Nagato's vision blurred. In the next instant, a searing pain erupted in his abdomen, and his body was sent flying backward, completely out of control.
"Such speed!!" His Rinnegan widened, staring fixedly at Minato's movements.
This time, Minato hadn't used the Flying Thunder God Technique. He had closed the distance purely relying on his physical body's Shunpo.
The speed was so great that the naked eye could barely track it.
Nagato had to push his Rinnegan to its limits just to see Minato's movements clearly.
Swish, swish, swish.
The Yellow Flash flickered instantaneously. Several beams of boiling Reiatsu condensed into cannon-like blasts, shooting explosively toward Nagato.
Cero!
"Blocking Technique Absorption Seal!" The Rinnegan spun, absorbing the Cero with difficulty. However, before Nagato could even react, Minato had closed in again, his Zanpakuto slashing viciously toward his body.
"Both his speed and strength have increased drastically." Nagato's expression was grim as boiling chakra erupted from his hands.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Taking advantage of the moment Minato was repelled, Nagato immediately followed up with another jutsu: "Bansho Ten'in!"
A full-power Universal Pull was something Minato found difficult to resist; his body was instantly dragged toward Nagato's arm.
"Shinra Tensei!"
After the second Almighty Push, Minato's body was blasted away like a cannonball, various injuries appearing all over his form.
Yet, the look in his eyes remained ferocious, and his movements seemed unaffected.
Regaining his balance, Minato kicked off the ground with tremendous force, closing in on Nagato once more and throwing a kunai with his right hand.
"The kunai has the Flying Thunder God formula on it. It seems that while Hollowfication makes him manic, he still retains a degree of reason. However, in this Hollowfied state, his Flying Thunder God lacks the oppressive pressure Itachi's had. Overall, he's actually less difficult to deal with than before."
Nagato's mind remained calm. He first used a black receiver rod to pin the kunai to the ground, then manipulated several more rods to shoot toward Minato.
His internal chakra was abundant, constantly purging any formulas that might have been placed on his body.
"In this dimension, the overflowing Reiatsu allows him to silently place formulas at any time. As long as I maintain a stable flow of chakra in my body, he cannot leave a formula on me. As long as I have enough chakra, I can even protect the ground beneath my feet. That is the key to breaking his Shikai."
"I've already seen through you." Nagato's eyes were filled with confidence, and the corners of his mouth curled up.
Faced with Nagato's confident declaration, Minato expressed his inner thoughts through action.
Boom.
A Rasengan descended from the sky.
"It's useless!! I can absorb all Kido. After your previous expenditures, the destructive power of this Rasengan is far below your full strength." Nagato laughed wildly, using the Blocking Technique Absorption Seal to absorb the Rasengan.
"I heard you saw through my moves."
Accompanying the indifferent voice, Minato instantly appeared right beside Nagato in the next second, his Zanpakuto slashing forward.
Schlick.
Blood splattered everywhere. A deep, bottomless gash appeared on Nagato's chest, blood flowing freely.
"Shinra Tensei!" Enduring the agonizing pain, he used Almighty Push to force Minato back.
Minato tapped lightly on the floating debris in the air, making a few graceful leaps before landing in the distance, looking at Nagato with a mocking expression.
"How is this possible? I clearly used chakra to protect the surrounding area. It should be impossible for you to leave a Flying Thunder God formula. Why were you still able to teleport to me?" Nagato was filled with confusion and rage.
He used the Naraka Path's ability to repair the wounds on his body, coughing up blood as he did so.
The internal damage was getting worse.
After fighting for this long, his body was on the verge of collapse.
"It's simple." Minato looked at Nagato. The Hollow mask on his face cracked and crumbled away, revealing a gentle smile. "The Flying Thunder God formula was inside the Rasengan. So, when the Rasengan landed, I could teleport to you. This method has its flaws—I also have to endure the damage from the Rasengan's explosion. But since your jutsu can absorb the Rasengan, you essentially became the beacon for my Flying Thunder God," Minato explained patiently.
"So, from a certain perspective, I countered your absorption technique."
Nagato's expression grew uglier by the second.
He never imagined that Minato could cause him this much trouble using only his Shikai.
He took a deep breath, preparing to use the Super Shinra Tensei.
Boiling chakra gathered continuously in his palms, and his body began to float upward.
For him, being forced to use this move was an absolute humiliation.
"This move is..." Sensing the chakra that was shaking the entire Meta-Sphere, Minato's expression suddenly turned serious.
"Are you putting your life on the line?" He smiled helplessly. "Is that really necessary?"
