"Shun, you truly live up to your reputation."
"However, the Six Paths of Pain are merely my puppets, the real battle begins now."
Golden Chakra instantly surged around Shun, his Mangekyo Sharingan spinning to its limit.
"Nagato, you've finally decided to act personally."
Nagato wasted no words. He raised his hand to form a seal, and the light from his Rinnegan exploded.
Chibaku Tensei!
Pale purple Chakra poured out from his palm, rapidly converging into a black core. The surrounding earth, trees, and stones were all sucked toward it by a powerful gravitational force.
The sphere of rock continuously expanded, instantly exceeding a hundred meters in diameter, and the gravitational pull grew stronger and stronger.
Sage Art: Perfect Susanoo!
A thousand-meter-tall Susanoo instantly materialized, wielding a massive Chakra longsword and fiercely slashing toward the Chibaku Tensei.
The golden longsword collided with the sphere of rock, creating a deafening roar, and rock fragments scattered like a meteor shower.
"Such powerful strength."
A trace of surprise flashed in Nagato's eyes, which immediately turned into fanaticism.
He pressed his palms together, and his Rinnegan's jutsu activated again.
Super Shinra Tensei!
A powerful repulsive force erupted. The Susanoo was torn by the immense force, emitting a "creaking" sound, and fine cracks appeared on its Chakra shell.
"Damn it!"
Shun exerted himself, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes, as he forcibly resisted the tremendous repulsive force.
Just as the two were locked in fierce combat, and Shun's attention was fully focused on Nagato—
Ōnoki floated in mid-air, abruptly pushing both hands forward.
Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!
A transparent, cube-shaped energy barrier suddenly appeared behind the Susanoo. Pale gray Chakra flickered inside the barrier, emitting a terrifying aura of annihilation.
"Shun! You beast! Today, I will definitely tear you into ten thousand pieces and rescue my granddaughter!"
Ōnoki stared intently at Kurotsuchi. Seeing the worry and trust she held for Shun in her eyes, he assumed Shun had used a vile mind-control technique, and his fury nearly burst through his chest.
An alarm blared in Shun's heart. His Mangekyo Sharingan instantly registered the danger behind him, but he realized Nagato had already anticipated this moment and activated Bansho Ten'in again, locking the Susanoo's body down completely.
"Too late."
Nagato curled his lips into a cold arc. He had deliberately shown a weakness to create an opportunity for Ōnoki's sneak attack, but he hadn't expected Ōnoki's rage to multiply the attack's power.
The Susanoo was firmly locked by Bansho Ten'in, unable to move even an inch, and the energy barrier enveloped the Susanoo's lower half.
Sizzle!
Susanoo's Chakra shell began to rapidly dissolve. The pale golden Chakra receded like a tide, and Shun could clearly feel the Susanoo's power quickly draining away.
Kurotsuchi's expression changed drastically. She activated an Earth Release jutsu without hesitation.
Earth Release: Earth Style Wall!
A massive stone wall instantly rose behind the Susanoo, attempting to block the Dust Release attack.
But the power of Dust Release was too great. As soon as the stone wall touched the Dust Release, it was instantly disintegrated into powder, offering no defense whatsoever.
"Kurotsuchi! Don't let him deceive you! He is controlling you!"
Ōnoki saw Kurotsuchi still defending Shun and trembled with rage. He channeled his Chakra again.
"I will kill him now and save you!"
Kurotsuchi turned and shouted at Ōnoki, her eyes filled with urgency and helplessness, "Grandpa! I am not being controlled! I stayed by Shun's side willingly! He hasn't hurt me!"
But how could Ōnoki believe her? In his view, this was merely a lie manipulated by Shun.
He roared and increased the output of the Dust Release. The energy barrier contracted even faster.
"Nonsense! You were always the most obedient to me when you were young. How could you willingly follow the enemy who kidnapped you?! He must have used despicable means!"
"Kurotsuchi, stay back!" Shun roared.
The upper half of Susanoo flared with light, breaking free from some of Bansho Ten'in's restraints. He gripped the longsword with both hands and fiercely slashed toward the Dust Release.
"Shun, your era is over!" Ōnoki's eyes were filled with furious rage and killing intent.
"Dare to manipulate my granddaughter? I will make you suffer the most painful death in the world!"
Nagato seized the opportunity to attack, the light from his Rinnegan exploding.
Super Shinra Tensei!
A repulsive force several times stronger than before erupted, violently slamming into Susanoo's chest.
Susanoo's Chakra shell instantly shattered almost entirely. Shun spat out a mouthful of blood, his body reeling back several steps, and Susanoo subsequently dissolved.
Without Susanoo's protection, the Dust Release was already upon him. The pale gray Chakra emitted the aura of death.
"Shun!"
Kurotsuchi's voice was choked with sobs, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
Shun's Mangekyo Sharingan flared, forming a massive Chakra shield in front of him.
Boom!
The Dust Release violently slammed into the Chakra shield. The enormous explosion echoed across the entire battlefield, and the shockwave created by the energy impact leveled all the surrounding trees and rocks. Smoke and dust billowed, obscuring the sky.
Kurotsuchi was thrown backward by the shockwave, crashing heavily onto the ground, blood spilling from her mouth. She struggled to her feet and looked toward the center of the explosion, her heart filled with fear and worry.
"Shun! Shun!"
The smoke and dust gradually cleared, revealing a massive crater in the center of the battlefield, where the rocks at the bottom had been decomposed into powder.
"I didn't expect you could actually withstand a full-power Dust Release attack."
Ōnoki floated in mid-air, his face a mask of unbelievable fury.
Nagato was also slightly surprised, and a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes. "Shun, you haven't disappointed me. But you have very little Chakra left. Next, it's time for this to end."
Shun slowly stood up, wiped the blood from his mouth, and a fierce glint flashed in his eyes. "End? It's far too early for that."
Although he was severely injured and had used up most of his Chakra, his fighting spirit remained undiminished.
Just then, two powerful Chakra fluctuations came from the distant sky, and two figures rapidly approached—it was Rasa and A.
Rasa floated in mid-air, gold dust swirling around him, his eyes filled with coldness.
A stood on the ground, enveloped in blue Lightning Chakra, his muscles bulging, radiating a fierce aura.
"Shun, your luck has run out!" A's voice was loud as thunder, carrying intense fighting spirit.
Rasa said coldly, "Today, you won't be able to escape even if you grow wings."
Shun was severely injured, with very little Chakra remaining. Facing the siege of Nagato, Ōnoki, Rasa, and A—four Kage-level ninjas—the situation had reached its most dangerous point.