Chapter 147: Wood Human vs. Wood Human
The final battle in Amegakure began with intense heat.
The situation on Izayoi and Nagato's side was no less fierce.
The repulsive force storm, which seemed to engulf everything in white light, not only destroyed the trees within the barrier but also shattered the Four Violet Flames Formation that could trap Kage-level powerhouses.
The remaining repulsive force storm even continued to spread, causing the towering trees, all as large as small mountains, to tilt and bend. Some were riddled with cracks, and parts of their trunks broke off.
The area where Nagato was located was even more of a wasteland.
Rumble rumble rumble...
Nagato's figure floated in the air, not even having had a chance to catch his breath before the sound of an earthquake rang out again.
The earth, which had become a wasteland and even had a huge basin blasted into it, once again sprouted a large number of trees, which, like giant pythons, bound towards Nagato.
Nagato no longer used the Almighty Push to defend. Instead, his hands transformed into cannons, and he flew to a higher altitude, not giving Izayoi the chance to use a barrier to trap him.
At first, the branches still extended to pursue.
However, as Nagato flew higher and higher, the branches finally stopped chasing and retreated back into the forest.
Realizing that this height was the limit the branches could reach, Nagato stopped ascending and instead used gravity to levitate. Then, he clapped his hands together, and a black sphere appeared between his open palms.
"Planetary Devastation!"
Nagato casually threw the black sphere forward.
The terrifying gravitational force instantly engulfed everything like a tidal wave.
The earth tore apart, and towering trees and fragments of rock of various sizes detached from the ground and flew upward.
Izayoi was also within the range of the gravitational pull, rising into the air along with a towering tree.
Izayoi was just about to use the Dust Release secret art to shatter the black sphere as he had done before.
However, glancing at Nagato, who was unaffected by the gravity and floated not far from the black sphere, and sensing the significant decrease in the other's chakra signature, Izayoi immediately dismissed the idea.
After a series of exchanges, Izayoi had already confirmed that Nagato's Preta Path could not absorb the chakra within the trees, only energy-based chakra.
If this Sage Art-level Dust Release were absorbed by Nagato, it would definitely allow him to recover a significant amount of his chakra.
So, Izayoi crushed the chakra vortex that had already condensed in his palm and instead clapped his hands together, softly saying, "Sage Art... Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"
"Roar..."
A roar that shook the very souls of all living things echoed through the forest.
Then, a Wood Dragon the size of a small mountain tore through the earth and soared into the sky from the forest.
Under Nagato's wide-eyed gaze, the Wood Dragon opened its massive jaws and bit down on the Planetary Devastation that had already turned into a meteor. It resembled a dragon playing with a pearl. Then, its tail flicked, carrying the power of twisting air currents, and swept towards the stunned Nagato.
Looking at the dragon's tail sweeping towards him like a mountain, Nagato had no time to descend, nor could he use the Asura Path's power to fly away. He could only release repulsive force to defend.
The next second, an unbelievable scene appeared.
The twisting air currents acted like an invisible barrier, resisting the sweep of the dragon's tail.
However, unlike the trees that had stopped in mid-air, this dragon's tail was still approaching Nagato at a steady pace.
The repulsive force storm that could easily destroy a mountain and an ordinary forest had not shattered this Wood Dragon, and could only barely impede the dragon's tail's advance.
Just how hard, how heavy, and how much chakra did it contain?
If even a normal charged repulsive force storm couldn't scatter it, wouldn't that mean that every time he defended against this level of Wood Release, he would have to waste a certain amount of time charging up?
"No, I can't fight this kind of drawn-out battle with him," Nagato thought to himself, then took advantage of the repulsive force storm not yet dissipating to quickly descend into the forest.
During his descent, Nagato carefully examined Izayoi, and a hint of relief appeared in his heart.
Fortunately, he wasn't the only one consuming a massive amount of chakra.
The chakra Izayoi was consuming was even greater than his own.
After landing, Nagato was about to perform hand seals to create several Wood Clones and use barrier techniques like Izayoi had done before to trap them together, not giving Izayoi the chance to force him to expend a massive amount of chakra to use the Almighty Push.
Just then, a space-time vortex appeared beside Nagato.
"Leader, I've come to help you!"
A comical voice rang out, and the pure white Tobi emerged from a fist-sized black hole.
"Tobi, you've finally arrived!"
Nagato's expression immediately brightened as he said, "Perfect timing, help me take down this guy."
"Yes!"
