mind."
Kabuto's kunai pressed forward slightly, but instead of tightening his grip, he shifted his stance.
Instead of a threatening hold, he now embraced Gaara gently.
"You're not fit to be this child's father."
"So, I'll be taking him with me."
"WHAT?!"
"You bastard! That's our Shukaku!"
Rasa shouted in rage, veins bulging in his forehead.
Kabuto's eyes narrowed slightly, his smirk deepening.
"If you had even once… called him 'Gaara' instead of just 'Shukaku's Jinchūriki'…"
"I might have negotiated."
He leaned closer to Gaara's ear and whispered.
"Can you feel it?"
"The sand protecting you… the warmth within it."
Gaara turned his head, confused.
Kabuto's smile softened.
It was a gentle, reassuring smile.
The kind Gaara had only imagined in his dreams.
"I'm certain of it."
"Your mother loved you, Gaara."
"Even in death, she became the sand that shields you."
"From now on… let me be your older brother."
"This life, where you're treated as nothing more than a weapon, is far too cruel for you."
…
…
…
"Okay."
"GAARA!! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"
Rasa's furious roar was instantly cut off—
A flash of silver moved through the air.
Kakashi had appeared, blade in hand, his Sharingan gleaming.
"You… have no right to call yourself a father."
---
Across the entire battlefield, all traces of greenery had vanished.
The devastated landscape was now clearly divided into distinct war zones.
Even without sensory abilities, anyone could tell how few were left standing.
At a glance—
There were likely no more than a hundred survivors.
And then—
Nagato finally moved.
His first strike alone sent shockwaves of terror through the Cloud ninjas.
A massive wooden dragon erupted from the ground, instantly coiling around the Eight-Tails, binding it tightly!
"Wood Release?! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!"
"Not just the Rinnegan… he has Wood Release too?!"
…
"B-Bro! My chakra is being drained too fast!"
"Do something!!"
Gyūki's panicked voice echoed as the wooden dragon drained his chakra at a terrifying rate.
This wasn't just Wood Release—Nagato had also infused it with the Preta Path's absorption ability.
It was sucking Gyūki dry at an absurd speed.
A searing white light suddenly slashed through the sky—
A heatwave followed, cutting through the air and severing the dragon's grip on the Eight-Tails!
Above, riding on a giant clay bird, Ōnoki collapsed weakly against Deidara's shoulder.
"Hah… see that? That's the power of the Particle Style…"
"It can even destroy Wood Release."
"Give up on your ridiculous dream, brat… and learn Dust Release already…"
Deidara frowned.
"But you still can't beat Uchiha Kagami."
"I still think Explosive Release is way cooler, yeah."
…
"Damn you!!"
CRACK!
In his fury, the Raikage clenched his fists so tightly that his bones cracked.
Lightning surged around him as he leapt onto Gyūki's back.
"You think you can do whatever you want to my brother?!"
BOOM!
The ground split apart as A launched himself at Nagato.
Nagato remained expressionless.
"Shinra Tensei."
BANG!
The Raikage was blasted away by an unseen force.
Countless blue fireballs suddenly streaked toward Nagato.
With a flick of his wrist, he easily dispersed them—his gaze locking onto a blue-flamed figure standing atop the Eight-Tails.
"So, the Two-Tails is here as well…"
Might as well take both of them.
Another wooden dragon erupted from the earth.
But before it could coil around Nii Yugito—
A searing figure tore through the battlefield, shattering the dragon to pieces.
"Lava Release—Burning Boulder Fist!"
It was Rōshi.
BOOM!
The ground rose up, forming a massive earthen barrier, crushing the remnants of Nagato's jutsu.
Another voice boomed—
"Earth Release—Mountain Prison!"
The battlefield shook violently, trapping the shattered wood beneath layers of solid rock.
Kumo and Iwa had officially engaged Nagato.
Shisui stood above, watching from a summoned crow.
Even for him—
This level of combat was beyond imagination.
"So, this is what my brother faced…"
Ryuuzetsu frowned.
"This… is terrifying…"
"Will Kagami-sama really be able to control this chaos?"
Shisui didn't hesitate.
"He's invincible."
"No matter what happens, everything is in his hands."
---
The final three hours of the first round had arrived.
A red barrier erupted into the sky.
Nagato's fingers tensed.
He knew what this meant.
A voice spoke coldly behind him.
"The first round is over. What do you still want to do, Nagato?"
Nagato's hand hovered over the Eight-Tails for a few seconds.
Then—
He slowly withdrew it.
"Nothing."
---
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