Chapter 414: The Power of the Rinnegan

Chapter 414: The Power of the Rinnegan

Danzo stood on top of the Salamander, wielding his signature chain scythe, extracted from a scroll.

The scythe, coupled with the added reach and flexibility of the chain, was Danzo's most trusted weapon. With it, he had once defeated the renowned genius swordsman of the Land of Iron, Mitsuki, with a single Iaido strike.

However, Danzo had no intention of engaging Mu Yue in close-quarters combat or testing his swordsmanship against hers. He feared he would lose.

From the start of their battle, Danzo had been outclassed at every turn, and his confidence in defeating Mu Yue single-handedly had vanished.

Danzo's new strategy was to utilize the full extent of his chain's length to keep Mu Yue at bay.

His scythe was also coated with a potent venom. Even a slight graze would quickly spread the toxin throughout her body.

Danzo's current tactic was simple: to wear Mu Yue down, he himself would engage her directly while a hundred elite Rain Ninjas relentlessly assaulted the Ninja Sect ninjas, creating an opportunity to strike a fatal blow.

This was Danzo's last resort to kill Mu Yue.

If given a chance to do it over, he would have brought every single Rain Ninja to this battle.

As long as the opponent wasn't on the level of a ninja god like Hashirama Senju, they could be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

His water release jutsu alone couldn't counter Mu Yue's fire release, but if hundreds of ninjas performed the technique together, they would surely overwhelm her.

Furthermore, regardless of how powerful a ninja's techniques were, their chakra and stamina were finite. The more formidable the jutsu, the more chakra it consumed. Danzo believed that even Mu Yue wouldn't be able to casually perform the Fire Dragon Bullet Technique without restraint.

"I underestimated your individual strength. If I had summoned my summoning beast from the start, the battle might have gone differently. But you won't have that chance again," Danzo said in a low voice.

From now on, he would commit himself wholly to this battle, doing his utmost to stall Mu Yue, waiting for that fleeting moment when she would reveal an opening, and then he would strike to kill her.

"If you could order your subordinates to stand down, your words would carry more weight," Mu Yue said calmly as he took out a gas mask from his scroll and put it on.

Of course, Mu Yue hadn't come unprepared to face Danzo. He had brought along several gas masks as a precaution.

Danzo's expression turned slightly ugly. The fact that Mu Yue had come to their meeting prepared with a gas mask, even if he didn't make a move, suggested that Mu Yue might take the opportunity to strike at any moment.

"Spit venom!" Danzo commanded, signaling the salamander to release its toxic mist.

The giant salamander immediately opened its massive mouth, spewing forth a purple cloud of highly toxic mist that surged towards Mu Yue.

Shush!

Danzo himself didn't hesitate, instantly launching three shuriken, each affixed with explosive tags, at Mu Yue.

Mu Yue, unlike him, didn't possess an immunity to the salamander's venom. If her gas mask were to be damaged, she would quickly succumb to the paralyzing effects of the poison.

However, with her Transparent World ability activated, Mu Yue immediately detected Danzo's actions and swiftly intercepted the shuriken with her own throwing knives.

As for the toxic mist, Mu Yue didn't have an ideal countermeasure, but with her gas mask in place, she didn't need to worry about it for the time being.

It was true that a good summoning beast could effectively enhance a ninja's strength.

Although Mu Yue also had a summoning beast, Black Feather, it was more suitable for transportation than combat.

From then on, Danzo played it safe, and whenever Mu Yue showed signs of attacking, he would immediately use the Water Instantaneous Body Technique to flee. When he had the chance, he would harass her with poison gas and ninja tools to wear her down.

However, Mu Yue couldn't ignore Danzo, as he might dare to charge into the midst of the Ninja Sect ninjas with his scythe and start a massacre.

Due to Danzo's deliberate evasive tactics, the battle between them turned into a game of cat and mouse.

Although Mu Yue still held a significant advantage, she had to be cautious because of the salamander's toxic mist, which slowed down the pace of the battle.