Tobi saluted and then opened up like a Venus flytrap, attaching himself to Nagato's body.
In an instant, Nagato felt his Wood Release chakra and Yang Release chakra receive an astonishing boost.
The Wood Release, which had previously not even been worthy of carrying this forest's shoes, suddenly had the ability to contend for control of it.
Not only that, but even his physique, enhanced by Sage Mode, was further improved.
If he were to engage in a taijutsu duel with Izayoi again, Nagato, with Sage Art chakra, the Asura Path, and Earth Release: Earth Spear enhancements, his fists would definitely not be inferior to Izayoi's Earth Release: Earth Spear + Monstrous Strength Fist.
"Leader, the village has already been attacked by Otsutsuki Toneri's puppet army. Aren't we going back to support them?"
Tobi's voice rang in his ears. While Nagato released his senses to locate Izayoi's position, he calmly said, "Otsutsuki Toneri's mission is to retrieve the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. From our previous conversation, it's not difficult to deduce that the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path was originally on the moon, but I summoned it down from the moon. As long as he doesn't take my Rinnegan, no matter where he takes the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, even if he hides it in another dimension, I will be able to summon it back."
"His mission isn't to retrieve the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path at all, but to retrieve the Rinnegan."
"Right now, he is likely in a place we can't see, silently watching us, even hoping that Konoha's Wood Release ninja will weaken my strength so he can seize the opportunity to attack."
"I've already made arrangements. It doesn't matter if the village is destroyed. There are countless Impure World Reincarnation undead. As long as everyone else is alright."
"Compared to Otsutsuki Toneri, Konoha's Wood Release ninja poses a greater threat to us, both now and in the future."
After saying that, Nagato clapped his hands together and said, "Let's go, Tobi!"
"Understood! Sage Art... Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!"
As Tobi's voice finished, two overlapping voices spoke a single jutsu name.
Rumble rumble rumble...
The earth shook violently, and a hundred-armed Buddha statue, taller than the primeval forest created by the Advent of a World of Flowering Trees, estimated to be about 150 meters tall, rose from the ground.
"So that's how it's created."
Izayoi had not interrupted Nagato and Tobi from beginning to end, but had been secretly observing from the shadows.
Watching the birth of the hundred-armed Buddha statue, Izayoi instantly grasped the Wood Human Technique.
So, he also clapped his hands together, inputting his vast Sage Art chakra into the earth, and shouted, "Sage Art... Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!"
The earth shook violently again. Even Hinata and Karin, who had rushed over from Konoha and were observing the battle with their Byakugan and Kagura Shingan from a place more than twenty kilometers away from the primeval forest, could feel these two tremors.
However, what made the two of them gape in astonishment and shock, more than this tremor with its astonishing range, were the two massive, mountain-like chakra masses.
"Such a large amount of chakra can actually be materialized, it's too unbelievable!"
Karin, who was witnessing the Wood Human Technique for the first time, said with a slightly trembling voice.
Moreover, the Kagura Shingan was different from the Byakugan's far-sightedness and X-ray vision. It could only see blurry features but could sense things that the Byakugan couldn't see.
Within these two massive, mountain-like chakra masses, Karin sensed astonishing life force and an aggressive power.
The former was Yang Release chakra, and the latter should be the natural energy that Izayoi had mentioned.
Hinata looked at the Wood Human Arhat that had risen from the ground and was confronting the hundred-armed Buddha statue, thinking to herself, "Izayoi-kun and the Akatsuki leader have both become stronger."
At the beginning of the year, Hinata had seen the hundred-armed Buddha statue used by Nagato and Tobi, and its size was nowhere near as large as it was today.
This was not only an amplification of Sage Art chakra, but the Akatsuki leader's chakra had also increased over the past half year.
However, this increase was not as astonishing as Izayoi's.
After completing the second fetal movement, Izayoi's chakra volume had already exploded. After no longer maintaining Sage Mode for long periods recently, his chakra volume had doubled again.
His current chakra volume was much, much greater than Naruto Uzumaki's.
Even the Akatsuki leader's chakra was far inferior to Izayoi's.
However, Hinata, whose combat experience and battle intelligence far surpassed her original counterpart, felt no joy at this moment. Instead, her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she felt worried for Izayoi in her heart: "If this continues, Izayoi-kun's situation will be very bad!"
"He really knows the Wood Human Technique too!"
Looking at Izayoi standing on top of the Wood Human Arhat's head, Nagato said in a deep voice, "This is good, the target is even clearer now."
"Leader, should I say hello to him?"
