"Let's give our guests a warm welcome," Minato said with a smile. The entire Shinigami army retreated, and the next moment, countless Hollows were unleashed, swarming towards the Allied Shinobi Forces.
A kaleidoscope of ninjutsu flew through the sky, raining down on the Hollows. As one fell, another took its place, an endless tide that crashed into the allied ranks and began a wholesale slaughter. Each Hollow possessed the strength of a Chunin or higher, their bodies almost immune to kunai and other bladed weapons. Even basic ninjutsu failed to harm them.
The Hollows were like wolves among sheep, and the sounds of battle and screams filled the air.
"What are these monsters?! They're impossible to kill! Their strength is incredible!"
"Help me!" Faced with these incomprehensible creatures, the ninja were on the verge of breaking.
All the Jonin immediately joined the fray, and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki smashed the Hollows one by one with his fists.
"Art is an explosion!" Deidara said, blowing up a few Hollows with his clay bombs, his expression grim. "These things aren't human, yeah. Even my clay bombs have a hard time blowing them up."
Although Konoha had detailed the abilities and terror of the Hollows before the war began, most had not taken it seriously. Their understanding was still stuck in the past. Even if modern research is amazing, it's still based on the human body. How could they really create inhuman monsters? Although they had voiced some apprehension, in their hearts, they hadn't really paid it much mind.
Now, all the great villages regretted it. Their preparations had been insufficient.
Although the intervention of the Jonin and the Akatsuki had temporarily stabilized the situation and inflicted heavy losses on the Hollows, the Allied Shinobi Forces had also suffered considerable damage. More importantly, their morale had taken a significant hit.
Fortunately, the allied army had the numbers, and it wasn't long before they had the Hollows surrounded.
"It seems the Allied Shinobi Forces are even more pathetic than we thought," Orochimaru said, watching the chaotic melee with a blank expression. "This is just the appetizer. The main course is next."
Their gazes fell on the red-haired Nagato Uzumaki. Though emaciated, he exuded an incredibly powerful pressure.
"That must be the wielder of the Rinnegan," Shion said, her expression grave.
"We'll leave the rest to you," Tsunade said, looking towards the Akatsuki.
"Is it finally time to make a move? I can't wait."
"Itachi-san, we're fighting side-by-side again."
The Akatsuki moved towards Kakashi and the others.
Deidara and Sasori were the first to engage Haku. He had gotten the better of them before, and they were not about to let it go.
Kisame and Zabuza faced off. Both were former Kirigakure ninja, both wielded massive swords.
Shion took on the Raikage and Onoki by herself.
Sakumo and Kakashi held off the remaining three Kage.
Several Adjuchas engaged Konan, the other Akatsuki members, and the Jinchuriki.
Rock Lee and Might Guy were set for a master-student showdown.
Orochimaru actively sought out Itachi Uchiha, the man who had once humiliated him, leaving Minato to face Pain.
A great battle was about to erupt.
"To think that the next time we meet, we would be enemies," Guy said, looking at Rock Lee with a complicated expression.
Like him, Lee had no talent for ninjutsu and could only rely on relentless effort to train his taijutsu. Guy saw Lee as his own flesh and blood, teaching him everything he knew. He had hoped that Lee would become an outstanding ninja.
And Lee had proven him right. His progress was incredibly fast, and he stood out among his peers. Guy had even felt that Lee was the man who would inherit the spirit of youth!
Once, Lee had been the student he was most proud of. Now, he was a man who had forsaken his youth.
"Lee, have you forsaken your youth? In your heart, is Konoha really so worthless?" Guy asked, his disappointment palpable.
"Guy-sensei," Lee said, his expression impassive. His legs suddenly exploded with terrifying power, and in the blink of an eye, he was in front of Guy, delivering a vicious side kick. The sonic boom that followed sent Guy flying back dozens of meters into the yellow sand.
Lee's calm voice carried through the sandstorm to Guy's ears: "In my opinion, what you hold onto is worthless."
Guy's entire life had begun with rejection. More than anyone, he had longed for recognition. He had been desperate to prove that one could become a ninja with only taijutsu. And now, his beloved student had just negated all of it.
Guy felt as if his heart was bleeding. The pain was unbearable.
"Lee!" he roared. A terrifying chakra erupted from his body, and the swirling sand was pushed back. Guy shot out from within, the chakra fluctuations of the Eight Gates Release surrounding him.
He closed the distance to Lee with even greater speed and threw a punch. A violent shockwave exploded outwards, and the faint image of a ferocious beast seemed to materialize behind him.
"Bring it on, Guy-sensei!" Lee laughed wildly, his right fist meeting Guy's.
Boom. With a deafening crash, a powerful shockwave erupted from the point of impact, spreading outwards in a circle, kicking up the yellow sand and sending it dancing into the sky.
"Looks like it's getting exciting over there," Minato and the others said, smiling as they glanced in the direction of Lee and Guy's fight. "A battle between master and student! I'd better finish up here quickly. Maybe I can go and watch."
Their casual attitude enraged their opponents, and the two sides clashed fiercely.
Bang, bang, bang. The entire area was filled with the piercing sound of sonic booms and the thud of flesh hitting flesh. The figures of Lee and Guy flickered through the space, both of their bodies burning with the chakra of the Eight Gates.
"I don't understand why you would follow Naruto. Is it for power?" Guy asked, kicking Lee away. The bandages on his body flew out, wrapping around his student.
Snap. However, the bandages instantly broke. Lee appeared above Guy with even greater speed and kicked him down.
"For peace, Guy-sensei," he said, landing softly next to the crater where Guy had fallen.
"Peace?" Guy roared, his speed increasing as he shot out of the crater and kicked at Lee. "Turning the people of the Land of Demons into Wandering Souls, declaring war on the entire shinobi world—this is what you call peace?" The kick stirred up a massive cloud of sand, carrying with it a force that could tear anything apart.
"I think you've misunderstood something," Lee said. A surge of Reiatsu, no less powerful than Guy's, erupted from his body. He blocked the kick with his arm, his body suddenly becoming fluid as he wrapped around to Guy's back, restraining him with both hands.
"From the very beginning, it was Konoha and the other ninja villages that provoked us. Everything we've done has been in self-defense."
"The Akatsuki tried to destroy the Seireitei. If it weren't for Naruto, it would be in ruins right now. And now, Guy-sensei, you are allied with the Akatsuki against us. Tell me, who is the real villain?"
Guy was speechless, a look of astonishment on his face. Clearly, his mind couldn't process it that quickly. His body erupted with an even more intense power, and he broke free from Lee's hold, turning and punching him in the chest. The blow sent Lee flying.
"It is an indisputable fact that Naruto wants to stand against the entire shinobi world," Guy said, panting slightly. "Since he wants to start a war, he has to bear the risks."
"Are you still going to be so stubborn, Lee?!"
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