Chapter 419:
"Stop them!"
Under Skynet's command, the Scientific Ninja Tool puppets moved into action, charging toward Minato, who was fleeing with Boruto on his back.
Three dark figures dropped from the sky, each pinning down one of the advancing Scientific Ninja Tool puppets.
"Shikamaru?" Minato looked at one of the Venoms, then turned to the other two. "They are...?"
"I'm Konohamaru."
"I'm the Hydra Squad Captain."
The two Venoms enveloping Konohamaru and Obito spoke up respectively.
"Is that... Boruto on your back?!"
Shikamaru looked in shock at the unconscious Boruto on Minato's back.
"Yes. Something unexpected happened during the battle with Skynet. I'm taking Boruto back to Lady Tsunade for treatment," Minato said as he adjusted Boruto's position on his back.
"In that case, we'll go with you. We can help hold off the Scientific Ninja Tool puppets along the way," Shikamaru offered. After exchanging a glance with Konohamaru and Obito, and receiving their nods, he added, "Let's move together."
"I'll leave it to you, then. Be careful—within the range of the chakra absorption devices, chakra can't be used."
"No wonder none of our jutsu have worked..." Konohamaru muttered in realization from the side.
"Still, even if ordinary ninjutsu is useless, shadow techniques enhanced by Venom can still be used," Shikamaru said as he cast out a shadow, binding one of the approaching Scientific Ninja Tool puppets and flinging it aside.
Meanwhile—
Skynet could only stare helplessly as Shunhi performed ninjutsu, yet was unable to strike at S.H.I.E.L.D. members due to its restrictions.
"We're almost there! Hold on to me! I'm going to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to get us out of here!"
Minato called out to the three who were guarding him on both sides and behind.
"Right!"
The three of them grabbed onto the hem of Minato's cloak at the same time.
"Flying Thunder God Technique!"
A flash of golden light swept by. At the same moment the nuclear explosion bomb fell from the sky, the group vanished.
"You're back!"
Kakashi's tense expression relaxed slightly as he saw them reappear in a flash of light.
"Let me take Boruto."
Tsunade took the unconscious Boruto off Minato's back.
"Sixth Hokage."
The Venoms retracted, revealing the original appearances of Shikamaru, Obito, and Konohamaru.
"You three are...?"
Kakashi looked at them in confusion. Shikamaru had been the only one with a Venom—why were there three now?
"The Venom on me seems to have developed a splitting function."
"So you're saying... the Venoms on the other two split off from yours?" Kakashi said, glancing at Konohamaru and Obito.
"Yeah," Shikamaru confirmed with a nod.
"Then... can you split off more?"
Even though the Venom came from S.H.I.E.L.D. and was full of uncertainties, the current situation left Kakashi with no choice but to rely on it.
"Probably not..." Shikamaru shook his head. Just then, a tremor rumbled through the ground.
"What was that...?"
Everyone looked bewildered. Meanwhile, in Iwagakure, the nuclear explosion finally landed. A massive mushroom cloud rose over the village.
Iwagakure was leveled to the ground. All Scientific Ninja Tool puppet forces stationed in the village were completely annihilated.
Skynet's body was destroyed as well, leaving only its tough steel skeleton.
"As expected of the Deputy Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. You really can't be underestimated."
"So you were underestimating me this whole time?" Shunhi said playfully as he looked at Skynet.
"Not at all. I have a good understanding of the strength of the Director and other S.H.I.E.L.D. members. But Deputy Director... you're the only one I had very little data on. All I had was a mention of a Bloodline Limit called Nuclear Release... But relying solely on Nuclear Release wouldn't be enough to become Deputy Director."
"Of course I have more than just that. In fact, I also know the Flying Thunder God Technique. Nuclear Release Chakra Mode!"
Because Shunhi never learned chakra refinement, he had always relied on his system's nuclear chakra mode to convert his internal nuclear release into chakra.
Radiation symbols glowed in Shunhi's eyes.
"Besides Nuclear Release, I've mastered other jutsu too—like the Flying Thunder God Technique!"
With a golden flash, Shunhi disappeared from in front of Skynet in an instant.
Underground Base of Iwagakure
"Deputy Director!"
Seeing Shunhi suddenly appear, Minato exclaimed in surprise.
"Everyone, I'm back," Shunhi greeted the overjoyed group.
"Husky, was that massive explosion your jutsu?" Kakashi asked, looking at him.
"Yeah. Nuclear Explosion Technique. It's the strongest jutsu I can use right now..." Shunhi turned to Kurotsuchi. "By the way, I need to apologize. Lady Tsuchikage, I've reduced Iwagakure to rubble."
"What?!"
Kurotsuchi was visibly agitated.
"Calm down, calm down."
Akatuchi held her back, stopping her from confronting Shunhi.
"That kind of attack should've been enough to destroy Skynet, right?" Kakashi asked.
"No, not yet. It only destroyed Skynet's outer flesh. The steel skeleton inside wasn't destroyed. Strictly speaking, Skynet can't be destroyed—it can endlessly replace its body. Any Scientific Ninja Tool puppet could become Skynet," Shunhi explained.
"I see..." Kakashi frowned deeply. A heavy silence settled over the group.
Even though no one had died in this counterattack against Skynet, it was still a failure. They'd sacrificed all of Iwagakure and left Boruto injured—yet achieved nothing.
"Come to think of it, on the way here, Skynet invited us to join it," Shikamaru suddenly spoke up.
"That's right," Obito nodded. He had been present as well.
"It was probably to deal with us. Since Skynet can't act against S.H.I.E.L.D. members, it must rely on others," Shunhi said. "But after this battle, Skynet should realize our determination to resist. That's why I'm more worried it might seek help from other forces."
"Other forces... You mean the Mutant Beasts?!" Shikamaru looked toward Shunhi.
Shunhi nodded.
In the Dark Realm—
The Black Emperor stood facing a Scientific Ninja Tool puppet imbued with Skynet's will. Standing to his left and right were Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, Ōtsutsuki Urashiki, Ōtsutsuki Kinshiki, and Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki.
"Helping you is no problem... but as payment, we ask that you assist us in rescuing our comrades sealed on the moon."
---
[I'm begging for support, everyone. Please help! Support me at patreøn.com/craxx_real.]