Danzo had never fought such a humiliating battle in his life, but at that moment, he had no other choice. He knew he couldn't win in a direct confrontation.

Because of Danzo's orders, the battle on Nagato's side became extremely intense.

All the Rain Ninjas exerted themselves to the fullest, relentlessly assaulting Nagato's group with ninja tools and jutsu.

Eight against a hundred—on average, each of Nagato's group faced around twelve opponents.

What made it even more challenging was that these Rain Ninjas were no pushovers; they were the elite forces of the Rain Ninja Village.

Strictly speaking, aside from Kakuzu, Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan, the rest of the Ninja Sect ninjas might not be able to defeat these Rain Ninjas in one-on-one battles.

Kakuzu killed a Rain Ninja with a tendril punch, but he soon found himself under attack from multiple opponents. Despite his prowess, he couldn't avoid sustaining injuries due to their overwhelming numbers.

Fortunately, Kakuzu had the Earth Grudge Fear, which allowed him to swiftly steal hearts and restore his strength. Although he couldn't return to his peak condition, he recovered a significant portion and managed to hold off half of the enemy force by himself.

However, the remaining half posed a considerable challenge to Nagato's group, and the weaker members like Hideo and Ikumo sustained injuries.

"Water Style: Water Disturbance Wave!"

Seeing Hideo under attack from the side, Yahiko quickly used the jutsu to create an opening for him and then rushed forward to kick away a Rain Ninja who was attempting to sneak attack Hideo.

Each of the Ninja Sect ninjas fought with all their might. Kakuzu and Yahiko struggled to hold the line, while Nagato continuously formed hand seals, unleashing jutsu after jutsu, serving as the main damage dealer of the group.

Konan used her Paper Shuriken Jutsu to relieve the pressure on Yahiko and the others, while the rest of the group supported Nagato and kept a lookout for opportunistic Rain Ninjas.

Faced with the life-or-death crisis, the members of Nagato's group displayed remarkable cohesion, each fulfilling their roles without interfering with one another.

"It's incredible," Kakuzu muttered as he glanced at the Ninja Sect ninjas fighting alongside them. "Naivety can actually be contagious."

Kakuzu found it hard to believe that these Ninja Sect ninjas, who were fighting side by side with them, had only known each other for a few months.

Despite the near-impossible odds, not a single one of the Ninja Sect ninjas fled, retreated, or betrayed their comrades.

Kakuzu had expected the cautious Ikumo to run, but even he was fighting with exceptional vigor.

Of course, in Kakuzu's opinion, their efforts might be more of a hindrance. If it weren't for Yahiko and Nagato's desire to protect their Ninja Sect companions, they might have been able to fight more freely and utilize their full strength.

If not for Kakuzu regaining a substantial portion of his strength and holding off half of the enemy force, there might have already been casualties in their group.

"If the village had been like this back then, perhaps the outcome would have been..." Kakuzu kicked a Rain Ninja away, deliberately cutting off his train of thought.

He knew that those profit-driven higher-ups would never act in such a way.

If the Rain Ninja higher-ups present were like the ones from the Taki Ninja Village, they would have readily abandoned the weaker ninjas without a second thought, choosing not to waste their resources on protecting them.

Upon noticing Nagato's predicament, Mu Yue intentionally steered her battle with Hanzo towards Nagato's location.

The battle-hardened Hanzo quickly discerned Mu Yue's intention but feigned ignorance, allowing Mu Yue to approach the valley unhindered.

This was the opportunity he had been waiting for all along.

Yahiko was inherently weaker than Kakuzu, and without the Earth Grudge Fear, the immense pressure proved too much for him to handle.

Driven by worry, Nagato rushed to Yahiko's aid, but this left him unable to cast ninjutsu at a high frequency, and he soon found himself surrounded by the Rain Ninjas.

"Wind Release: Wind Blades!"

