"Wind Release: Judgment!"
On the sparring platform at Izayoi's residence, a boy's shout rang out.
A gigantic beam of light shot forth violently, slamming into the transparent walls of the barrier. Then, its size shrank into a narrow line—carrying astonishing cutting power and speed—slicing in half both the raised circular platform and Izayoi's wood clone.
When the Wind Release beam vanished, the barrier encircling the arena slowly disappeared.
The severely damaged stage also sank back down.
"Not bad at all… you mastered Wind Release: Judgment so quickly. Looks like you're doing well developing your Sharingan," Izayoi said, clapping in praise.
"Tch… it still took a lot of effort just to beat one of your wood clones." Uchiha Sasuke cocked his head in slight arrogance, though he was obviously in a good mood.
Even if it was merely a wood clone and he'd used his knowledge advantage plus a final unexpected Wind Release: Judgment at the end, he had finally scored a victory over Izayoi for once.
"It's impressive enough to be able to defeat even one of my wood clones," Izayoi said, speaking the truth—although his clone had been heavily sandbagging.
"Am I strong enough now to kill that man?" Sasuke asked with eager anticipation, his pride clearly rising.
"It's going to be very difficult." Izayoi shook his head, deciding to reveal some of Uchiha Itachi's capabilities to Sasuke. Speaking slowly, he said, "According to our village's collected and compiled intel, the Mangekyō Sharingan doesn't just grant far superior insight and detection over the three-tomoe Sharingan—its illusion-casting prowess leaps by an entire level and can even control Tailed Beasts and their Jinchūriki."
"And that's just its baseline. The Mangekyō Sharingan is known in legend precisely because the person who awakens it gets special, formidable abilities in both eyes. Then, once the Mangekyō user becomes proficient with those eyes' powers, they can unlock a hidden third ability—what let 'the Ashura of the Shinobi World,' Uchiha Madara, fight the God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama—as well as—Susanoo."
"Susanoo?" Sasuke raised his brows.
Before Sasuke could ask more, Izayoi continued with a smile:
"You've heard about the pinnacle battle that took place a few days ago, right?"
"Mhm!"
Sasuke nodded emphatically. By now, ninja and commoners alike—everyone from elders to self-aware children—knew of that so-called 'battle of the century' of the new era. People from many nations had even traveled all the way to the Land of Rain to view the scarred battlefield, just like how people once went to the Valley of the End to gaze upon the stone statues.
"Uchiha's Susanoo is also called a godlike force from which few survive after witnessing just once," Izayoi said with a faint smile. "Susanoo corresponds to the 'Wooden Golem' seen in that pinnacle fight."
Hearing this, Sasuke's pupils constricted. In sheer disbelief, he trembled slightly:
"Y-you can't be serious? The Mangekyō Sharingan can achieve… that sort of scale?!"
"Of course—provided you have enough ocular power." Izayoi simplified, "Wood Release uses Yang Release (Yin–Yang) chakra as the source of life: the more Yang chakra you spend, the greater the quantity and quality of the trees. So long as my own chakra and my skill in nature and shape transformations are sufficient, I too can produce that level of giant wooden figure."
"Likewise, the Mangekyō Sharingan's Susanoo uses Yin Release chakra as its core—materializing that Yin chakra into the shape of a giant. If your Yin Release chakra is strong enough, the giant you manifest will be that big. In theory, if your Yin chakra were infinite, you could form a giant even larger than the Wooden Golem in those photographs."
"On the flip side, if your Yin chakra isn't strong enough, you can't form a complete giant's body. You'd only get a skeletal frame or half-body. Hence, Susanoo has a 'stage' classification. Only a fully-bodied giant is the true Susanoo."
"I see…" Sasuke caught on quickly and murmured, "So that's why he longs for the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan? Hoping to gain everlasting ocular power and replicate the true Susanoo that rivaled the God of Shinobi, just like our ancestor Uchiha Madara did."
"Perhaps," Izayoi shrugged, not ready to reveal the harsh truth just yet.
