Chapter 419: War
Splash, splash—splash, splash—
Hidden Rain Village's rain seemed to have never ceased since the village's birth. Lead-gray clouds pressed low against the horizon, swallowing all light, leaving only endless, cold rain threads whipping the towering iron towers, damp streets, and that eternally turbulent sea surface beyond the village.
"Pat... pat..."
Regular footsteps penetrated the rainstorm's clamor and ocean waves' roar, coming from the sea surface.
A figure, ignoring the raging waves below capable of swallowing giant ships, walked step by step across the undulating sea surface as if traversing flat land.
Seawater depressed and rippled beneath his feet yet couldn't touch him in the slightest.
Howling wind whipped the hem and cloak behind him as he slowly advanced toward Hidden Rain Village.
In the sky, countless paper sheets scattered like snow. They danced against the rain, gathering, finally condensing above the sea into a slender figure wearing a black robe embroidered with red clouds—Konan.
She hovered in the air, paper wings slightly spreading behind her. Raindrops fell on the paper yet bizarrely slid off, unable to wet them at all.
The two faced each other across dozens of meters of sea and rain.
"Is Obito here?"
Menma's voice penetrated wind and rain. No interrogation, no provocation—more like a confirming inquiry.
Konan fell silent for a moment, rainwater sliding down her pale cheeks. "We cannot directly command that man." Her voice carried its usual coldness. "Must things truly reach this point?"
"I don't want war either. But this is unavoidable."
He raised his head slightly. "I don't want everyone around me to become things like White Zetsu in the future."
Become White Zetsu?
This statement made Konan's brow furrow. She didn't quite understand what it meant.
"I can explain clearly." Menma continued. "However, your companion wielding the Rinnegan... currently remains intoxicated by the power illusion those eyes bring. Whatever I say now, he won't listen, will he?"
SPLASH—!
The rainstorm intensified, hammering the sea surface and stirring countless white foams.
A plain white paper sheet falling from Konan's wing edge, swept by wild wind, lightly settled on the sea before Menma—
Swish! Swish!
Two figures burst from beneath the churning sea without warning! So fast they left only blurred afterimages and water trails in the rain!
One wielded a vicious giant blade wide as a door, edge viciously slashing toward Menma's neck! The other held two oddly-shaped serrated swords, swiftly stabbing toward Menma's knee bends!
The timing, angles, coordination—all were absolutely lethal!
However—
Snap!
A light sound.
Menma didn't even fully turn his head. He simply casually raised his left hand, palm precisely pressing against that giant blade's edge slashing at his neck!
No harsh metallic clash—the slash was firmly blocked by a single palm, unable to advance an inch!
Simultaneously, his right foot casually stepped forward, landing precisely on those sword tips stabbing toward his legs! Both swords were steadily pressed beneath his foot. No matter how their wielder exerted force, they didn't budge.
These two lethal combined strikes sufficient to instantly kill jonin couldn't even wrinkle Menma's coat hem.
Menma's gaze calmly swept over the two attackers who'd suddenly appeared, faces unable to hide shock, and their signature ninja blades.
"I see..."
"Juzo Biwa, and Raiga Kurosuki?"
"Lightning—send him to his grave!!"
Seeing their joint ambush fail, Raiga immediately poured all his Lightning Release chakra crazily into his Lightning Blades: Kiba! The twin swords clashed, erupting with blinding pale white lightning!
BOOM—!!!
A lightning pillar tore through the rain, viciously striking where Menma stood!
Simultaneously, Juzo had already withdrawn rapidly, hands forming seals.
"I bear no grudge against you, but this is the mission! Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
White mist rose from nowhere on the sea, spreading rapidly. In an eyeblink it enveloped several hundred meters of sea area! Vision was completely stripped away.
However, Menma at the lightning strike's center showed not even the slightest intention of dodging.
He let that destructive lightning pillar completely swallow him.
The blinding lightning faded, water vapor steaming.
Menma's figure reappeared—
Completely unharmed.
Forget injuries—even that seemingly ordinary black robe showed not the slightest scorch mark or damage.
"..."
From within the mist came Raiga's sharp intake of breath.
Menma stood quietly on the sea surface. Around him, an invisible, intangible yet soul-"stagnating" strange force field quietly permeated.
Divine Art: Absolute Stillness
Power sourced from the [Star Eye], communing with the universe's origin. It represented that planet within Menma's body—located at the solar system's edge, possessing the universe's most extreme low temperature and violent storms, symbolizing "isolation" and "absolute stasis."
Neptune's granted [Stellar Chakra].
This technique formed a microscopic-level "energy stasis field" around the user.
Any energy form attempting to invade this field—whether ninjutsu, chakra impact, or pure physical attacks—their internal molecular or atomic motion would be forcibly decelerated until completely stopped, thus losing all kinetic energy and destructiveness.
Simply put, absolute immunity to ninjutsu and taijutsu.
Stellar power had completely brought Naruto into a realm surpassing Six Paths.
The entire solar system—every planet granted one unique "Divine Art" to the traveler resonating with the stars.
Naruto's only frustration was—whenever he comprehended a Divine Art, its "true name" would immediately surface in his mind like a brand, as if the planet itself was telling him, not even giving him a chance to think up a cooler name...
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A fierce shout pierced the fog!
"ROAR—!!!"
With an earsplitting roar, a massive creature's outline violently burst through the dense fog! An extremely bizarre monster, pale all over, with fleshy wings on its back. Its body looked like several ferocious animals crudely stitched together, emanating chaotic and violent aura!
Not Pain's Six Paths' distinctively featured summons, but more like... some kind of artificially synthesized weapon.
"Chimera Technique... Hiruko's handiwork?"
Menma's voice remained steady, carrying assessment. "Looks like your [Akatsuki] has still recruited quite a few 'interesting' talents."
The stitched chimera locked onto Menma, releasing bloodthirsty shrieks. Its mountain-sized body carried foul wind as it swung claws, charging violently toward Menma who wasn't even as large as its finger.
"Susanoo!"
Just as the giant claw was about to strike down—
A towering crimson half-body energy giant—skeleton, muscles, armor instantly formed, emanating forest-stern ocular power fluctuations!
Uchiha Shisui wearing an animal mask appeared before Menma, controlling the red Susanoo's arms, forcibly blocking the chimera's mountain-toppling assault!
BOOM—!!!
Two great powers collided. The shockwave violently displaced surrounding seawater, forming a brief ring-shaped vacuum!
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Almost simultaneously, a low voice came from another direction.
Another figure appeared on nearby sea surface rocks. A masked monster bizarrely "emerged" from behind him. The masked monster opened wide its mouth—
WHOOSH—!!!
Violent hurricane burst from its mouth! The wind pressure was so strong it instantly dispersed and swept away the dense fog permeating the sea surface!