Mu Yue abruptly ceased her confrontation with Hanzo, appearing beside the Rain Ninjas and unleashing two sharp wind blades that instantly killed those surrounding Nagato and Yahiko.

Recognizing that Mu Yue was the primary threat in this battle, many Rain Ninjas immediately redirected their attacks towards her.

However, Mu Yue's agile movements ensured that none of their assaults landed successfully.

"Finally, the opportunity I've been waiting for," Hanzo exclaimed, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes as he channeled chakra and fired a water string at Mu Yue.

"Teacher, watch out!" Nagato, intending to thank Mu Yue, noticed Hanzo's attack and frantically shouted a warning.

But Hanzo's timing was impeccable; by the time Nagato shouted, his attack was already too close for Mu Yue to completely evade. She managed to dodge the vital spots, but blood splattered as the water string penetrated her abdomen, leaving a bloody hole.

Mu Yue was now close to Nagato, and with his exceptional vision, he could clearly see the splattering blood and the wound that kept oozing.

Though it was just the blood of a single person, in Nagato's eyes, the entire world seemed painted in blood, as if it had been cursed.

"What a pity. If it weren't for Sosuke bringing his men, Hanzo would have been finished," the Yellow Earth remarked regretfully.

On a personal level, he admired Mu Yue's sense of righteousness more than Hanzo's unscrupulous methods.

Hanzo's sneak attack had erased all of Mu Yue's previous advantages and established a significant advantage for himself.

Such a severe wound would impact Mu Yue's combat prowess, and Hanzo's poison could enter her body through the wound.

Despite his admiration for Mu Yue, the Yellow Earth did not intervene. After all, Mu Yue's Ninja Sect was suspected of killing Iwagakure ninjas.

A smile spread across Danzo Shimura's face as the situation unfolded in the direction he most desired.

Although Mu Yue was injured, she could still fight, and even if Hanzo defeated her, he would have exhausted a significant portion of his strength.

At that point, Danzo planned to have his subordinates pretend to be Rain Ninjas and lend a hand, asking for nothing more than a pair of Rinnegan eyes in return.

"Uncle Sosuke!" Beside him, Yahiko, seeing Mu Yue injured, anxiously pulled out bandages from his ninja tool pouch.

However, before Yahiko could hand the bandages to Mu Yue, the Rain Ninjas and Hanzo launched another wave of attacks.

Witnessing the injured Mu Yue and Yahiko in peril once more, a sense of despair crept into Nagato's heart.

He began to question his pursuit of peace, feeling that true mutual understanding between people was impossible.

Despite their Ninja Sect having done nothing to wrong the Rain Ninja Village, Hanzo had deceived them and lured them to this valley with the intention of annihilation.

Mu Yue, who possessed greater strength than Hanzo, had been injured by his despicable schemes while trying to protect them.

In this world, righteous organizations were ensnared by deception, and noble, upright individuals were wounded by the vile and cunning. Was this world truly sane?

"Must everyone endure the same pain to understand each other?" Nagato's thoughts grew extreme under the influence of his negative emotions, his fists clenched tightly.

"I can't do anything. I haven't done anything right," Nagato reflected on his life, feeling like a failure.

If he could have used his Rinnegan, perhaps he could have stopped the Konoha ninjas from killing his parents, instead of going on a rampage and killing them afterward.

Killing the Konoha ninjas brought Nagato no sense of vengeance, for no matter how many he slew, his parents would never return.

If he had been able to control his power, he wouldn't have killed so many enemies in a Rinnegan rampage.

There were people he didn't want to kill. Akatsuki strived to achieve peace without resorting to violence, and taking lives was only a last resort when all other options had failed.

Not only could he not harness his power effectively, but he also struggled with mundane tasks. His speeches lacked the passion of Yahiko's, his cooking was terrible, and upon further reflection, he realized he couldn't even express his emotions well.

"Even so, I want to protect Yahiko... I want to protect Teacher Mu Yue..."

Nagato's fists clenched tighter, his fingernails digging into his palms.

