Chapter 360: Nagato's Interference
Since Shin's recruitment, Orochimaru's research progress accelerated tremendously. He'd modified the original "One-Tail Pseudo-Jinchūriki" sealing technique through several versions, significantly improving ordinary ninja's tailed beast chakra utilization efficiency.
Tailed beasts' violent chakra couldn't normally be utilized by common people. Seimei's scientific ninja tools could only absorb chakra, at most converting it back into fixed jutsu for discharge.
But combined with Orochimaru's "Pseudo-Jinchūriki" system, everything changed.
The "Pseudo-Jinchūriki" system's greatest problem was that sealed "pseudo-tailed beasts" possessed only one tail. Once depleted, they required constant recharging.
With Seimei's tailed beast chakra-absorbing scientific ninja tools, sustained combat capability became formidable—completely enabling "fight to sustain fighting."
The sole drawback: before depleting internal tailed beast chakra, "Pseudo-Jinchūriki" could only absorb matching tailed beast chakra. Mixing types caused body explosion.
Regrettably, Edo Tensei couldn't become "Pseudo-Jinchūriki." Otherwise, these weapon testers wouldn't be Orochimaru's subordinates but the Edo Tensei legions.
Serving as vanguard for live combat testing was Orochimaru's forceful request. Otherwise, Yasushi would definitely deploy Edo Tensei legions first as the shinobi alliance predicted.
One could only say battlefield circumstances were unpredictable. Even brilliant strategists couldn't truly predict everything flawlessly.
Prediction failures plus two fish-that-slipped-through-the-net's unexpected deaths completely collapsed the shinobi alliance's tactics.
However, the shinobi alliance's advantage lay in numerical superiority.
Seeing Cloud Village charging vanguard, other villages naturally couldn't lag behind, committing their forces forward.
Though Yasushi the Hokage proved less protective toward subordinates than anticipated, everyone had contingencies for large-scale chaotic warfare.
Or rather—this chaotic warfare format better suited the shinobi alliance's preferences.
Firstly, they outnumbered opponents. Secondly, if armies intermingled, Uchiha Yasushi couldn't conveniently activate complete Susanoo.
After all, such giant forms weren't suitable for precision operations. Random movements might kill more allies than enemies.
Large-scale ninja warfare completely differed from small squad battles. Composite jutsu and group techniques filled skies.
Battlefields alternated between dense winds and surging flames.
One moment witnessed towering floods. The next brought earth-splitting catastrophes.
Konoha Village deployed several Edo Tensei legions before barely blocking the shinobi alliance's offensive. Yet Uchiha Yasushi still hadn't appeared.
BOOM!
A once more punched Orochimaru flying but didn't pursue. Instead, he retreated toward Mizukage Ao, asking quietly:
"Have you located Uchiha Yasushi's position?"
Ao's temple veins bulged, pushing his Byakugan's capabilities to maximum. After scanning the battlefield once, he pointed toward one direction.
"On that hillside. Numerous powerful chakra signatures are concentrated there."
After listening, the Raikage immediately gestured to others, whispering:
"We must draw him into the battle. Use chaotic warfare to restrict his complete Susanoo usage. We absolutely cannot clash with him outside the battlefield."
Kurotsuchi frowned:
"Intelligence indicates beyond Mangekyou Sharingan, he possesses Tenseigan. Even without complete Susanoo, he retains formidable lethality..."
"Irrelevant!" A waved, interrupting Kurotsuchi. "As long as he lacks Susanoo protection, we have opportunities to employ the Treasured Tools."
"Currently, we must create opportunities for the sealing unit."
Everyone exchanged glances before nodding agreement.
"Watch me lure him here!" Deidara volunteered.
He inserted hands into pouches, feeding explosive clay to mouth-hands before using expelled clay to create birds. Mounting one, he flew skyward, charging toward the hillside.
His movements proved extremely obvious. Yasushi's side immediately noticed.
"Oh, Deidara? He hasn't defected yet?"
"Whatever, doesn't matter... Neji, this one flies. You handle him."
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
Neji agreed. His chakra cloak fluttered as he rose from ground, rushing toward Deidara.
"Damn! Why didn't the main target come? I wanted testing my art on him!"
Deidara muttered, releasing numerous clay bird bombs toward Neji while diverting his route sideways across the battlefield.
"Deidara's drawn Hyūga Neji away. Who's next?"
Rasa's eyes flickered before suddenly suggesting:
"Perhaps let the tailed beast fire a Tailed Beast Ball toward there. If Uchiha Yasushi wants stopping the tailed beast, he must charge into the battle formation. Otherwise, he'll take the hit."
"Tailed Beast Ball?" A hesitated, glancing toward Killer B locked in fierce combat with Orochimaru before nodding. "Have Yugito do it."
After orders transmitted, soon Two-Tails Matatabi's massive form wreathed in blue flames manifested on the battlefield.
It roared skyward, attracting all attention before beginning to condense a "Tailed Beast Ball."
That signature black sphere appeared in air. Yasushi noticed immediately.
He'd just begun rising to engage when his body suddenly halted. He lifted his head, gaze searching distant skies.
A tiny black dot suddenly appeared on the horizon, instantly flying above Two-Tails before pressing downward with one hand.
"Shinra Tensei!"
The Raikage and others' attention had constantly focused on Yasushi's position. Who anticipated enemies would suddenly interfere?
Even Two-Tails' Yugito hadn't expected enemies descending from heaven, caught completely off-guard.
Change came too quickly. Two-Tails only managed turning startled beast-pupils skyward before destructive repulsive force descended like crushing mountains.
BOOM!
Two-Tails' raised head was irresistibly slammed into ground, creating an enormous crater.
Earth released deafening groans. Shattered stone and dust exploded outward like fountains.
The nearly-formed Tailed Beast Ball's energy structure instantly collapsed. Dispersing chakra transformed into chaotic hurricanes and fragmented electrical arcs crackling through air before dissipating invisibly.
Battlefield center left only Two-Tails thrashing its tails, struggling within the crater—and that coldly overlooking airborne figure.
The newcomer wore black robes with red clouds. Beneath short red hair resided eyes cold as deities—purple pupils with layered ripples. Rinnegan.
Akatsuki Organization leader Nagato had arrived!
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