Tobi's voice entered his ears, and Nagato couldn't help but smile, "Sure, Tobi, why don't you say hello to him."
"Understood!"
Tobi immediately mobilized the chakra within the hundred-armed Buddha statue beneath his feet, transforming it into the five chakra nature transformations, forming a multicolored pillar of fire that shot out from the hundred-armed Buddha statue's mouth towards the Wood Human Arhat and Izayoi.
Whether it hit or was defended against, this pillar of fire would unleash world-destroying power.
Even the Wood Human Arhat, whose hardness allowed it to receive a Tailed Beast Ball with its bare hands, would be blasted into a battered state.
Because the power of this move had already surpassed that of a Tailed Beast Ball.
Not the five elements, but... Sage Art: Five Elements!
However, Izayoi had more than one way to defend against this Sage Art: Five Elements.
The simplest way would be to use the Wood Human Arhat to create a Dust Release secret art of the same level, which could instantly decompose the Sage Art: Five Elements.
However, Izayoi couldn't do that.
As long as he released ninjutsu, especially ninjutsu on the scale of the Wood Human Arhat, Nagato would definitely fly out of the hundred-armed Buddha statue and use the Preta Path to absorb it.
At that point, the Sage Art chakra Izayoi consumed would only be providing Sage Art chakra to Nagato.
The chakra absorption of the Tenseigan also couldn't be revealed using this identity.
So, Izayoi's fingers moved slightly.
"Roar..."
The roar that shook the very souls of all living things echoed again.
The Wood Dragon, which had fallen to the ground due to loss of control, soared into the sky again, spitting out the dragon pearl formed by Planetary Devastation. It opened its mouth and swallowed the violently shooting multicolored pillar of fire. Its body rapidly expanded, flashing with multicolored light, and was about to charge towards the hundred-armed Buddha statue.
Seeing this, the massive number of arms behind the hundred-armed Buddha statue immediately extended out and grabbed the flying Wood Dragon.
Boom————
Before it could throw the Wood Dragon back, the expanding Wood Dragon exploded like a balloon, unleashing a dazzling, multicolored burst of flames.
The terrifying energy explosion instantly shattered the extending wooden arms and engulfed Izayoi and Nagato on both sides.
The Wood Human Arhat raised its hand to help Izayoi block the explosive heat wave, while Nagato used the Preta Path to block the explosive heat wave while also recovering the Sage Art chakra contained within.
As soon as the flames disappeared, the sound of earth-shattering tremors rang out.
The Wood Human Arhat stomped on the ground and ran forward, throwing a punch at the hundred-armed Buddha statue.
The hundred-armed Buddha statue, not to be outdone, swung its fist to迎击.
The two fists collided, and the terrifying shockwave, like a passing hurricane, caused the forest created by Wood Release to sway violently.
The terrifying force also shook the Wood Human Arhat and the hundred-armed Buddha statue back a step each, before they continued to clench their fists and strike again.
Just as the two fists collided, Nagato immediately resorted to underhanded tactics, raising his hand and shouting at Izayoi, "Universal Pull!"
The strange gravitational force tried to pull Izayoi away from the top of the Wood Human Arhat.
Unfortunately, a wooden shield rose in time, severing the gravitational binding for Izayoi.
At this moment, one after another black shadow of a fist fell towards Izayoi like meteors.
The scene that Hinata had sensed as ominous still occurred.
From the moment Tobi arrived on the battlefield, Izayoi was no longer in a one-on-one fight but was facing two opponents.
Nagato used gravity to interfere, while Tobi controlled the hundred-armed Buddha statue.
"A very impressive coordination, I almost fell for your trick, but..."
Looking at the incoming rain of fists, Izayoi merely grinned and muttered, "You can't possibly understand just how powerful Wood Release without hand seals truly is!"
As soon as his words fell, a square crack appeared on the wooden ground beneath Izayoi's feet, then transformed into a platform that carried Izayoi down into the Wood Human Arhat's head.
In an instant, as if the finishing touch had been added to a painting of a dragon, the Wood Human Arhat's eyes turned golden, and red eye shadow appeared at the corners of its eyes.
It raised its other hand and slammed it towards the incoming rain of fists. The massive arm grew a large number of branches, forming numerous giant fists that collided with the torrential rain of fists.
The terrifying force shook the Wood Human Arhat and the hundred-armed Buddha statue back several steps, their arms shattering one after another.
"Nani?!"