The massive amount of chakra within Nagato began to riot in sync with his emotions, and a terrifying aura rose from his body.

Kakuzu turned, surprised to see Nagato with such an expression, unaware that there was another powerful ninja in the Ninja Sect besides Mu Yue.

The perceptive Hanzo also sensed something amiss and immediately ceased his attack, employing the Water Instantaneous Body Technique.

"Shinra Tensei!"

Nagato's Rinnegan eyes trembled, and an incredibly powerful repulsive force erupted, deflecting all the ninjutsu and ninja tools aimed at him and his companions.

Bang, bang!

Some nearby ninjas were even embedded into the nearby cliffs by the sheer force of the blast.

"I didn't expect there to be another ninja of this caliber in the Ninja Sect besides Sosuke," Hanzo muttered, his brow furrowed as the Ninja Sect's displayed power far exceeded his expectations.

"Bansho Ten'in!"

Nagato stretched out his hand towards the Rain Ninjas in the distance, and they were horrified to find themselves uncontrollably rushing towards him.

"Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu!"

Mu Yue seized the opportunity, spitting out a barrage of fireballs that obliterated the approaching ninjas.

This sudden turn of events shocked all the ninjas present.

"Is this the power of the Rinnegan?" Greed flashed in Danzo's eyes, but he did not act.

Though he craved the Rinnegan, Danzo had not lost his sanity. The current situation seemed to have spiraled beyond Hanzo's control.

If the goal had been achieved, Danzo could have accepted it, but the situation on the field was heading in the direction he least wanted to see.

"There are still experts." Yellow Earth was shocked by the strength demonstrated by the Ninja Sect.

Hanzo led a hundred elite ninjas from the Rain Ninja Village, set up traps in advance, and had the advantage of the venue, yet with all this preparation, they still couldn't take down the nine Ninja Sect ninjas.

At this moment, Nagato's thoughts were chaotic, and his body was acting purely on instinct. He didn't know what he was doing; his mind had only one thought, and that was to protect his companions and inflict pain on his enemies.

Nagato's figure flashed as he appeared in front of a Rain Ninja, his palm reaching for the opponent's abdomen and ripping out their soul, instantly killing another one.

Although Nagato's strength was not as great as Mu Yue's, his bizarre means left the Rain Ninjas feeling uneasy.

"Super Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

Because the giant salamander was still condensing its toxic mist, Hanzo dared not approach and used Water Style from above to smash towards Nagato.

But Mu Yue was only injured and not incapacitated; with her entering the Flame Breathing Chakra Mode again, she once more showed everyone who the true strongest was on this battlefield.

"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Maelstrom!"

Mu Yue spit out a large amount of scorching flames, rapidly forming a small sea of fire and then splitting it into fire dragons.

Due to the extremely high temperature of the flames, the moist valley became dry, and the puddles on the ground disappeared without a trace under the roasting of this blazing fire.

The dazzling fiery dragon swallowed Hanzo's thick water dragon, once again showing everyone that fire was enough to overcome water.

In the valley, no Rain Ninja dared to launch an attack on Mu Yue anymore. They all quickly created distance, fearing being affected by this terrifying flame.

After all, this was a terrifying flame that even the demi-god Hanzo couldn't stop.

Only Mu Yue's shadow clone used Water Style to launch an attack, and in the face of the Rain Ninjas' complete defeat, it stood out on the battlefield.

If it had been Hanzo from ten years ago, he might have praised Mu Yue as the strongest in Fire Style and proactively spread her fame.

But now, Hanzo only wanted to know how to kill Mu Yue.

The strength demonstrated by the Ninja Sect was too strong. In addition to Mu Yue, this top powerhouse, there was also Nagato, a ninja who was not so simple.

Such a Ninja Sect was already strong enough to threaten the existence of the Rain Ninja Village and its position in the Rain Country.

Hanzo racked his brains but realized that he had lost the opportunity to kill Mu Yue.

