Once the fear subsided, only anger remained! These were the Third Hokage's direct Anbu subordinates, and they had been slaughtered by Nagato without any chance to fight back. It would be strange if the Third Hokage wasn't furious!
"Fusion Ninjutsu—Thunder Fire Wind Dragon Bullet!"
Knowing that gravity control had little effect on Nagato, the Third Hokage once again used a Fusion Ninjutsu. This combined the three most violent elemental attributes—Lightning, Fire, and Wind—compressed and launched via gravity. Its power surpassed even typical S-rank Ninjutsu.
Amidst a deafening roar, the earth trembled. The Third Hokage, going all out, no longer had the luxury of worrying about Konoha. The ground was blasted into a crater dozens of meters deep, and the powerful shockwave leveled buildings within hundreds of meters.
However, as the smoke gradually cleared, the Third Hokage's expression shifted. Uzumaki Nagato stood in the midst of the smoke, without a speck of dust on him, looking completely relaxed.
"Is this... a defensive Ninjutsu? No, I didn't feel any Chakra fluctuations... An absorption Ninjutsu? He can absorb ordinary Ninjutsu!"
While the Third Hokage was still thinking, Nagato took a deep breath, and faint markings appeared around his eyes.
Simultaneously, the Chakra from the Gedo Statue inside him erupted, forming a purple glow around his body.
Just as the Nine-Tailed, being closest to the Ten-Tails, had a Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, the Gedo Statue—as the remains of the Ten-Tails—contained Chakra that was not only comparable to the Nine-Tailed but also nearly identical in quality to the original Ten-Tails.
Under these circumstances, Nagato could naturally use an incomplete Ten-Tails Chakra Mode. Furthermore, due to his constitution, he could stack Sage Mode on top of it, making it even more powerful than Uzumaki Naruto's Sage-Fox Mode.
"How ruthless... The Jinchuriki is still in my hands, yet you use such destructive Ninjutsu!"
"This is the Fourth Hokage's only son. He calls you 'Grandpa' every day, yet I don't see you, the Third Hokage, showing him any mercy."
Nagato spoke mockingly. A flash of guilt crossed the Third Hokage's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by resolve. "I do care about Naruto, but before that, I am the Hokage first!"
"Konoha cannot afford another Nine-Tails Riot!"
"Don't worry, there won't be any Nine-Tails Riot. I'm not some homicidal maniac!"
Nagato said indifferently. Suddenly, he raised his hand and threw Uzumaki Naruto directly at the Third Hokage. Slightly surprised, the Third Hokage reached out and caught Naruto by the scruff of his neck.
But at the same time, a purple flash streaked by, and Nagato appeared behind the Third Hokage.
"The only one I want to kill is you!"
The purple light flashed again. The Third Hokage felt his hair stand on end. He shoved Naruto away and leaped forward rapidly.
Even so, a massive wound was instantly carved into his back, and blood flowed out profusely.
Fortunately, while the wound was large, it wasn't deep enough to damage his internal organs, but the blood loss still made his face pale.
"So fast..." he murmured, his expression becoming even more serious.
The opponent before him hadn't just gained speed; it was an all-around boost in speed, strength, and physique. This ability immediately reminded the Third Hokage of his student's Sage Mode.
If the power of his Ninjutsu has also increased... Before he could finish the thought, Nagato smiled and reached out toward him again: "Universal Pull!"
This time, the gravitational force was several times stronger than before, covering an area of dozens of meters. Even the Third Hokage, using Substitution or Shadow Clones, found it impossible to dodge. He was instantly pulled in.
However, the Third Hokage was incredibly experienced. Having realized earlier that his gravity control was no match for Nagato's, he had already devised a plan. Instead of resisting, he didn't fight the Universal Pull. Instead, he used his own gravity to propel himself forward, rushing toward Nagato like a meteor.
"Konoha-Style Sword Technique—Vacuum Slash!"
A flash of sword light from the Third Hokage's waist vanished in an instant. As perhaps the person with the most diverse range of mastered skills in the entire Ninja World, the Third Hokage clearly had some skill with a sword. Although it couldn't compare to his adamantine staff, it was still at the level of an Elite Jonin's swordsmanship.
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