Seeing this scene, Tobi could no longer maintain his comical facade and said in disbelief, "The caster can actually hide inside the Wood Human? Was that last attack of his without hand seals?"
"His Wood Release indeed doesn't require hand seals," Nagato asked, "Tobi, can you do that?"
"Impossible, that's completely impossible," Tobi said, doubting his life. "Although I can manipulate the chakra inside the Wood Human and transform it into the five elemental chakras to release jutsu without seals using the Wood Human as a medium, my control over the Wood Human is nothing like his effortless ease. Moreover, using the Wood Human to cast other Wood Release ninjutsu still requires hand seals, which necessitates time and pre-motion. But his Wood Release has no time or pre-motion at all, meaning there are no hand seals at all. How is this possible?"
"Perhaps... this is the orthodox Wood Release," Nagato could only attribute it to this reason.
"So this is the orthodox Wood Release, it's truly amazing!"
Tobi, who had also never seen Hashirama Senju, suddenly became excited and shouted, "Leader, we must capture him! As long as we transplant his cells, both your and my Wood Release will become even stronger!"
"That's exactly what I intend!" Nagato laughed. "I'll leave the Wood Human to you, and I'll target his weaknesses."
"No problem!"
Tobi immediately input chakra into the hundred-armed Buddha statue, causing its shattered arms to regrow. Then, the hundred-armed Buddha statue moved towards the Wood Human Arhat.
"Roar..."
At the same time, a Wood Dragon soared into the sky from the forest and coiled around the Wood Human Arhat's body.
Immediately, the Wood Human Arhat raised its regrown fist, which was covered in a layer of blue chakra flames, and ran towards the hundred-armed Buddha statue.
"Are you kidding me? This is possible too?!"
Nagato and Tobi exclaimed again in unison.
The hundred-armed Buddha statue immediately stopped moving, and the hundred giant arms behind it extended out again, transforming into a torrential downpour of attacks.
In response, the Wood Human Arhat simply threw a punch.
Boom————
Terrifying Sage Art chakra immediately erupted.
The Wood Human Arhat's version of the Monstrous Strength Fist unleashed a massive shockwave, shattering dozens of the hundred-armed Buddha statue's arms.
The Wood Dragon also flew away, its tail sweeping across, carrying a force even greater than the hundred-armed Buddha statue's giant arms, shattering the remaining arms.
After shattering the arms, the chakra shockwave still contained powerful residual force, engulfing Nagato.
Having regained his composure, Nagato quickly performed a single hand seal and created a Wood Clone in front of him, while his main body moved backward.
The Wood Clone opened its hands, creating a transparent white light shield to block the roaring chakra shockwave.
In an instant, the chakra shockwave, as if attracted by a magnet, all gathered and surged into the Wood Clone's body.
Seeing this, Nagato's face lit up with joy as he said, "As expected, it's chakra, it can be absorbed!"
"Great, then we have nothing to fear," Tobi also said with delight.
"Miscalculated, I forgot the Wood Human Arhat's size," Izayoi thought to himself, hidden inside the Wood Human Arhat's head.
The Monstrous Strength Fist was the chakra outburst of the Senju clan.
The Steel Fist was just one way to use it. Like Tobirama Senju and Hashirama Senju, it could also be integrated into their aura, shattering the surrounding buildings.
However, it still couldn't change the fact that it was a way to release chakra using taijutsu, not like the Eight Gates, which used taijutsu to strike the air and create the effect of ninjutsu.
As long as it was chakra, the Preta Path could absorb it.
The chakra Izayoi released wasn't obvious enough, and there wasn't enough time to absorb it.
On the other hand, the Wood Human Arhat's Monstrous Strength Fist released a chakra shockwave with an astonishingly large area, the 'special effects' were too obvious.
Unless he caught an opening, he couldn't use a charged punch like that again.
So, Izayoi changed his attack method, letting Nagato and Tobi once again feel the difference in Wood Release.
The Wood Human Arhat reached out and grabbed the Wood Dragon's head.
In an instant, the Wood Dragon coiling around its body transformed into a wooden dragon-slaying sword.
"Broken, that's too broken!"
Tobi cursed, "This level of flexibility and shape-shifting, Wood Release without hand seals is just too broken!"
Wood Release without hand seals was just this broken.
Just like the Uchiha clan's Complete Body Susanoo, which was composed of Yin Release chakra, so it could be freely controlled and could also condense samurai swords and Yasaka Beads, as well as shields and bows and arrows, and other weapons with Yin Release chakra.
(End of this chapter)
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