It was as if Mu Yue knew about his giant salamander, as she was injured when the salamander's toxic mist still had four minutes of cooldown time left.

After Nagato's burst of power cleared a batch of Rain Ninjas, Mu Yue killed some more, and with Kakuzu's previous kills, there were only about twenty Rain Ninjas left who could still fight.

With Mu Yue's terrifying strength, the heavy casualties of his subordinates, and Nagato's bizarre means, Hanzo's heart was filled with the intention to retreat.

Based on this battle experience, although he couldn't beat Mu Yue, because of the advantage of his Water Style and the addition of his poisonous summoning beast, it wouldn't be easy for Mu Yue to defeat him either.

Back in the Rain Ninja Village, there were more Rain Ninjas who could fight for him, and although the Ninja Sect had strong individuals, they had very few ninjas and absolutely no way to fight the entire Rain Ninja Village head-on.

"For the Rain Country and the Rain Ninja Village, I cannot die." As if to convince himself, Hanzo murmured.

With this thought, Hanzo no longer hesitated and decided to give up on this plan to annihilate the Ninja Sect. He was going to retreat.

"Plan canceled, retreat!"

Hanzo took one last look at the dazzling fire dragon. As the strongest in Water Style, he had failed because of Fire Style, and this would be an unforgettable defeat in his life.

Finally, Hanzo turned into a puddle of water and disappeared from the spot.

The Rain Ninjas, upon receiving Hanzo's order, also retreated as if they had been pardoned.

After today, even if the Rain Ninjas still respected Hanzo, they would have to admit that the strongest in the Rain Country had changed, and Ninja Master Sou Yuukai was now the strongest ninja in the Rain Country.

The strength of Sou Yuukai and Hanzo was indeed different, but it was not that Hanzo was stronger than Sou Yuukai; it was that Sou Yuukai was stronger than Hanzo.

Shimura Danzo looked at the dazzling fire dragon with apprehension in his heart.

At this moment, Danzo's evaluation of Hanzo plummeted. He never expected that Hanzo would not be able to do anything, and the Ninja Sect didn't even lose a single person.

This made Danzo very depressed. Mu Yue was only injured, the Rinnegan ninja was in peak condition, and his Root elites had died for nothing, with no effect at all.

"You guys stay here and wait for an opportunity to strike." Danzo left with these words without any hesitation.

The Rinnegan was powerful, but Danzo valued his life more. If he had participated in the battle personally, he might have been in danger.

Danzo was not afraid of death, but he thought that his death would be a significant loss to Konoha, and for the village, he could not die.

"Hiruzen is too indecisive. Konoha cannot do without me." Danzo thought to himself.

Although he didn't achieve any concrete results, Danzo still felt that his operation was meaningful.

If not for this operation, he wouldn't have known about the Ninja Sect's strength, their possession of the Rinnegan, and that their leader's Fire Style was the strongest in the ninja world.

One failed operation couldn't dampen Danzo's spirits. If this didn't work, he would think of another way.

"The Rain Country is about to change."

Yellow Earth took one last admiring look at the dazzling fire dragon and then left with his subordinates. He was going to take this intelligence back to the Stone Ninja Village. Even without considering the other ninjas in the Ninja Sect, Mu Yue, Kakuzu, Nagato, and the others were already a considerable force.

Although Hanzo's reason for taking action against the Ninja Sect was to give the Stone Ninja Village an explanation, there were still some doubts about this incident, and Yellow Earth would not act rashly.

Moreover, with the strength displayed by Mu Yue and the others, the force Yellow Earth brought was insufficient.

If he really wanted to deal with Mu Yue, Yellow Earth thought that either his father should take action personally or they should send a jinchuriki; otherwise, it would be challenging to deal with her.

"Teacher, are you okay?" Nagato, now conscious, ignored his weakness and hurriedly asked about Mu Yue's condition.

"It's just a minor injury." Mu Yue replied with a gentle smile.

If Mu Yue wanted, she could have avoided getting injured. Sometimes, getting hurt was better.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end