His expression became solemn as he chanted softly.
"Bankai."
"Chaotic Shinra Tensei!"
At the same time, the attack of the Super Almighty Push fully descended.
BOOM.
The entire Meta-Sphere was instantly engulfed in endless explosions. The rock layers rolled up, the earth tore apart like pierced paper, and the entire dimension was shrouded in apocalyptic destruction.
But immediately after, a single point of light appeared in the space and began to spread.
All the explosions and the shockwaves generated by the Shinra Tensei seemed to hit a pause button.
Seconds later, everything began to rewind frantically.
The flying rocks began to fall back into place, the bottomless craters began to refill, and the billowing smoke dissipated.
A few breaths later, the entire space was as it was before, as if nothing had happened. Only Nagato, panting heavily and looking shocked, proved that it had all been real.
"How is that possible?" Looking at the unscathed ground beneath his feet, he could no longer suppress his shock and cried out, "Can you control time?"
Below, Minato, having used Bankai, was panting heavily. The consumption was clearly immense.
He forced a smile.
"This is my first time using Bankai. I didn't expect the effect to be this good."
"However, the function of the Bankai isn't just regression," Minato smiled. "It can establish a spatial tunnel."
As his words fell, an indifferent voice rang out from above: "My senior disciple, Nagato Uzumaki. We finally meet."
High in the sky, Naruto wore a smile as he looked down at Nagato's broken body.
"Naruto Uzumaki!!" Hearing this, Nagato's face turned extremely grim.
He knew that this time, he might truly be done for.
Prior to this war, Naruto had traveled to the Ryuchi Cave.
Ryuchi Cave was located in the Summoning Realm, not far from Mount Myoboku.
The White Snakes and the Toad Clan had always been natural enemies—a relationship of 'you die or I live.'
Throughout the history of the ninja world, while humanity was constantly embroiled in various wars, the Summoning Realm had always prospered.
Both the White Snakes and the Toads would form summoning contracts with exceptional humans, offering assistance to a certain degree.
They didn't interfere with human development; rather, they watched the rise and fall of the ninja world as bystanders.
In reality, however, their strength was far superior to that of humans.
Both the Great Toad Sage and the White Snake Sage possessed Six Paths-level power.
After all, they were creatures from the same era as the Sage of Six Paths.
Back then, the Great Toad Sage had even used prophecies to guide the Sage of Six Paths and his brother to seal their own mother.
To them, humans were more like "toys" to relieve their boredom.
It was precisely because he understood this that Naruto was particularly wary of the Summoning Realm.
Now, Naruto Uzumaki had become too powerful; he absolutely counted as someone disrupting the balance of the entire ninja world. If the Sages of the Summoning Realm used the excuse of Naruto destroying the peace to crusade against him—coupled with the Sage of Six Paths hiding in the shadows—Naruto might suffer a great loss.
Although his current strength was immense, it hadn't reached the point where he could disdain everything.
Every decision he made was like treading on thin ice.
He liked to plan everything, ensuring that all variables were anticipated and calculated.
Therefore, this trip to Ryuchi Cave was imperative.
Facing the White Snake Sage, his attitude was gentle, his demeanor elegant and confident. He stated his reasons for seeking cooperation with Ryuchi Cave and extended his goodwill and an invitation to collaborate.
"I can help you wipe out Mount Myoboku. You will become the masters of the Summoning Realm." Naruto's request was very tempting to the White Snake Sage.
They truly hated those ugly toads, but they were also very wary of the cunning Naruto.
"Why deal with those toads? I recall you are the signer of their summoning contract," the White Snake Sage asked.
Facing the question, Naruto replied calmly, "Because they once helped Konoha against the Seireitei. I think that reason is sufficient."
Of course, that wasn't the entire reason Naruto was moving against Mount Myoboku.
His goal was to use the White Snake Sage to kill the Great Toad Sage, and then kill the White Snake Sage himself.
With two fewer Six Paths-level opponents, a solitary Sage of Six Paths wouldn't be able to cause much trouble.
The White Snake Sage, having lived for a thousand years just like the Great Toad Sage, was naturally an old fox.
He maintained deep suspicion toward Naruto, but Naruto's proposal was excellent from every angle.
He could sense the aura within Naruto's body.
The aura of the Pure Land and massive chakra.
Naruto's current strength wasn't enough to reach the Six Paths level, but it was very close. If Naruto and he joined forces, the probability of killing the Great Toad Sage would definitely reach ninety percent.