"So I basically need to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan to go after that guy for revenge?" Sasuke asked unhappily, feeling that his prideful confidence had yet again been ripped away by Izayoi's explanation.
"He's not so invincible," Izayoi corrected. "At age seven, Uchiha Itachi had already awakened the Mangekyō. Barring him also grafting on Hashirama cells, every time he uses its power, his ocular ability wanes. There's a chance he can't even form half a Susanoo now."
"At this stage, the only real threats from him are the illusions cast by a Mangekyō user and those unique powers in his left and right eyes. If you learn Sage Mode at Ryūchi Cave, or combine three natures into a Super Typhoon Serial Spheres to develop a Dust Release Secret Technique, that should be enough to match him."
After finishing, Izayoi suggested: "If you want to be certain, master both first, then go avenge yourself."
"Great. Then teach me Dust Release," Sasuke said at once.
"Currently, I'm busy. Why don't you first visit Orochimaru at Ryūchi Cave and learn Sage Mode," Izayoi retorted.
No sooner had Izayoi said that than his brow rose in surprise.
Noticing Izayoi's expression, Sasuke asked: "Something up?"
"One of my wood clones just delivered news: something happened on Orochimaru's end. I'm going to check on it." Izayoi left only that line. In the blink of an eye, he was gone.
Sasuke's pupils contracted. Startled, he exclaimed: "The Flying Thunder God Technique… That guy Izayoi…"
Because of the recent "clash of gods," the Rinnegan, Tenseigan, Wood Release, and Flying Thunder God all became hot topics in the ninja world. Sasuke naturally recognized this instantaneous disappearance was a space-time ninjutsu.
But he never doubted Izayoi was "Ōtsutsuki Toneri." After all, as Izayoi's close friend and "foster father figure," Sasuke also knew Izayoi enjoyed the privilege of viewing Konoha's Scroll of Seals freely.
He was merely astonished by Izayoi's monstrous talent. Not only had he mastered five basic nature transformations and many advanced combos, but also the famed Flying Thunder God, known to date by only two people. And he'd achieved it with such speed. Truly a disheartening gift!
…
Somewhere underground in the Land of Fields.
Within a hidden laboratory, Orochimaru—who had been researching White Zetsu cells in his body with Yakushi Kabuto—now dripped with cold sweat.
He was staring at three arrivals who had all but materialized out of thin air in three different ways, focusing on the red-haired youth standing in the middle. Orochimaru's hoarse voice let out a laugh:
"Never imagined a small fry like me was worth the Akatsuki leader personally coming. How very flattering indeed."
"Orochimaru, you can't escape," White Zetsu teased with a sly grin. "Pain's already set up the Four Red Yang Formation outside. Unless you know the Flying Thunder God, you might as well surrender."
Orochimaru fell silent. Glancing at Nagato—who, compared to long ago, only looked slightly older—he murmured, "Never expected those three little brats back then to reach such heights."
He abandoned thoughts of fleeing; unless Ryūchi Cave performed a reverse summoning on him, with Nagato here—the new 'God of Shinobi'—it was impossible to run. Besides, judging by appearances, the masked man used space-time ninjutsu. The depths of Akatsuki far surpassed his guesses.
As Orochimaru readied for death, Nagato spoke calmly:
"Orochimaru, per Akatsuki's rules, a traitor typically faces one outcome—death, with the ring reclaimed. But out of respect for Jiraiya-sensei, if you hand over the Hashirama cells, I can spare your life."
That was why Nagato's real body had come. If it were Tendo Pain alone, for Yahiko's godlike dignity, Nagato would have unhesitatingly killed Orochimaru, used Human Path to extract his soul, and forcibly rummaged for secrets. Now, though, it was the original Nagato here, revealing a certain degree of magnanimity.
Hearing that, Orochimaru was quite startled. He wouldn't have expected such words from the strict leader of Akatsuki—who required all members to wear uniforms and paint their nails.
