At the south gate, the defense line held by Konoha shinobi finally broke under continuous attacks from more than a hundred Sunagakure elite ninjas.
"Move in!" shouted a Sand ninja.
"Hurry! Don't let the Konoha shinobi close the gap!"
"Go!"
"Damn it, where is Shukaku? What happened to the plan?"
"Stop talking! Just get inside first!"
One after another, Sunagakure ninjas rushed into Konohagakure Village.
Before they could celebrate, they saw a figure rushing toward them like a meteor.
"What is that?"
"A person?"
"Watch out!"
The Sand ninja leader glimpsed a pair of eyes, bright as sparks in flame, within the approaching meteor.
Like a meteorite striking the earth, Shihouin Naraku suddenly exploded into a fireball. Waves of fire spread outward instantly, engulfing everything around him.
The ground rippled like the sea, making it impossible for anyone to stand firmly. A powerful shock wave crushed all obstacles in its path.
"BOOM!"
A deafening explosion filled the air!
"Ugh!"
"Ahh!"
"What's happening? I can't see anything!"
"It burns!"
A dozen elite Jōnin died in the initial blast, while many more cried out in pain.
Shihouin Naraku moved in a blur, having entered a state beyond normal limits. Each movement seemed like teleportation. Every swing of his Kurikara blade claimed a life.
In his heightened state, the Sand ninjas' movements appeared slow and sluggish to him, as if they were suspended in place, waiting to be cut down.
No one could match his speed!
Even when powerful Sand ninjas occasionally reacted quickly enough, they discovered in horror that they had only struck Shihouin Naraku's afterimage.
He moved too fast—impossibly fast!
Most Sand ninjas couldn't even catch sight of him, let alone defend themselves.
A cluster of beautiful, shining flames flashed through the air. Scorching breath descended as fire flowed like water.
"Fire Style: Kagura's Dragon Dance!"
"ROAR!"
A mighty roar filled the battlefield!
A giant flaming dragon with gleaming scales and fearsome claws materialized. The fire dragon twisted its body and danced through the air, crushing and devouring everything with its immense power.
Everything was crushed!
Everything was burned!
Everything was destroyed!
The mighty fire dragon roared as it soared into the sky. This beautiful yet terrifying sight was created by Shihouin Naraku's high-speed sword technique!
The Sunagakure elite ninjas who had broken through the south gate's defenses had been like a powerful torrent, sweeping away all obstacles as they prepared to flood into Konohagakure. But Shihouin Naraku arrived just in time, destroying them with his overwhelming strength.
In just a blink of an eye, the torrent was severed, and the vanguard of the Sunagakure invasion force was completely annihilated!
Not one survived!
In the blazing sea of fire, Shihouin Naraku's body leaped with orange-red flames, the straight-blade sword in his hand shining with fiery light. His Conqueror's Haki swept outward like a hurricane!
With the strength of one person, he stood against thousands of enemies!
The remaining Sand ninjas witnessed this horrifying scene—it felt as if a mountain range was pressing down on their shoulders. They retreated in fear, not daring to advance.
Was this a human or a demon?
"No, don't be afraid! Push forward!" urged one of the Sand ninja leaders.
"Advance! The Kazekage is still inside!"
"Go! We must break through!"
"Kill him! Kill him! KILL HIM!"
Driven by ultimate fear and encouraged by their leaders, many Sand ninjas gathered their courage and rushed forward with bloodshot eyes.
They had to break through this one defender—there was no other choice!
The Fourth Kazekage remained inside Konohagakure Village, waiting for their support!
In this battle—retreat was not an option!
Wind Style jutsu, hidden weapons, poisonous smoke, and grinding sand gathered into a destructive torrent powerful enough to reshape the earth, all rushing toward Shihouin Naraku.
"Come at me!" he challenged.
Taking a deep breath, Shihouin Naraku tightened his grip on Kurikara in his right hand, tilted the blade slightly, and instantly charged toward the Sand ninjas.
His left hand formed hand seals at a speed indistinguishable to the naked eye, while chakra surged through his body's pathways.
Flames rained from the sky!
Lightning flashed and struck!
Compressed wind balls exploded!
"BOOM..."
After a moment of eerie silence, a massive roar resounded between heaven and earth. A blazing golden light flashed, blinding everyone nearby.
The sky darkened as the sun and moon lost their brilliance. A hurricane swept sand and dust high into the air. Smoke and debris wrapped in flames crossed the horizon as a massive shock wave spread in all directions.
The Konoha shinobi who had arrived to provide support cried out in surprise. They tried to maintain their footing, but under the violent winds and shock waves, they were blown backward.
A roaring fire tornado raged wildly, uprooting sections of Konohagakure's walls and gates, crushing them mid-air and reducing them to ash.
The ground collapsed beneath the onslaught. A bright light illuminated the gloomy battlefield as scorching flames ignited and melted everything they touched!
"BOOM..."
Thunder exploded in the air, lightning flashed and rolled, gathering into a ball like a giant snake twisting in the sky before plummeting rapidly to the ground.
For a moment, white light flashed brilliantly as the powers of thunder, wind, and fire violently exploded together!
The terrifying energies combined, sending circular shock waves in all directions. A massive explosion engulfed the battlefield.
Within a radius of several miles, all buildings shattered and disappeared. The ground suddenly collapsed, forming a huge crater. Smoke, dust, and fire filled the air, refusing to dissipate for a long time.
Time passed slowly until things gradually returned to calm.
...
"Cough, cough, cough..."
The Konoha shinobi who had come as reinforcements looked at their surroundings in horror.
Everything within several kilometers had vanished. The buildings and walls that once stood were nowhere to be found. The area had been transformed into barren land, thoroughly cleansed of all structures.
As for the South Gate?
What South Gate?
There was no South Gate anymore!
"Gulp..."
The Konoha shinobi couldn't help but swallow nervously, trying hard to suppress their rising panic.
"Let's go support the Master," Yamanaka Yue said, quickly regaining her composure. She immediately ordered the ninjas to move forward.
But looking at the destruction, they all wondered: Does Lord Naraku really need our support?
Perhaps we should be the ones holding back.
"Naraku is incredible!"
"Incredible!"
"Naraku is incredible!"
The Konoha ninjas quickly rushed to where the south gate had once stood, now replaced by an enormous crater.
Smoke rose from the battlefield, which was covered with scattered limbs and blood. Puppet fragments lay strewn about, while the painful howls of survivors occasionally echoed across the desolate scene.
Shihouin Naraku sat atop a mound of corpses, leaning on his sword, calmly surveying the cruel battlefield.
The contrast between his stillness and the chaotic destruction around him created a strange, poignant image amidst the bloodshed.
"L-Lord Naraku, are you alright?" Yamanaka Yue finally mustered the courage to approach, under the urging gazes of her comrades. Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Shihouin Naraku looked up at the Konoha shinobi who had come to support him and said in a steady voice, "You're late."
The Konoha shinobi lowered their heads in shame, not daring to meet his gaze.
Although the truth was that their leader had moved too quickly, as subordinates, allowing their master to face the enemy alone was an unforgivable mistake no matter how you looked at it!
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