Nagato's Chibaku Tensei was one of the most terrifying sealing techniques in the entire ninja world.
Its power fluctuated depending on the burst of chakra poured into it. In its highest form, even the Sage of Six Paths had once used a similar technique to seal Kaguya directly.
Nagato's intent was unmistakable. He was prepared to burn through a massive amount of his life force just to seal away the entirety of Konoha in one stroke.
If Konoha was sealed, then the source of all "evil" in his eyes would be erased. Losing a portion of his lifespan for that outcome was a price he was willing to pay.
It was a bold, overwhelming move.
And more importantly, an unstable one.
Even if the sealing failed, this version of True Planetary Devastation still carried enough destructive force to obliterate Konoha entirely.
Fugaku's repeated attempts had already failed to stop him, and Nagato's patience had finally snapped. Since he was already here, he might as well release everything at once before leaving.
At this point, Nagato no longer cared how much of his life force would be consumed.
If he had cared about his lifespan in the first place, he would not have used the Gedo Statue to directly confront Hanzō back then.
Was there a better option at that time?
Of course there was.
But after Yahiko's death, Nagato's will had fractured. The man who had lost the one person he believed in most had long since abandoned any concern for his own survival.
Now, he only moved forward like a machine driven by obsession, as if destroying everything would somehow honor what was lost.
To outsiders, it looked like madness.
To him, it was purpose.
This sudden eruption caught everyone off guard.
Not only Hayashi, but even Fugaku, who had been probing the darkness of Nagato's state, and Black Zetsu, who had been observing from the sidelines.
On a broken wall in the distance, White Zetsu clicked his tongue.
"I didn't expect Nagato to use something like this immediately. He really has gone off the deep end."
Black Zetsu said nothing.
It flicked a finger, sending small fragments of rubble into the air. They burst apart silently, reduced to dust.
Its gaze remained cold.
This technique was not something it approved of.
However, Nagato's rampage at this moment was still useful for the plan.
"We should leave. Otherwise we'll get sealed in too."
White Zetsu dropped into the alley first, and the two quickly withdrew.
Meanwhile, on the main street, Hatake Sakumo and Sasori were still locked in combat.
Nagato had gone berserk.
And Sasori had gone just as far.
Among Akatsuki, there were not many who could be called truly sane in the first place.
Sasori, at this moment, could only be described as someone whose mind had been pushed far off balance, as if logic itself no longer applied.
Even so, he was being firmly suppressed.
Hatake Sakumo's strength far exceeded Sasori's expectations.
Sasori was still essentially a fifteen-year-old. His real combat experience came from limited battles, including the Third Kazekage puppet he had once defeated under highly favorable conditions.
Against someone like Sakumo, who had survived countless life and death battles, there was simply no comparison.
Maybe in another ten years, when Sakumo's condition naturally declined and Sasori's skill reached perfection, the outcome might change.
But now, it was impossible.
Sasori's plan to turn Sakumo into a puppet had already failed, yet he showed no intention of retreating.
Once slaughter began, it was difficult to stop. Opportunities like this did not come often.
However, at that moment, the eruption of Chibaku Tensei changed everything.
The puppets under Sasori's control began to tremble violently. Their movements became unstable, as if their chakra connections were being disrupted.
Even so, Sasori still had no intention of leaving.
And Sakumo would not retreat either.
The blade was his will. To withdraw here would betray everything he stood for as a shinobi of Konoha.
Sakumo laughed loudly as he moved like a streak of green light, pressing forward without hesitation.
On another part of the battlefield, Kakuzu and Nawaki were in a very different situation.
Neither of them had any desire to die here.
Kakuzu stared at Nawaki and spoke casually.
"Kid, your Water Release is not bad. You have plenty of chakra, and you handle that Samehada well. How about we stop here?"
Nawaki swung Samehada and replied calmly.
"Sure."
Then he added,
"But can you take back your Jiongu threads that are creeping toward me underground?"
Kakuzu smiled and retracted the threads buried beneath the earth.
Nawaki said flatly, "You go first. I won't see you off."
Kakuzu narrowed his eyes.
"You go first. I've used too much chakra and need to recover a bit."
"This is Konoha. You're the guest. You should leave first."
"No need to be polite. You first."
"Your Lightning Release expression is showing again."
"Hm? That's impossible. Kid, don't be suspicious. I have no intention of anything else."
The two of them continued staring at each other, neither willing to be the first to retreat.
After a long silence, Kakuzu finally clicked his tongue.
"You win."
He turned and left.
At the same time, Nawaki's Water Release surged forward behind him, forcing pressure into the retreat.
Elsewhere, the Third Hokage's expression was grave.
"What should we do?"
Nagato's technique had expanded to a scale that defied normal understanding. The situation had gone far beyond conventional shinobi tactics.
Orochimaru and Jiraiya exchanged looks, but even they remained silent.
Almost instinctively, everyone turned their attention toward Hayashi.
It had nothing to do with pride.
Only strength.
At times like this, when the situation exceeded everyone's limits, there was no point pretending otherwise.
Hayashi's strength was already beyond theirs.
When the sky falls, those tall enough must hold it up.
The earlier meteor shower had already proven that.
Hayashi did not hesitate.
His response was calm and direct.
"Four Red Yang Formation."
Chibaku Tensei was a sealing technique.
The Four Red Yang Formation was also a sealing technique.
Using sealing to counter sealing was the most direct answer.
The Third Hokage frowned slightly.
"The Four Red Yang Formation requires four Kage-level shinobi. Orochimaru and Jiraiya are barely sufficient, but…"
His gaze shifted.
Hayashi still had to deal with Fugaku's retreat. Kushina alone might not be able to hold him back.
They were one short.
A voice suddenly cut in.
"Am I not here, old man?"
Everyone turned.
Tsunade stood near the collapsed Hokage building.
Beside her was Hayashi.
Not long after the attack began, Hayashi had used a shadow clone and the Flying Thunder God Technique to bring her back to the battlefield.
However, Tsunade's condition was unusual. Her hair was still damp, and she was wrapped in a white bathrobe, as if she had been pulled straight from a hot spring without warning.
The urgency of Konoha's crisis clearly did not leave time for preparation.
As eyes drifted toward her, a vein popped on Tsunade's forehead.
Without warning, she punched Hayashi's shadow clone, shattering it instantly.
The clone dispersed, its memories returning to Hayashi.
Hayashi gave a small, awkward smile.
Then, without hesitation, he used the Flying Thunder God Technique to vanish from the spot.
Jiraiya, meanwhile, stood frozen for a moment.
Four broken ribs were the result of his earlier misfortune from glancing at Tsunade in the hot spring.
He looked like he was about to charge forward anyway, but wisely reconsidered.
Hayashi decided it was best to keep his distance.
Far away distance.
Preferably very far.
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