With a wary look, Orochimaru gave a chilling laugh: "Oh, so you came for the Hashirama cells. That's easy enough; so long as you send my subordinates away first, I'll hand them over."
Seeing Orochimaru show such concern for his underlings, Nagato smiled faintly, and without pretense replied, "I know what worries you, Orochimaru, but it's pointless. My Rinnegan's Human Path can tear out someone's soul and read their mind, and my Animal Path can turn targets into puppets that carry out summons. Even if you tried hiding the Hashirama cells in the Summoning World, I could kill you and extract them via your corpse."
At that, Orochimaru sweated profusely again. As long as Yakushi Kabuto survived, he didn't fear death. If both he and Kabuto died, he could rely on the Cursed Seal on Mitarashi Anko, reviving when she was near death. Provided no one knew Anko's cursed seal secret. But now even that felt worthless, because the Rinnegan could devour souls—and gain access to all of one's secrets. If Nagato tore out his soul, he'd lose everything.
Sensing Orochimaru's thoughts, Black Zetsu spoke in a raspy voice: "It would seem this legendary Sannin is hiding secrets we don't know."
"Leader, perhaps soul-ripping's best," White Zetsu suggested with a grin.
Nagato's expression remained impassive, smiling gently: "Orochimaru, which will it be?"
"The choice is… to refuse."
A strange voice answered for Orochimaru. Under Nagato and the other two's gaze, a tree branch sprouted at Orochimaru's side and rapidly took on Izayoi's form.
"You are…?"
Eyeing the black-haired youth, Nagato's eyes twitched. White Zetsu immediately identified him:
"Konoha's Wood Release ninja… Izayoi."
"Izayoi-kun!" Orochimaru called out, uncharacteristically stirred. In his previous body—a woman's—he had never had such a rescue feeling.
"Orochimaru, you seem pretty shaken," Izayoi teased.
"Ehehe, you see me at an awkward moment," Orochimaru replied with a grin. "Aside from that so-called 'Ōtsutsuki Toneri' and yourself, probably no one else could face the new 'God of Shinobi' without this sort of reaction."
"Oh, so you used Wood Release to slip through the Four Red Yang Formation, I take it?" Nagato raised a brow, carefully studying Izayoi. "Not bad… Just a wood clone alone holds quite a formidable volume of chakra. You are indeed the rightful master of Wood Release."
"Privileged to receive the Savior's praise," Izayoi fired back with mock politeness.
Nagato didn't catch the sarcastic tone. Instead, he asked in puzzlement: "If I recall, Orochimaru is an S-rank missing-nin of Konoha, so why would you, the future Sixth Hokage, be associated with a rogue? Or is his rogue-nin status fake?"
"A rogue-nin can always be absolved," Izayoi replied smiling. "Orochimaru is the ninja world's most extraordinary scientist. He can't just be killed off by you all."
"Izayoi-kun…"
Orochimaru never expected Izayoi to speak so highly of him. Judging by Izayoi's words, once he became Hokage, he planned to pardon Orochimaru completely.
Nagato didn't mind that it was only Izayoi's wooden clone. Repeating what he'd said earlier: "As long as Orochimaru hands over Hashirama's cells, I'll forgive his betrayal. That's my promise."
Such a commitment from the "world's strongest ninja" was on par with the vow of the God of Shinobi in ages past. That said, Nagato, different from the supremely imposing Tendo Pain, now wore a calm, gentle look, which carried a persuasive warmth.
Orochimaru made up his mind, prepared to trade away his final stash and fully sever ties with Akatsuki.
But then, Izayoi spoke up: "They're just Hashirama cells—why not get them from that big sucker?"
Everyone turned to him. Izayoi's gaze shifted from Nagato's face to the masked man who had been silently observing. With a mischievous smile, he said, "He's got half his body made of Hashirama cells, after all. If you drew a few vials from him, that'd definitely rocket your Wood Release to the next level. Right, Uchiha… Obito?"
Nagato: "?"
Black Zetsu: "?!"
Uchiha Obito: "??!!"
~~~
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