And once the Great Toad Sage was dead, Naruto Uzumaki, who wasn't yet at the Six Paths level, wouldn't be able to do anything to him. He would simply become food in his belly.
He would be the final winner.
Having thought this through, the White Snake Sage revealed a kindly smile.
"Ryuchi Cave always welcomes friends. As long as you can kill those big toads, we will be friends forever."
With the intention of cooperation established, Naruto also showed a gentle smile and nodded to the White Snake Sage. "Then, in a few days, we will formally launch a general attack on Mount Myoboku."
Next, Naruto asked the White Snake Sage about some secrets regarding the Sage of Six Paths.
What the White Snake Sage revealed wasn't much different from what the Great Toad Sage had said; it didn't hold much reference value.
During this time, the White Snake Sage also asked about Naruto's strength.
Naruto "seriously" informed him: "If I explode with full power, my best Ninjutsu and Kido can stall a Six Paths-level entity, but the main offensive will have to rely on you."
Learning of Naruto's "true" strength, the White Snake Sage felt reassured.
He was like a mastermind behind the scenes, plotting all of this, toying with the three major powers: Mount Myoboku, Humanity, and the Pure Land.
After the trip to Ryuchi Cave, Naruto returned to the Pure Land.
As soon as he returned, he sensed the fluctuations of chakra and Reiatsu coming from outside the Seireitei.
He immediately understood that the first wave of the war had begun.
Strange Reiatsu fluctuations came from the air, and then a large gate slowly opened.
It was the teleportation gate Minato had created for Naruto.
Naruto stepped into it.
The next moment, what came into view was the red Meta-Sphere and the pale-faced Nagato below.
Minato's Bankai was more supportive in nature, and the consumption was enormous; his Reiatsu was almost drained after a single use.
It was a Zanpakuto with a very high ceiling, but currently, the burden of using it was massive.
Minato, having mastered Bankai, might not be the strongest Shinigami aside from Naruto, but he was definitely the most troublesome one.
Looking at Nagato's Rinnegan, Naruto revealed a contemptuous smile. "In this state, you still fell into our hands."
The Sages of the Summoning Realm didn't know much about the Rinnegan.
In their view, while the Rinnegan was powerful, it shouldn't cause such a huge burden on the body.
Moreover, Nagato was from the Uzumaki clan, and the Uzumaki physique was absolutely strong.
If even Nagato couldn't withstand the Rinnegan, then who could?
At the time, the White Snake Sage had made a judgment: "Perhaps, these Rinnegan are not his."
With this speculation, Naruto's curiosity about Nagato was maxed out.
He landed slowly, walking toward Nagato with a relaxed expression. "Well then, you are now a prisoner."
"Naruto Uzumaki!!!" Nagato looked at Naruto with rage, extending his right hand. "Shinra Tensei!!"
The shockwave erupted, instantly engulfing Naruto.
"It seems you are already very weak. Such power is pitifully small." A shield formed of Reiatsu surrounded Naruto, easily blocking the Almighty Push.
He looked at Nagato, seeing the myriad holes in his health, which only confirmed his speculation.
"This pair of eyes... they aren't very easy to use, are they? You won't live much longer as you are." Naruto shook his head secretly, offering what he considered a kind proposal.
"Why don't you just gouge out your eyes yourself? I'll give you a dignified death."
Naruto spoke with sincere emotion.
For Nagato, gouging out his own eyes was absolutely the best choice.
Otherwise, he would face Orochimaru's research.
Becoming Orochimaru's material was incredibly painful.
"Actually, we didn't have to be enemies at all," Naruto sighed with emotion. "You clearly have the strength to roam the ninja world freely, yet you insisted on opposing the Seireitei. It is truly the height of stupidity."
Nagato stared fixedly at Naruto. His internal injuries flared up, and he couldn't help but cough up several mouthfuls of blood.
"What is the Akatsuki collecting Tailed Beasts for?" Naruto asked.
"It doesn't matter if you don't answer. I'll know soon enough anyway."
Seeing that Nagato didn't answer, Naruto didn't mind.
"Bakudo Number 9: Horin."
Reiatsu transformed into a yellow rope that wrapped around Nagato.
"Let's go. It's time to give the Allied Shinobi Forces a surprise." Naruto looked at Minato.
Minato immediately released his Shikai.
The red barrier vanished and dispersed, revealing the clear sky and the dark mass of the Allied Shinobi Forces.
Positioned high in the sky, looking down at several familiar faces, Naruto revealed a gentle smile.
"Everyone, long time no see!"