Rumble—rumble—RUMBLE!!!
The colossal body of the Gedō Mazō (Demonic Statue of the Outer Path) slammed into the ground, gouging out a cavernous pit on impact.
Naruto shook out his wrist and clicked his tongue. "This thing's got real muscle—and that hide is ridiculously tough."
His fist had landed like punching pure seastone in the One Piece world—absurdly hard.
"If I reverse-summoned the Gedō statue into the pirate world, the title of the strongest creature on land, sea, and air might need a new owner…" he muttered.
The statue, stung by the blow, roared at the sky. The spines jutting from its back crackled with blinding lightning. It heaved itself upright and swung a palm the size of a plaza straight down.
Naruto didn't back off—he rocketed a punch to meet it, layering on Kyōjaku (Monster Strength), Busōshoku Haki (Armament Haki), and Rokushiki (Six Powers) in full.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Fist-on-flesh detonations rolled like thunder.
Pirates and shinobi alike stared, dumbstruck by the spectacle—
—because a blond youth barely two meters tall was trading straight punches with a hundred-meter demon, and neither side was giving an inch.
"Hachimon Dōkō — Kaimon! (Eight Gates — Gate of Opening!)"
With a fresh roar, blue chakra boiled off Naruto's body—
—then surged again as he cranked it straight to the seventh gate: Kyōmon (Gate of Wonder).
Already insane power doubled on the spot. What had been even blows turned into a one-sided beatdown. The Gedō statue toppled again, but Naruto stayed on top of it, hammering away.
The pounding went on for minutes.
At last, the mountain-sized statue's entire upper body was driven down and buried in the earth.
"Now that was cathartic." Naruto dusted his hands and called to his crew, "Alright—lock this thing down."
The pirates rushed in without hesitation, throwing seastone chains over the statue.
The demon-like colossus howled and thrashed, but soon new chains clattered tight across its limbs.
—
Far off on the edge of Amegakure—
The Konoha scouting team that had been watching from the start stood rigid, sweat beading on their foreheads, arms trembling.
"This is… too much…" Shikaku swallowed.
"Are those really humans?"
Kakashi's voice was hoarse. "I thought Menma alone was terrifying. I didn't expect Amegakure as a whole to be this strong."
Shikaku nodded. "Who could've guessed the famed mercenary group Akatsuki turned out to be Amegakure's force?"
"That's not the point…" Asuma ground his teeth. "Shouldn't we be talking about their combat power?"
The fight had left him glass-eyed—it was pure world-ending devastation.
The Akatsuki and those monster troops were one thing—both sides were strong, most at elite jōnin level.
But the ones in the center of the village were on another plane.
A shinobi wielding Rinnegan had unleashed forbidden techniques one after another—each capable of leveling terrain.
If an Chō Shinra Tensei (Super Almighty Push) hit Konoha, the village would be flattened.
And that nightmare attack had been shattered by Menma's flames before it could ravage the whole of Amegakure.
Then came Chibaku Tensei (Planetary Devastation)… the Gedō statue…
"We have to warn the Hokage now," Shikaku snapped back to himself. "Amegakure's essentially fallen. If we're next, we need a plan early."
Kurenai's throat worked. "Even if we report… can the Hokage really stop those monsters?"
Silence fell.
Could anyone stop them? Who knew…
To them, even Deva Path—who Menma had already crushed—could have destroyed Konoha.
Kakashi glanced at Guy and whispered, "Guy—you've got the Eight Gates too. Could you beat Menma?"
Guy: "…"
He stared at the flattened Gedō statue and swallowed. "I… probably can't."
From what he felt, Menma without the gates was already far stronger than his own Seventh Gate.
"As for now—if we strike by surprise…" Asuma's eyes flicked to the pirate army, itching for action.
Jiraiya: "…"
Gooseflesh rippled over the other shinobi. Shikaku hissed, "Asuma, get a grip."
If they stepped out now, one Katon (Fire Release) from Menma and they'd be chatting with the First Hokage in the Pure Land.
"Move."
Jiraiya backed into the trees, summoned a great toad, and started sending the shinobi into its belly one after another.
But he himself did not leave—his gaze locked on the pirate ranks.
There—
—Orochimaru lay bound, and Tsunade—collared, chakra sealed, forced into a mortifying maid outfit.
"Tsunade. Orochimaru…"
He breathed the names, resolved hardening. With Menma out of immediate sight, he sprinted forward, chest swelling—
"Katon: Dai Endan (Great Blaze Bullet)!!!"
A sheet of wild flame thundered out.
The pirates wrangling the Gedō statue scattered in alarm. Jinbe's eyes flashed; he barked and swept a hand:
"Gyojin Jūjutsu (Fish-Man Jujutsu): Kairyū — One-Hand Over-Shoulder Throw!"
Water gathered, then howled out as a draconic torrent.
Crocodile thrust out his palm: "Desert Spada (Desert Sword)!"
Guren's hands flashed through signs: "Shōton: Kesshō Gokakurō (Crystal Pentagonal Prison)!"
A giant pirate simply slapped down with a palm like a falling fortress.
So many attacks that the air itself seemed to tear.
Sweat beaded on Jiraiya's brow—but he didn't hesitate. He blurred forward again and again with Shunshin (Body Flicker).
"Heh-heh-heh, Jiraiya…" Orochimaru lolled his tongue, watching with relish. "Didn't expect you'd come to save me—urgh—"
Before Orochimaru could finish, Jiraiya kicked him into the horizon, a single savage punt that sent him vanishing from sight.
"Jiraiya!!!"
Tsunade's eyes shone. Chakra sealed, she still stagger-ran toward the intruder she knew.
At that moment, Robin—who hadn't lifted a finger so far—closed her book with a quiet clap and murmured:
"Hana Hana no Mi (Flower-Flower Fruit): Dos Fleur (Twofold Bloom)."
(End of Chapter)
[Get +20 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 500 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]